With patient satisfaction and wound healing rates higher than 90 percent, LincolnHealth Wound Care Center has been named a Center of Distinction by Healogics, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services.

The wound care center is a partnership of LincolnHealth and Healogics and was opened in 2014 in the bottom floor of the Family Care Center on the St. Andrews Campus of LincolnHealth in Boothbay Harbor.

In its first full year of operation, the wound care center achieved a patient satisfaction rate of 92 percent and a minimum healing rate of at least 91 percent within 30 median days to heal. There are 512 eligible wound care centers nationwide. In northern New England, only six were named a Center of Distinction and only one received the award in Maine.

Christine Anderson, RN, chief nursing officer of LincolnHealth, said the award and the statistics behind it underscore the message that Lincoln County residents are receiving an extremely high level of care.

Difficult-to-heal wounds are often associated with chronic conditions like diabetes or poor circulation and can prevent people from exercising or even leaving the home. Healing wounds can have a dramatic impact on quality of life and at the same time help prevent infections that can lead to amputations.

“It gives people their life back and helps them feel confident again,” said Anderson. She said healing wounds in a more timely fashion also saves the healthcare system money.

Through the partnership with Healogics, local providers received state-of-the-art training in the latest techniques and technology and access to the world’s largest database of wounds and wound care outcomes.

Advanced treatments like negative pressure wound therapy, bio-engineered skin substitutes, biological and biosynthetic dressings are one reason for the center’s success but she said another is the warm, personal atmosphere that keeps patients coming back for what can be a long treatment program.

“There is a family-type atmosphere there. At Christmas time, people send pictures of their families and grandchildren,” said Anderson. “That’s important because wound care it isn’t a one-visit deal.”

Dr. Mark Mainella, medical director of the wound care center, said Healogics has developed algorithms that help standardize treatment of different kinds of wounds to speed up the healing process.

A strong staff of experienced nurses and good teamwork at every level drives a consistent approach, he said.

“We spend a lot of time with them,” said Mainella. “They see the same people every week and they get a very personalized type of care.”

“The continuity of care is a big reason that patients like coming back,” he said.

For more information about the LincolnHealth Wound Care Center, please call 633-1600.