Mega Doctor News
EDINBURG, Texas – Chronic wounds are a silent epidemic in the United States, often going unrecognized until severe complications arise.
Each year, an estimated 10.5 Americans are affected by hard-to-heal wounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with increasing rates of diabetes obesity and an aging population continuing to escalate the problem.
“Chronic wounds are injuries that do not progress through the normal, orderly stages of healing and typically show little improvement within four weeks or fail to fully heal after eight,” says Jose Ricardo Sobrevilla, Jr., MD, a board-certified family medicine physician and wound care specialist who serves as the medical director of the South Texas Health System (STHS) Wound Healing Center. “Often driven by poor circulation, infection, diabetes or immobility, these wounds can have a profound impact on quality of life.”
Individuals with hard-to-heal wounds such as venous leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, and pressure injuries, frequently experience persistent pain, reduced mobility, and psychological distress, including anxiety and depression.
“These conditions can limit daily activities, disrupt sleep and lead to social isolation,” says Dr. Sobrevilla. “Over time, chronic wounds may result in severe financial strain, an increased risk of lower extremity amputation and a decreased life expectancy.”
Unfortunately, as a medically underserved region, the Rio Grande Valley faces persistent barriers to high quality wound care access, deepening existing health disparities and placing residents at greater risk for complications.
“Delaying care allows chronic wounds to worsen,” says Dr. Sobrevilla. “Early intervention not only improves healing outcomes but can also significantly reduce hospitalizations, amputations and long -erm healthcare costs.”
For Valley residents struggling with hard-to-heal wounds, STHS delivers trusted, nationally recognized wound care close to home.
The STHS Wound Healing Center, located on the STHS Edinburg campus, has been awarded the prestigious Center of Distinction award by Healogics®, the nation’s largest provider of advanced wound care services.
The center earned this distinction by achieving outstanding clinical outcomes for 12 consecutive months, including a patient satisfaction rate exceeding 92%.
“This recognition reflects the exceptional care and unwavering dedication demonstrated by the STHS Wound Healing Center’s physicians, leaders, clinicians and staff,” says Lance Ames, Chief Executive Officer, STHS Edinburg & STHS Children’s. “It affirms our mission to provide quality, compassionate wound care that our community can count on every day.”
The STHS Wound Healing Center is a member of the Healogics network of nearly 600 Wound Care Centers®nationwide and provides highly specialized care for patients with diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, infections and other chronic, hard-to-heal wounds.
Advanced treatment options offered by the center’s wound care experts include negative pressure therapy, total contact casing, bioengineered skin substitutes, compression therapy and topical growth factor therapy.
The center also provides hyperbaric oxygen therapy, an advanced treatment that can help accelerate healing in select chronic wounds by increasing oxygen delivery to affected tissue.
“By offering a full spectrum of advanced therapies under one roof, the STHS Wound Healing Center ensures patients receive comprehensive, coordinated care close to home,” says Ames. “The Valley can count on us to deliver proven treatments, compassionate care and outcomes that truly make a difference in patients’ lives.”
For more information about the comprehensive wound care services offered at the STHS Wound Healing Center, located at 4302 S. Sugar Rd., Suite 101 in Edinburg, visit southtexashealthsystemedinburg.com or call (956)388-2700.
Information source: STHS
