OTTUMWA,IA. (June 16,2010)– Ottumwa Regional Health Center physicians, leaders, and clinicians gathered today to celebrate the second Center of Distinction award along with the Robert A Warriner, M.D., Center of Excellence Award which was given to the Wound Healing Center in recognition of its high patient satisfaction rates, exceptional healing results, and outstanding clinical outcomes over the past twelve months. This prestigious honor was awarded by the Center's partner in wound healing, Diversified Clinical Services (DCS), the nation's leading wound care management company.

For twelve consecutive months, the Wound Healing Center has achieved success in treating and curing chronic or non-healing wounds and in providing excellent care to over 550 patients since the Center's opening in January 2007.

"Today I am happy to present not only the Center of Distinction Award, but also the Robert A. Warriner
M.D. Center of Excellence Award to the Wound Healing Center at Ottumwa Regional, said Pat Hudson, Regional Director of Clinical Operations.

"In order achieve the Center of Excellence Award, a center must earn the Center of Distinction Award for 2 years. This is awarded to centers who have achieved the following benchmarks:
> 79.5% Healing rate
< 47.4 Days to heal
> 91.5% Satisfaction
< 32.4% Outliers

In 2009, the Wound Healing Center achieved:
94% Healing rate
30 Days to heal
92.8% Patient Satisfaction
20% Outliers

We are thrilled with their achievements and would like to present them with these two awards."

Tom Siemers, CEO of the hospital, commented on the award, "DCS brings our hospital's Wound Healing Center enormous resources and expertise, enabling us to meet the increasing need for specialized wound care. We are thrilled to accept this award, and proud to offer this quality Center to our community."

The Wound Healing Center at Ottumwa Regional chose to partner with DCS to ensure quality in providing specialized treatments to southeast Iowa though the Center has treated patients as far away as Unionville, Missouri. In these communities many are suffering from chronic and non-healing wounds—a serious disorder that can lead to amputation of limbs and dramatically impaired quality of life. Associated with inadequate circulation, poorly functioning veins, and immobility, non-healing wounds occur most frequently in the elderly and in people with diabetes and other diseases—populations that are sharply rising as the nation ages and chronic diseases increase.

Non-healing wounds of the diabetic foot are considered one of the most significant complications of diabetes, representing a major worldwide medical, social, and economic burden that greatly affects patient quality of life. Almost 24 million Americans—one in every 12—are diabetic and the disease is causing widespread disability and death at an epidemic pace, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of those with diabetes, 6.5 million are estimated to suffer with chronic or non-healing wounds.

The Center generally admits these wound patients immediately, working with referring physicians to determine the most effective course of treatment. This outpatient comprehensive service will offer advanced healing therapies often unavailable in primary care offices. These services use an interdisciplinary approach to treatment involving a variety of therapies and techniques, including debridement, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, dressing selection, special shoes, and patient education. When wounds persist and resist conventional treatment, a specialized approach is required for healing.

DCS-managed Wound Care Centers® effectively utilize HBOT therapy to heal more than 35,000 diabetic wounds each year, providing more HBOT therapy than any other wound care provider in the world. Systemic HBOT therapy has been used to assist wound healing for more than 40 years, and is used as an adjunctive treatment for problematic, non-healing wounds that meet specific criteria. It is expected that 10-20% of the wound care cases will meet those criteria. This therapy will improve the already successful clinical results of the Center.

"We're honored, " said Hollie Tometich, Program Director. "It's a privilege to be part of a great collaborative effort between the hospital and Diversified Clinical Services. Together, we are able to heal patients in our community, getting them get back to living their lives happy and healthy."