Columbia, South Carolina – In a major step forward for healthcare in the Midlands area, Prisma Health Midlands Foundation has announced a $2 million capital campaign to fund a state-of-the-art Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Oxygen Center at Prisma Health Baptist Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina. This ambitious project aims to significantly advance the treatment of wounds, particularly for diabetic patients, and address the alarmingly high rates of limb amputations and mortality associated with inadequate wound care in the region.
The new facility is expected to be a beacon of hope for many, especially considering the dire statistics surrounding diabetic limb amputations. With 52-80% of diabetic patients facing death within five years of undergoing a below-the-knee amputation, and Columbia’s amputation rate soaring to 20 times the national average, the need for specialized wound care has never been more critical. The 29203 ZIP code, in particular, is noted as one of the most medically underserved areas in the Deep South, underscoring the urgency of this initiative.
The center will offer multidisciplinary care integrating podiatry, internal medicine, surgery, and hyperbaric medicine, ensuring a comprehensive approach to wound management. It will be equipped with three advanced Sechrist hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) chambers, which are central to the innovative treatment approach. These chambers allow patients to breathe 100% oxygen at increased pressure levels, enhancing the oxygen absorption in the bloodstream and plasma. This process is crucial for delivering oxygen to areas struggling to heal due to insufficient oxygen supply, offering new hope for recovery and quality of life improvements for patients grappling with chronic wounds.
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The Prisma Health Midlands Foundation Board of Directors, in collaboration with the Foundation itself, is spearheading the capital campaign, emphasizing the community’s role in bringing this vital project to fruition.
“The 29203 zip code is a problem area for amputations in diabetic patients,” said Dr. Robert Klein, division chair for Wound Care at Prisma Health, the release stated. “From Mississippi to the coast of South Carolina, it’s one of the highest areas for lower extremity amputations.”
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“The new Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Oxygen Center will be a tremendous asset to the community in so many ways, and we are happy to lead the charge in making this facility a reality for diabetic patients and Prisma Health in the Midlands,” said Jeffery Faw, executive director of Prisma Health Midlands Foundation, in the release.
