Preparing for Your Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine Visit
Whether you are referred to the Frederick Health Medical Group Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine by your physician or you referred yourself, you can expect your visit to be streamlined and efficient. Since we do a very thorough evaluation of your wound and entire medical history at your first visit, you should expect it to last about 90 minutes, from beginning to end.
If you have any questions regarding your wound care, call us at 240-566-3840.
To save some time during your visit, we ask that you please:
- Print off the medical history forms and fill them out in advance.
- Review all of your current medications, and bring in a list of them with correct spelling, dosages, frequency and prescribing doctor. This also includes vitamins, supplements and any herbal medications.
- Bring in a list of other doctors that you are seeing and what conditions they are monitoring.
Parking
The Wound Center is located on the lower level of the hospital. Come in the Discharge Entrance, make the first right, follow the Wound Care signs to the elevator, take the elevator to the basement. Make a quick right and then a quick left off the elevator and we're right there!
Registration
When you first arrive to the center, you will be greeted by the front desk staff, who will review your registration materials. You will be asked for proof of identity, so please make sure you bring your driver's license or other form of photo identification with you. We will also be making a copy of your insurance card to keep on file.
Your Medical Visit
When it is time for your visit, you will be taken to an exam room by a medical assistant. On the way, you will have your height and weight measured, and then your vital signs, including temperature and blood pressure will be taken. The clinician, a specially trained wound care nurse or therapist, will then see you and work with the medical assistant to obtain your medical history as well as your "wound history". The clinician will remove your dressing, clean and measure your wound, photograph the wound so progress of healing can be monitored, then contact the Attending wound care physician. The Attending wound care physician will review your chart and medical history, perform a brief medical exam, then review the wound history with the clinician.
After the initial assessment is completed by the Attending wound care physician and clinician, a treatment plan will be developed and then discussed with you. The physician and clinician will teach you or your caregiver how to perform dressing changes and how to monitor the wound. If needed, special tests like x-rays or ultrasound may be ordered.
A follow up visit, usually in about 2 to 4 weeks will be scheduled for you, and the visit will be considered complete. Follow up visits will be arranged with the attending wound care physician, with the referring specialist physician, or other specialists as needed. If you have any questions regarding your wound care during your time at home, you are encouraged to call us 240-566-3840.
