Baptist Health Wound Care discusses the urgency of wound care during Wound Care Awareness Month

Baptist Health Wound Care is helping raise awareness of the risks of chronic wounds during the tenth annual Wound Care Awareness Week, June 5-9 and throughout the month.

[PADUCAH, KY, June 8]-Baptist Health Wound Care is helping raise awareness of the risks of chronic wounds during the tenth annual Wound Care Awareness Week, June 5-9 and throughout the month. Educating the underserved chronic wound population about the importance of early detection and treatment of chronic wounds is a primary focus for the center.

Wound Care Awareness Week is designed to bring attention to the growing need for wound care. Nearly 7 million people are living with non-healing wounds in the United States and sadly the numbers continue to grow with unrealized risks. Wound care experts across the nation are dedicating the entire week to educating physicians, patients and the general public about the prevalence of chronic wounds and the advanced wound care solutions available.

The incidence of chronic wounds is rising due to our aging population and increasing rates of disease. People living with chronic wounds often have multiple medical issues that can make healing their wounds extremely challenging. For example, a person living with diabetes may also have cardiac disease, peripheral vascular disease and kidney disease that could all cause a delay in healing. A non-healing wound could lead to severe complications such as infection or even amputation. Post-amputation mortality is often equated to the mortality risk of advanced cancer. A recent meta-analysis reported a 3-year mortality risk of 71 percent after lower-extremity amputation.

Baptist Health Wound Care strives to bring together people, processes, and technology to drive the best possible outcomes for its patients. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure wound therapy, debridement and other advanced treatments are offered to patients to attempt to heal wounds that may have been open for months or even years. Evidence has shown that patients with wounds who utilize a multidisciplinary wound care team can reduce amputation risk by up to 50 percent.

If you or a loved one suffers from a wound that has not healed within 30 days, contact Baptist Health Wound Care at 270.575.2414. A physician referral is not required.