Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News

Covering healthcare news in the Pittsburgh region and beyond.

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Should Your Patients Opt For Rehabilitation Abroad?

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You’ve operated on a patient and prescribed them the appropriate treatment, yet their ailment shows no sign of improving. Perhaps it’s the anti-biotics; maybe the human body is no longer capable of recuperating, or maybe just maybe, it’s the British health care system which is failing them. With more and more Brits seeking treatment in foreign countries than ever before, we’ve taken a closer look at the subject, posing the question whether patients should opt for rehabilitation abroad.

The Planning

Every British person that travels abroad to Europe has to renew e111, their Euro Health Insurance Card (EHIC), to prove that they are citizens of a European country when they do eventually seek medical treatment.

Patients should have thoroughly researched the programme they intend on enlisting for. They will also need to find out as much as possible about the respective country’s health service, considering obstacles like the language barrier, whether the country has a good line of communication to the NHS and how to seek damages if something were to go wrong. [Read more…]

Quality Sleep and Not Just Sleep is What Counts For Your Overall Body Health

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Sleep is defined as a decreased state of consciousness in which your body level of response to stimuli is greatly reduced. Your body has limited sensory activity and your voluntary muscles are relaxed at best. While this is true, sleep scientists strongly hold the notion that your body is not totally in a state of inactivity. That your brain and some parts of your body are still active and functioning.

Sleep follows a defined pattern. If one of these patterns is skipped or limited time is spent in one stage, your quality of sleep may get affected.  Sleep occurs in stages. These stages include Non-Rapid Eye Movement Stage (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement Stage (REM).  A sleep pattern dictates that you first get into the NREM stage of sleep that lasts approximately 31 -72 minutes. REM stage of sleep comes after and carries 20 -25 % of the total adult sleep. [Read more…]

Sharon Regional Celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month

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Hosting Free Ladies Night Out Event

In recognition of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sharon Regional Medical Center will host a Ladies Night Out event to help raise awareness of the importance of early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

The event, scheduled for Wednesday, October 17th, will be held at the Sharon Regional Diagnostic & Imaging Center located at Garden Way in Hermitage.   The evening will feature a panel of physician guest speakers from Steward Medical Group on staff at Sharon Regional Medical Center, who will discuss topics related to breast health; including diagnosis, treatment and surgical options.  Dr. Tonia Skakalski, OB/GYN will present “Breast Pain – What Does it Mean”, Dr. Kevin Kelley, Radiation Oncologist, will present “Treatment Options for Breast Cancer”, and Dr. Maryann Payne, Breast Surgeon, will present “Evaluation and Post Op Treatments for Breast Disease”.

Registration begins at 5:30 PM.  Refreshments will be served, and mini hand massages will be available by the Laurel Technical Institute.  [Read more…]

California University of Pennsylvania Takes on Radiography Program

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Students study at Washington Health System facilities, earn a Cal U degree

By Christine Kindl

Future X-ray technicians have found a new collegiate identity now that California University of Pennsylvania has assumed operations of the former Washington Health System School of Radiologic Technology.

The program – now known as the California University of Pennsylvania Radiography Program at Washington Health System – continues to prepare skilled radiologic technologists for careers in the booming healthcare sector. These patient-focused healthcare professionals also are known as radiographers or X-ray technicians.

Students in the Cal U radiography program take classes and learn diagnostic imaging skills at Washington Hospital, in Washington, Pa., and gain hands-on experience at WHS facilities and other clinical locations. Those who successfully complete the two-year, 86-credit program earn an associate degree from Cal U.

Black hospital scrubs and lab coats — a nod to Cal U’s red-and-black school colors — signify their status as California University students. Ten first-year students are newly enrolled in the program, and two second-year students are completing their studies. [Read more…]

Highmark Health’s VITAL Innovation Program Testing Benefits of New Liquid Biopsy Platform

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Allegheny Health Network’s Cancer Institute spearheading evaluation of platform for improving outcomes and lowering costs of treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Highmark Health announced today that through its VITAL Innovation Program, it is testing Biocept, Inc.’s Target Selector™ liquid biopsy platform designed to help oncologists improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The goals of the collaboration are to improve health outcomes by using liquid biopsy to more rapidly assess a patient’s molecular status and select appropriate therapy, while reducing the overall cost of care.

