Allegheny General Hospital Article

West Penn A l l egheny Hea l t h Sys tem

Allegheny General Hospital • Allegheny General Hospital — Suburban Campus • Alle-Kiski Medical Center • Canonsburg General HospitalForbes Hospice • The Western Pennsylvania Hospital • The Western Pennsylvania Hospital — Forbes Regional Campus

Patients who undergo joint replacement surgery can nowoptimize their post-op recovery process at AGH’s Center forRestorative Joint Surgery — a new 20-bed unit offering in-novative services with a hotel-like ambiance. Located on the10th floor of Snyder Pavilion at AGH, the Center for Restora-tive Joint Surgery is designed to better promote healing forpatients who need knee, hip, shoulder, elbow or ankle re-placements.

“It is my belief that we have one of the most outstandingjoint replacement programs in the country,” said Patrick

DeMeo, M.D., chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Sur-gery. “Our physicians are recognized as national leaders inthis field and this center will compliment their skills. It willalso standardize treatment protocols that will allow us toachieve consistently superior outcomes, maximize patientsafety, as well as provide a new standard of comfort for pa-tients and their families.”

According to Dr. DeMeo, The Center for Restorative JointSurgery is furnished to provide patients and family mem-bers with the utmost in convenience and (continued on page 2)

New Center for Restorative Joint SurgeryAllows Patients to Recover in ComfortBy Mark Soroka, Staff Writer

Table of ContentsAGHNamedOneofNation’sTopHealthcareLeaders3AHAandASARecognizeAGHforQuality..................4AGHOphthalmologist atAirForceTheaterHospital..5AGHEmployeeTakesGoldatU.S.TransplantGames6ASRIHostsScienceWorkshop forAreaEducators ......7Pharmacist byDay,Football PlayerbyNight ................8AGHClinics toEncourageSportsParticipation...........9New toYouShoppeVolunteersRecognized10Dr. J.CohenSpeaksatNCI..........................................................11

MassageTherapistAvailable toAGHEmployees ....11AGHVascularSurgeonsAchieveFirst ..........................12Laughter is theBestMedicine ..........................................13Break theSilenceonOvarianCancer............................13EmployeeCalendarContest ............................................14WePromoteAHealthySystem ..................................15AuxiliaryNews ..............................................................16InTheMediaatAGHandAGH—SC........................17NorthSideNews ....................................................18-19

WPAHSWearhouse—It’sEverywhere......................19ServiceExcellenceatAGHandAGH—SC ............20OurPeople......................................................................21NewsandEventsatAGH ...........................................22NewsandEventsatSuburbanCampus ....................23BenefitsNews ..........................................................24-25WPAHS Intranet ....................................................................25WelcomeNewEmployees ..........................................26CalendarofEvents........................................................27

August 2008 Internet: www.wpahs.org Intranet: home.wpahs.org

Table of Contents

comfort. Each patient’sroom is private and includesa 26 inch flat panel televi-sion, wireless Internet access,couches for family membersand a state-of-the-art nursecall system.

“We believe the hospitalexperience is an integral partof the patient’s recovery. Thecenter will provide a soothingatmosphere for patients andwill be designed to ease theirstress,” said Dr. DeMeo.

The Center for RestorativeJoint Surgery is also de-signed to better safeguard thehealth of its patients duringtheir stay in the hospital.Non-touch machinery andglass surfaces help to mini-mize the risk of infections forpatients recovering from jointreplacement surgery.

Nicholas Sotereanos,M.D., director, Division of Adult Reconstruction and JointReplacement, pointed out that joint replacement surgery canbe highly effective for patients who do not get relief fromstandard medical treatment options.

“Our orthopaedic surgeons use advanced surgical tech-niques to eliminate pain and restore motion to a joint andother soft tissue structures that control the joint,” said Dr.Sotereanos. “Some patients are good candidates for tradi-tional surgical procedures. For other patients, we employ thelatest minimally invasive techniques — which can result in

faster recovery, less bleeding, decreased post-operative painand reduced scarring.”

Added Dr. DeMeo, “We are excited about the creation ofthe Center for Restorative Joint Surgery. It will be recognizedas state-of-the-art throughout western Pennsylvania and willallow us at AGH to provide the highest quality of care to ourpatients.”

For more information about the Center for RestorativeJoint Surgery, call 1-877-660-6777.

(continued from page 1)

Staff are excited about the opening of the new unit. Left to right: William Post, PA; NicholasSotereanos, M.D.; Rob Wallace R.N.; Janet Whitehead, housekeeping; and Robert Koballa, nursingmanager.

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The Latest Word is a monthly publication for and about employees,

medical staff and volunteers at Allegheny General Hospital and Al-

legheny General Hospital — Suburban Campus. Please send your

comments or ideas for articles to Debbie Crawford, Communica-

tions, 17th Floor, South Tower. Phone: 412-359-8606, fax: 412-

359-8610 or e-mail: [email protected].

Editorial staff:

Tom Chakurda — Vice President of Communications and MarketingCathy Deverts — Director of PublicationsDebbie Crawford — Editor and Staff WriterDan Laurent, Heather Holtschlag, Dana Peterman and Mark Soroka— Staff WritersKeith Little, Monika Thimons and Joan Zaczyk — Graphic DesignersKristin Petersen, Donna Spillane and Doug Whitman — Photographers

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Allegheny General Hospital Named One of Nation’sTop Healthcare Performance Improvement LeadersBy Dan Laurent, Staff Writer

Allegheny GeneralHospital has been rec-ognized in a national re-port as one of thecountry’s top 100 per-formance improvementleaders in health care.

Commissioned byThomson Reuters, thestudy examined the per-formance of nearly3,000 U.S. hospitals in avariety of clinical andoperational areas, iden-tifying the 100 hospitalsthat improved the mostfrom 2002 to 2006.

AGH is one ofjust 14 majorteaching hospitalslauded in the re-port and the onlysuch hospital inPennsylvania tomake the exclu-sive ranking.Some elite com-pany joining AGHon the list includeDuke UniversityHospital, Beth Is-rael DeaconessMedical Centerand VanderbiltUniversity MedicalCenter.

“These Performance Improvement Leaders are bellwethersfor the progress the entire hospital industry has pursuedsince the Institute of Medicine published its landmark study,“Crossing the Quality Chasm,” in 2001,” said JeanChenoweth, senior vice president for performance improve-ment and 100 Top Hospitals programs at Thomson Reuters.“They are an important group to watch because theydemonstrate a variety of ways that real improvement can beachieved in many key areas across the hospital organizationsimultaneously over an extended time frame.”

Using data gleaned from theMedicare Provider Analysis andReview (MEDPAR) and theMedicare Cost Report, theThomson Reuters study judgeshospitals on a set of measuresin key operational areas suchas patient outcomes, patientsafety and performance in na-tional treatment standards.

Among its findings, the report showed that the 100 TopHospitals had fewer patient deaths and adverse safety eventsthan expected and reduced the average length of stay bynearly a day, despite greater severity of illness.

