Wound care near you can mean a visit at your door
Most people who search for wound care near them are looking for a clinic with a short drive. In St. Louis County, that drive can mean Highway 40 traffic, a parking garage, a long wait and a transfer from a wheelchair, all with a wound that hurts. For some people, wound care near them is better defined as care that comes to the place where they live.
That is what mobile wound care in St. Louis is. A partner clinician travels to a private home, apartment or senior living community, examines the wound and sets the plan. Gateway does the arranging around the visit, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision.
Who this is meant for
Mobile visits make the most sense when getting to an office is difficult, unsafe or tiring. You may be a good fit to ask about it if:
- You use a wheelchair, walker or lift, or cannot manage stairs or a car transfer
- You are home from a hospital or rehab stay with a surgical wound, pressure injury or wound VAC
- You have a leg or foot wound and have been told to stay off your feet
- You live in assisted living, memory care or an independent senior community
- You are a family member who cannot keep taking time off work for appointments
You do not need to be completely homebound to ask. You can also ask about visits for someone else, such as a parent.
Towns and areas across St. Louis County
St. Louis County is large, and the needs of a neighborhood in Florissant are not the same as those in Mehlville. Gateway keeps a page for many communities with local detail. If you live in one of these areas, start there:
- West County: Ballwin, Chesterfield and Creve Coeur
- Central and south: Kirkwood and Mehlville
- North County: Florissant
If your town is not listed, the St. Louis County overview and the full service area page show the other communities. Gateway also coordinates care in St. Louis City, St. Charles County, Jefferson County and the Metro East in Illinois.
Why we ask for your ZIP code
Visit availability is confirmed by location and care setting. A private home in one ZIP code and a memory care unit in another may be set up differently, so we cannot give a reliable answer until we know where the patient will be seen.
When you call 314-325-0126, we will ask for the ZIP code and whether the patient lives at home or in a community. We do not promise a visit day or time during that first call. We tell you what we can confirm and what we need next.
What to have ready when you call
You do not need a referral to start. These items make the first call shorter:
- The patient’s name, the address and the ZIP code
- Whether the patient lives at home, in assisted living, in memory care or in a skilled nursing facility
- The name of the physician or clinic that has been following the wound, if any
- Whether a home health agency is already involved
- The plan or plans the patient has, such as Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid or a commercial plan
- The best phone number and who should receive updates
Please keep medical details for the phone call. If you use the request care form, it takes only a name and phone number, and someone will call you back.
What happens after you call
Gateway gathers what the treating practice needs, such as recent records, hospital discharge papers and current wound orders. We then confirm the setting and schedule the visit.
After the visit, we coordinate supplies, send updates to the other clinicians involved and schedule the next visit the clinician asks for. If a home health agency is changing your dressings, we keep it informed of the current orders.
Coverage questions
You can ask about Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial plans. Whether a visit, a dressing or a piece of equipment is a covered benefit depends on the treating provider, your plan and the care you need. Gateway cannot tell you in advance what a plan will pay, so it helps to ask the plan and the treating practice directly.
Report these changes to the treating clinician’s office promptly: redness or swelling that is spreading, new or worse pain, more drainage or a change in its smell, or fever. For a medical emergency, call 911. Gateway is not an emergency service.
Common questions
Is wound care at home available everywhere in St. Louis County?
Availability depends on the address and the care setting, so we confirm it case by case. Call 314-325-0126 with the ZIP code where the patient will be seen. If visits can be arranged, we explain the next steps. If they cannot, we say so plainly rather than leave you waiting.
Do I need a referral from my physician?
No. Patients, family members and caregivers can call directly, with or without a referral. If you do have a referral or recent records, they help us get started. Professionals can also send a referral by fax to 314-786-7966.
Can I use this if I live in a senior living community?
Yes, you can ask. Many requests come from residents of assisted living, memory care and independent senior living. We confirm the visit with the community as well as with you, since staff often help with access, supplies and updates after each visit.
Will you work with the nurses from my home health agency?
Yes. Mobile wound care sits beside home health instead of replacing it. Gateway shares updated wound orders with the agency so its nurses follow the current plan. Our page on wound care for home health patients explains who does what.
How soon can someone come?
We do not promise timing before the address and setting are confirmed. Timing depends on the location, the clinician’s schedule and what the treating practice needs first. Call with your ZIP code and we will tell you what we know when we speak.