2017 Innovation Award Winner

"After multiple years of practice in pediatric surgery, the chronicity, quality of life impacts, and lack of reliable treatment options for pilonidal disease became a source of frustration in our practice. Surgical techniques routinely yielded wound dehiscence or recurrence of disease, both of which hindered teenagers during a delicate time in their social development.

Finding an unmet need at our institution, I partnered with one of our attending surgeons to start the Pilonidal Care Clinic. After learning from one of the leading wound care experts, partaking in intensive wound management courses, and reading the current literature -- we launched our program in March of 2014. Our focus on treatment was to avoid surgery unless we could improve outcomes; we began treating all patients conservatively with aggressive shaving and hair removal, hygiene in the form of soaking in water daily, and advanced wound care techniques as needed. Patients did well and were eager to avoid surgery, but had trouble maintaining hair control in the area. A more permanent option was necessary." - H.D, 2017

For more information on this innovation: Utilizing laser technology for long-term management of pilonidal disease: An advanced practice provider driven initiative, click here →