HVHC Opens Hyperbaric Medicine Institute

Community and business leaders joined elected officials and administrators from Hudson Valley Hospital Center (HVHC) on August 13, 2009, to cut the ribbon and officially open the hospital's new, state-of-the-art Institute for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine. According to HVHC, the institute is one of the most advanced singlepatient hyperbaric chamber facilities in the world today, equipped with the latest software, chamber technologies, and monitoring systems.

"We are pleased to be able to offer our community a stateof the-art wound healing program," hospital president John C. Federspiel said. "The advanced technology, combined with the highly qualified and experienced staff, will ensure HVHC as a leader in wound management and treatment in our region."

Some five million Americans annually suffer from chronic wounds, causing pain and resulting in inactivity. Often these types of wounds are found in people with diabetes, poor circulation, cancer patients who have undergone radiation therapy and patients who have experienced traumatic injury.

"Our team employs a multidisciplinary approach to wound care that is customized to each patient's medical needs," Dr. Gary Willard, medical director of the Institute for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine. "We use advanced healing techniques and combine them with hyperbaric oxygen therapy when necessary to help patients achieve positive outcomes."

The new institute houses two oversized Bara-Med XD hyperbaric oxygen therapy chambers that can accommodate larger patients, and are equipped with the latest computer technology to allow technicians to control pressure and temperature, as well as communication and entertainment options for the patients.

"Often in cases of nonhealing wounds, it's due to a lack of oxygen," Dr. Willard said. "Hyperbaric oxygen helps transport oxygen to tissues that have been compromised at a rate you can't normally achieve."

Dr. Willard is board-certified in hyperbaric medicine and certified in wound management. Dr. Willard and most of his staff speak Spanish.

The Institute for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine sees patients on an outpatient basis. To schedule an appointment call 914-734-3030. Hudson Valley Hospital Center is located on Route 202 (1980 Crompond Road) in Cortlandt Manor. For more information, call 914-737-9000 or visit hvhc.org.