“This award is truly reflective of an institution dedicated toproviding the best in patient care and indicative of the skilland dedication of our physicians, nurses and allied healthprofessionals,” said Connie Cibrone, AGH president andchief executive officer.

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American Heart and Stroke Associations RecognizeAGH for Quality of Patient CareBy Dan Laurent, Staff Writer

The American Heart Association (AHA) and AmericanStroke Association (ASA) have recognized Allegheny Gen-eral Hospital for its exceptional performance in the treatmentof patients who suffer from stroke and coronary artery dis-ease. AGH joins a group of U.S. hospitals lauded by the as-sociations in the July 21 “America’s Best Hospitals” issue ofU.S. News and World Reportmagazine.

AGH is the only hospital in the Pittsburgh region to haveearned a gold sustained performance award in stroke careand a silver annual performance award in coronary arterydisease treatment as part of the AHA/ASA’s Get With TheGuidelinesSM program.

Get With The GuidelinesSM is a national, quality-improve-ment initiative designed to ensure that hospitals consistentlycare for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations. The program cur-rently establishes hospital treatment protocols in threemodules or specialties; coronary artery disease, heart failureand stroke.

Hospitals are lauded if 85 percent or more of their cardiacor stroke patients are treated and discharged according toAHA/ASA recommendations.

Cardiovascular disease is far and away the number onecause of death among both men and women in the UnitedStates. Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the coun-try and the foremost cause of severe, long-termdisability.

“Our program makes is easier for hospitals to provide ap-propriate, evidence-based patient care that improves qualityof life among patients treated for stroke and heart diseaseand reduces the number of deaths associated with these dis-eases,” said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., national chairman, GetWith The GuidelinesSM steering committee and director, Ah-manson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center.

As one of just seven hospitals in the state to achieve theASA’s gold level Get With The GuidelinesSM recognition forthe treatment of stroke, AGH continues a string of recent ac-colades and growing distinction for its stroke program, saidAshis Tayal, M.D., a stroke neurologist and director of thehospital’s Comprehensive Stroke Center.

The ASA gold sustained performance award acknowl-edges hospitals that have met the association’s stroke careguidelines for two or more consecutive years.

AGH is one of just two hospitals in the Pittsburgh regioncertified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commis-sion and is also designated as a Stroke Center of Excellence.More than 900 stroke patients are admitted to the hospitaleach year.

“Stroke can be a devastating injury that causes perma-nent, long-term disability,” said Dr. Tayal. “As with the JointCommission’s designation, the ASA Get With TheGuidelinesSM program underscores that patients clearly bene-fit from being treated at medical centers that are uniquelytrained, equipped and committed to treat this disease. GetWith The GuidelinesSM is a standard that all hospitals shouldaspire to attain.”

AGH has a long history of innovation in the treatment ofstroke patients, Dr. Tayal said. The program was founded in1988 by Jon Brillman, M.D., chairman of AGH’s Depart-ment of Neurology.

In 2007, the hospital opened western Pennsylvania’s firstcomprehensive inpatient stroke unit, centralizing and coordi-nating the care of stroke patients by the hospital’s multi-dis-ciplinary stroke team. Though still the only facility of its typein the region, such units are now a Class I Recommendationfor stroke care by the AHA and ASA.

“Each year, AGH admits more than 5,500 patients for thetreatment of coronary artery disease and other heart ail-ments,” said Srinivas Murali, M.D., medical director of theAGH Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute and directorof AGH’s Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.

One of the nation’s most advanced and comprehensiveprograms for the diagnosis and treatment of complex heartand vascular diseases, the AGH McGinnis Institute surroundspatients with state-of-the-art technology and the completespectrum of cardiovascular medical and surgical expertise.

“We are extremely proud to be recognized by the nation’sleading cardiovascular scientific organization for the excep-tional quality of care that we provide to our patients,” Dr.Murali said.

Disease-specific centers within the McGinnis Institute af-ford convenient access to nationally recognized specialists inheart failure, heart transplantation, heart valve disease, elec-trophysiology, cardiovascular imaging, interventional cardi-ology, pulmonary hypertension, vascular surgery, woundhealing and lymphedema.

“Implementing the Get With The GuidelinesSM programwas a natural extension of our existing quality improvementefforts and commitment to affording patients the highestlevel of cardiovascular care. The program further enhancesour hospital’s capabilities for treating coronary artery dis-ease and improving the outcomes of our patients,” saidMichael Hagerty, M.D., an AGH interventional cardiologistand director of the hospital’s cardiology quality initiative.

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Eye doctors deployed tothe Air Force Theater Hos-pital in Iraq see more thantwice as many eye traumasthan they encounter at theirhome stations. Among theirpatients are Iraqis andAmerican service memberswho have suffered injuriesthreatening their eyesight.

Ophthalmologists can’talways save their patients’sight, but they work hard togive patients a new outlook.They use their skills to re-construct patients’ eyesockets and prepare themfor prosthetic eyes, saidCol. Randall Beatty, M.D., Allegheny General Hospital De-partment of Ophthalmology, and an ophthalmologist as-signed to the 332nd Expeditionary Medical OperationsSquadron in Iraq.

“The worst cases occur when both eyes have been de-stroyed, and these people who are blinded have to deal withliving in this culture,” said Dr. Beatty, a reservist who was de-ployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, from Wilford Hall MedicalCenter at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. “This is a harderlife. They don’t have the social services that we have backhome.”

Injuries frequently result from improvised explosive deviceblasts and gunshot wounds to the face. According to the Mili-tary Combat Eye Protection Program, eye injuries accountfor more than 10 percent of combat-related injuries, morethan half of which are the results of IED blasts. The MCEPPwas initiated and funded by the Program Executive Office-Soldier at Fort Belvoir, Va., with the objective of making eyearmor universal during field operations.

“A lot of these [injuries] are preventable by the eye protec-tion that our troops wear,” Dr. Beatty said. “Iraqis don’t havethe goggles and things that we have. We see many more eyeinjuries in the Iraqi army, Iraqi security forces and civilianpopulation that we’re not seeing in the American [servicemembers].”

Eye doctors working in Iraq primarily treat traumas to theeyelid, eye socket and eyeball, Dr. Beatty said.

“Most ophthalmologists back home perform cataract sur-gery or refraction surgery to correct nearsightedness or far-sightedness. Here we’re dealing with traumas taking out eyesand [eye] reconstruction,” Dr. Beatty said.

At the home station, ophthalmologists typically seepenetrating trauma with one point of entry, whichmakes it easier to save the eye. However, in Iraq, eyeinjuries usually involve several foreign bodies such asrocks, shrapnel and concrete, said Maj. Robert Lyons,M.D., an ophthalmologist deployed to the 332ndEMDOS from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

Because injuries in the combat zone are so severe,doctors can’t always save patients’ eyes. Instead, thedoctors perform enucleations, wherein they removethe eye altogether and prepare the patient’s eyesocket for a prosthetic.

