By Tove Tupper
 
June 4, 2010
 
ASHLAND, Ore. - An Ashland clinic is getting national recognition for its services.
 
The Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine in Ashland received the Center of Distinction Award from Diversified Clinical Services this week. DCS has a network of 300 wound care centers nationwide.
 
The Ashland wound center helps heal patient wounds that have not been able to heal by themselves. Typically, those patients are older, may have diabetes or problems with their blood supply.
 
To receive the award, the center had to meet three criteria for 12 consecutive months. Clinics have to have a 95-percent patient satisfaction score, a 35-day heal rate and an 89-percent healing outcome.
 
Ashland's wound center maintained a 97-percent patient satisfaction score, a 27-day heal rate and a 94-percent healing outcome.
 
"You're working hard. You don't quite comprehend the value and the extent to which you've accomplished something. And so to see these results made us all very, very happy," Medical Director Yvonne Fried said.
 
There are a few methods the center uses to heal wounds, including eliminating pressure, using different creams, gels and dressing directly on the wound, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which increases the concentration of oxygen to the wound.
 
The center opened about four years ago. It sees about more than 1,200 patients a year and receives references from 200 physicians.