Congress backs $100,000 for wound care program at St. Anthony's

Warwick — Some good news for people in Orange County hoping to manage their diabetes: The U House of Representatives has approved $100,000 to establish a wound care program at St. Anthony Community Hospital. The bill, which is part of the 2008 Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill and was secured by U.S. Rep. John Hall, D-Dover Plains, now goes to the Senate and, if approved, to the president. Wound care programs handle all types of wounds, including diabetic wounds, arterial wounds, traumatic wounds and soft tissue infections. Some people require specialized, aggressive care to heal their wounds, especially if they have not healed over time. Therapeutic treatment plans are tailored to each patient. The program is not specifically for those with diabetes, although those suffering from diabetes can have a more difficult time healing after an injury. St. Anthony Community Hospital already has a newly accredited Center for Diabetes Education, which runs programs for those with diabetes and their families to learn, among other things, meal planning and carbohydrate counting. A Diabetes Support Group also meets each month. According to the hospital, diabetes dramatically increases the risk of heart attack and is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and amputations. The Center for Diabetes Education is staffed with a certified diabetes educator, registered dietician, and registered nurses, and is conducted under the advisement of medical doctors. What does diabetes have to do with wound healing? According to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes who are overweight or who have high blood glucose are more likely to develop skin infections than people with normal blood glucose. High blood glucose may interfere with the body’s defense systems, allowing some infections to spread. Some symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue, irritability, and blurry vision. The grant from the federal government will help St. Anthony Community Hospital put together the program, for which there is a need locally. Recently, Orange Regional Medical Center closed its wound care program at its Arden Hill campus in Goshen, leaving a void in the area. The program has not been created yet but a plan is in place, according to Ann Lombardi-Nathan, director of Public Relations at St. Anthony Community Hospital. For more information on the Center for Diabetes Education, call 987-5168.