“We do the surgery to create a pocket that is safeand smooth — like the inside of your lip — to hold theartificial eye so that it will move,” Dr. Beatty said. “Weattach the eye muscles to the implant so they havemovement when the artificial eye is in place.”

Doctors typically use a ball implant for patients, but manyof the patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital have com-promised immune systems from other injuries, and patients’bodies are more likely to reject the implant. The doctors hadto develop an alternative surgical method.

“We take about a quarter-sized piece of skin from their ab-domen — it’s called a dermal fat graft — and we rub off thetop layer of skin. Then we put that fat and dermis into theeye socket and attach the eye muscle to it and that will serveas the implant,” Dr. Beatty said. “That way it has more sur-face to hold the prosthesis and there’s no risk of it being ex-truded or exposed like the hard ball [implant].”

The enucleation procedure takes a few hours, and patientshave to wait six to eight weeks for the swelling to subside be-fore they can be fitted with a color prosthesis. Afterward,they see an ocularist, who fashions artificial eyes from thesame materials used to make hard contact lenses andteaches patients how to care for their prosthetics.

In the meantime, Dr. Beatty said the doctors at the AirForce Theater Hospital fit enucleation patients with conform-ers, devices similar to the artificial eyes they will receive laterin their treatment. The conformer is like a large clear hardcontact lens that fits over the entire eye.

The prosthetic eyes give patients a renewed sense of selfconfidence, Dr. Beatty said.

“If we can give an Iraqi patient an artificial eye, it looks justlike a real eye,” he added. “A real artificial eye costs $3,500in the United States, but we are able to give them somethingthat works well enough, and it doesn’t cost these Iraqis athing.”

The eye may be free, but its value to a patient — a newoutlook on life — is priceless.

AGHOphthalmologist at Air Force Theater HospitalGives Patients NewOutlookBy Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs, Contributing Writer

Col. Randall Beatty, M.D.

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A kidney transplant didnot stop Gary Stark, anemployee in the AlleghenyGeneral Hospital Commu-nications and MarketingDepartment, from going forthe gold at the 16th annualNational Kidney Founda-tion U.S. TransplantGames.

After being diagnosedwith polycystic kidney dis-ease and being placed onthe transplant waiting list in2006, Mr. Stark received a kidney transplant at AlleghenyGeneral Hospital on May 15, 2007. He celebrated his firstyear anniversary with a new kidney by winning a gold medalin the team golf competition at the Games.

The 2008 Games — held July 11-16 in Pittsburgh —celebrated the success of organ transplantation among recenttransplant recipients and those who have lived with theirtransplanted organs for decades.

Mr. Stark found out about the Transplant Games earlier thisyear and was thrilled to be able to participate so soon after histransplant. He never thought a medal was quite in the cards.

“I just didn’t want to embarrass myself, I was really nerv-ous when the competition began,” he said. “I shot a 96 onMonday in the individual competition and just hoped that Iscored well enough to play in the team round on Tuesday.”

He did and was paired with another player from the Pitts-burgh area. They were then matched against a pair from Cali-fornia.

“I didn’t think we had a chance when we came in, butwhen they figured in our handicaps and totaled up the scores,we came out on top,” Mr. Stark said. “I just enjoyed beingpart of an event that shows the world that transplants workand that they can lead to a happy, normal life.”

Organ transplant recipients not only can return to normal,productive lives after surgery, but quite a few also can go onto compete in rigorous athletic events.

More than 1,300 participants from all 50 states and fiveforeign countries competed in a dozen sporting events at the2008 Games including: golf, tennis, swimming, track andfield, three-on-three basketball, 5K road race, bowling, volley-ball, badminton, racquetball, cycling and table tennis. Gold,silver and bronze medals were awarded to the top finishers ineach of seven age categories to balance the competition.

“I think, aside from the competition itself, the best part isgetting to meet people from all over with incredible storiesabout their transplant experiences,” Mr. Stark said. “Somehave had multiple transplants, involving hearts, kidneys, and

livers, and they’re all out here competing – it’s really awe-some.”

The Games not only give participants opportunities tomeet other transplant recipients from around the country, butalso allow them to share their transplant story, improve theirhealth and fitness and support the thousands of other patientswho are still waiting for their second chance at life.

“I enjoyed having the chance to play along with peoplewho have shared some of the same things as I have,” Mr.Stark said. “It’s hard to believe that some of these people areout here after what they’ve been through, but they keep onfighting.”

The Transplant Games also focus on organ donation andthe families whose loved ones donated their organs to giveothers a second chance at life. Many organ recipients reunitewith the donor’s families at the Games.

“Living donors and deceased donors are highly regarded asthe real heroes of the Games,” said Mr. Stark.

For Mr. Stark, he still awaits the opportunity to meet withthe family of the individual who donated his kidney to him,but it’s something he hopes to do in the near future.

“I didn’t know if I was quite ready to face the challenge ofmeeting the donor’s family,” Mr. Stark said. “Now, I’m goingto write a letter soon.”

“I’m just very grateful that someone I didn’t even knowgave me a chance to live,” he added.

AGH Employee Takes Gold at U.S. Transplant GamesBy Tim Donovan and Debbie Crawford, Staff Writers

Now is Your Chance to Donate LifeIn addition to showcasing the success of transplanta-

tion, the U.S. Transplant Games call attention to the crit-ical need for more organ donors in the U.S. The statisticsfrom the National Kidney Foundation are staggering:

• Nearly 100,000 people are currently on the waiting listin the United States.

• One tissue donor can help improve the lives of morethan 50 people.

• An average of 18 people die each day from the lack ofavailable organs for transplant.

• Every 12 minutes another person is added to the na-tional transplant waiting list.

• More than 2 million Americans die each year, but only15,000 die under circumstances that make them med-ically eligible to donate organs. Of the estimated15,000 medically eligible to donate organs, only about6,000 patients actually become donors.

You can help by signing up for this lifesaving cause.For more information on becoming an organ donor, visitwww.donatelife.net.

Gary Stark

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For the third consecu-tive year, the Center forGenomic Sciences inthe Allegheny–SingerResearch Institute(ASRI) hosted a work-shop for high school bi-ology teachers in thePittsburgh region.

The workshop, enti-tled “Microbial Commu-nities and HumanCommunities: Close En-counters,” focused ontopics regarding infec-tious diseases, includinghow people get infec-tions, immunity, antibi-otic resistance andspecific infections thatare problems today,such as Methicillin Re-sistant StaphylococcusAureus (MRSA), Strep-tococcus Pneumoniaeand Hemophilus Influen-zae.

Sponsored through agrant from the U.S. Department of Education Institute forEducational Sciences, the yearly workshop informs teachersand their students about an array of biology-based, med-ically relevant topics, then measures what they have learned.These measurements are meant to be used to determinehow to improve American students’ achievements in scienceacross the country.

The workshop takes a deeper look at the educators them-selves. Studies have shown that many American educatorshave difficulty engaging their students due to several rea-sons, including the fact that many are not trained specificallyto teach a science, and those who are trained might be lack-ing experience. Another factor that is taken into considera-tion is that all sciences, especially in a field such as biology,change quite quickly. Without continuing education and up-dates, staying abreast of today’s most significant advance-ments in science is quite difficult.

