Through a partnership with RestorixHealth, Pearl River County Hospital and Nursing Home has been offering wound care once a week since Dec. 1.

Treatments are administered by Nurse Practitioner Joe Taylor, and his staff, said Dylan Sanders, regional director for RestorixHealth.

Wound care is essential for patients who are having trouble with injuries or wounds that are not healing properly.

Sanders said that at times a patient will receive treatment for an injury but the wound will not heal due to a number of factors, such as health conditions or smoking habits.

Treatment of a non-healing wound may involve removal of the necrotic tissue surrounding the wound to expedite healing in addition to taking tissue cultures and conducting an examination to look for infection, Sanders said.

Through this wound care, a patient can expect to see their wound fully healed within 8 weeks, which is a 50 percent reduction in healing time compared to nine years ago. Sanders said medical staff have been able to reduce that healing time by correctly diagnosing the problem, cleaning the area of the wound and identifying any infections. Medical staff also look into the diet of the patient to identify nutrition deficiencies and ensure blood flow is sufficient.

Patients that receive wound care are typically expected to maintain weekly appointments.

There is no need to seek a referral from a doctor to receive wound care. Sanders said anyone who has a wound that has not healed in months or years can refer themselves for treatment.

Patients can receive this treatment on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. by making an appointment by calling 877-295-2273, said Sanders.