NCMC opens new Western States Burn Center

GREELEY, Colo. (April 2, 2009) — Further enhancing patient care, North Colorado Medical Center introduced its $4.9 million, new Western States Burn Center this week.

An increase of 10,000 square feet and addition of state-of-the-art technology complement the compassionate care patients receive at the Western States Burn Center. Burn patients will transition out of the old unit to the new rooms Monday, April 6.

Burn services began at NCMC in the early 1980s and have evolved into the current Western States Burn Center, which serves an eight-state region of northern Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, Idaho, Kansas and Nebraska. The center is one of only three in Colorado.

The center is growing from four to 10 private, patient rooms which are significantly larger and provide flexibility to care for patients and their family members. The rooms are acuity adaptable meaning that patients can stay in the same room from the critical stage until they are ready for discharge.

The unit, which is increasing from 2,000 to 12,000 square feet, includes room for multidisciplinary team meetings as well as quiet areas for families of patients. Common procedures performed in the burn center are:

• Hydrotherapy – the act of cleaning and debriding wounds through the use of running water. This is required daily for acute wounds and every three to five days after surgery.
• Wound Care – performed on patients to decrease the incidence of infection, provide wound healing and allow for regular wound assessments.
• Debridement – the process of removing dead tissue from the wound surface.

The more serious a burn, the longer it can take to heal. Some serious burn victims may stay in a burn unit for as long as a year to heal. At the newly expanded Western States Burn Center, time spent healing is as comfortable as possible with modern amenities and compassionate staff.

“Staff members get to know our patients over weeks and months, and care takes on a very personal relationship,” says Cleon Goodwin, MD, medical director of the Western States Burn Center.

“We take a multidisciplinary team approach to providing the best care for our patients – with the physician, nurse, technicians, physical and occupational therapists, and behavioral health professionals all working together,” Dr. Goodwin said. “Now that patient rooms, treatment space, administration and visiting areas are located together on the third floor of NCMC, patients also benefit from improved continuity of care from each member of their care team.”

Other features of the new unit include:

• Bariatric Room – One room is equipped to accommodate bariatric patients with a larger bed, adapted bathroom features and a dual lift system for lifting the patient.
• Liko Lifts – These lifts are in every patient room and both hydrotherapy rooms. They can lift 440 to 880 pounds depending on the number of lifts installed. The lift systems are used for patient transfer or to suspend extremities during the wound care process.
• Hill Rom Latitude Arms – In each room at the head of the bed are booms containing monitoring and treating equipment. The booms coming down from the ceiling can extend and move to 180 degrees around the patient bed. They house monitors, oxygen, suction and outlets for medication and feeding pumps.
•  Adaptable Rooms – Because burn patients are at risk for infection, there are eight negative pressure rooms to protect patients from the outside environment. There are two positive pressure rooms to protect the environment from the patient if that patient has an airborne infection disease.
• Rehabilitation gym – Physical and occupational therapy services now can be provided in the new gym located in the new unit.

To learn more about the Western States Burn Center, please visit www.bannerhealth.com, keyword: NCMC Burn.