Guides · For patients, caregivers & care teams

Wound care and primary care guides.

A library of short, practical guides about wounds, daily life during recovery, caregiving, getting care, insurance questions and primary care. There are also sections for facility staff, referring teams and independent practices. Pick the guide that matches what you are dealing with this week.

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What the guide library covers

These wound care guides for patients and caregivers are short, plain-language pages that take a few minutes to read. The library also holds primary care guides, along with guides for facility staff, referring teams and independent practices. The cards on this page are sorted by who each guide is written for.

Understanding a wound. How wounds heal, why some heal slowly, what drainage, odor and measurements tell the care team, and what common treatments involve.
Daily life. Bathing, sleeping, eating, shoes, travel, work and keeping supplies organized at home.
Caregiving. Visit checklists, safe turning and lifting, dementia, helping from a distance and caregiver burnout.
Getting care and coverage. How mobile visits work, referrals, records, and questions to ask Medicare, Medicaid and other plans.
Primary care. Diabetes, circulation, medication lists, the weeks after a hospital stay and wellness visits.
Professional and practice topics. Referral checklists, wound rounds preparation, documentation, handoffs and program startup questions.

Care at home in St. Louis

Health care in the home

A map of the main kinds of care at home in St. Louis: home health, home care, house calls and mobile wound care.

Home health vs home care vs house calls

A plain guide to home health, home care and house calls in St. Louis: who provides each, who orders it and how they work together.

Finding a home health agency

How to find and compare home health agencies in the St. Louis area, what to ask on the phone and what happens at the start of care.

Medicare and home health in Missouri

The general conditions Medicare looks for with home health, how plans differ and the questions to ask your physician and plan in Missouri.

Private duty nursing vs home health

How private duty nursing, home health and house calls differ in St. Louis, who generally pays for each and how to decide.

In-home nursing vs house calls

A plain comparison of home health nursing, private duty nursing and medical house calls in St. Louis: who each is for and what to ask.

Caring for a parent at home

For families in St. Louis caring for a parent at home: the kinds of medical help that can visit, and how to set up and coordinate them.

Questions to ask before a house call

A practical list of questions to ask and items to gather before a primary care or wound care house call in Greater St. Louis.

Mobile medical care options

A plain comparison of house calls, mobile wound care, mobile health units and hospital at home programs, and how to choose among them.

Communication support at visits

How to explain language, hearing, vision, speech or reading needs when a wound visit is arranged, and how to confirm you understood the plan.

Build your care contact list

A practical way to record who handles wound questions, scheduling, supplies, coverage and coordination, so each call goes to the right team first.

Describing a wound change

A plain-language way to explain what changed in a wound, when it started and how it differs from usual, plus a script for the call.

Diabetic foot ulcer warning signs

The changes to watch for with a diabetic foot wound, which ones need urgent attention and what to tell the clinician when you call.

Following up on a care request

Questions that help you find out whether a wound care request was received, what information is missing and who is responsible for the next step.

Getting your home ready for a visit

Practical steps for a scheduled home wound visit: access and parking, where to set up, people and pets, and what to keep within reach.

Including a family member

How to pick a support person, decide what they do, give permission to share information, and stay in charge of your own wound care.

Insurance and cost questions

A checklist of coverage and cost questions for your insurance plan, the treating practice and suppliers, with tips for recording what you are told.

Wound care visit notebook

A simple layout for a wound care notebook: what to write before, during and after each visit, and what to keep on the front pages.

Transportation for wound care

How to plan a ride to a wound care appointment: access needs, ride options, details to confirm, and when to ask about care where you live.

Post-surgical wound follow-up

What to collect before discharge, who should be checking the incision, which changes to report to the surgeon, and what to ask before changing anything.

Your first wound care visit

A simple way to gather your wound’s history, records, supplies and questions before meeting a wound care clinician for the first time.

Privacy and comfort

Simple ways to ask for privacy, explain what helps you feel at ease, and understand how wound photos and information are shared.

Wound supply order questions

Who orders wound supplies, what to ask the supplier, what to record for each delivery and how to report a missing or unfamiliar item.

Skin graft aftercare guide

What to confirm with the surgical team after a skin graft, everyday ways to protect the graft and donor site, and changes that need a call.

Talking about wound pain

How to describe wound pain so your clinician understands it: the words, the timing, the effect on daily life and the changes to report.

Leg ulcer compression questions

Questions to ask about a lower-leg ulcer and compression: cause, circulation testing, history to share, the type of compression and changes to report.