“This is a good way to update the educators’ knowledge ofbiology to see if it actually helps to engage the students,”said Luanne Hall-Stoodley, Ph.D., assistant professor, Centerfor Genomic Sciences, ASRI.

By emphasizing the relevance of biological science andhow it relates to each of their lives, ASRI hopes to reach chil-dren by increasing their educators’ excitement for the topic.

“We want to let educators know that what we’re doinghere at ASRI affects them on a day-to-day basis,” said Dr.Hall-Stoodley, who organized the workshop along withMichelle Zuckerman-Parker, Ed.D., assistant professor, Cen-ter for Genomic Sciences, ASRI.

This year, 45 educators participated in the workshop,which was held June 23 - 27. Some teachers had attendedprevious workshops, while others were new faces to the pro-gram.

“It seems like people were interested in the subject matterof this year’s workshop,” said Dr. Hall-Stoodley.

This fall, ASRI will apply for another grant to continue theprogram next year with a workshop on Bioinformatics. ASRIhopes to increase attendance to reach more students in thePittsburgh area.

ASRI Hosts ScienceWorkshop for Area EducatorsBy Dana Peterman, Staff Writer

Biology teachers from around the Pittsburgh region participated in lab demonstrations at a workshophosted by ASRI this past June. The third annual workshop was held to increase educators’ enthusi-asm for biology so that they may be better able to engage their students.

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Sarah Young is anaccomplished phar-macist. She is profes-sional, cares for herpatients and is wellrespected at Al-legheny General Hos-pital. But unlike mostof her co-workers,after she leaves thehospital, Ms. Youngchanges out of herscrubs, dawns a hel-met and pads andtakes the field. Ms.Young is not only amember of the AGHPharmacy Depart-ment, but she is alsoa member of the Pittsburgh Passion, part of the IndependentWomen’s Football League (IWFL).

The Pittsburgh Passion was created in 2002 and has beena top competitor ever since their conception — thanks, inpart, to Ms. Young and her teammates on the offensive line.

Ms. Young — who currently resides in West View — grewup far from the football field. She was raised overseas andher childhood memories range from Germany to Japan.Both of her parents were teachers, and they resided on AirForce bases in both countries. Ms. Young did not live onAmerican soil until she moved to Pittsburgh to attendDuquesne University. Understandably, it was hard for her toadapt to a new culture and social life — one which she couldcall her own but had never experienced before.

After some time at Duquesne, Passion members began toeye Ms. Young as a new recruit. Recruiters perceived her ath-letic ability and strength as key characteristics to impact theoffensive line. Soon after, she was approached by teammembers and her intrigue got the best of her; she decided totry out for the team. With no previous football experience,Ms. Young won a spot by sheer determination and physicalability, and thus her reputable career with the Passion began.

“It sounded like an interesting and fun experience, so Iwent for it and it paid off,” said Ms. Young, who earned adoctorate in Pharmacy and specializes in critical care. “Thepeople you meet through the organization become yourfriends and family.”

After joining the team, Ms. Young quickly realized it was agreat decision. Although having a day job and an activity asarduous as football in your spare time can be challenging,Ms. Young believes the bruises and associated pain are wellworth the experience. The team won the championship lastyear and came close this year, losing a heartbreaking game,8-7 to Chicago in the semi-finals. (They were undefeatedprior to their loss) And if success is not enough, Ms. Youngalso feels that the release from pushing and shoving on thefield is a good form of stress relief for everyday life.

But, for Ms. Young, it isn’t all about the stress relief, or thecommon bond, or even being on one of the best teams in theleague. It is also about life lessons. Anyone who has played asport at a competitive level knows that when the team isunder pressure, the best and worst of people emerge. Thusin a tight situation, a teammate has to learn how to deal withpeople.

“Sometimes people lose their cool, and you have to calmdown, then calm them down, and then go out and win thegame,” said Ms. Young.

Responding to people under pressure is a hard task in anysituation, but Ms. Young has excelled at it. This attitude alsobenefits her in her position at AGH. Rarely does her work in-volve only one person. Consequently, Ms. Young and herteam in the pharmacy – much like her team on the field –must learn how to adapt and finish projects under an oftenstressful environment. She believes that her experiences onthe team are invaluable for her.

“When working at AGH, I often use many experiencesfrom football such as cooperation and leadership,” said Ms.Young, who will begin her fifth season with the Passion inJanuary 2009.

Ms. Young is prospering both in the AGH Pharmacy andon the field. The future holds more experiences, successesand life lessons for Ms. Young and the Passion.

The Passion and the league have a growing following. Thewomen of the Passion are heavily involved in the community,and fan support is reaching a high in the Pittsburgh area. Forthe Passion, playing football is a love of the game. The play-ers do not get paid — proving their sacrifice for their team —and the fans know it. For the Passion, it is not about milliondollar contracts; there are no arguments over paychecks.The women of the Passion just want to play football.

AHelping Hand: Pharmacist by Day,Football Player by NightBy Evan Magliocca, Editorial Intern

Sarah Young

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In an effort to encourage children with asthma to be moreactive in sports participation, Allegheny General Hospital re-cently announced that it will hold a number of free asthmasports clinics in 2008 and 2009 in conjunction with variouscommunity partners. Each camp provides a recipe forasthma control and the development of sporting skills, andboosts confidence in the child’s ability to endure a workout inthe presence of physicians.

The first of these programs, “Bat for your good health”was a baseball clinic for children with asthma, ages 8-14.The event took place Saturday, July 12, at the GreentreeSportsPlex.

The asthma baseball camp offered participants asthmascreenings and educational sessions conducted by DavidSkoner, M.D., director of the AGH Division of Allergy,Asthma and Immunology, and Deborah Gentile, M.D., direc-tor of the Division’s research program. At the camp, healthyliving was encouraged and health screenings were con-ducted for parents.

All participants must have asthma, and a parent orguardian was required to accompany the child throughoutthe duration of the clinic. In addition to the baseball clinic,parents had the option of enrolling their child in three othersports camps that will take place throughout the year. Two inthe fall will focus on basketball, and one in the winter willfocus on soccer.

According to Dr. Skoner, many parents of children withasthma assume it is unsafe for them to participate in sportsor the child simply opts out of sports participation even with-out the knowledge of parents.

“The vast majority of kids with asthma can safely takepart in sports, but as many as 20 percent do not because ofmisconceptions about the risks,” Dr. Skoner said. “As a re-sult, many children with asthma are not getting the exercisethey need. This clinic is designed to make sure parents andchildren know how to handle this disease in a manner thatdoes not restrict healthy living.”

“Asthma should not have to keep your child out of thegame,” Dr. Skoner added. “The right treatment can usuallyprevent asthma attacks in any sport, but if a child’s diseaseis particularly severe, he or she still has the option of otheractivities, such as swimming or other sports that are lesslikely to trigger asthma symptoms.”

