Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News

Covering healthcare news in the Pittsburgh region and beyond.

Banner Ad

Conemaugh Health System Begins Construction on $9.7 Million Outpatient Center in Somerset

by

Today, Conemaugh Health System ceremoniously broke ground on a new outpatient center located in Somerset, Pennsylvania. Community leaders, elected officials, health care providers and hospital supporters gathered to watch the first dig marking the beginning of construction for the facility, which is made possible by a nearly $10 million investment from Duke LifePoint Healthcare. 

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter as we further expand our services and strengthen the ties between Conemaugh Health System and the Somerset community,” said William Caldwell, Market President of Conemaugh Health System. “Designed with the patient in mind, Conemaugh Somerset represents our enduring commitment to serving the people of Somerset and surrounding areas, and we look forward to the many ways this future facility will positively impact the health of the community.”

Conemaugh Somerset will be a 16,020-square-foot facility featuring advanced diagnostic imaging services, including mobile computerized tomography (CT), mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), x-ray and 3D mammography; a primary care clinic; cardiology, neuroscience, and urology specialty care services; nuclear medicine; lab testing; and occupational health services.

READ MORE

5 Flu Season Tips to Avoid Getting Sick

by

As medical professionals, teachers, flight attendants and anyone who works with the public knows, flu season is no joke. If you work in an office, indulge in some holiday shopping or have kids who attend school, you might think that getting through flu season without getting sick is a pipe dream.

But it’s not. You can avoid getting sick this flu season. These five tips will show you how.

1) Get the Flu Shot

There’s a reason why getting the flu shot consistently tops lists of flu season tips to stay healthy — it’s because getting the vaccine is the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself, and those around you, from getting the flu.

Sure, the flu shot won’t completely protect you from infection, but it can make you as much as 60 percent less likely to get the flu if you’re a healthy adult. If you get the flu anyway, having had the vaccine can shorten your illness and lessen its severity, and that means you’re less likely to be hospitalized, or even die, due to flu complications. Not to mention, you’ll be back to your old self a lot sooner and a lot less unhappy in the meantime.

The CDC recommends the shot for the elderly, children, pregnant women and others who are at a high risk of flu complications, as well as those who live with or care for them. That includes family members and caretakers of infants younger than six months of age, who are too young to be vaccinated themselves. The flu season ramps up in October or November, so it’s best to get the shot by the end of October.

[Read more…]

Five Challenges Facing Healthcare Leaders Today

by

Healthcare is a broad, large topic that poses challenges for leaders in the industry as well as individual citizens and politicians. However, it is often up to the leaders of this field to tackle the issues at hand. In an exponentially developing industry, here are the challenges healthcare faces as it focuses on higher quality care.

Rising Costs

Research has revealed that healthcare costs and spending often rise at a rate that exceeds inflation. New procedures, medicines, and the public’s increased attentiveness to their health all work in tandem to drive up costs. One of the main challenges leaders in the industry face is finding a way to bring those costs back down.

If you went to visit a sinusitis doctor, for instance, your cost could range anywhere between $100 to $5,000 based on your case before factoring in insurance. That’s a wide divide, and bridging the gap is an uphill battle as technology advances. There are many theories on how healthcare could become more affordable, but leaders in the industry are focusing on funding, grants, and contributors to help with the cost of staff as well as laboratories.

[Read more…]

The Best Clinics To Know About In These 5 States

by

When you have any kind of health problem, you naturally want the best treatment. This is especially true if you have a child or any other dependent you care about. This is why it’s so important to know about the best clinics in your area.

Fortunately, there are quite a few options when it comes to clinics in the United States. We’ve made your search a bit easier by finding out some of the best clinics in each state and breaking them down for you:

[Read more…]

Top Tips to Make Home Health Care Affordable for You

by

Worrying is commonplace when you have an elderly aunt or parent who’s living alone, and you’re not able to manage their care by yourself. You may have considered solutions like nursing homes or assisted living, only to be discouraged by your elderly relative. It’s no surprise that elders prefer spending their retirement years at home, to which they have deep, emotional connections. In that case, you’re likely to consider home healthcare, but after figuring out how to finance it, how to pay for home health care. 

What’s the cost associated with home health care for elders? 