When to call a wound care specialist

Signs that a wound needs additional care, changes to report promptly, emergencies, practical barriers worth mentioning and what to have ready when you call.

When wound care feels overwhelming

Ways to tell the care team what is hardest, shrink the plan to one next step, ask for specific help and recognize when strain needs attention.

Wound VAC problems

How to sort wound VAC problems into device issues and wound changes, who to call for each, what to say and when to call 911.

How wounds heal

The four stages of wound healing in plain language, what healthy progress looks like, what the body needs to heal and which changes to report.

Why some wounds heal slowly

Common reasons a wound heals slowly, including blood flow, swelling, pressure, blood sugar, nutrition and infection, plus questions to bring to your next visit.

Signs of wound infection

The warning signs of an infected wound, the quieter signs that are easy to miss, what to write down, and when a change is urgent.

Wound drainage: what it means

What clear, pink, red, yellow and green wound drainage can mean, how amounts are described, and what to tell the care team about changes.

Wound odor: what to report

Why wounds develop an odor, how to tell dressing smell from wound smell, how to describe it to the care team and when to call.

Understanding wound measurements

A plain-language guide to wound measurements: length, width, depth, photos, common visit-note terms and why numbers can change from visit to visit.

What is debridement?

What debridement means, why dead tissue is removed, the main types, who is allowed to perform it and questions to ask your clinician.

What is a skin substitute?

What skin substitutes are, what they are made from, when a clinician may consider one and the questions to ask before agreeing.

What is a wound VAC (NPWT)?

A plain-language explanation of negative pressure wound therapy: the parts of a wound VAC, how it helps, daily routines, questions to ask and changes to report.

What is compression therapy?

How compression therapy helps venous leg wounds, the common types, why blood flow is tested before it starts, and the warning signs to report.

What is offloading?

Why taking pressure off a foot ulcer matters, the common offloading devices, how to stay safe while wearing one, and what to tell the clinician.

Wound dressings explained

The common categories of wound dressings, what each is designed to do, how clinicians choose, and what to ask and report between dressing changes.

Pressure injury stages explained

What each pressure injury stage means, including unstageable and deep tissue injuries, what a stage does not tell you, and what to ask and report.

Diabetic foot ulcer basics

A starting point for anyone newly told they have a diabetic foot ulcer: causes, first-visit checks, treatment basics, daily habits and warning signs.

Venous vs arterial ulcers

How venous and arterial ulcers differ in location, appearance and pain, how they are told apart, and why the right cause matters for treatment.

Leg swelling and wounds

Why swollen legs develop wounds that are slow to heal, how edema is usually managed, and the changes worth reporting to your clinician.

Skin tears in older adults

Why aging skin tears so easily, first steps when it happens, practical ways to protect fragile arms and shins, and when to call.

Surgical incision care: what to expect

What a healing incision normally looks and feels like, the warning signs to report to your surgeon, and questions to ask before discharge.

When a surgical wound opens

First steps when an incision comes apart, the signs of an emergency, who to call, and how an opened surgical wound is usually managed.

Wound care and blood sugar

How high glucose slows wound repair, why a wound can raise blood sugar, what to track, and what to ask your prescriber.

Circulation tests before compression

What an ABI and related circulation tests are, why they come before compression wraps or stockings, and what to ask about your results.

Scars and skin after a wound heals

How to protect newly healed skin, what to ask about scars, and the habits that lower the chance of a wound coming back.

Showering and bathing with a wound

Questions to ask before you shower or bathe with a wound, general precautions for keeping dressings dry, and what to report afterward.

Sleeping comfortably with a wound

Positioning and comfort ideas for sleeping with a leg wound or pressure injury, with questions to ask your clinician and changes to report.

Eating for wound healing

Everyday protein foods and balanced meals that support wound healing, tips for a low appetite, and restrictions to ask your clinician about.

Staying hydrated and wound healing

Why fluids matter for wound healing, signs of running low, practical ways to drink enough, and guidance for people on fluid limits.

Smoking and wound healing

How tobacco and nicotine slow wound healing, what to tell your clinician about smoking, and where to find help quitting.

Moving safely with a foot wound

Questions to ask about activity limits with a foot wound, how to use offloading devices as ordered, and tips for getting around the house safely.

Choosing shoes with a diabetic foot wound

Footwear questions for podiatry and the wound clinician, what to wear while a diabetic foot ulcer is open, and features to look for afterward.

Daily foot checks with diabetes

A practical routine for checking your feet every day when you have diabetes, with a list of changes to report the same day.

Repositioning schedule at home

How to build a written repositioning routine at home, keep it going overnight, and know when to ask the clinician to adjust it.