A test-and-learn platform, the unique VITAL program leverages Highmark Health’s position as the nation’s second largest integrated delivery and financing system. VITAL facilitates real-world testing of early-stage health innovations, producing evidence related to patient experience, and care and cost outcomes. The evidence may accelerate an innovation’s coverage and utilization by health plans and care delivery systems, fast-tracking the solution to patients and supporting swifter marketplace adoption.

More than 100 patients of Highmark Health-affiliated Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cancer Institute will participate in the evaluation of the Biocept (NASDAQ: BIOC) platform as a method of improving the molecular profiling rate of advanced NSCLC.  During the evaluation, the Biocept platform will molecularly profile the liquid biopsies of newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve advanced NSCLC patients and NSCLC patients progressing after initial therapy. These patients will also receive tissue biopsy as part of the evaluation. [Read more…]

Conemaugh Memorial Welcomes Pediatrician to Medical Staff

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Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center recently welcomed board-certified pediatrician Kaylee Keiper, MD to its medical staff. Dr. Keiper will treat patients at Laurel Pediatric Associates in Johnstown.

Originally from Windber, PA, Dr. Keiper is excited to return home to provide care for young patients in the community. “Both my husband and I have family locally,” she says. “With the addition of our new baby, coming home and being near family was the best decision for us. We’re excited to be back.”

Dr. Keiper knew early in life that she wanted to be a pediatrician. “I taught dance classes in high school and really loved working with the children,” she says. “Then I found that I love science and health as I learned more about those topics. Everything came together and pediatrics was the perfect fit for my interests.” [Read more…]

Top 3 Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities Your Healthcare Business Faces Right Now

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By Kim Del Fierro

The business world has become more competitive than ever. Not only is there increased pressure on companies to be profitable, but also to keep information safe. For many companies, cybersecurity is an area that’s easy to cut back on, but that can prove to be an expensive mistake.

According to the PwC Global Economic Crime Report, cybercrime is now the second most reported economic crime, affecting 31 percent of organizations. The percentage is high, and if cybersecurity doesn’t become a priority in business, it will certainly get higher. As the leader and owner of a company, do you know which cybersecurity vulnerabilities your organization may have right now? Let’s take a look: [Read more…]

The Necessity of English and its Advantages

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Are you relaxing on Loom and Leaf Mattress and thinking what to do? The perfect activity for everybody is learning English. Nowadays English is the most important language in the world and not to know it is a real shame. English is used everywhere: in business, travels, science, the Internet, education, and others. This language connects people and helps them to obtain knowledge and useful information from big sources. [Read more…]

Glade Run Launches New Transitional Autism Program

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Steven Green

Glade Run Lutheran Services (Glade Run) recently announced the newest addition to its impressive continuum of services for individuals with autism and other neuro-diversities. The Glades, a two-year residential offering for young adults ages 18 and over, is a structured transitional life development academy that prepares participants for successful and permanent independence.

Program participants utilize the Learn4Independence two-year curriculum developed by First Place in Arizona. These 32 semester-length courses are taught on site at Butler County Community College. A highly structured, supportive, and connected environment reinforces and builds on crucial independent living and vocational skills. Participants have the opportunity to apply daily instruction in the community, in independent living classrooms, and within their residence at Matthew Hall, the program’s Zelienople based and autism-friendly transitional housing.

David Chimento Named Practice Director for Genesis’ Grob Scheri Woodburn & Griffin Family Practice

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David Chimento has been named Practice Director for the Genesis’ Grob Scheri Woodburn & Griffin Family Practice offices in Wexford and Ross Township.

A resident of Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville area, Chimento attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando. A member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, The Beryl Institute for Patient Experience and Medical Group Management Association, he spent more than a dozen years in a variety of positions in the Orlando area at facilities including Orlando Health and St. Cloud Regional Medical Center, an affiliate of Community Health Systems, Inc., where he was the Director of Physician Practice Management. Most recently he was Director of Client Success for Sentact, a healthcare software company, in Pittsburgh.

Chimento is FEMA certified in NIMS and has worked as part of several Hospital Incident Command Centers teams to support emergency efforts in Central Florida.

Genesis Medical Associates is the largest still independent primary care physicians group in the Greater North Hills with 11 offices stretching from the city of Pittsburgh north to Cranberry Township in Butler County.