Dr. Skoner said that for many people — both adults andchildren — the best defense against exercise-related asthmais an inhaler filled with a quick-acting medication such as al-buterol or pirbuterol. Dr. Skoner recommends taking one to

two puffs 15 minutes before exercising to prevent exercise-induced asthma symptoms. If the attacks continue, addi-tional preventative inhaled medications may be prescribed.As with other ailments, it is always important for the doctorto make sure that the symptoms occurring during exerciseare stemming from asthma and not some other condition.

A few simple changes in a child’s exercise routine canalso help prevent attacks. Parents can encourage warmingup by walking, stretching, and briefly running in place beforeexercising. When the game is over, a little more walkingand stretching can help keep airways from tightening up. Ifpossible, children should avoid exercising in places wherethey will be exposed to extra irritants, such as dust, pollen,animal dander, or air pollutants. And if exercising in the cold,a scarf or a mask around the mouth and nose area can be abig help.

“Above all, parents should encourage their child to stayactive. Regular exercise is good for any kid, asthma or noasthma,” Dr. Skoner said. “And once a child controls hisasthma on the baseball field, basketball court or the soccerfield, he or she will gain the confidence to better control thedisease the rest of his or her life.”

AGH Clinics to Encourage Sports ParticipationAmong Children With AsthmaBy Heather Holtschlag, Staff Writer

Shoot For Your Good HealthSign Up Now for Asthma Basketball Camp

Join the AGH Division of Allergy, Asthma and Im-munology for a fun day of basketball and asthma educa-tion.

Saturday, September 27, 20089:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.St. Bede School, 6920 Edgerton Ave.,Pittsburgh, PA 15208Events include:• Comprehensive basketball instruction• General health screenings and asthma education• Prizes and giveawaysThe camp is free for children with asthma between the

ages of 8-14 and includes lunch. Sign up today becausespace is limited. Each child must have an adult chaper-one and adults will receive a free general health screen-ing.

For more information, contact Niki Banner at 412-359-6126.

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The New to You Shoppe opened in 1961 during a com-munity sidewalk sale. It was intended to be open for just oneday, but the Allegheny General Hospital — Suburban Cam-pus Auxiliary (then known as the Suburban General HospitalAuxiliary) kept it in business for 47 years.

Members of the auxiliary kept the store open by volunteer-ing countless hours of their time to organize the consignmentgoods that would be sold to the citizens of Bellevue. Sadly,on June 28, 2008, the store closed its doors and the ladiessaid goodbye to the shop where they spent so much of theirtime over the years.

To recognize these women, AGH — SC hosted a luncheonto celebrate the achievements of the New to You Shoppe andthe dedication of the auxiliary members who volunteered atthe store.

Thirty-six of the women who volunteered at the shopgathered at Suburban Campus to commemorate the occa-sion. Old photos and newspaper clippings were passedaround the room while the ladies enjoyed a buffet lunch.

After the lunch, and once the memories began resurfacing,the storytelling began.

The ladies recalled some of their most memorable cus-tomers. They remembered individuals who would try to stealitems like Elvis statues or telephones, and one woman inparticular who came in to switch the shoes she had beenwearing for a new pair without anybody noticing.

One auxiliary member told the story of the wonderfultreasures you could find in the store. She had purchased aPirates jacket a short while ago and wore it to a game, onlyto discover it was a vintage 1964 jacket — a piece of Ameri-can sports history. She had purchased the jacket for two dol-lars. Another member was walking to the New to YouShoppe to buy her daughter some clothes when she learnedthat John F. Kennedy had been shot.

At the end of the meal, each former New to You Shoppevolunteer received an engraved picture frame and a photo-graph of the group that had been taken just before lunchbegan.

New to You Shoppe VolunteersRecognized at Celebratory LuncheonBy Dana Peterman, Staff Writer

Members of the Allegheny General Hospital — Suburban Campus Auxiliary who volunteered at the New to You Shoppe wererecognized with a luncheon on July 21. Each attendee received this photo with an engraved picture frame to commemorate theirdedication to the store.

11

Jeffrey Cohen, M.D., director, Division of Urology at Al-legheny General Hospital and president of Triangle Urologi-cal Group, recently attended an invitation only meeting ofthe National Cancer Institute to discuss Issues in ClinicalProstate Cancer. He spoke along with John Maier, PhD, M.D.,vice president of Biomedical Research for ChemImage.

Drs. Cohen and Maier have been recognized for their ex-pertise in oncology and imaging and were able to provide avaluable contribution to identifying new opportunities for in-corporating imaging modalities into strategies for treatmentand management of prostate cancer.

Dr. Cohen spoke on the use of Raman Molecular Imaging(RMI) as a potential method, which can provide additional in-formation to pathologists and oncologists about the patho-physiology of a particular tissue. Specifically, Dr. Cohenpresented a summary of recent work using Raman Molecular

Imaging in the setting of prostate cancer, which was per-

formed in collaboration with researchers from The MayoClinic. This information can potentially influence clinicalmanagement because it relates eventual clinical outcomes toobjective measurements, which can be made on a biopsyspecimen.

Dr. Cohen sits on the ChemImage Board of Directors andplays a significant role in the direction of the company’s bio-medical research. Dr. Cohen is best known in the urologycommunity for his significant contributions in bringingcryosurgery to the operating room. Continuing in his effort tooffer prostate cancer patients better treatments in the clinic,Dr. Cohen has long been a supporter of Molecular Imagingresearch.

“The work presented to the NCI is an aspect of the DigitalPathology Initiative ChemImage has aimed at improving thequality and quantity of information that can be used to makeclinical decisions,” said Dr. Maier.

AGHPhysician Invited Speaker at National CancerInstitute Meeting - Clinical Prostate Cancer

Tony DiJohn, massage therapist,will be available to Allegheny Gen-eral Hospital employees and visi-tors up to three afternoons perweek to perform chair and handmassages.

Customers can enjoy a nine-minute chair massage for $6 and ahand massage for $2 extra. Mr. Di-John will be available from 1:30p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in one of thecafeteria conference rooms. Daysof operation will vary each week.Look for signs posted outside thecafeteria to direct you to the properlocation and times.

Mr. DiJohn will schedule appoint-ments as early as one day in ad-vance and as late as11 a.m. on the day of your desiredappointment. Please call 412-953-0649 for scheduling or stop in thecafeteria on your preferred dayof service.

Massage Therapist Available to AGHEmployees and Visitors

12

Vascular surgeons at Allegheny GeneralHospital have become the first in westernPennsylvania to use a new, recently FDA-ap-proved abdominal stent graft to repair ab-dominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). The TalentAbdominal Stent Graft System is an alterna-tive to conventional, more invasive open sur-gery in patients with this life-threateningcondition.

“An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a dan-gerous bulge or weakening of the body’s mainartery that can be fatal if a rupture occurs,”said Satish Muluk, M.D., director, AGH Divi-sion of Vascular Surgery. “Early detectionthrough a painless ultrasound screening andtreatment with a minimally invasive techniquecalled endovascular repair have shown a sig-nificant improvement in the survival rate ofpatients of all ages.”

