O’FALLON — As April is National Foot Health Awareness Month, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s Wound Care Center aims to educate the public on common foot wounds and treatment. Right now, nearly 7 million Americans are living with a chronic wound, and more than 2 million of those are suffering from diabetic foot ulcers.
“Many suffering from chronic wounds have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as they have delayed needed care during the past two years,” said Casandra (Cassie) Roy, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, for the center. “The most common types of foot wounds are diabetic foot ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, arterial ulcers and pressure ulcers. Our team of caregivers are trained in treating these chronic wounds and non-responsive conditions.”
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For those suffering from wounds on their feet, many of these untreated and undertreated wounds have resulted in amputation, according to a study from the American Diabetes Association.
Managed by Healogics, the nation’s leading provider of advanced wound care, St. Elizabeth’s Wound Care Center treats a variety of wound conditions including chronic foot and leg wounds that are often caused by underlying conditions such as diabetes and vascular disease.
There are preventative measures everyone can do to improve foot health. Medical providers at St. Elizabeth’s Wound Care Center offer the following foot care tips:
- Check your feet for red spots, cuts, swelling, blisters, sores or other injuries daily.
- Wash your feet every day and dry them with care, especially between the toes.
- Trim your toenails as needed after you’ve washed and dried your feet.
- Wear properly fitting shoes that do not rub or pinch your feet.
- Always wear socks or stockings with your shoes, and never walk barefoot or while wearing just socks.
- Physical activity can help increase circulation in your feet. Consult your health care team to see which physical activity is right for you.
- Take off your socks at your next check-up and alert your doctor to any problems with your feet. Regular foot inspections are key to prevention.
- Proper footwear, a healthy diet and maintaining healthy glucose levels can also help keep feet sore-free.
St. Elizabeth’s Wound Care Center offers comprehensive wound care and leading-edge treatments, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, negative pressure wound therapy, bio-engineered skin substitutes, biological and biosynthetic dressings and growth factor therapies. The Wound Care Center was recently named a recipient of the Center of Distinction award by Healogics®, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services, for clinical excellence in patient satisfaction and wound healing rates.
For more information on the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers and other chronic or infected wounds, contact St. Elizabeth’s Wound Care Center at 618-234-2120, ext. 32742. A physician referral is not required.
For more information about HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, visit steliz.org.
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high-quality Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our physician practices and 15 local hospitals in two states – Illinois (Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.
About Healogics
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Healogics is the nation’s wound healing expert. Last year over 300,000 patients received advanced wound care through a network of over 600 Wound Care Centers. Healogics also partners with over 300 skilled nursing facilities to care for patients with chronic wounds and provides inpatient consults at more than 60 partner hospitals. As the industry leader, Healogics has the largest repository of chronic wound-specific patient data in the country. The Healogics Wound Science Initiative offers peer-reviewed research and advanced analytics in the pursuit of not only better outcomes, but a better way to provide care.
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