A new specialty clinic is now open in Galesburg for patients dealing with wounds that won’t heal.
OSF Wound Care opened at 3375 N. Seminary St. in Galesburg, offering advanced treatment for chronic and slow-healing wounds. OSF HealthCare St. Mary Medical Center has partnered with Healogics, the nation’s leading provider of advanced chronic wound care services.
Audra Baker, director of OSF Wound Care, joined Chris Postin on Galesburg In Focus on Saturday, May 30. Listen to the full interview below.
It is estimated that chronic wounds affect 6.7 million people in the United States, a number that continues to rise with an aging population and increasing rates of diabetes and obesity. If left untreated, chronic wounds can lead to a diminished quality of life and, in some cases, amputation.
Who should seek wound care
Baker’s philosophy is simple: see a wound, send it.
“If you have a wound and you’re concerned, don’t wait,” Baker said. “Call your primary provider and ask for a referral — or call us directly and we’ll work on the back end to get that referral for you.”
Likely candidates for treatment include patients with diabetic ulcers, pressure ulcers, venous and arterial disease, surgical wounds that are not healing, skin tears, burns, and lymphedema.
Baker particularly urges diabetic patients not to delay. Because diabetes can cause loss of sensation in the feet, patients may not realize they have a wound until it has already become serious.
“If you’re a diabetic and you have a wound, do not wait,” Baker said. “That’s just a real scary situation.”
Warning signs that require immediate emergency care — not a clinic visit — include a wound that is red, hot, swollen, foul-smelling, or showing abnormal drainage.
What wound care involves
Wound care is a specialty practice, distinct from what a primary care provider can offer. The clinic sees patients weekly, and treatment plans are individualized based on each patient’s needs.
Advanced treatment options include specialized wound dressings, debridement, compression therapy, biologic skin substitutes, negative pressure wound therapy, and total contact casting — the gold standard for treating diabetic foot ulcers.
Baker says the program’s results speak for themselves: a 92% healing rate, 98% patient satisfaction, and an average healing time of 24 days.
“They might have had this wound for 10 years and they come to us and they’re healed within a month,” Baker said.
For wound care to work, patients must commit to weekly visits. Having the clinic in Galesburg removes a significant barrier for rural patients who lack reliable transportation to travel for care.
How to access wound care
OSF Wound Care is located on the south side of the building at 3375 N. Seminary St., behind the Cancer Care Center on the St. Mary campus. Clinic hours are Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon.
Patients can call directly at (309) 734-1408, Monday through Friday. Staff will work with providers to coordinate referrals on the back end.
