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Washington Hospital's Wound & Skin Healing
Center Delivers Hope for Diabetics
"It's truly a matter of giving the patient hope for improvement in his or her quality of life and building the patient's trust in us and what we do," Dr. Marks, a podiatrist who is board certified in foot and ankle surgery, said. In pursuing those goals, Dr. Marks and other members of the Center's multi-disciplinary team work to prepare and implement personalized treatment plans for patients. The team comprises physicians, certified wound care nurses, physical therapists, technicians, dietitians and care coordinators. For diabetic patients, Dr. Marks, a physician for more than 30 years, said, it's a matter of controlling such risk factors as blood sugars and A1C levels, smoking, improper footwear, elimination of fungal infections (athlete's foot), blood pressure, lifestyles and poor eating habits. "The problems may begin with a foot ulcer that is ignored by the patient," Dr. Marks said. "If the problem isn't treated early it can evolve into more serious situations such as infections and eventually amputation of the affected feet and legs." Dr. Marks emphasized that the rapid increase among Americans with diabetes is "very frightening." According to the American Diabetes Association, 24-million people – approximately eight percent of the entire population – in the United States are diabetics, and that alarming figure is expected to nearly double at 44-million by the year 2034 and to 48-million by 2050.. In Pennsylvania, Dr. Marks added, 5.24 percent of the population had diabetes in 1994. That mark climbed to 7.3 percent in 2004. Citing an internet blog, Helping To Prevent Lower Extremiity Amputations: A Community Approach, Dr. Marks said nearly 1.6-million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed in people aged 20 and older each year. "As a consequence of this drastic increase of diabetic patients, clinicians anticipate a significanct increase in diabetes related complications including lower extremity complications such as development of diabetic foot ulcerations (DFU) and subsequent progression toward lower extremity amputation," he said. "We are facing a rising epidemic of limb loss due to the development of DFU." Significantly, the geographical area of Washington, Fayette and Greene counties, which makes up the major part of Washington Hospital's service region, has one of the highest rates of diabetes in Pennsylvania. Contrary to some beliefs, diabetes patients are not limited to any particular age group."We have treated people from 10 to 100 years old," Dr. Marks said. "Over 50 percent of our current patients have diabetic ulcers," he said. He also said diabetes is a lifestyle driven disease that requires educating patients about risk factors and ways to control the disease in its early stages. "We do a complete assessment, a head to toe examination to determine what needs to be done," Dr. Marks said. "People need to be aware that diabetes is a progressive disease that can cause harm, pain and suffering to the patient and distress to them and their family. It can lead to problems with one's eyes, kidneys, cardiovascular system and other parts of the body and ultimately produce death." The Wound & Skin Healing Center as well as the Diabetes Education and Management Program are two comprehensive programs offered at The Washington Hospital's Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center. The Diabetes Education and Management Program is led by a team that includes certified diabetes educators, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists and psychologists. A social worker is available, and the curriculum includes exercise, medication, diabetic emergencies, coping skills, complication prevention strategies, blood glucose monitoring and foot care. People also must learn to "take control of their own lives," Dr. Marks said. "Unfortunately we hear so many reasons as to why a patient didn't seek help sooner," he said. "Some have told us they couldn't afford the necessary medications or they just didn't have time to be treated." Those who delay treatment are in danger of developing acute neuropathy (nerve damage). "People who have had diabetes that is not well controlled are certainly at risk for developing nerve damage," Dr. Marks said. "They will lose the sense of feeling in their feet or their legs. If they continue to ignore the problem, then time is definitely not on their side. They are prime candidates for amputation or death. Mortality rates are much higher among those who do not seek help and treatment." "The mission of The Wound & Skin Healing Center is to assist our patients in taking control of their health and more importantly to improve their quality of life." Screenings and foot examinations are "critical" in diagnosing the treatment for diabetic patients. "We do a total assessment to determine what must be done to prevent possible amputation," Dr. Marks said. "Even the most minor of foot deformities – bunions, calluses, fungus toenails, hammertoes – can lead to diabetic ulcers and infections. The American Diabetes Association emphasizes that everyone over age 50 needs to be assessed at least once a year." Washington Hospital's Wound & Skin Healing Center was enhanced last year with the addition of a second Hyperbaric Medicine Therapy chamber. Hyperbaric Therapy, commonly known as HBO, is used to treat patients referred by such medical specialists as primary care physicians, internists, podiatrists, surgeons, radiation oncologists, dentists and home health care nurses. "HBO is used for chronic non-healing wounds that have not responded to traditional treatments as well as gangrene and non-responding infections," Dr. Marks said. "It is a completely safe and non-invasive procedure that can produce results where other treatments have failed even to the point of saving limbs from amputation." For more information, call The Washington Hospital Wound & Skin Healing Center at (724) 223-6903 or visit www.washingtonhospital.com |
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 Western Pennsylvania Guide to Good Health. All rights reserved. |
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One of the basic beliefs of The Washington Hospital Wound & Skin Healing Center is providing the highest quality care with skilled and dedicated staff in comfortable surroundings and with sophisticated procedures and technology.
And that approach, according to James A. Marks, D.P.M., medical director of the Center, certainly prevails with the treatment of patients with diabetes.