The cost of home health care varies by location. On a general note, home health care costs higher on the east and west coasts and in urban areas as compared to what it costs in the central USA and rural areas. The cost is also influenced by what services you’re hoping to avail. “Homemaker” services such as management of nutrition, household errands, and general companionship typically add to the basic amount charged by home healthcare aides. 

[Read more…]

Dentists: How to Attribute Inbound Marketing Response from ’New Year, New You’ Type Leads

by

From teeth whitening to implants, the demand for cosmetic dentistry has skyrocketed in recent years. Now, the typical dental patient is more aware and educated on the aesthetic options available in modern practices than ever before.

In fact, a report by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry discovered the dental industry has seen a 46% increase in cosmetic patients compared to general patients (18%) and with 2019 fast approaching, this number is certainly set to rise through the ’new year, new you’ buzz.

Naturally, upping your marketing spend is the natural reaction to meet this increased demand and out-perform your competition. But simply throwing money at your campaigns isn’t enough without multi-channel marketing attribution. Otherwise, how can you tell if your increased budgets have been worthwhile?

Whether you’re using offline print, social media or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, utilizing multi-channel marketing attribution is exactly how cosmetic dentist businesses can determine their precise return on investment (ROI) for each marketing avenue. [Read more…]

Neuropathy Treatment Group Complaints: Is the Company Reputable?

by

Some customers have experienced issues while paying for products from the Neuropathy Treatment Group. Shipping was a problem for some of them as well. These complaints have brought this company into sharp focus and many people are asking whether this company is reputable.

Answering that is only possible by examining the company’s history, online reviews, and manufacturing process. Examining its customer support services and its products is also important.

Here is an overview of Neuropathy Treatment Group complaints. Is the company reputable?

[Read more…]

Why Turkey Is The Top Destination For Hair Transplants

by

With an abundance of medical procedures out there helping us to tackle our insecurities and health concerns, there is a growing number of places that can provide the very best of the best when it comes to treatment. However, for the FUE hair transplant Turkey has been hailed as the perfect option for both the procedure and the downtime. Here, we are going to look into why Turkey is the top destination for hair transplants.

Latest Techniques

One of the main reasons why Turkey has become one of the top destinations for hair transplants is due to the latest technological advancements being made here in an effort to improve and streamline the healthcare system. Through innovative technologies, they are able to develop different treatment methods and provide a higher quality service than you may receive elsewhere. Although this technology is beginning to be rolled out over a multitude of locations, this is happening slowly, meaning that you will have to fly to Turkey for the best quality treatments at a more affordable cost in most cases.

[Read more…]

Is There a Place for Telemedicine in Your Medical or Counseling Practice?

by

By Daniel Casciato

While virtual medicine, or telemedicine, has been around for many years, its current revival is based on the lower cost of technology and increase sophistication of its user base, both at the provider level and at the patient level.

“The reason telemedicine is so important is that it allows individuals who are not in an environment where better physicians and service capabilities are to gain access to these capabilities and increase professional experience on the part of the physician,” says Steve Nitenson, adjunct professor of Healthcare IT at Golden Gate University.

Telemedicine today can be viewed as computer-to-computer, physician-to-patient, counselor-to-patient, or physician-to-physician interaction about a patient’s care. Nitenson notes that physicians have very much bought into the technology of telemedicine and are beginning to use such technologies as iPads, smart phones, or web portals to exploit this on a user basis.

“It is also noted, that the increased utilization and embracing of this technology with those physicians and healthcare providers that have awareness of and have increased comfort level in the use of technology,” he says. “For older physicians who are unwilling or unable to take advantage of this technology there’s not much to can be done to improve their potential use of telemedicine technology.” [Read more…]

Therapists Helping Patients in Allegheny County Thrive

by

A mental illness can affect a person of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are treatable.  According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about 70-90 percent of individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in a treatment plan. 

Mental illnesses vary in terms of severity. About 6 percent, or 1 in 17 Americans, suffer from a serious mental illness. NAMI estimates that mental illness affects 1 in 5 families.

The first step that a person should take is to get help immediately.  Whether it is the individuals themselves or the family members, there are plenty of places to turn for help in Allegheny County. 

The Bureau of Adult Mental Health of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services is one such place.  The organization, through about 40 community-based mental health agencies, provide, contract for, and monitor services designed to meet the mental health needs of Allegheny County residents. [Read more…]