WoundCentrics, LLC CMO Marcus Gitterle, M.D. Presents at TMF Quality Institute Event, April 2018

Marcus Gitterle, M.D. presented "Antibiotic Stewardship in Wound Care" at the TMF Health Quality Institute QIN-QIO Event on April 11, 2018. Dr. Gitterle focused on actionable strategies for optimizing antibiotic utilization and improving outcomes in high-risk populations. 

Gleaned from his experiences as an Antibiotic Stewardship champion in the Christus Santa Rosa Hospital system in the San Antonio region, Dr. Gitterle presented to the audience of approximately 300 physicians and healthcare administrators strategies such as improving integration between the Emergency Department, HOPDs, ID consultants, and Hospitalist teams.

In addition, Dr. Gitterle presented data on the use of advanced PCR-based diagnostic strategies to improve outcomes over conventional microbial identification technologies, and rubrics for improving case management in non-infectious conditions commonly misdiagnosed as skin infections.

The TMF QIN-QIO works with health care providers in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Puerto Rico to improve care for patients. Email: tmfqin@tmf.org

WoundCentrics Continues Advocate Level Sponsorship at the NALTH Spring 2018 Clinical Education & Annual Meeting

WoundCentrics of New Braunfels, Texas, has it Advocate level support as a sponsor of the National Association of Long Term Hospitals (NALTH) Spring 2018 Spring Clinical Education & Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana Thursday April 5th and Friday April 6th.

The NALTH bi-annual conference event will be held at Hyatt Centric French Quarter, New Orleans, LA. and will focus on the initiative to move to a unified payment system and the new qualification rules for patients.

WoundCentrics is an established Advocate Level Sponsor of NALTH and will have a marketing booth in the display area at the Fall Leadership Conference to discuss their Specialized Wound Care Program designed specifically for the LTACH and Post Acute facilities.

The Program will feature speaker programs on:

Coordinating Care in the LTACH / Management and Timely Transition for Complex Patients

Managing Access & Utilization in the LTACH – Continuum of Care Solutions for Complex Patients

LTACH Coding Update:  Coding Overview and Issues

Data Element Standardization and the IMPACT Act of 2014

LTACH Regulatory Update

NALTH Research Policy and Advocacy – Lane Koenig, PhD

“WoundCentrics continues to evolve its strategies for promoting quality, profitability and improved patient outcomes related to wound care in acute and post acute care,” explained Stuart Oertli, Chief Operating Officer for WoundCentrics.   “As CMS shifts its post-acute care reimbursement strategies, we have observed that compliant patients with wound care needs are being admitted at and even higher rate than before payment reform, presenting an ongoing opportunity for the LTACH to be paid for providing appropriate wound care.

Oertli continued, “Maximizing reimbursement from these patients is one of the few proven ways to offset the revenue lost due to recent payment reform and NALTH has proven a key strategy for WoundCentrics to stay informed and ahead of the changes to ensure ongoing success for our clients.

Supporting NALTH is just one of the many ways we stay involved and informed on the constantly evolving regulatory and clinical care changes affecting LTACHs.”

WoundCentrics was formed in 2012 to provide aligned wound care services in the post acute market.  We now provide services in 8 states and more than 30 hospitals.

WoundCentrics Re-Opens Cornerstone-Bellaire Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center

The Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine at Cornerstone Hospital of Bellaire has recently reopened after being closed for the past six months due to damage sustained by the hospital facility during Hurricane Harvey. The center is now providing wound care and hyperbaric services under the management of WoundCentrics, LLC, of New Braunfels, Texas. The Wound & Hyperbaric Center is located on the ground floor of Cornerstone Hospital of Bellaire at 5314 Dashwood Drive in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Carlos Murillo, of Murillo Plastic Surgery, will serve as Medical Director and will lead a team of wound care specialists at the Bellaire Center.  In addition, wound care specialists currently providing services at the Cornerstone Bellaire Clinic include, Salman Aly, M.D., Sarfranz Aly, M.D., James Bonar, M.D., Alpash Patel, DPM, Nina Fonteneaux, FNP-C  and Leah Moreau-Murillo, FNP-C. All of our clinical providers are specialty trained in wound care and hyperbaric oxygen medicine.

Chronic wounds affect more than 8 million people in the U.S. and the incidence is rising, fueled by an aging population and increasing rates of diseases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, vascular conditions, and the late effects of radiation therapy.

