Two Trinity Health Wound Care Centers Complete Master Caster Program
HARTFORD, Conn. — Trinity Health Of New England announced that the Center for Advanced Wound Healing at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, Conn. and the Advanced Wound Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford, Conn. have successfully completed the TCC-EZ Master Caster Program, joining the ranks of more than 100 distinguished wound care centers nationwide that have enhanced their offloading expertise and treatment protocols through this specialized training.
Total contact casting (TCC) is a specialized, non-removable cast widely considered a best practice for healing diabetic foot ulcers. Offloading, such as TCC, reduces pressure on the wound and increases the pace and probability of healing. This advanced treatment modality is especially useful for treating patients with diabetic foot ulcers, which, if left untreated, can result in serious health complications.
The Healogics iSupply TCC-EZ Master Caster Program, developed in collaboration with Integra LifeSciences, is a multi-step interactive education program designed to enhance TCC-EZ skills and improve healing opportunities for patients. By completing this specialized application and skills program, the Center for Advanced Wound Healing at Saint Francis Hospital and the Advanced Wound Center at Johnson Memorial Hospital are now better-positioned to help patients with diabetic foot ulcers heal faster and potentially decrease the risk of amputations.
“Our goal is to heal the wounds of our patients, and total contact casting is a proven method to aid in their recovery,” said Jill Buckendahl, program director. “This valuable training will not only enable our wound care team to provide an even better patient experience, but it will also improve our ability to heal diabetic foot ulcers faster more quickly and lessen the risk of amputations.”
The TCC-EZ Master Caster Program brings Integra clinical specialists into wound care centers for in-person enhanced skills training, including advanced application techniques, patient treatment strategies, and compliance solutions. TCC is considered the gold standard of therapeutic offloading, and this designation of the two-year TCC-EZ Master Caster certificate reflects their commitment to exceptional offloading standards and practices.
Benefits of the program include improved expertise in the TCC-EZ application for nurses and providers; encouragement of earlier offloading, known to positively impact healing time; ongoing support with 12 weeks of follow-up and a two-year program to maintain enhanced skill; and data tracking to assess program impact, with 2023 data showing a 6% increase in comprehensive heal rates for TCC Master Caster centers over non-Master Caster centers.