North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 473)
Medical Director Dr. Ricardo Duran and Program Director Debra Gonzalez joined North Fulton Business Radio host John Ray to discuss their work at Wellstar North Fulton Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center. This center recently received accreditation with distinction, one of only fifty centers nationwide to achieve this professional honor. It is an integrated practice of both in-patient and out-patient services providing wound care and hyperbaric treatments. Dr. Duran defined what hyperbaric treatment is and how it aids healing. He and Debra Gonzalez talked about how they came to this specialty, the amputation prevention program they offer, what makes this practice unique, and much more.
North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.
If you are suffering from a severe or chronic wound, Wellstar North Fulton Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine can help.
Common health problems such as diabetes or poor circulation delay the body’s healing process, resulting in chronic wounds. Their dedicated care team specializes in the evaluation and treatment of wounds. Together, they will create a personalized treatment plan to help you heal and feel better.
Wellstar is one of the largest health systems in Georgia. They know that giving people easy access to their services and locations is an essential part of great care.
As a not-for-profit health system, its passion for people extends beyond its system and into the communities they serve.
Dr. Ricardo Duran, Medical Director,
Dr. Ricardo Duran has joined the Wellstar family as the Medical Director of the North Fulton Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. Dr. Duran is an Internist Board Certified in Hyperbaric Medicine and Medical Wound Care. He received his medical degree from the Military University Nueva Granada in Bogota, Colombia.
He served in the Colombian Navy as a medical officer, both on land and shipboard, from 1996 to 2004, where his experience as a certified military diver sparked his interest in hyperbaric medicine. His background in combat medicine honed his skill in acute and chronic wounds. After his internship and residency at Yale University’s Danbury Hospital, he received his fellowship training in Sports Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and in Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care from Duke University.
Dr. Duran has extensive experience in the comprehensive medical level management of chronic complicated wounds in the inpatient, outpatient and long-term care settings.
Debra Gonzalez, Program Director,
Debra first began working in the wound care and hyperbaric industry in 1993. She has multiple certifications in wound care and hyperbarics and has held various clinical and administrative positions including Clinical Coordinator, Program Director, Clinical Liaison, and Vice President of Clinical Services.
She is an expert clinician in wound care as well as hyperbaric medicine delivered in monoplace and multiplace chamber environments. Debra has been an advocate of hyperbaric nursing and has promoted the hyperbaric industry by presenting at many national conferences over the years.
Debra is currently the Program Director for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Services at WellStar North Fulton Hospital; serves on the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology and is Secretary of the UHMS Gulf Coast Chapter. Additionally, she is a BNA and UHMS member and is also an Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Accreditation Surveyor.
Questions and Topics in this Interview:
- What exactly is hyperbaric medicine?
- What types of things do you treat at the Wound Care Center?
- Why is your program so great and unique?
- Tell us about the latest certification your program has received.
- How does someone know they should seek treatment from you for a non-healing wound?
- What is something that can be treated with hyperbarics that we might not think of?
North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.
Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.
Special thanks to A&S Culinary Concepts for their support of this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. A&S Culinary Concepts, based in Johns Creek, is an award-winning culinary studio, celebrated for corporate catering, corporate team building, Big Green Egg Boot Camps, and private group events. They also provide oven-ready, cooked from scratch meals to go they call “Let Us Cook for You.” To see their menus and events, go to their website or call 678-336-9196.