The Cornerstone Outpatient Wound and Hyperbaric Center offers a number of treatments in addition to hyperbaric oxygen therapy including  advanced modalities such as UltraMist and bioengineered skin substitutes, as well as traditional therapies such as negative pressure/wound vac treatment, excisional and nonexcisional debridement, off-loading and compression therapy.

Our wound care experts will identify the underlying conditions that could prevent normal wound healing and provide individualized care plans and technologies to treat and heal wounds as well as provide wellness education for patients to prevent future wounds.

By providing outpatient wound care in the community, patients benefit from having access to advanced modalities and a physician-led wound care program. Cornerstone Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center is available to treat wound patients after hospital discharge,  or to see patients that have returned to home or are residing in a post-acute facility.

The Wound Care & Hyperbaric Clinic at Cornerstone Bellaire is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday and is located at 5314 Dashwood Drive, Houston, Texas 77081.   Call (713) 295-5326 to schedule an appointment. Patients can self-refer or their attending physician can refer to the Cornerstone Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center.   

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ContinueCARE Hospitals in the Charlotte Market add WoundCentrics Wound Services

Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospitals in the Charlotte, North Carolina market have contracted with
WoundCentrics of New Braunfels, Texas for specialized wound care services in their 3 area
hospitals.
Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospitals provide care to patients with complex medical conditions
who need specialized treatment and services that often require extended hospitalization of 25
days or more. The patients treated at the Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital often have multiple
system illness including problem, complex wounds.
“Our specialized wound care program will provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care
coordinated with skilled teams of physicians, nurses, therapists, dietitians, social workers, case
managers, pharmacists and other professionals – all working together on every aspect of
patient care. The WoundCentrics specialized wound care program will add focused quality
wound care that will benefit the Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital patients and the
community,” stated Stuart Oertli, COO of WoundCentrics.
WoundCentrics is providing specialized wound care under the supervision of the System Wound
Care Medical Director at Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospital at Pineville, Carolinas ContinueCARE
Hospital at University and Carolinas ContinueCare Hospital at Kings Mountain.
WoundCentrics is a wound services company that provides clinical care to post-acute facilities.
For more information on Carolinas ContinueCARE Hospitals vie the website at
www.continuecare.org/pineville

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WoundCentrics Announces Wound Services Agreement with ContinueCARE Hospital at Palmetto Health Baptist

WoundCentrics, LLC, of New Braunfels, Texas, has announced an agreement to
provide its wound care services program to ContinueCARE Hospital at Palmetto Health Baptist,
a Long Term Acute Hospital (LTACH), in Columbia, South Carolina.
WoundCentrics will manage its Wound Care Specialists and focus on aligning the wound care
team at the 35-bed LTACH located within Palmetto Health Baptist, beginning January 1, 2018.
“Working with the management team at ContinueCARE Hospital at Palmetto Health Baptist and
at CHC ContinueCARE, we have identified a quality organization that our team will be able to
collaborate and align services to build on the current patient care initiatives for quality wound
care already in place,” stated Stuart Oertli, COO of WoundCentrics. “Our program will provide a
wound care specialist who will round in the hospital daily and deliver clinical expertise for the
wound service at ContinueCARE Hospital at Palmetto Health Baptist,” Oertli added.
“Our Hospital is licensed to provide care for critically ill patients who require daily physician and
staff attention for complex medical issues,” said Tom Harlan, CEO, ContinueCARE Hospital at
Palmetto Health Baptist. “Our specialty programs are specifically designed to meet the needs
of long-term, acute-care patients, including patients with chronic or challenging wounds.
Adding the WoundCentrics program and wound specialist providers expands our level of quality
care for wound care patients,” Harlan explained.
“Not every community is fortunate to have a long-term acute care hospital to care for patients
with complex medical conditions,” said Harlan.  “We provide high quality care in a
compassionate environment for very sick patients – every day. WoundCentrics will assist in
our daily goals to provide the best care possible for wound care patients.”
ContinueCARE Hospital at Palmetto Health Baptist is located at Taylor at Marion Street,
Columbia, SC 29220 and can be reached via telephone at (803) 296-3757.

