Wound/Ostomy Center
The Wound/Ostomy Center at Riverview Hospital provides comprehensive services for individuals requiring wound, ostomy, or continence care. Our goal is to provide patients with the resources, education, and individualized care to address their unique medical condition.
Wound Care
As a result of a medical condition such as diabetes, poor circulation, immobility, surgery, or trauma, some patients may suffer from wounds that are complicated or slow to heal. These wounds may require a more advanced assessment to determine the appropriate plan of care for their special needs. To promote comfort and more timely healing, the nurses at the Wound/Ostomy Center work with patients, their family, physicians, nurses, and other members of the healthcare team to coordinate care by providing:
- Education
- Comprehensive wound management (including debridement and hydrotherapy as necessary)
- Nutritional counseling
- Psychosocial counseling
- Fitting of support stockings and related lower leg assessment
- Feeding and/or drain tube management
- Assistance with third party reimbursement
- Bedside diagnostics
- Pre-op stoma marking
- Support surface management
- Wound care seminars and staff education
- Systemic and topical pharmaceuticals
- Orthotics
Types of wounds treated by the Wound/Ostomy Center may include: Pressure ulcers, Arterial ulcers, Venous stasis ulcers, Vascular ulcers, Diabetic ulcers, Fistulas, Neuropathic Ulcers, non-healing and/or draining surgical wounds, and traumatic wounds.
At the Riverview Wound/Ostomy Center, the average number of days spent healing chronic wounds is 32.4, with the national average at 4 months.
Ostomy Care
Education, rehabilitation, and emotional support both before and after surgery is provided for patients who undergo ostomy surgery. Our nurses provide comprehensive care to help patients accept changes in body image for a continued quality of life after surgery. Services include:
- Education of ostomy management to ensure a better quality of life
- Mapping location for ostomy placement before surgery to promote a better appliance fit
- Complex appliance fitting/pouching and product selection
- Treatment of related skin conditions
- Nutritional counseling
- Assistance with third party reimbursement
- Other services as needed
Continence Care
Patients can suffer from incontinence as a result of an infection, surgery, muscle/nerve dysfunction or psychological disorder. Nurses at the Wound/Ostomy Center work with patients to help them manage and/or decrease incontinence. Services include:
- Assistance with product selection
- Skin care
- Assist with dietary modifications that affect continence
- Exercise therapy
- Bio-feedback therapy in conjunction with physical therapy
Staff
Personalized care is provided by nurses who are certified by the Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing Certification Board (WOCNCB). This certification ensures that patients at the Wound Center receive the latest treatments available and benefit from the results of the most up-to-date research.
Nurses with the Wound/Ostomy Center work closely with patients, their families and the referring physician. All treatment plans and information about care are communicated to and approved by the patients’ physician.
Both inpatient and outpatient services are provided with a physician's order. The Wound/Ostomy staff will coordinate care and assist with the scheduling of appointments. The Wound/Ostomy Center accepts Medicare, Medicaid, other insurance plans and private pay arrangements.
Contact Us
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (317) 776-7407.