MDNews - Long Island

recognized by The Joint Commission a s a C ompl e m e nt a r y A c c r e d it i n g organization under the Commission's Cooperative Agreement Initiative. Of the 1,500 hyperbaric facilities in the United States, only 267 earned this distinction during the past 20 years, putting the Long Island Community Hospital Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Centers in an elite group. To receive the accreditation, each facil- ity has to engage in a week-long process demonstrating proficiency in 640 metrics, including: + Indication for the use of HBOT + The credentialing process for the doc- tors, nurse practitioners and hyperbaric oxygen technicians + Safety and fire protection protocols + A mentoring process for the doctors, podiatrists and nurse practitioners "From the painting on the wa lls to the tiles on the floors, the whole center has to be evaluated," Dr. Kormylo states. "We hit all 640 metrics during the initial credentialing process." HBOT is an effective form of therapy for a variety of conditions associated with nonhealing diabetic wounds, including chronic osteomyelitis, flap failures, crush injuries and delayed radiation injuries to soft injury and bone. T he t y pica l cou rse of hy perba r ic treatment at Long Island Community Hospital Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Centers includes a minimum of 30 treatments, which are offered daily for two hours, five days each week. "These patients become part of our family here. At our centers, we facilitate their needs from home care to intravenous antibiotic therapy," Dr. Kormylo states. "We have a well-established network for our patients to provide an individual and comprehensive plan of care." In addition to HBOT, the team at the centers in Hauppauge and Patchogue offers additional treatment options for nonhealing wounds, including: + Bioengineered skin products + Soft cast/leg ulceration treatments + Surgical debridement + Negative pressure wound therapy + Total contact cast "The total contact cast is the gold stan- dard for offloading diabetic foot ulcers," Dr. Kormylo states. "We place the foot in a complete sealed cast without having daily dressings. This offloading allows wound closure in approximately one-half the time of conventional treatment." A n estimated 92% of patients who receive treatment at the Long Island C om mu n it y Hospit a l Wou nd Ca re Centers experience successful healing of their chronic wounds within four to six weeks. WORKING TOGETHER FOR OPTIMAL OUTCOMES Each center is staffed by a team of experts specializing in wound care, including a podiatrist, a vascular surgeon, general surgeons, wound care certified registered nurses, medical assistants and certified hyperbaric oxygen technicians. In addi- tion to delivering the standard medical treatments, different members of this team also offer guidance related to life- style choices that can benefit closure of nonhea ling wounds. An education program provides nutritional guidance for patients with diabetes. "I am vocal with patients about the consequences of not adhering to their plan of care, which, in some cases, may lead to amputation," Dr. Kormylo states. "Once they understand that they are at high risk for amputation, they become motivated to follow our program. These patients really appreciate that honesty in the end." Medical providers, including podia- trists, primary care physicians, internists, endocrinologists, general and vascular surgeons and home care agencies, should refer a patient to the wound care center if his or her wounds do not heal in four weeks. Patients may also self-refer to receive care at either center. n To learn more, visit licommunityhospital.org/wound-care-and-hyperbaric-medicine. " Running a comprehensive wound care center is a unified team effort. It goes from the receptionist to the person who verifies the insurance to the nurses and physicians who make up the backbone of our facilities. Everyone works together. This is the key to a successful wound care center." — EDWARD J. KORMYLO, DPM, FACFAS, CO-MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE LONG ISLAND COMMUNITY HOSPITAL CENTER FOR WOUND CARE AND HYPERBARIC MEDICINE AND FOUNDER OF SUFFOLK FOOT & ANKLE PAT I E N T S W I T H U N E X P L A I N A B L E flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills, may have what is known as the "diabetic foot flu." "You must remove the patient's socks and shoes to get an accurate assessment," says Edward J. Kormylo, DPM, FACFAS, Co-Medical Director and Founder of the Long Island Community Hospital Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine and Founder of Suffolk Foot & Ankle. "In multiple instances you may discover the underlying cause is an infection of the foot." M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 0 21 1 3

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