Landmark Hospital of Southwest Florida announces WoundCentrics is providing Specialized Wound Program Services in Naples

Landmark Hospital of Southwest Florida, located in Naples, Florida, has announced a service
agreement with WoundCentrics, Inc. of New Braunfels, Texas to offer specialty wound care
services to patients with acute and chronic wounds.
WoundCentrics, in collaboration with Landmark Hospital employs local Nurse Practitioners and
Physician Assistants with advanced wound care training that are providing specialized wound
care services in the hospital. The WoundCentrics wound specialist are working in coordination
with the Landmark Physicians and the facility wound care nursing team to deliver state of the
art wound care.
Jim Whitacre, CEO of Landmark Hospital of Southwest Florida stated, “We are very excited to
collaborate with WoundCentrics in the care of the Southwest Florida communities.
WoundCentrics will bring its expertise to heal difficult wounds that is programmatic and has a
history of strong results to our patients and community.”
“We are pleased to grow our relationship with a quality organization like Landmark Hospital
Corporation. The Landmark Hospital of Southwest Florida is our 3 rd Landmark facility to roll out
our unique, specialized wound care program that will complement the Landmark quality care
mission and benefit patients in the local market,” explained Stuart Oertli, COO of
WoundCentrics
Landmark Hospital of Southwest Florida is located at 1285 Creekside Blvd. E. in North Naples,
the 86,676-square- foot, three-story hospital specializes in providing care to medically complex
patients who benefit from an extended recovery time. Typical diagnoses include stroke,
respiratory failure, post-surgical complications, and complex wound care. The average length of
stay is 25-30 days, and the majority of Landmark's admissions come from short-term hospitals;
typically, from the intensive care and step-down units. Landmark operates 7 facilities in the US.
WoundCentrics is a clinically focused health care company based in New Braunfels, Texas that
provides a specialized clinical wound care program that is systematic and evidence based. Each
facility requires specialty trained, wound care clinicians and system-based quality assurance to
make certain that published guidelines and cost-effective wound care regimens are utilized on a
day-to- day basis; and documentation and business operations support the clinical delivery.

WoundCentrics Participating Sponsor of the NALTH Fall 2017 Leadership Conference

WoundCentrics of New Braunfels, Texas, has announced they will be a participating sponsor
of the National Association of Long Term Hospital (NALTH) Fall 2017 Leadership Conference in
Washington, DC Thursday September 14 – Friday, September 15, 2017.
The NALTH bi-annual conference event will be held at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, DC
and will focus on the initiative to move to a unified payment system and the new
qualification rules for patients.
A “Policy and Advocacy Update” will be provided by Lane Koenig, PhD NALTH Director of
Policy & Research and President KNG Health Consulting and John Sheiner, NALTH Legislative
Consultant.
WoundCentrics is an established Advocate Level Sponsor of NALTH and will have a marketing
booth in the display area at the Fall Leadership Conference to discuss their Specialized
Wound Care Program designed specifically for the LTACH and Post Acute facilities.
“WoundCentrics continues to evolve its strategies for promoting profitability and patient
outcomes related to wound care,” explained Stuart Oertli, Chief Operating Officer for
WoundCentrics. “As CMS shifts its post-acute care reimbursement strategies, we have
observed that compliant patients with wound care needs are being admitted at and even
higher rate than before payment reform, presenting an ongoing opportunity for the LTACH to
be paid for providing appropriate wound care.
Oertli continued, “Maximizing reimbursement from these patients is one of the few proven
ways to offset the revenue lost due to recent payment reform and NALTH has proven a key
strategy for WoundCentrics to stay informed and ahead of the changes to ensure ongoing
success for our clients.”
WoundCentrics was formed in 2012 to provide aligned wound care services in the post acute
market. The on-going changes in health care have brought heightened scrutiny to patient
care and more specifically to wound care. WoundCentrics provides a specialized wound
program that includes an emphasis for best practices, improved outcomes and cost-effective
care. The WoundCentrics clinical and business model will deliver the appropriate care and
cost advantages that post acute facilities are seeking in today’s demanding health care
market under ever changing qualification rules for patients.

WoundCentrics Chief Medical Director Presents at the New Cardiovascular Horizons Conference

Dr. Marcus Gitterle was a faculty presenter at the July New Cardiovascular Horizons educational conference in Austin, Texas.  The theme of the New Cardiovascular Horizons Conference was to have clinical experts present recent advancements in multidisciplinary treatment of chronic wounds.

 Dr. Gitterle provided lectures on “New Concepts in Wound Management” and “Hyperbarics and Advanced Tissue Therapy”.    His presentations focused on new measuring devices, the implications of biofilm for wound healing, advanced tissue therapy and case-selection for hyperbaric oxygen therapy for patients with chronic wounds.

“Care of the patient with chronic, non-healing lower extremity wounds is increasingly team-driven and multi-disciplinary.  By driving adoption of evidence-based treatment strategies, as clinicians we can better serve our patients, and improve system performance from a financial perspective, preserving access to treatment now and in the future.”  stated Dr. Gitterle.

