Press Releases

September 09, 2009

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Wound Center Opens Its Doors

Lake Forest, Ill. – In partnership with National Healing Corporation, Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital opened its state-of-the-art Wound Center on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Along with new technology, the center brings a multi-disciplinary approach to wound care, as physicians of different areas of expertise collaborate on advanced wound care therapies.

"The technology and team of physicians here make this center a great asset to the community,” says Anne Craft, program director of the Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Wound Center. “Those suffering from diabetic and pressure ulcers, infections, compromised skin grafts and flaps and wounds that haven't healed within 30 days will reap the benefits of these outstanding resources.”

One of the center’s most highly-regarded resources is a state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen chamber. It heals difficult wounds by surrounding patients with 100 percent oxygen at a higher-than-normal atmospheric pressure. This allows red blood cells to pass more easily through the plasma into the wound to heal it from the inside out. Diabetic foot wounds, in particular, will benefit from this kind of treatment.

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Wound Center also uses vascular studies, tissue culturing and pathology, revascularization, skin grafting and clinical or surgical debridement.

The center’s physicians bring knowledge of their specific field to the center, whether that be vascular surgery, plastic surgery or even rehabilitation and pain management. Each physician has additional training in the field of wound care itself, having recently attended many hours of specific wound care training.

“The center takes a truly holistic approach to healing,” Craft says. “The physicians understand all of the different elements that go into treating a wound. They are also very patient and customer-focused. While healing wounds, they facilitate positive attitudes.”

Panel physicians include Dr. William Pearce, vascular surgeon; Dr. Mark Eskandari, vascular surgeon; Dr. Barbara Loris, general surgeon; Dr. Kim Sobinsky, general surgeon; Dr. Paul Steinwald, plastic surgeon; Dr. Dinora Ingberman, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician; Dr. Michael Ankin, internal medicine physician; Dr. Rebecca Leapman, podiatrist; and Dr. Frank Bongiovanni, podiatrist.

To establish the center, Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital partnered with Florida-based National Healing Corporation, which manages wound healing centers nationwide and has an average healing rate of 80 percent within 12 to 16 weeks of therapy.

For more information call the Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Wound Center at (847) 535-7600. The center is located at 900 N. Westmoreland Rd.

 

About National Healing Corporation

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., National Healing Corporation provides management services and the latest technology and expertise in wound healing to its client hospitals to establish quality wound healing programs. The Joint Commission has awarded NHC Disease-Specific Care Certification for wound care. Committed to health care compliance and best practice medicine, NHC emphasizes these priorities in its extensive clinical and business training programs. Morgan Stanley Venture Partners and Scale Venture Partners are NHC’s leading financial partners, which accounts for 28 percent of all managed and outsourced wound centers in the United States. Visit www.nationalhealing.com.