The only verified Burn Center in Wisconsin is housed right in Madison at UW Hospital. The UW Burn Center provides customized treatment and care to burn patients as an ACS-verified Burn Center as well as a Level I Trauma Center for pediatric and adult patients. While 65% of their patients were adults in the past year, they also treated over 150 children for burns, with flame burns and scalds making up over half of the Center’s admissions.
Built in 1974, the UW Burn Center underwent remodeling in 2013 to better accommodate its staff and patients. In fall of 2018, JP Cullen completed the demolition of the F8-4 Wing in preparation for this project. Now, starting in March 2019, JP Cullen along with architect HKS will be doing a 15,000 square-foot remodel and 11-bed expansion to the Burn Center to create more space and services for its patients, including a new therapy room, second tub room, a children’s playroom, and multiple procedure rooms.
This expansion and remodel are necessary to maintain and better the UW Burn Center’s treatment and care to not only their over 400 burn patients each year, but also patients suffering from other skin conditions such as frostbite, dermatological conditions, soft tissue conditions, and those in need of reconstructive surgery. From the time of injury through discharge and rehabilitation, patients receive individual treatment and care from the Burn Center’s many services. Physicians at the Center are the following: trauma surgeons who specialize in burns, nutritionists that work closely with patients and their unique nutritional needs, occupational and physical therapists that help patients to maintain mobility and function, and health psychologists and other programs who assist with emotional support throughout their individual processes.
The Center also provides services to educate the public about prevention and safety measures dealing with thermal, chemical, and electric burns. The nursing staff teaches Advanced Burn Life Support classes annually to both internal and external staff. The Burn Center additionally administers education to EMS, paramedics, Emergency Department staff, and other health care workers and teach prevention strategies to the community at area schools, businesses, and events.
For additional information on the UW Burn Center, click here.