Cushions and mattresses for pressure relief

A plain-language look at support surfaces for bed and chair, with questions for the clinician and supplier and daily checks to make.

Keeping compression wraps comfortable

What is normal with a compression wrap, how to handle slipping, itching and wet layers, and which signs mean call now.

Dressing changes at home

Setup, hygiene and record-keeping for home dressing changes you have been taught to do, plus the situations where you should call first.

Storing wound supplies at home

A simple system for storing dressings, keeping a weekly count and reordering on time, with what to do when a delivery is late or wrong.

Traveling with a wound

How to plan a trip while a wound is healing: questions for your clinician, a supply packing list, a travel contact sheet and changes to report.

Returning to work with a wound

Questions for your clinician, what belongs in a work note, adjustments to ask your employer about and ways to protect a wound during the workday.

Pets and wound care at home

Practical habits for homes with pets: where to do dressing changes, how to store supplies, handling pet chores and when to report a lick, scratch or bite.

Skin care around a wound

What the skin around a wound should look like, how drainage and tape damage it, what you can do between visits and which changes to report.

Itching around a healing wound

Why healing wounds itch, other causes such as dry skin and tape reactions, safe ways to cope and the signs that mean you should call.

Incontinence and skin protection

A daily routine for protecting skin from urine and stool, early signs of damage, tips on absorbent products and changes to report to a clinician.

How mobile wound care visits work

A step-by-step look at mobile wound care, from the first call and records to the visit, supplies, follow-up and what happens when visits end.

What happens during a home visit

What the treating clinician may ask, examine, measure and treat during a wound care visit at home, and what to confirm before the visit ends.

Do I need a referral?

You can contact Gateway without a referral, but your plan may have its own rules. How referrals, orders and prior authorization differ, and what to ask.

Medicare and wound care questions

How Original Medicare is organized, in general terms, and the questions to ask Medicare and the treating practice before wound care begins.

Medicare Advantage and wound care

How networks, referrals and prior authorization work in Medicare Advantage plans, in general terms, with questions to ask your plan before wound care.

Medicaid and wound care questions

Questions for MO HealthNet and Illinois Medicaid members to ask their state program, health plan and treating practice before wound care begins.

Prior authorization explained

What prior authorization is, who requests it, what an approval does and does not mean, and how patients and families can help a request move.

Home health vs mobile wound care

A plain comparison of home health and mobile wound care: who comes, who writes the wound orders, and how the two services work together.

Wound clinic vs wound care at home

A fair comparison of outpatient wound clinics and wound care at home, with questions to help you and your clinician choose a setting.

Choosing a wound care provider

The kinds of wound care providers in the St. Louis area and a neutral list of questions to ask any of them before you decide.

Wound care records to gather

A checklist of the records that help at a first wound care visit, how to request copies, and what to do when something is missing.

Asking for a second opinion

When to ask for a second opinion on a slow wound, what to say to your current clinician, and how to use the answer.

What homebound means

The general idea behind homebound status, who decides whether it applies, what it affects and how to describe your situation to a clinician.

Telehealth and wound photos

How to take clear wound photos, what to send with them, how to keep them private, and when a photo or video visit is not enough.

Why primary care matters for healing

How blood sugar, circulation, swelling, nutrition and medications shape wound recovery, and what steady primary care adds to wound treatment.

House calls: what to expect

A step-by-step look at a primary care house call: what to gather, what the clinician checks, and what to ask before the visit ends.

Managing diabetes during wound recovery

Why blood sugar shifts while a wound heals, what to track, and what to ask the clinician who manages your diabetes.

PAD and foot wounds

How peripheral artery disease slows foot wound healing, the signs to mention, how blood flow is tested and when to get help fast.

Heart failure, swelling and skin

How fluid from heart failure stretches and damages leg skin, what to track at home, and what to ask before using compression.

Kidney disease and wound healing

Why chronic kidney disease slows wound healing, what changes on dialysis, and what to ask about diet limits and medications.

Medications that can affect healing

The main medication groups that can affect wound healing, and the questions to ask your prescriber before anything changes.

Keeping a medication list

A simple medication list format to copy, with what to include, when to update it and who should have a copy.

The first two weeks after the hospital

A step-by-step plan for the two weeks after a hospital stay, covering medications, follow-up visits, pending results, wound care and warning signs.

Annual wellness visit: what it covers

What the Medicare annual wellness visit includes, what it leaves out, how to prepare, and the cost questions to ask before you book.

Chronic care management for patients

For patients offered chronic care management: what the practice does each month, what consent means, cost questions to ask and how to stop.

