Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1161773
IDAHOFALLSMAGAZINE.COM 27 "Additionally, burn care often requires outpatient wound care for months and sometimes even years for optimal recovery," according to an EIRMC news release. "Traveling long distances for ongoing wound care often prevents appropriate long-term care." Luckily, EIRMC staff has worked over the past two years to fill this gap in the map and, in April, established a burn center with a 6-bed ICU and an outpatient Burn, Trauma and Wound Clinic for ongoing treatment. Though still a long travel for some, the burn center hopes to fill that need and encourage patients to receive the care essential for proper healing, including the outpatient care, in a way that is less of a financial burden. And not just a burden for the burn victims themselves. Any fam- ily or friends wishing to stay with their injured loved ones have to make the same journey and stay, and EIRMC hopes that having a location in Idaho Falls, where it is more accessible and less expen- sive than the big cities, will encourage family to stay nearby. "There's a lot of data that has shown that the more that family is involved in the patients care, the faster they can heal and recover," said Larry Ward, EIRMC director of burn services. "So being closer and being able to have family come and help support that family member that had this tragedy is a great benefit to them." Partnered with the Burn & Reconstructive Centers of America, EIRMC staff has worked hard to bring a new level of patient care to the area, according to the EIRMC news release. The burn center staff can now treat a variety of burn injuries including thermal, electrical, chemical, inhalation and friction burns. To give that higher level of patient care, the center has invested millions of dollars in time, training, technology and construc- Michael Lemon Jeff Solis Larry Ward