According to Dr. Muluk, the Talent Abdomi-nal Stent Graft System, which is made of afabric tube supported by metal framework, makes en-dovascular repair accessible to an additional 25 percentof AAA patients because it has larger diameter graftswhile still maintaining a small profile. These featuresallow endovascular treatment of patients that might oth-erwise require open surgical repair.

Endovascular aneurysm repair consists of compress-ing an endovascular graft into the end of a long, thin,tube-like device called a delivery catheter, Dr. Muluk ex-plained. The delivery catheter is inserted into femoral ar-tery in the groin through a small incision and carefullyguided within the artery into the abdomen to bridge thesite of the aneurysm in the aorta.

The endovascular graft is then released in the aortawhere it self-expands to the diameter of the aorta to sealoff the aneurysm and reline the artery wall. The graftgoes from the aorta to the arteries that supply blood toone leg. Another delivery catheter containing an en-

dovascular graft is insertedthrough a small incision onthe other side of the groin.This graft connects the firstgraft to the arteries that goto the other leg.

“The Talent AbdominalSystem benefits patientsby preventing furthergrowth and rupture of theaneurysm and has distinctadvantages over standardopen surgery,” Dr. Muluknoted.

Endovascular repair hasbeen shown to be an effec-tive treatment for patientswith AAA, with fewer post-operative complicationsand shorter recovery timesthan open surgery. Results

of a study published in the January 31, 2008 issue of theNew England Journal of Medicine revealed that perioper-ative mortality was significantly lower following this mini-mally invasive technique than after open repair.

Although AAAs typically have no symptoms until theyrupture, they can be detected through an ultrasound pro-cedure, which is now offered at no cost to new Medicarebeneficiaries. The most common cause of AAAs is arte-riosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, though otherrisk factors include cigarette smoking, diabetes, highblood pressure and high cholesterol.

Nearly 1.2 million people in the United States have ab-dominal aortic aneurysms, which are responsible fornearly 15,000 deaths each year. Ruptured AAAs are cur-rently the 10th leading cause of death among men overage 55, and fewer than 20 percent of people survive arupture.

AGHVascular Surgeons First to Use NewFDA-Approved Abdominal Stent Graft to TreatAbdominal Aortic AneurysmsBy Dan Laurent, Staff Writer

Satish Muluk, M.D.

Laughter is the Best MedicineFree Program for Cancer Survivors Features Performanceby Comedian Mack Dryden

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Break the Silence on Ovarian CancerWPAHS Sponsors Pittsburgh Awareness Walk

Patients coping with cancer are invited to hear about “TheHealing Journey” of Mack Dryden, a successful comedianand television writer and two-time cancer survivor.

“The Healing Journey” is an inspirational morning of sem-inars and discussion designed to help cancer patients andtheir families and friends live life to the fullest.

Mack Dryden, an actor, writer and comedian who has per-formed on The Tonight Show with both Johnny Carson andJay Leno and served as a staff writer for Politically Incorrectwith Bill Maher, will provide the keynote address. “The Heal-ing Journey” will also feature presentations on music and arttherapy.

The program will be held at the Four Points by the Shera-ton Pittsburgh North Hotel in Cranberry on Saturday, Octo-ber 18. Free for patients coping with cancer and one guest,the event begins with continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. andconcludes with lunch at 1:30 p.m.

“The Healing Journey” is sponsored by West Penn Al-legheny Oncology Network, provider of community-basedmedical oncology and hematology services for West PennAllegheny Health System. Seating is limited, so please reg-ister early for this free program by calling 412-770-1818 ore-mailing [email protected].

West Penn AlleghenyHealth System (WPAHS)is proud to serve as amajor sponsor of the Na-tional Ovarian CancerCoalition (NOCC) Pitts-burgh Chapter’s eighth an-nual ovarian cancerawareness walk.

The Walk to Break theSilence on Ovarian Cancerwill be held Sunday, Sep-tember 14 at North ParkBoat House and will feature both one- and five-mile walkingroutes. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the walk kickingoff at 10 a.m.

WPAHS and Humana are co-sponsoring a special Sur-vivor’s Tent at the event. Support of the NOCC Walk is just

one example of WPAHS’ commitment toproviding superior cancer care forwomen. Our board-certified physiciansoffer a variety of leading-edge surgicalprocedures for the management of gyne-cologic malignancies, including cervicaland ovarian cancer.

Register for the walk today and joinyour co-workers for a great morning offun activities that benefit the NOCC’smission of raising awareness and pro-moting education about ovarian cancer.

Online registration is available through September 7 bysearching “Pittsburgh Break the Silence” at www.active.com.Printable registration forms are available at www.ovari-anpgh.org and participants may register in person on walkday.

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It’s time once again to look through your photo albumsand pick out a great shot or two for the AGH employeecalendar photo judging.

Your photo may be one of 13 chosen for this year’scalendar.

Deadline to submit photos for judging is August 25 toSeptember 26. Photos must be 8” x 10” color prints. Hori-zontal photos are recommended. If your color print is a digi-tal picture, it must be formatted to a minimum of 12” x 9”@300 dpi. We will not accept any CD entries or e-mail en-tries, and no memory cards or sticks will be converted.

If your photo is selected for the calendar, you will be con-tacted by the Human Resources Department. You will needto provide an original negative or a formatted CD, and it willbe returned to you after publication.

Entry forms are available in the Human Resources De-partment at Allegheny General Hospital and Allegheny Gen-eral Hospital — Suburban Campus. Please forward yourentries to Traci Bayer, AGH Human Resources, or CarolPolito, AGH — SC Human Resources.

For more information, contact Traci Bayer at 412-359-8086, or Carol Polito at 412-734-6010.

Attention, shutterbugs!Entries now being accepted for 2009 Employee CalendarBy Debbie Crawford, Staff Writer

Contest Rules:• Although each employee can submit up to three entries,only one entry per person will be selected for the calendar.

• Entries may be submitted Monday, August 25 through Fri-day, September 26. Entries will not be accepted after thatdate.

• A completed entry form must accompany each entry.• If people can be identified in the picture, you must send asigned release form with the entry (available in HumanResources).

• A panel of judges will select the 13 winners from the eligi-ble entries, which will be numbered so entries remainanonymous until the judges have made their decisions.

• Winners must be willing to provide the original negative orCD for publication. It will be returned after printing.

• Professional photographers may not submit entries.• Professional photographs will not be accepted.

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Healthy Lifestyle: Elements of Living WellIt takes more than “an apple a day” to live well in today’s

hectic world. A healthy lifestyle requires that the body, themind and the spirit work together. If one part is sick orstressed, the other parts suffer, often without our knowing it.Below are some of the things to consider when trying tobring your life back into balance.

