Wound Care Center recognized for clinical excellence

The Wound Care Center at HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Highland has been named a recipient of the Center of Distinction award by Healogics®, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services. 

The center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including patient satisfaction rates higher than 92% and a minimum wound healing rate of at least 92% within 28 median days to heal. There were 555 Centers eligible for the Center of Distinction award and 278 achieved the honor. Other Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) hospitals receiving this same honor include HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon and HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham.

St. Joseph’s Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Teresa Cornelius shared, “We are honored to receive this national award which recognizes the high quality and exceptional care provided by our Wound Care Center staff and providers, Dr. Jose Diaz, our medical director, Dr. Janet Alvarado, and Lauren Lawson, APRN. It is a true demonstration of their commitment to helping people achieve healing in their lives,” she said.    

St. Joseph’s Wound Care Center is a member of the Healogics network of over 600 Wound Care Centers® and offers highly specialized wound care to patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections and other chronic wounds which have not healed in a reasonable amount of time. 

Advanced wound care modalities provided by the hospital’s wound care experts include negative pressure wound therapy, total contact casting, bio-engineered tissues, biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies. The Wound Care Center also offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which works by surrounding the patient with 100% oxygen to help progress the healing of the wound.

The Wound Care Center’s Clinical Program Director Melissa Albert shared, “This award is a reflection of the dedication, commitment and talent of our colleagues and physicians to achieve this high level of care,” she said. “We are extremely proud of the exceptional and compassionate care we are able to give to those in need of wound healing to get back to their lives.”

Contact HSHS St. Joseph’s Wound Care Center if you have a wound that will not heal with traditional treatment methods. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 618-651-2502. Patients may be seen with or without a physician's referral.