(Greensburg, IN) – As a long-term resident of Greensburg, Tammy Leak sought medical wound attention at Decatur County Memorial Hospital’s Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Center (DCMH Wound Care Center). This decision led her on a transformative healing journey, highlighting the center’s effectiveness in providing comprehensive wound care.
When Tammy noticed an injury that did not seem to be healing, she visited her primary care provider, Family Nurse Practitioner Shelly Walsman. Shelly referred Tammy to the DCMH Wound Care Center’s team because of the team’s ability to create customized care plans to improve healing and quality of life.
The DCMH Wound Care Center specializes in treating wounds using evidence-based wound treatment. Its team of doctors, surgeons, podiatrists, pharmacists, licensed dietitians, and certified wound-care nurses work in unison to create effective and efficient care plans for every patient.
In Tammy’s case, her primary care provider shared that her wound would likely heal at a gradual pace, resulting in a large scar where the wound had once been. It was essential to Tammy that she heal faster. She has many people who mean too much to her to undergo a long healing process. Tammy has been married to her Husband, Bill, for 47 years. She has three children, six grandchildren, and two dogs. She wanted to recover quickly and safely so that she could return to spoiling her grandchildren and spending time with her husband and kids.
Although having her first appointment with the DCMH Wound Care Center was initially intimidating, Tammy’s tension eased when she met the staff and experienced how friendly and committed they were to her care. The DCMH Wound Care Center’s patient-centered approach was comforting. Not only did the entire team include Tammy and Bill in the care planning process, but they chatted with them during her appointments. The team’s ability to engage Tammy and Bill in conversation had a calming effect. Tammy walked away from each appointment feeling like she’d gotten to know her providers better each time – and they knew her in return.
The team made the treatments effortless for Tammy by adhering to their planned routine: removing the bandages, cleaning the wound, gently determining the size of the improving wound, and finally, documenting it. Chowdry Pinnamaneni, MD (Dr. Chowdry), the Medical Director of DCMH Wound Care Center, skillfully removed dead skin from the wound and consistently gave Tammy a verbal explanation
of how the healing process was progressing. Dr. Chowdry also clarified that “Even a simple sore can turn into a complex problem that needs expert care,” an explanation Tammy appreciated hearing since some of her worry about her initial appointment was that she had taken a misstep in the cleaning/dressing of the wound on her own.
Tammy said, “The entire team ensured I knew the plan for each appointment and how to care for myself at home.” Tammy shared, “They always gave me instructions before I left and sent home materials to help me care for it on my own, at home.” When Tammy was at the center for her first visit, the team said she could call the DCMH Wound Care Center anytime if she had questions or was concerned, and she utilized this unique feature a few times. Tammy said she felt she was “treated kindly and with respect.”
Dr. Chowdry said, “One of the best parts of our job is getting to know our patients while we help them heal. Chatting with Tammy and her husband, we quickly realized how many things and friends we have in common.”
Tammy explained, “The entire team, Dr. Chowdry, Amy, Charlee, Lori, and Teresa were excellent at telling me what type of topical they were using each week on the wound, what they were doing, and why.” Tammy shared that her experience with DCMH Wound Care made “everything simple, and yet personable. They knew what needed to be done to heal me and were very approachable. I feel like Decatur County is truly blessed to have the Wound Care Center at our fingertips.”
For more information about the types of wounds the DCMH Wound Care Center treats, call (812) 222-HEAL (4325).
(Decatur County Memorial Hospital press release)
