Wounds on Wheels: Implementing a Specialized Wound Clinic within an Established Syringe Exchange Program in Baltimore, Maryland

People who inject drugs (PWID) experience a high incidence of abscesses and chronic wounds. However, many PWID delay seeking care for their wounds. In 2012, the Baltimore Needle Exchange Program (BNEP) in Baltimore, Maryland, partnered with the Johns Hopkins Wound Healing Center to establish a mobile BNEP Wound Clinic. This clinic provided specialized wound care for BNEP patients. In sixteen months, the clinic treated 78 unique patients during 172 visits overall. On average, each visit cost the program $146.45, which was substantially less than clinic-based treatment. This program demonstrates that specialized wound care can be effectively provided through mobile outreach. A community-based service delivery approach might serve as a model for local health departments looking to improve the health of PWID.

TABLE 2—

Visit Characteristics at the Wound Clinic: Baltimore, MD, May 2012–August 2013

	Visits, No. (%)
All visits	172 (100)
Primary reason for visit
Acute wound or abscess	52 (30.2)
Chronic wound	116 (67.4)
Other concernsb	4 (2.3)
Visits during which antibiotics were prescribed	38 (22.1)

aDefined as an open area on the skin present for 2 months or longer.

bIncluding hematoma, ganglion cyst, and early venous wounds.

Full article at:  http://goo.gl/Wfw7Zk

By: Natanya Robinowitz, MSPH, Maria Elisa Smith, BA, Chris Serio-Chapman, BA, Patrick Chaulk, MD, MPH, and Kristine E. Johnson, MD, MSc

At the time of the writing, Natanya Robinowitz and Chris Serio-Chapman were with the Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore, MD. Patrick Chaulk is with the Baltimore City Health Department. At the time of the writing, Maria Elisa Smith and Kristine E. Johnson were with the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University.

Corresponding author.

Correspondence should be sent to Natanya Robinowitz, Special Programs Assistant, Baltimore City Health Department, Community Risk Reduction Services, 1001 E Fayette Baltimore, MD 21202 (e-mail: vog.yticeromitlab@ztiwonibor.aynatan). Reprints can be ordered athttp://www.ajph.org by clicking the “Reprints” link.

 

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