PURPOSE: As wound care needs increase throughout the country, WOC nurses will meet this need through the development of new community services. This abstract will provide a chronological evidence based approach that will support development and implementation of a successful wound care center.

OBJECTIVE: Discuss the development of an acute care inpatient and outpatient Wound Care Center which would meet patient care needs of a 138 bed acute care hospital, provide the surrounding community with cutting edge compassionate wound care and create a profit margin necessary to sustain these services.

OUTCOMES: The Sentara Obici Wound Care Center was developed and implemented in the spring of 2005. Since its inception, the center has treated a wide range of complex acute and chronic wounds, fistula and patients with ostomies. Over 1100 inpatient consults and 5400 outpatient visits have been completed and staffed with two WOC nurses. A thrid nurse was added in June 2006 due to increased patient volume and the commitment to continue our holistic, compassionate, high quality standards. The Center has provided chargeable services tripling its initial budgetary projection with a profit margin of 68.04% in one year while maintaining the highest standard of evidence based practice.

References: Hedgepath,P.(2005).High Point adopts a winning wound care program. Healthcare Purchasing News

WOCN Professional Practice Fact Sheet. Establishment of Wound Ostomy Continence Clinics