Control Stress

A moderate amount of stress can be good for you. Itkeeps you alert and engaged in the world. But too muchstress can be overwhelming, can cloud thinking and can in-terfere with relaxation. Taking time for yourself regularly canhelp you approach situations with more control and getmore enjoyment out of life.

Eat Right

Eat sensible amounts of nutritious food. Eating right canhelp you feel your best and control your weight. Too muchof any one kind of food or beverage can take your body outof balance. Too much caffeine can make you tense orsleepless. Too much alcohol can cloud your thinking. A bal-anced diet and moderating your caffeine and alcohol intakecan do wonders to help you feel fit.

Exercise Regularly

Participate regularly in some enjoyable physical activity.Although there are different types of exercise to achieve dif-ferent goals (such as aerobic exercise for heart health), youdon’t have to take up running or power walking to reap thebenefits of some physical activity. A day spent gardening oran evening with friends at the bowling alley can provideother benefits if you find the activities relaxing.

Rest Your Mind and Spirit

Don’t forget that your mind and spirit need a balanceddiet and exercise as much as your physical body does. Ifyou find yourself constantly worrying about a problem, talkabout it with a friend or trusted adviser. Going for a walk,reading a book or enjoying a hobby can also help you relaxmentally. All work and no play not only makes Jack a dullboy but also a stressed one.

Get Variety in Life

Variety is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Ifyou’re in a rut, overstressed, not eating well or not gettingany exercise, vary your routine. Regularly implement justone small change in your routine and it can make a world ofdifference.

Be Good to Yourself

When you feel your best, others around you also get thatgood feeling from you. When you are tired and haven’t beentaking proper care of yourself, others, including your lovedones, can tell. You’ll have less patience, your energy levelwill be low, and your enthusiasm will be less. You’ll have atendency to have a shorter attention span, and you mayeven be – though you’ll probably deny it – a little cranky. Tobring balance back into your life, start with a healthylifestyle: exercise, eat right, and rest.

Source: EAP Solutions Center (www.eapsolutions.com)

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Allegheny General Hospital is pleased to announce thatrenovations to Heritage Hall, located on the first floor of theSnyder Pavilion, are currently underway. Renovations beganthe week of August 11, 2008, with a completion and ex-pected grand opening in late September.

The renovations — which are funded in part by the AGHAuxiliary — will include a makeover of all of the interior fin-ishes including ceiling, lighting and new modern displaycases. In addition, all of the current plaques located alongHeritage Hall will be re-mounted in order to showcase andreflect the value of each of them.

While construction is taking place, directional signage willbe placed throughout the area to suggest alternate routesaround the construction site. In addition, a graphic represen-tation will be placed around the area depicting the goals ofthe renovations to Heritage Hall.

Should you have any questions regarding this informa-tion, please feel free to contact Douglas Durbin, senior proj-ect manager, AGH Design and Construction Department, at412-359-4227.

Thank you in advance for your patience and continuedsupport.

Heritage Hall Renovations Underway

Auxiliary Summer Golf ClassicThe annual Auxiliary Summer Golf Classic was

held Monday, July 28, at LongueVue Club in Verona,Pa. This year’s event raised nearly $37,000. All pro-ceeds benefited the Graduate Medical Education fundfor resident education. Allegheny General offers morethan 25 residency programs and has continued toprovide an environment conducive to learning andmedical excellence. The fund will provide assistanceto educational programs to further the training of fu-ture physicians.

Golfers enjoyed a day of sunshine on the greens. Picturedleft to right: Tom Helke, director, Food & Nutrition Serv-ices, Robert Keenan, M.D., director, Division of ThoracicSurgery, West Penn Allegheny Health System; MathewVan Deusen, M.D., Thoracic Surgeon, Department of Tho-racic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Allegheny GeneralHospital, and Charles Rakaczky, director, the GeraldMcGinnis Cardiovascular Institute, ASPN Cardiology &CT Surgery Services.

17

Eugene Scioscia, M.D., Department of OB/GYN, was fea-tured in aWashington Post story about AGH’s robotic sur-gery program.

Ed Snell, M.D., and Craig Castor, Division of Sports Medi-cine, were interviewed by KDKA-AM and KDKA-TV regard-ing AGH’s Great Race running clinic.

AGH’s Auxiliary Ball was featured inWhirl Magazine.

Moira Davenport, M.D., Division of Sports Medicine, wasinterviewed for a feature in AARP Magazine regarding dietingand exercise. Dr. Davenport was also interviewed by KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding exercise recommendations forseniors.

Christopher Post, M.D., Center for Genomic Sciences,was featured in stories by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette andPittsburgh Professional Magazine regarding the AGH biotech-nology workforce initiative.

Anthony Mannarino, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry,was interviewed by KDKA-TV regarding outpatient psychi-atric care.

Matt Quigley, M.D., was interviewed by the PittsburghPost-Gazette and Scripps Howard News Service regarding thecontroversy over the cancer risks of cell phone use.

Stephen Sandroni, M.D., Division of Nephrology, was in-terviewed by KDKA-AM regarding kidney stones.

Russell Carter, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology, wasfeatured in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article about alternativeapproaches to chronic pain management.

Prapti Kanani, M.D., Division of Cardiology, was featuredin stories by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Scripps HowardNews Service regarding the challenge of childhood obesity.Dr. Kanani was also interviewed by KDKA-TV and KDKA-AM regarding new guidelines on cholesterol drugs for chil-dren.

Ronald Thomas, M.D., Department of OB/GYN, was in-terviewed by KDKA-AM regarding the risks of obesity inpregnancy.

Deborah Gentile, M.D., Division of Asthma, Allergy andImmunology, was featured on WPXI-TV regarding a study ex-ploring bacterial links to asthma.

Andrew Sahud, M.D., Division of Infectious Disease, wasinterviewed by KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding concernsover measles outbreaks in the U.S.

Scott Vargo, M.D., Division of Internal Medicine, was in-terviewed by KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding the impor-tance of adult vaccinations.

Marc Itskowitz, M.D., Division of Internal Medicine, was

featured on KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding commoncauses of fatigue. Dr. Itskowitz was also interviewed byKDKA-AM regarding a study about ways to avoid sicknessin the workplace.

Jack Wilberger, M.D., Department of Neurosurgery, wasinterviewed by WTAE-TV regarding the controversy overhealth risks associated with cell phone use.

Randall Beatty, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, wasfeatured in an Air Force News article about doctors making adifference in Iraq.

Jan Silverman, M.D., Department of Pathology, was inter-viewed by KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding a new diag-nostic test developed at AGH that may eliminate somebreast cancer surgery. Thomas Julian, M.D., Division of Sur-gical Oncology, was interviewed by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on the same subject.

David Dean, M.D., Department of Thoracic and Cardio-vascular Surgery, was featured in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazettearticle about a young heart transplant recipient’s participa-tion in the national transplantation Olympic games.

Donald Whiting, M.D., Department of Neurosurgery, andNancy Kennedy, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, were fea-tured in a WTAE-TV story about living with chronic backpain.