Dr. Gitterle is the Division Chief for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine for the Christus Santa Rosa Hospital system, a seven Hospital regional healthcare system based in San Antonio, Texas.

He also serves as CEO and CMO for WoundCentrics, LLC, a company focused on building high-functioning, evidence-based wound care teams in hospitals of all types, including STAC, LTACH and IRF facilities, and extending clinical providers that serve patients across the entire continuum of care.

Landmark Hospital of Salt Lake City Partners with WoundCentrics to Offer Specialized Wound Care Services

Landmark Hospital of Salt Lake City and WoundCentrics of New Braunfels, Texas have announced an agreement for WoundCentrics to provide wound care services to in-patients at the Murray, Utah based Hospital.   WoundCentrics began providing clinical wound care services in May, with an emphasis on providing specialized wound care treatments and procedures for the unique patients that are managed at the long term acute care facility.

Landmark Hospital of Salt Lake City opened in May 2013 and is the premier Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospital in the area. The new facility features a state of the art building and the latest in medical diagnostic and treatment services.  By contracting with WoundCentrics, Landmark Hospital of Salt Lake has a WoundCentrics wound care specialist in the facility every day, Monday through Friday, that is available to treat patients with complex wound issues.

“We are very excited about our partnership with WoundCentrics.  It has been clear to me from the very first conversation that this is a high quality organization with a patient-centric approach. The leadership and clinical providers will integrate beautifully with our existing culture.  I know our patients and organization will benefit greatly from this partnership” stated Ted Paarlberg, Landmark Hospital of Salt Lake CEO.

“WoundCentrics continues to expand its business in the post acute market and partnering with Landmark Hospital in Salt Lake City is a significant achievement for our company.  Landmark recognizes the challenges of patients with complex wounds both as a reason for admission and as a comorbid condition that increases the complexity of care required for many LTACH patients. It is WoundCentrics’ goal to provide quality wound care through trained specialists aligned with the  facility to achieve outcomes not otherwise possible,” said Stuart Oertli, Chief Operating Officer for WoundCentrics.   “We are excited to launch our wound care services program at the Salt Lake Facility and to work with the physicians, nurses and administrators at Landmark to contribute to the outstanding care they already provide to the community.”        

WoundCentrics is an industry leader in clinical wound care and operational delivery of clinical services by training and managing physicians and nurse practitioners, to provide daily wound care services.   Wound care trained specialist, standardized protocols, advanced technologies and therapies and operations excellence will be aligned under the WoundCentrics clinical program. To learn more about WoundCentrics visit: www.woundcentrics.com

WoundCentrics to Attend NALTH in San Antonio April 20-21

WoundCentrics, of New Braunfels, Texas, has announced that it will be attending the National Association of Long Term Hospitals (NALTH) Spring Conference  April 20th and 21st in San Antonio, Texas.  WoundCentrics is a NALTH corporate partner at the Advocate level and will have a marketing display at the NALTH meeting to provide information to member Hospitals and conference attendees about its in-patient wound care services program.

“We believe in supporting NALTH’s mission of advocacy, education andresearch and recognize the importance  of networking with member Hospitals regarding current trends in the healthcare environment,” stated Stuart Oertli, Chief Operating Officer for WoundCentrics.  “With the changes in LTAC rules and the challenges that LTAC facilities face with wound care patients, we believe our in-patient wound care services program is unique and more important than ever to ensure integrated specialized services that will help align the facility with other providers in their communities,” Oertli said.

“NALTH provides a great opportunity for our clinical and management team at WoundCentrics to learn about the long term care clinical and financial changes and reimbursement challenges.   NALTH provides interaction opportunities with LTAC administrators tasked with delivering quality care in a tight financial environment,” stated Marcus Gitterle, MD, Chief Executive Officer for WoundCentrics.

The National Association of Long Term Hospitals (NALTH) is a national association representing acute long-term care hospitals and patients. A member-driven organization, NALTH supports a collegial process when focusing on goals in the areas of advocacy, education, research and networking. NALTH fosters open and ongoing dialogue with governmental policy makers.  Plan now to attend the NALTH Annual Meeting in order to put long term care policy challenges and solutions into perspective. Industry leaders and experts will highlight industry changes and effects on hospitals, systems and patients.

The NALTH Spring Conference is scheduled for April 20th and 21st, 2017  at the Hilton Palacio  Del Rio Hotel,  200 South Alamo Street, San Antonio, Texas 78205