Wound and Ostomy Center
The Middlesex Hospital Wound and Ostomy Center is dedicated to the successful treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds and the management of ostomies.
We understand that both physicians and patients rely on us to provide the diagnostic and therapeutic resources necessary to meet their health care needs. Our staff is committed to providing our community with the most current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to wound healing. It is our goal to improve the lives of patients by offering a comprehensive clinical program that emphasizes the preservation of our patients’ dignity and self-respect.
Office hours are 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, in two locations:
- 520 Saybrook Road Suite 201
Middletown, Connecticut 06457
- 192 Westbrook Road
Essex, Connecticut 06426
Why a wound may not heal properly
Chronic wounds create a complex set of challenges. At the Middlesex Hospital Wound and Ostomy Center, we want to help the healing begin, with a full range of services for effective wound treatment. These services are designed to ensure efficient, standardized care with the flexibility to develop individualized treatment plans.
For most people, wound healing is a natural process. But for some, it becomes a complex medical problem requiring specialized treatment and care. There are two sets of factors that can impede the healing process. These include local factors and systemic factors. Examples of local factors include prolonged pressure on the wound, a dry environment at the wound site, infection, or localized tissue death (necrosis). Systemic factors are those that may be affecting the patient’s entire body, including age, body type, the presence of ongoing or chronic disease, poor nutrition, poor circulation or vascular disease, or the effects of medication.
Using a planned, systematic approach, including consideration of all factors that may affect wound healing, Center's staff treats four primary wound types:
- Venous Stasis Ulcers
- Diabetic Foot Ulcers
- Ischemic Ulcers
- Stage III and IV Pressure Ulcers
Wound Care Services
Wound care diagnostic and therapeutic steps may include:
- Assessment
- Infection control
- Debridement (removing dead tissue to promote healing)
- Application of appropriate dressings
- Bioengineered skin and collagen products
- Occupational and physical therapy
- Patient, family and/or caretaker education
Ostomy Care
Ostomy surgery is a procedure that creates an opening in the abdomen called a stoma. Whether temporary or permanent, ostomy surgery (e.g. colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, ileal conduit) results in an alteration of bodily function. Our staff are experts in the assessment and evaluation of ostomies.
Our ostomy care services include:
- Teaching and counseling before and after surgery
- Stoma site selection
- Post-operative skin and stoma assessment and management
- Selection and teaching of appropriate appliance/pouch techniques
- Patient and family education
Diabetic Foot Care
Diabetes can be dangerous to your feet. Diabetes causes nerve damage and decreased blood flow in your feet, leaving them less sensitive to pain, and less able to heal in the event of even a minor injury such as a cut or bruise.
That’s why the Middlesex Hospital Wound and Ostomy Center has introduced our Diabetic Foot Care Program. This service provides:
- Initial risk screening
- Routine foot and nail care
- Appropriate referrals to other medical specialties such as podiatry, vascular surgery, and diabetic footwear
What happens at the first visit?
Initially, your current health and medical history will be obtained. It is important to provide a list of medications you are currently taking.
You will then be seen by a physician or another specialist from our wound and ostomy care team. Our clinicians will develop a proactive and comprehensive care plan for your treatment and review it with you and your physician. Included in this plan will be a schedule for changing dressings and how often you will need to come to the Center.
Who pays for your treatment?
Treatment is usually covered by most insurance companies, including Medicare and Medicaid. You can check with your provider to be sure, or our staff can contact them when you visit for the first time. We will also contact your insurer for authorization.
No referral is necessary, unless your insurance plan mandates one. Patients can obtain care directly at the Middlesex Hospital Wound and Ostomy Center, or they may be referred by physicians or caregivers.
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