Mobile wound care close to home in North St. Louis

North St. Louis is the common name for the city neighborhoods north of Delmar Boulevard, running up through The Ville, Fairground, Penrose, Walnut Park and Baden to the city limits. Natural Bridge Avenue, North Grand Boulevard, Kingshighway and Interstate 70 are the main routes. These are old neighborhoods with deep family roots, and many elders have lived on the same block most of their lives. The large hospitals are in the central corridor or out in the county, so a wound check or a doctor’s visit often means crossing town. Care at home shortens that distance.

The housing here is mostly brick: two-story single-family homes, two-family and four-family flats, and senior apartment buildings, usually with steps up to the front door. Second-floor flats and steep stairs are a real obstacle for someone with a leg wound or poor balance. Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living are part of the picture too. Gateway arranges partner clinician visits in any of these settings. When you call, tell us about the steps, which door to use and whether someone will be home, so the visit can start without delays.

For an overview of how home visits work across the region, see mobile wound care in St. Louis.

Families in North St. Louis can also start with the overview of wound care in St. Louis, from wound types to what to expect at the first visit.

When the visit comes to the home

Dressings, wraps and other supplies are part of what Gateway coordinates for patients at home in North St. Louis. Once the treating clinician decides what the wound needs, the order goes to a supplier, and we follow up on delivery and on what your plan requires. Supplies usually arrive in amounts meant to last a set period, so tell us before you run low, not after. Store them dry, in one spot, away from heat and pets. If a product irritates your skin or will not stay in place, say so. The clinician can change the order, and our supply coordination follows up with the supplier.

For residents of senior living and nursing facilities

A person living with dementia may not be able to say that a heel hurts or that a dressing feels wrong, and may pull a bandage off without knowing why it is there. In memory care communities in North St. Louis, the wound plan has to account for that. The treating clinician relies on what staff and family have noticed, such as changes in walking, sleep, appetite or mood, as well as on what the skin shows. Visits for wound care in memory care are planned for the resident’s own room, with a familiar caregiver present when possible. Gateway shares the plan with care staff and family so everyone watches for the same changes.

Wound conditions we help with in North St. Louis

Not sure which of these describes the wound you are worried about? Sorting that out is the treating clinician’s job, not yours. The list shows the range of wound conditions Gateway helps people in North St. Louis arrange care for, from pressure injuries to wounds that follow surgery.

See every wound condition and all wound care services.

Coming home from the hospital

For hospital care, people in North St. Louis commonly go to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital or Christian Hospital in North County. Gateway has no affiliation with any of them. A patient may be sent home with dressing instructions and a follow-up appointment that is hard to get to. Families can call us to ask whether wound care or primary care visits can be arranged at home. Discharge planners and social workers can refer by phone or fax, and should include the discharge summary, the orders and a working phone number for the patient or a relative.

Facilities near North St. Louis

People in North St. Louis often know these places by name. The list is drawn from public directories so you can get your bearings.

  • Hospitals nearby: Barnes-Jewish Hospital; SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital; Christian Hospital in North County
  • Skilled nursing and rehabilitation nearby: Hillside Health Care Center (St. Louis 63147); Grand Manor Health Care Center (St. Louis 63113); Blue Circle Rehab and Nursing (St. Louis 63106); Florissant Valley Health & Rehabilitation Center (Florissant 63031)
  • Assisted living and memory care nearby: Spring Manor (St. Louis 63107); Silver Spur (St. Louis 63118); St. Elizabeth Hall (St. Louis 63108)

Gateway is not affiliated with any facility listed here, and a listing does not mean a partnership or referral relationship. If the patient lives in one of them, tell us its name when you call so we can contact the right nurse or front desk.

Sources: Medicare Care Compare nursing home data (CMS) and the Missouri DHSS long-term care directory.

Primary care alongside wound care

People with long-standing wounds often take many medications ordered by several different offices. Some medicines can affect healing, swelling or the risk of falls, and it may be that no one is looking at the full list. When Gateway arranges primary care follow-up in North St. Louis, a medication review by the treating clinician is a typical part of it. Do not stop or change anything on your own. Keep an up-to-date list, including over-the-counter products, and have it out at every visit.

