Area Native and Wound Care Nurse Practitioner Vanessa Harvey joins Ozarks Healthcare

Ozarks Healthcare recently welcomed Vanessa Harvey, CNP, FNP-BC, a family nurse practitioner, to Ozarks Healthcare Wound Care as a new provider. Harvey joins Dr. William McGee in providing compassionate, expert wound care backed by the total resources of the Ozarks Healthcare system.

Previously, Harvey worked in Ozarks Healthcare’s Med/Surgical unit and, prior to that, in long-term care at Shady Oaks skilled nursing facility in Thayer, Missouri.

Harvey earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Chamberlain University in St. Charles, Illinois. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

When asked why she pursued a career with Ozarks Healthcare, Harvey said, “They serve my community, there’s something about serving the people that are in your community. Caring for people you know is different, I enjoy treating people that I know and love. It’s a different dynamic.”

Having grown up in Thayer, Harvey was able to return and purchase her grandparents’ home where she resides with her two sons, ages 15 and 20 years.  In her spare time, she likes to cook, fish and attend church with her family where they all enjoy singing together. 

“The recent addition of Vanessa to our wound care team is a great asset for our health system and community,” Tom Keller, Ozarks Healthcare President and CEO, said. “With more people living everyday with chronic wounds, Vanessa’s experience in the specialized treatment of wounds will greatly benefit our patients in receiving the care they need close to home.”

Millions of people live with chronic wounds in the United States, and the numbers are growing. Increased age, obesity, heart and vascular disease, cancer treatment, and traumatic injury may contribute to non-healing wounds. A wound not responding to normal medical care within 14 days is typically considered a problem or chronic wound. A chronic wound can detract from your quality of life and prevent you from doing things you enjoy.

Ozarks Healthcare's Wound Care Services, managed by Healogics^®, provides specialized treatment for chronic or non-healing wounds, defined as sores or wounds that have not significantly improved from conventional treatments. Associated with diabetes, inadequate circulation, poorly functioning veins, and immobility, non-healing wounds lead to lower quality of life and may lead to amputations.

Ozarks Healthcare Wound Care is located at 1665 Gibson St. in West Plains and is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Harvey is accepting new patients. Contact Ozarks Healthcare Wound Care at 417-257-5946 for more information.

To learn more about Ozarks Healthcare’s Wound Care services, visit https://www.ozarkshealthcare.com/services/wound-care-services/.

Ozarks Healthcare is a not-for-profit health system that serves more than 160,000 residents across south-central Missouri and northern Arkansas. With its main campus residing in West Plains, Missouri, the health system offers a full spectrum of healthcare for all ages through its 114-bed hospital, behavioral health, therapies, pharmacies, rehabilitation, and home care services, along with specialty and family medicine clinics. Ozarks Healthcare has rural locations across an eight-county service area and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

Ozarks Healthcare recently welcomed Vanessa Harvey, CNP, FNP-BC, as a new provider to Ozarks Healthcare Wound Care. Harvey joins Dr. William McGee in providing expert, compassionate wound care.