DAYTON-At last week's hospital board meeting the commissioners approved a request from CEO Shane McGuire to proceed with the development of a hyperbaric wound suite at the hospital, which will be the first of its kind in the local community, he said.

"I feel confident we can make a run at this. This is a new service line. It is not offered in the region. It would be exclusive to us, for whatever time we could maintain it exclusively," McGuire said.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used to treat a variety of medical conditions ranging from non healing wounds to burns to carbon monoxide poisoning. When body tissue is injured it requires even more oxygen to survive. An increase in blood oxygen temporarily restores normal levels of blood gases and tissue function to promote healing and fight infection, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Patients are placed in a total body chamber where they breathe 100% oxygen while atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled.

McGuire plans to approach other health care facilities in the region for referrals to DGH, and he said referrals could come from several specialties including; oral surgeons, nephrologists, cardiologists, oncologists, as well as vascular surgeons, he said.

The Veteran's Administration also allows veterans to receive this type of service, and will reimburse DGH for hyperbaric wound care, since it will be the only health care facility locally to provide the service, he said.

McGuire told the commissioners it will take 150 new patients a year to break even.

"Every patient will have multiple dives," said McGuire.

Most patients need more than one hyperbaric treatment, or dive, in the course of their treatment, he said.

Dr. Kurt Frauenpreis who is on the staff at DGH, and is wound care certified, will be the program medical director, and other DGH staff will work in the program until such time as additional staff are necessary, said McGuire.

"We have finished due diligence, and have had the vendor's contract reviewed by our council," he told the commissioners.

Wording is in the contract specifying that if the program is not viable there is no penalty to DGH, said McGuire.

Michele Smith

With the new emergency room under construction, and for safety reasons, hospital officials are asking that visitors park in the new lot on the north side of the building, and to use the new main entrance, shown here.

"If the service line fails and you pull out, the oxygen plant will still service all of the swing bed and in-patients and respiratory therapy needs for the facility, without the hyperbarics, McGuire explained.

Specifically, $211,000 will pay for a bulk oxygen plant, with a 4500 gallon oxygen tank, plumbing and manifolds at the tank into the building, and piping to the wound care suite, plus retrofitting of the suite to accommodate the tubes, McGuire said.

The commissioners approved McGuire's request to use around $130,000 of the money left over from the hospital reconstruction and enhancement project to pay for a portion of the project. McGuire will also seek a low interest loan for the remaining amount, he told the commissioners.