Primary care at home in North St. Louis →

Getting care in North St. Louis

Have these ready when you call 314-325-0126: the patient’s name, street address and ZIP code, a main phone number and a backup, and the name of any doctor or health center they use. If the patient stays with different relatives during the week, say so. Gateway also arranges care elsewhere in the City of St. Louis, including Downtown and the Central West End, and across the line in Ferguson and North County. Visit availability is confirmed for each address, and a reachable phone number keeps scheduling on track.

Visits are confirmed by location and care setting, so call 314-325-0126 with your ZIP code to ask about your street.

No referral is needed to ask Gateway about wound care in North St. Louis. Patients and families can call 314-325-0126 themselves. If a doctor, hospital or home health agency is already involved, tell us, and we will contact them for records and keep them updated. Physician offices and facilities can start a request from our refer a patient page or by calling the same number. Some health plans have their own referral or authorization rules. We check on those with the treating provider before the first visit, so they do not come as a surprise later.

  • County: City of St. Louis, Missouri (an independent city)
  • ZIP codes: 63106, 63107, 63113, 63115, 63120, 63147
  • Care settings: Private homes, skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care and rehabilitation

Nearby: St. Louis City, Downtown St. Louis, Central West End, Ferguson, North County

Coverage questions

Medicare Advantage plans work differently from Original Medicare. Each plan has its own provider network, its own copays and often its own prior authorization rules for visits, supplies or home health, so there are questions to ask a Medicare Advantage plan before care starts. Two neighbors with cards from the same insurer can have different benefits. When you call, tell us the exact plan name on the member ID card. Gateway and the treating provider’s office check whether the provider participates with that plan and whether anything needs approval first. Until then, nobody can say what the plan will pay.

Common questions

Do I need a doctor’s referral to ask for wound care in North St. Louis?

No. Patients, relatives and caregivers in North St. Louis can call Gateway directly at 314-325-0126 without a referral. Doctors, hospitals and facilities can also refer. If records or orders are needed, we request them with permission. The treating clinician decides what care is appropriate after assessing the patient. Whether a health plan requires a referral or authorization depends on the plan, and you can ask about that when you call.

My grandmother lives in a senior apartment building in North St. Louis. Can a clinician see her there?

Yes, visits can be arranged in senior apartment buildings. Give us the building’s street address, her apartment number and how visitors get in, such as a front desk or buzzer. Let her know someone will be calling so she expects it. Gateway confirms availability for her location, and you or she will be contacted about the visit day before anyone comes.

Is Gateway connected to Barnes-Jewish Hospital or other hospitals near North St. Louis?

No. Gateway is a separate company that coordinates care with partner clinicians. It is not affiliated with Barnes-Jewish Hospital, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital or Christian Hospital. Patients in North St. Louis who received care at those hospitals can still ask us about follow-up at home, and with permission we request records so the treating clinician knows what was done during the hospital stay.

What if the patient’s phone number changes or they move within North St. Louis?

Call us with the new information as soon as you can. Visits are arranged by address, so a move, even a few blocks, needs to be updated before the next visit. If the patient’s phone is out of service, give us a relative’s or neighbor’s number as a backup. Keeping contact details current is the simplest way to avoid a missed visit.

Is primary care at home available along with wound care in North St. Louis?

It can be requested in the same call. Gateway arranges in-home primary care with partner clinicians for people who have trouble getting to an office, which is often the case for someone with a wound. Tell us whether the patient in North St. Louis has a primary care clinician now. If so, we keep that office informed. If not, we look into what can be arranged for their address and plan.

What records does Gateway need for a patient in North St. Louis?

The treating clinician can start with very little, but a few records make the first visit more useful: recent hospital or clinic notes about the wound, current wound orders, a medication list, recent lab results and the names of the clinicians involved. You do not have to collect these yourself. With the patient’s permission, Gateway requests them from the offices and facilities that have them, in North St. Louis or elsewhere.

General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.