Physicians, leaders and clinicians at St. Mary’s Health Care System are proud to announce that St. Mary’s Center for Wound Healing in Athens has been awarded the prestigious Center of Distinction award by Healogics®, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services.

St. Mary’s center achieved outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including a patient satisfaction rate of 95 percent – higher than the 92 percent required in award criteria.

Other criteria included:

Wound-adjusted comprehensive healing rate greater than or equal to 77 percent. Actual rate was 81 percent.

Outlier rate less than or equal to 16 percent. Actual rate was 15 percent. “It takes tremendous commitment and attention to detail to achieve and maintain this level of excellence,” said Stonish Pierce, President and CEO of Trinity Health Georgia, which includes St. Mary’s.

“The patients our wound center cares for are fighting intractable, difficult-to treat wounds that, if not healed, can lead to amputations and even death. We are proud of our wound center team for their commitment to providing high level care with higher-level caring.”

St. Mary’s Center for Wound Healing, located at 4017 Atlanta Highway, Athens, is a member of the Healogics network of over 600 Wound Care Centers®. It offers highly specialized wound care to patients suffering from diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections and other chronic wounds.

Advanced modalities provided by St. Mary’s wound care experts include negative pressure therapy, total contact casting, bio-engineered tissues, biosynthetic dressings, and growth factor therapies. St. Mary’s Centers for Wound Healing in Athens and Lavonia also offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which helps accelerate wound healing by surrounding the patient with 100 percent oxygen at up to 3 times atmospheric pressure.

“Our team brings top-level compassion, knowledge and professionalism to our patients every day.” said Crystal Wise, program director for the Athens and Lavonia wound healing centers. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional care and dedication demonstrated by our team of physicians, leaders, and clinicians. But the most rewarding thing is when a patient who came to us with a life- or limb- threatening wound walks away completely healed.” 

For more information, visit www.stmarys-health.org or call 706-389-3065.