Remote monitoring: what to expect

A practical guide to the first weeks of home monitoring: setup, reliable readings, who sees the numbers, common snags and when to call.

Fall prevention during wound recovery

How wounds, boots, dressings and tubing raise fall risk, with home fixes, daily habits, questions to ask and steps to take after a fall.

Preventive care for homebound adults

How vaccines and preventive checks can reach people who rarely leave home, and how to decide which screenings are worth a trip.

Advance care planning conversation starters

Borrowable words for starting advance care planning with yourself, your family and your clinician, plus what to do once wishes are written down.

Loneliness and low mood during recovery

Why mood often drops during a long recovery, signs to take seriously, who to tell, small steps against loneliness, and when to call 988.

Facility care plan meetings

For residents and families: who attends a care plan meeting, what to bring, wound questions to ask, and how to confirm who does what afterward.

Pressure injury caregiver guide

For family caregivers: pressure injury risk factors, where and how to check skin, daily habits that help, questions to ask and changes to report.

Sharing care responsibilities

A practical plan for families: divide the jobs, name a backup, keep one record, hand off clearly and take disagreements to the treating team.

Caregiver checklist for wound visits

A practical checklist for family caregivers: what to prepare before a wound care visit, what to ask during it and what to write down.

Helping a parent from far away

How adult children in another city can coordinate a parent’s wound care by phone: permission, contact lists, local helpers and warning signs.

Dementia and a wound: family guide

Practical help for families caring for someone with dementia and a wound: routines, calm communication, dressing removal, skin safety and signs to report.

Lifting and turning safely

General body mechanics for family caregivers who lift and turn a loved one in bed, plus how to ask the care team for hands-on training.

Skilled nursing: questions to ask

Admission-day questions for families about skin checks, existing wounds, pressure injury prevention and communication in a skilled nursing facility.

Assisted living: a family guide

Who does what when an assisted living resident has a wound: community staff, visiting clinicians, home health and family, plus questions to ask.

Memory care: a family guide

How families can work with memory care staff when a resident has a wound: roles, what to share, questions to ask and calmer visits.

Hospital discharge wound checklist

A family checklist for the days before hospital discharge: wound instructions, supplies, orders, follow-up visits, and the names and numbers you will need at home.

Caregiver burnout and asking for help

How to recognize caregiver strain during wound care, ask family and clinicians for specific help, and find support outside the household.

When a loved one refuses wound care

Why people refuse wound care, how to ask about it without arguing, what families can try for each concern, and what to keep reporting.

Wound care at end of life

What comfort-focused wound care means near the end of life, how it works alongside hospice, and the questions families can ask the team.

Keeping a shared family care log

How to set up a shared care log among relatives: the format, what to write in each entry, an open-items page and privacy basics.

Who can receive wound care updates

A plain-language guide to permission and privacy in wound care: who decides, how relatives are added as contacts, and what Gateway shares.

Preparing family questions

A practical way for families to collect, sort and prioritize questions before a wound care call or visit, and to record the answers.

Discharge planner referral checklist

What hospital discharge planners should gather, send and confirm when arranging community wound follow-up for a patient going home or to a facility.

Facility wound rounds guide

Questions for facility teams planning wound rounds, plus a walk through one round: preparation, bedside flow, orders, follow-through and changes between visits.

Home health coordination guide

How home health agencies, physician offices and visiting wound clinicians can divide roles, keep one set of orders and share updates on a shared patient.

Wound rounds preparation checklist

A time-ordered checklist for skilled nursing teams: building the list, gathering records, readying residents and closing out orders after wound rounds.

Weekly wound documentation tips

Habits for consistent weekly wound notes in long-term care: a fixed rhythm, complete entries, plain descriptions and a chart that tells one story.

Admission skin assessment checklist

A head-to-toe admission skin check for facility nurses: setup, body areas, what to record, easily missed findings and same-shift follow-through.

Pressure injury prevention program basics

Program elements for nursing homes: risk assessment that leads to action, layered skin checks, individualized interventions, clear roles and regular review.

SBAR for wound changes

How facility nurses can report a wound change with SBAR: preparation, the four parts, a sample report, urgent changes and after-call documentation.

Discharge to home wound handoff

What to put in a wound handoff when a patient goes home: wound summary, usable orders, bridge supplies, caregiver teaching and named follow-up.

Home health and wound specialist roles

What the home health nurse and the wound specialist each cover on a shared patient, where gaps appear and five things to settle at the start.

