Wound and Ostomy Care
Welcome to the Center for Advanced Wound and Ostomy Care at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center. The center is located on the second floor of the medical center. Visits are by appointment only. Please call 410-427-2345 to schedule an appointment.
Reasons to Visit The Center
If you have concerns about one or more of the following, a visit to the center can help.
- Appliance leakage or odor
- Skin irritation
- Where to get supplies
- Clothing adaptation
- Diet and exercise
- Intimacy and pregnancy
- Changes that occur with aging
- Career/job-related issues
- Travel Information
Visits to the Center for Advanced Wound and Ostomy Care are covered by most private insurance plans and Medicare. You may require pre-authorization from the primary care physician before a visit is made. Referrals can be faxed to 410-427-2309.
What to Expect
You can be referred by your physician, nursing agency, home care agency or extended care facility to the Center for Advanced Wound and Ostomy Care. You can also contact us directly to make an appointment, however, please understand that some insurance providers will require a physician referral.
Wound Care and Education
Our staff of board-certified wound ostomy care nurses will perform a thorough assessment of your ostomy and the skin around it and teach you how to manage your care. The most important person on our health care team is YOU, the patient. Following wound and ostomy care directions and keeping appointments are critical to the success of managing your ostomy.
We will provide your physician with regular progress reports regarding your care.
What is an Ostomy?
An ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening for the diversion of waste from the bowel or the bladder. Ostomies are necessary when part or all of the intestine or bladder are removed, and may be temporary or permanent. Some conditions that may lead to ostomy surgery include cancer, diverticulitis, polyps, birth defects, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's Disease and trauma.
Ostomy Care
The Ostomy Center at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center was developed in 1978 to meet the needs of individuals with colostomies, ileostomies and urinary diversions. UM St. Joseph is the only hospital with the longest continuously operating Ostomy Center in the Baltimore area. For over 40 years, a certified wound ostomy care (WOC) nurse has been seeing and caring for patients at the center.
About Our Ostomy Nurses
WOC nurses specialize in ostomy care and rehabilitation and assist patients in the hospital as well as in the outpatient setting. Our nurses provide comprehensive teaching as well as counseling and care for their patients for pre- and post-operative education.
Your WOC nurse can answer questions and address the concerns of patients and family members, both in the hospital and after discharge. Our goal is to help you make the necessary adjustments to life with an ostomy.
You can speak with an ostomy nurse at 410-427-2345.