Wound Care

If you suffer from a non-healing wound, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health can help. We care for people with wounds that have resisted healing for months or even years with traditional treatment. Using advanced wound care, hyperbaric medicine or both, our highly skilled doctors and nurses can provide relief and promote healing.

At Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we offer advanced wound care in our centers throughout the Puget Sound area. Our dedicated physicians and nurses focus solely on treating chronic wounds, bringing their experience and training from several disciplines. Meet our providers.

Non-healing wounds are sores or wounds that don’t significantly improve within a month or heal entirely within two months. If you have such a wound, you may be referred to the wound care team for further evaluation and treatment. Some of the types of wounds we treat include:

• Trauma-related wounds, such as a crush injury or open fracture that tears major arteries
• Thermal burns caused by contact with flames or heated objects
• Post-operative wounds
• Pressure ulcers and bedsores
• Diabetic foot wounds
• Vascular ulcers
• Post-radiation tissue damage, a rare complication of radiation therapy for cancer, which kills bone and soft tissue
• Compromised skin grafts and flaps
• Actinomycosis, a chronic bacterial infection that affects the face and neck
• Necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly and destroys soft tissues (also known as “flesh-eating” infection)

Our providers assess the wound healing process and may add new therapy modalities including skin substitute therapy and negative pressure therapy to enhance healing. The wound care team offers many wound dressing options that can be tailored to the needs of the patient. At our facilities, you’ll find the most up-to-date approaches and the latest scientific advances in wound care and healing, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

We offer a variety of treatment options depending on the type and severity of your wound, including:

• Debridement (removal of dead or infected tissue)
• Diabetes education and self-care tips
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• Infectious disease management
• Nutrition counseling
• Pain management
• Physical therapy

Many people with chronic, non-healing wounds have suffered for months or even years with little improvement. At Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, our experienced physicians, nurses, and other clinicians can provide relief and healing to improve your quality of life. Here’s what to expect when you come to our wound care clinics for treatment.

At your first appointment, our staff:

• Evaluates the condition of your wound and your general health
• Reviews your medical, wound and medication history
• May arrange a blood test or other special tests that tell us more about blood and oxygen flow in your wound area

Once your test results are in, we’ll put together a treatment program, based on your specific needs, that includes:

• Regular visits to our clinic so that we can treat you, evaluate your progress and make any needed changes
• Detailed instructions for you and your caregiver about:
  • Home care
  • Nutrition
  • Dressing (bandage) changes

For the best possible healing, it’s important that you:

• Keep your appointments
• Follow our instructions carefully
• Watch your progress closely between visits

We encourage your questions and are available every day to help you.

Our wound care staff works closely with your primary care provider or specialist who referred you. We discuss your treatment program and share updates on your progress. While we work with you, you'll keep seeing your provider for routine medical care

We treat people with non-healing wounds to relieve their symptoms and heal their wounds. Contact us to learn more about our wound care and hyperbaric services at Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.

Our wound care services are available at several convenient locations:

• Bremerton
  Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at St. Michael
• Burien
  Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at St. Anne
• Federal Way
  Virginia Mason Federal Way Medical Center
• Tacoma
  Franciscan Wound Care at St. Joseph
• Seattle
  Virginia Mason Medical Center

See your primary care physician or provider if you have questions or concerns about a chronic or non-healing wound.