Portneuf Medical Center receives national award

Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello was recognized Tuesday with a national award for excellence and distinction in wound healing.

The award was presented to the hospital’s wound and hyperbaric center. It was awarded by Healogics, the largest wound care service in the nation.

According to Healogics, PMC was given the award for high quality standards. It has a patient satisfaction rate of 92 percent, a healing success rate of 93 percent and a timeline of less than 30 days to achieve healing.

This is the fifth consecutive year PMC has received the award. The wound care and hyperbaric center offers treatment for things like ulcers, oxygen therapy and bio-engineered skin substitutes. It also treats any wounds that don’t heal properly. The director of the wound center, Julio Vasquez, said a treatment center like this is a huge benefit to the community, and especially to those patients with chronic wounds that need medical help.

“Usually those patients are very sick and they require a lot of attention so this is a needed service in the community because we provide this specialized type of care here,” said Vasquez.

Vasquez said he and his staff are very proud to receive the award. Vasquez credits the recognition to his staff and said they have great teamwork, which makes all the difference.

The wound and hyperbaric center opened in July 2010. It has received the excellence award every year since its opening.