Wound Care Update

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may not help all foot ulcers, doctors say
Many wound care centers offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy, but some doctors question the treatment's ability to heal diabetic foot ulcers. In patients with peripheral vascular disease, oxygenated blood might not be able to reach the feet, rendering HBOT ineffective, says David Armstrong, director of the Southern Arizona Limb Salvage Alliance. Appropriate debridement and a team approach to care are the most important factors in wound healing, Armstrong said. Chicago Tribune (tiered subscription model) (4/25)

Ark. hospital opens a new wound care center
Summit Medical Center's new Wound Healing Center in Van Buren, Ark., features two hyperbaric oxygen chambers with flat-screen televisions to increase patient comfort. The City Wire (Fort Smith, Ark.) (4/25)

Fla. wound care center moves to more accessible location
Baptist Health's Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine recently moved from what one patient referred to as a dungeon to a new location that patients say is more accessible. The center has four hyperbaric chambers and also offers debridement and bio-synthetic skin grafts. The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) (4/25)

Research, Technology & Innovation

Integrated surgical team lowered amputation risk at Ariz. hospital
A wound care team that includes a podiatrist and a vascular surgeon can significantly reduce the risk of diabetic foot ulcers' requiring amputation, according to a study by two University of Arizona doctors. The research also showed having an integrated surgical team is tied to more proactive procedures, rather than reactive emergency amputations.  KVOA Communications (Tucson, Ariz.) (4/30)

Study: Honey as a secondary dressing helps wounds heal
Wounds treated with topical medicinal honey as an adjunct therapy healed completely in 31.4% of cases and improved in 53.3% of cases in a study published in International Wound Journal. Average wound size decreased and cleanliness increased in the wounds treated with honey, the researchers reported. Medscape (free registration) (4/30)

Health Policy & Regulation

CMS proposes payment rules for readmissions, quality programs
A CMS proposed rule would pay acute care hospitals 2.3% more for treating Medicare patients if inpatient quality reporting programs are in place. The agency also proposed a calculation for penalties assessed to hospitals with high 30-day readmission rates. And CMS said it wants to add surgical site infections from cardiac implantable electronic device and iatrogenic pneumothorax with venous catheterization as conditions subject to hospital-acquired condition payment provisions for 2013. HealthLeaders Media (4/25)

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