Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News

Covering healthcare news in the Pittsburgh region and beyond.

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Entitled Patients: 6 Ways to Respond 

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Susan Keane BakerBy Susan Keane Baker

You probably know patients who present with entitled attitudes and you may think there’s not much you can do about them.  Entitled patients often demand excessive attention and may question your competence when they are not satisfied with how important you make them feel.

By using one or more of the following approaches, you can manage entitled patients respectfully while reducing your risk of stress and burnout.

# 1 – Be on the same side.  When an entitled patient brags about knowing your CEO, your best strategy is to praise your CEO with a lot of specifics.  

“You know our CEO George Doria?  Isn’t he amazing?  At our weekly meetings, he’s the most down-to-earth guy.  He never fails to ask how my son is doing in baseball.”

The entitled person immediately sees that threatening to complain to the CEO is not going to intimidate you.  And it may dawn on him that you’re in a position to complain to the CEO about the entitled attitude he presented. 

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Five Things Every Foster Parent Should Think about Before Adoption

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For many parents, being a foster parent is the only way they can experience the joys of being a parent. However, many parents have little to no idea on how the whole process works and may have misconceptions on what it really means to be a foster parent. In this article, we’re going to discuss five things every future foster parent should think about before they make the decision to welcome a child into their home.

You Might Deal with Damaged Children

Many children who enter foster care do so because of abuse, and you might have to deal with the emotional distress the child is experiencing. And since this is commonly the case, these children will often have emotional impairments which may difficult to figure out at first. It’s very important to remain patient at all times and try to understand the child’s circumstances. Understand that fear when entering a new home is perfectly normal, so don’t take it as a bad sign if the child is apprehensive at first. [Read more…]

New PHC4 Report on Healthcare-Associated Infections Focuses on Readmissions

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Among Pennsylvania patients who acquired a healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in 2010, 31.3 percent were readmitted within 30 days for an infection or complication, according to a new report released today by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). Among patients who did not contract an HAI, 6.3 percent were readmitted within 30 days for an infection or complication.

The mortality rate for Pennsylvania patients who contracted a healthcare-associated infection in 2010 was 9.1 percent — down from 9.4 percent the previous year — the report shows. The mortality rate was 1.7 percent for patients without an HAI.

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Center for Organ Recovery & Education Embraces “20 Million in 2012,” Reflects on Recently Launched Initiatives to Increase Organ Donation

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 The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), a federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and parts of New York, will devote energy and resources to a yearlong national initiative in 2012 aimed at dramatically raising the number of organ, tissue and cornea donors. Titled “20 Million in 2012,” the program is the brainchild of Donate Life America, a national organ donor awareness organization. The program’s goal is to encourage 20 million people to register as organ donors this year.

“Last year, the organ donation community marked a milestone by reaching 100 million donors in the United States. It’s time to set bigger goals and to make people understand the urgent need to make a pledge for life and become an organ donor,” said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. “At CORE, we know that 45 percent of registered Pennsylvania drivers are also registered organ donors, and in West Virginia, that number is nearly 31 percent. We thank those people who have already made a pledge for life, but we also know that we have plenty of work ahead of us.”

Compression Management Services Offers Personalized Services and Products for Breast Cancer and Lymphedema Patients

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Melissa Yost, a patient care coordinator at Compression Management Services checks a custom compression sleeve for proper fit and comfort.

By Daniel Casciato

Compression products are used to provide support and increased circulation to patients suffering from various conditions including edema, lymphedema, and varicosities of varying severity. While there are many companies that offer compression-related products and services, one Pittsburgh-based company—Compression Management Services/The Lymphedema Centers (CMS)—clearly distinguishes itself from other compression therapy centers.

Compression Management Services is the largest and most experienced center of its kind throughout Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. JOBST, the leading manufacturer of custom compression garments, recognizes this company as the only Center of Excellence in the Pittsburgh area for their superior skill in custom garment fittings. The company is also a leading provider of The Lympha Press Optimal™ sequential compression device, a home-therapy system for lymphedema treatment. Based on the principles of manual lymph drainage, the Lympha Press Optimal adapts to patient needs and is safe and easy to use at home.

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Windber Medical Center Announced As Top Hospital in Patient Experience by HealthGrades

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Windber Medical Center (WMC) is the recipient of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for 2011. This distinctive award places WMC within the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for exemplary service to patients. Out of 3,797 hospitals in the country, only 8 hospitals within Pennsylvania were recognized for their service. Windber Medical Center is the only hospital in western Pennsylvania to receive the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for 2011.

“It is a tremendous honor to receive this award based on our patients’ perceptions. Exemplary care is a hallmark within our Planetree, patient-centered care hospital. I am very proud of the staff and physicians at Windber Medical Center for making this affirmation of excellence in patient-care possible,” said Barbara Cliff, president and CEO.

As the only Planetree designated facility in Pennsylvania, Windber Medical Center maintains a high standard for patient-centered care by focusing on healing and nurturing the mind, body, and spirit. Patient-centered care is not just something they do, but who they are. They embrace the concepts that a warm, sensitive, healing environment is essential to the patient; wellness and prevention are just as essential as treating the ailment; the patient is involved in his or her care; and the family is an important part of that care.

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