Assisted living wound escalation

For assisted living teams: what care staff should report, when the nurse calls the physician, what to document, and when a wound means 911.

Case manager guide to mobile wound care

Which patients fit mobile wound care, which need something else, and a referral packet checklist for case managers and social workers.

Referring for in-home primary care

Referral basics for home-based primary care: who fits, what to confirm first, what records to send and how to close the loop afterward.

Wound supply ordering for facilities

How facility teams can set par levels for house stock, manage resident-specific wound orders and prevent the most common supply breakdowns.

Transport for outpatient wound visits

A facility checklist for outpatient wound appointments: choosing the vehicle, booking the ride, sending the right paperwork and handling the return.

Wound goals in care plan meetings

How facility teams can write measurable wound goals, prepare for the care conference and explain the plan clearly to residents and families.

Readmission risk and wound follow-up

Where wound plans break after discharge, which patients need a closer look, and handoff habits that support continuity on both sides.

Mobile wound care startup checklist

An operational checklist for launching a mobile wound care service: scope, payer enrollment, the visit bag, routes, records and billing.

Building a wound care formulary

A step-by-step method for building a short wound care product list: audit, group by function, choose, write it down and review.

Prior authorization tracking system

A do-it-yourself tracking system for prior authorizations: one list, one owner, clear statuses and a daily and weekly routine.

Credentialing timeline: what to expect

The stages of credentialing and payer enrollment, the common causes of delay and what a practice can do while applications are pending.

CCM program startup questions

Questions to settle before launching chronic care management: who qualifies, how consent is recorded, who does the monthly work and how success is measured.

RPM program startup questions

Questions to settle before launching remote patient monitoring: the clinical purpose, the device, who reviews readings, the records and how patients hear about cost.

Documentation habits for clean claims

Everyday documentation habits that reduce claim rework: accurate front-end facts, notes that explain why, payer-specific elements and a feedback loop with billing.

Working with skilled nursing facilities

How a visiting practice earns its place in a skilled nursing facility: know the roles, settle paperwork early, round predictably and leave clear orders and notes.

Choosing practice support: what to ask

Neutral vendor questions for independent practices: what the company does, who does it, who owns the data, how results are reported, how fees work and how you exit.

Referrals from discharge planners

How a practice becomes a dependable option for discharge teams: clear acceptance criteria, an easy referral path, fast honest answers and closing the loop.

How to use a guide

Every guide sticks to one topic and ends with common questions. The aim is to help you notice the right things and ask the treating clinician good questions.

A simple way to use one:

Choose the guide closest to your situation today, not the whole library.
Note any question it raises about your own wound or health.
Bring those questions to the next visit or phone call with the clinician.
Send the link to the family member or friend who helps you, so you are both reading the same thing.

Good places to start

New to wound care: read how wounds heal, then preparing for your first wound care visit.
Worried about a change: the signs of wound infection guide lists what to report and when to call 911.
Helping someone else: start with the caregiver checklist for wound care visits.
Unsure how to get care: see do I need a referral for wound care.
Thinking about overall health: read why primary care matters for wound healing.
Referring a patient: use the discharge planner wound referral checklist.

What the guides cannot do

The guides are general education. They are not written about your wound, your health history or your medications, and they cannot replace an examination. Please do not start, stop or change a treatment or a medicine because of something you read here. Ask the treating clinician first.

Gateway is not an emergency service. For an emergency, call 911. If no one is caring for the wound yet and you live in Greater St. Louis or the Metro East, you can request care or call 314-325-0126.

Common questions

Are these guides medical advice?

No. They are general education meant to help you understand terms, get ready for visits and ask better questions. Decisions about treatment belong to the treating clinician who has examined you. If something in a guide seems to conflict with what your clinician told you, follow your clinician and bring up the difference at the next visit.

Can I share a guide with my family or with facility staff?

Yes. Every guide is a public web page, so you can send the link or print the page and bring it along. It can help when everyone involved has read the same information before a visit or a care plan meeting. The person’s own care plan still comes from the treating clinician and the facility team.

What if I cannot find a guide for my question?

For a question about your own wound or health, the treating clinician is the right person to ask. For a question about arranging care, records, supplies or coverage, call Gateway at 314-325-0126. We can explain how the process works for your location and care setting.

Are there guides for nurses, case managers and practices?

Yes. The professional section covers topics such as admission skin assessment, weekly wound documentation, SBAR communication and discharge handoffs. The practice section covers supply formularies, credentialing timelines, prior-authorization tracking and care-program startup. These guides assume a clinical or administrative background. They deal with process and communication, and leave clinical judgment to the clinicians involved.