T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Area Vice-President Kim Kirschbaum, left, of Healogics is pictured talking to Jim Speas of Marshalltown Tuesday at the UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown Medical Park prior to Kirschbaum presenting Healogics’ President’s Circle of Excellence Award to UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown’s Wound Healing Clinic. Speas late wife Joanne was a patient at the local Wound Healing Clinic.

“Success breeds more success,” is the age-old adage.

To confirm, one only has to ask staff of UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown’s Wound Healing Center.

On Tuesday, and for the second consecutive year, the WHC team earned two prestigious, highly-competitive awards from Healogics, a Jacksonville, Fla.-based company.

It supplied the center’s two hyperbaric oxygen chambers for use in wound care when it opened in 2015.

And In 2016, the WHC team earned a Center of Distinction Award from Healogics.

Hyberbaric oxygen therapy helps the body’s oxygen-dependent, wound-healing mechanisms function more efficiently.

From diabetic ulcers to traumatic wounds to burns, patients seek help and relief.

Healogics Area Vice-President Kim Kirschbaum of Healogics said local WHC staff are ready and able “to connect” with patients.

“That is why we have a service (wound healing) like this,” she said. “It is the patients … that is what grounds us … that is why we get up everyday and love what we are doing. It is so collaborative … and that is why you work so well as a team.”

Kirschbaum has been on hand to personally present the awards to staff beginning with its first in 2016.

She made her remarks before presenting the 2017 Healogics Center of Excellence award and the President’s Circle of Center Excellence to center staff, led by Program Director Chanda Bovenmeyer and Medical Director Dr. Milt Van Gundy.

The team earned the honors by exceeding outstanding clinical and operational results in 2017.

UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown is one of hundreds of hospitals in the Healogics network.

Kirschbaum said the Wound Healing Center had, over a 12-month period, achieved a 98 percent healing rate vs. a benchmark figure of 91 percent. On the the average number of days to heal, the WHC attained 28, vs. a benchmark number of 30.

Importantly, on patient satisfaction, WHC tallied 97 percent, vs. benchmark of 92.

“So, there were a lot of happy faces,” said Kirschbaum.

Finally, Healogics expects a 13 percent benchmark for “outliers” those whose wounds are not healing successfully.

The local WHC had 12 percent.

Kirschbaum said qualifying for the President’s Circle of Excellence was challenging, but WHC met criteria, being one of 16 centers awarded against 639 competing.

“We are proud of this accomplishment,” said Bovenmeyer. “Our staff is dedicated to quality patient care and making sure patients have the best outcome.”

Proof is the WHC is serving more patients now than ever before.

“We track the number of patients by calendar year,” she said. “And we have increased the number of patients served each year we have been open.”

Van Gundy said the team was surprised to learn there was a President’s Circle of Excellence award.

“We are very happy for the team,” he said. “It is like trying to have your Super Bowl team year after year … it is hard to do. (The awards) feel good … the staff works hard, they do a nice job. Our goal is to help everybody heal up their wounds.”

For more information, contact the WHC, 641-754-8025.

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com