Pomerene readies study of local burn treatment
Pomerene Hospital and lay practitioners are ready to begin an in-depth study of a burn salve in use by the Amish community for three decades.
Nicole Kolacz, chief nursing officer, said at the Thursday, August 25 meeting of the Pomerene Hospital board of trustees that a study of B&W ointment is ready to proceed and will include nursing staff and two physicians.
The study will further be documented and published, Kolacz said.
The impetus for the study came in January, when B&W ointment lay practitioners Mose Hershberger and Marvin Wengerd approached trustees seeking a partnership with the hospital. According to Hershberger and Wengerd, the salve is applied to the burn area and topped with burdock leaves. The salve and leaves reportedly produce an immediate analgesic effect and heal burns faster while diminishing scar tissue.
The salve is administered by trained lay practitioners in the Amish community.
The ointment was developed 30 years ago. It contains mostly natural ingredients, including honey and aloe, both long believed to be beneficial in healing burns.
The study will explore the lay practitioner’s claims, Kolacz said.
“Basically, we’re just looking to see if the B&W salve and burdock leaves are effective,” Kolacz said.
The study will be conducted mostly in homes of patients, Kolacz said, where the treatment is usually administered. The salve and leaves are applied every 12 hours, bound up with sterile gauze.
When a participating lay practitioner is summoned, the patient will be presented with a consent form asking if they are willing to be part of the study. A nurse will visit the patient and take down data.
Kolacz said some lay practitioners in the area are seeing “eight to 10” patients a month.
Dr. Mark Jaroch and Dr. Rosanna Hess will also participate in the study. Dr. Hess will lead documentation of the study, which will include audio recordings. Kolacz said a two-part paper on the study is planned: The first on the history of the treatment, the second, on the results of the study.
In other business, Kolacz encouraged trustees to visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Hospital Compare website, an online resource that allows a review of hospital standards compared with state averages.
Kolacz said she believes the website will become an important resource for persons seeking hospital-based care.
“(It) allows consumers to see the quality of care provided by our hospital,” Kolacz said. “As consumers pay more out of pocket for their medical care, they will shop around.”
The website address is http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.
The next meeting of the Pomerene Hospital board of trustees will be held Sept. 22.
Nicole Kolacz, chief nursing officer, said at the Thursday, August 25 meeting of the Pomerene Hospital board of trustees that a study of B&W ointment is ready to proceed and will include nursing staff and two physicians.
The study will further be documented and published, Kolacz said.
The impetus for the study came in January, when B&W ointment lay practitioners Mose Hershberger and Marvin Wengerd approached trustees seeking a partnership with the hospital. According to Hershberger and Wengerd, the salve is applied to the burn area and topped with burdock leaves. The salve and leaves reportedly produce an immediate analgesic effect and heal burns faster while diminishing scar tissue.
The salve is administered by trained lay practitioners in the Amish community.
The ointment was developed 30 years ago. It contains mostly natural ingredients, including honey and aloe, both long believed to be beneficial in healing burns.
The study will explore the lay practitioner’s claims, Kolacz said.
“Basically, we’re just looking to see if the B&W salve and burdock leaves are effective,” Kolacz said.
The study will be conducted mostly in homes of patients, Kolacz said, where the treatment is usually administered. The salve and leaves are applied every 12 hours, bound up with sterile gauze.
When a participating lay practitioner is summoned, the patient will be presented with a consent form asking if they are willing to be part of the study. A nurse will visit the patient and take down data.
Kolacz said some lay practitioners in the area are seeing “eight to 10” patients a month.
Dr. Mark Jaroch and Dr. Rosanna Hess will also participate in the study. Dr. Hess will lead documentation of the study, which will include audio recordings. Kolacz said a two-part paper on the study is planned: The first on the history of the treatment, the second, on the results of the study.
In other business, Kolacz encouraged trustees to visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Hospital Compare website, an online resource that allows a review of hospital standards compared with state averages.
Kolacz said she believes the website will become an important resource for persons seeking hospital-based care.
“(It) allows consumers to see the quality of care provided by our hospital,” Kolacz said. “As consumers pay more out of pocket for their medical care, they will shop around.”
The website address is http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.
The next meeting of the Pomerene Hospital board of trustees will be held Sept. 22.
Published: August 29, 2011
