Preserving the Health of Our Culture.

In this issue Home

Are you at risk for prediabetes?

Understanding portion sizes

TGMC's wound care & hyperbaric unit

Our award-winning imaging center

A medical checklist for adults

A reminder for caregivers

TGMC heroes

Emergency care





Education, dedication set TGMC apart
 Education before, during and after treatment is essential to the mission of the Wound, Ostomy, Continence and Hyperbaric Center at Terrebonne General Medical Center. To encourage consistent care, the center's staff members work closely with:
  • Patients and caregivers
  • Physicians, nurses and other health professionals
  • Home health agencies
  • Long-term care facilities
  • Nursing schools
Says Betty Fortier, CWOCRN, "Through education, we help make sure that a patient's wound heals and stays healed."
Wound care team helps patients heal faster, safer, smarter

 One of the most advanced centers of wound healing is right in your own backyard. Now, with a beautiful new home and a growing list of services, the Wound, Ostomy, Continence and Hyperbaric Center at Terrebonne General Medical Center (TGMC) is helping people with wounds recover faster, safer and smarter.

"This is full-circle service," says Tara Stringer, RN, the center's nurse director. "We have the latest technology to help people on an inpatient or an outpatient basis. Plus, we do follow-up care, community outreach, and education for patients, caregivers and health professionals."

First and foremost
 Chronic wounds affect 5 million American men, women and children, putting them at risk for infection, gangrene and amputation. Under the guidance of Mark Peters, M.D., medical director for wound care, and Hector Linares, M.D., medical director for hyperbarics and for the Health and Rehabilitation Center, TGMC's wound care team uses a wide variety of treatment options to promote healing. These include:
  • Contact casting
  • Nutrition counseling
  • Diabetic foot management
  • Wound care management
  • Ostomy management
Because many patients have diabetes-related circulation problems, TGMC's wound care center is strategically positioned next to the diabetes educators' office.

New service
 The program's centerpiece is the hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) program, which was established in 1990 and was one of the first in the country. HBOT is simple and painless. The patient lies in a pressurized chamber and breathes pure oxygen. This enriches the blood with oxygen, helping heal damaged tissue. HBOT is also used to treat diving-related illnesses, carbon monoxide poisoning, diabetic foot ulcers, and other conditions and injuries.

"It's quite comfortable in the chamber," says Connie Wiltz, CHRN, certified in hyperbaric medicine. "Some people watch DVDs or television, and others enjoy the quiet time. A few even schedule visits to coincide with their soap operas."

Image of wound care team A feeling of family
 Because effective wound care usually requires a number of visits, patients and their wound care team develop close friendships. Current and former patients often stop by to say hello, drop off homemade goodies or share pictures of their grandchildren.

"I love coming to work every day," says Betty Fortier, CWOCRN, a nurse in the wound care center. "You get so close to the patients, they become like family."

If you or a loved one has a wound that could benefit from specialized therapy, talk to your physician or call the wound care clinic at TGMC at (985) 873-4176. You do not need a physician's referral.

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