Stephens Co. Hospital Wound Care Center Open

Stephens County Hospital’s wound care center is up and running.

Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said the new facility located on Falls Road in Toccoa opened to its first patients last week.

“We have had some patients there every day since then,” said Gambrell.  “I think it is going well.  We have patients not just from Toccoa, but from the surrounding communities as well.  We are happy with that.”

Gambrell said the wound care center will specialize in treating chronic wounds that some patients have

He said such chronic wounds can result from a number of different conditions or situations.

Such reasons include age, weight issues, diabetes, and others, said Gambrell.

Gambrell said the wound care center will have access to many different treatment methods.

He noted that one of those is the location of two hyperbaric oxygen chambers in the wound care center itself.

“It is like a big capsule you lie in,” said Gambrell.  “100 percent oxygen is put into the capsule.”

According to Gambrell, the theory is that the oxygen speeds up the healing process.

Gambrell said the goal is to treat a chronic wound and help it heal before it causes further injury to the patient.

“For example, there are diabetics out there that have bad foot problems that sometimes can cause a partial amputation,” said Gambrell.  “Hopefully, an amputation can be avoided with hyperbaric therapy.”

Planning for the wound care center started publicly back in 2012 and construction got underway last February.

Gambrell said it has been worth the wait and will be a valuable asset to the community.

“The good news is that (the delays) are over,” said Gambrell.  “We are going to look forward to good things.”

The wound care center cost about $1 million to the hospital to build, according to Gambrell.

For more information on the Stephens County Hospital Wound Care Center, call 706-282-5800.