David Murphy, LifeFlight, was profiled in a Pittsburgh Trib-une-Review “On the Job” feature about AGH’s aeromedicalservice.

Ashis Tayal, M.D., Department of Neurology, was inter-viewed by KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding research sug-gesting one in 10 people suffer silent strokes.

Srinivas Murali, M.D., Division of Cardiology, was inter-viewed by KDKA-TV and WNPA-TV regarding AGH’s studyof an implantable device that controls high blood pressure.

Tony Farah, M.D., was interviewed by KDKA-AM aboutrisk factors for heart attack.

Lois Klinar, Dietary, was interviewed by KDKA-TV regard-ing cancer risks associated with grilling meat.

Jerome Granato, M.D., Division of Cardiology, and AGH’snursing staff in the CCU were featured on WQED-TV regard-ing the unit’s successful infection control program.

Patrick DeMeo, M.D., Department of Orthopaedic Sur-gery, was profiled in the Staten Island Advance newspaperfor his career accomplishments.

David Skoner, M.D., Division of Asthma, Allergy and Im-munology, was featured in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette storyabout AGH’s athletic camps for children with asthma.

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What’s Happening In Central North SideBy Stephani Greenleaf, Contributing Writer

For years, the residents of the Central North Side haveheld their hopes for a bright future close to heart. Now thefulfillment of these expectations is highly anticipated. Thecatalyst for this excitement centers on the inception ofconstruction projects along the Federal Street and North Av-enue axis.

This spring, ground was broken on the brand new Al-legheny Regional Branch of the Carnegie Library on FederalStreet, where a gas station once sat across the street fromAGH’s Federal North office complex.

Further up Federal Street, construction began in early Au-gust on the $15 million, 60-home, mixed-income develop-ment called Federal Hill. Developed by the Central NorthsideNeighborhood Council and S & A Homes, the three-storytown homes will range in size from 1,430 to more than2,350 square feet with 1.5 to 3.5 baths. All homes will havetwo off-street parking spaces as well as back yards. Pricesrange from $130,000 to $230,000s for eligible purchaserswith household incomes below 80 percent of the median in-come; special deferred payment loans from the URA canlower the acquisition cost to under $80,000. In just over twomonths of pre-construction sales, buyers have purchasednearly half the 23 phase-one homes that have been put upfor sale. Not only will Federal Hill bring new residents to thecommunity, but it will also vastly improve the streetscapewith trees in center traffic medians along the upper half ofFederal Street.

In addition to the projects on Federal Street proper, a proj-ect along Parkhurst Street — which connects AGH and Fed-eral Street — has just been completed. A renovatedstreetscape, sidewalk improvements, installation of new

lights, and the construction of three new town homes havetransformed this once blighted street. Nearby at the cornerof Sandusky and North Avenue, the Aeberlie Building hasreceived a complete restoration of its handsome façade.

More exciting development is being planned. With the en-tire Garden Theater block under ownership of the Urban Re-development Authority, the Central Northside NeighborhoodCouncil is initiating a participatory master planning processthat will culminate in the selection of a developer in 2009.Over the next 12 months, the CNNC is facilitating a neigh-borhood vision and strategic master plan for the entire Cen-tral North Side neighborhood.

Yet community improvements are not concentrated onlyin bricks and mortar. Led by some of central North Side’sresidents, an urban garden now exists on Brighton Road. Inaddition to founding this garden, the residents have lever-aged their local agricultural connections to provide theneighborhood with a local farmer’s market held every Satur-day mid-afternoon until twilight at the corner of Jacksoniaand Buena Vista streets.

Central North Siders are also busy gardening at the OldeAllegheny Gardens, which is a lush oasis of flowers and veg-etables in the 1300 block from Arch Street in the east toVeto Street and Sherman Avenue in the west.

Central North Side is a neighborhood rich in art andartists. The neighborhood plays host to many art venuessuch as the Mattress Factory’s installation art to new gal-leries/workshops including the moxieDaDa gallery in thefirehouse on the corner of Arch and Jacksonia or, across thestreet, Randy Gilson’s complex of buildings, gardens and artknown as Randyland.

On the youth-enrichment front, the central North SideNeighborhood Council has hired four high-school agedyouth to learn how to use open-source computer software toanalyze neighborhood data and produce maps of the com-munity. Further, a local resident has initiated a youth men-toring program, where local youth are paired withneighborhood volunteers. Youth receive homework assis-tance, opportunities to go on field trips, and a role model tolook up to. Adults receive an opportunity to impact a life.

As you can tell, there is a lot happening in Central NorthSide, and as hope continues to beat in the hearts of resi-dents, good things will continue to happen in the neighbor-hood. So stay posted, or better yet, get involved — not justfor a brighter present, but also for a brighter future!

Editor’s Note: Since 1989, the Northside Leadership Con-ference and Allegheny General Hospital have worked to-gether to identify and achieve many goals that affect positivechange for Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhoods throughthe AGH Northside Partnership Agreement. Both AGH andthe member communities of the Northside Leadership Con-ference re-sign this far-reaching agreement every two yearsto demonstrate their commitment and dedication to focusedinitiatives designed to improve the quality of life on theNorth Side. One of these initiatives is to spotlight North Sideneighborhoods and provide information about the communi-ties in which we work. Following is a feature on the centralNorth Side neighborhood that is to the west of AGH and ishome to the Mexican War Streets and the Federal North officecomplex.

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A homebuyer workshop can be a great step in your jour-ney toward home ownership. Whether you’re just starting theprocess or you’ve been at it for some time, understanding thebasics of buying a home will help you make the best decisionfor you and your family.

Here at AGH, full-time employees can participate in theWorkforce Home Benefit. The first step for most people in theprogram is a homebuyer workshop. During the workshop, anexperienced staff member of NeighborWorks Western Penn-sylvania (formerly known as Neighborhood Housing Serv-ices) will take you through a series of exercises to help youunderstand your needs and capabilities.

Guest speakers address topics such as working withlenders and realtors to give you a good start on how to bestprepare yourself for the purchase. Other topics in the work-shop include credit, budgeting, identifying your interests andneeds, insurance and home inspections.

The workshops are fun, interactive and a great opportunityto get answers for your questions. You’ll get contact namesand phone numbers of professionals to call any time; as anemployee of AGH or Allegheny General Hospital – SuburbanCampus, you get access to people who know what they’retalking about and want to help.

The homebuyer workshops are free. Spouses and signifi-cant others are welcome to attend. Completing the workshopopens the door to the many other services that WorkforceHome Benefit has to offer, such as credit counseling, mort-gage loan assistance and so much more.

Best of all, no one will try to sell you anything. You gothrough the program at your own pace and, in the process,have access to the best information possible.

Join us for the next homebuyer workshop at AGH on:

Saturday, September 6, 2008Cafeteria Rooms 1 – 48:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.Lunch will be provided

(We will try to accommodate any special requests)

To register for the workshop, or for more information onpurchasing a home, call Randy Lheureau at the NorthsideLeadership Conference at 412-330-2551 or email [email protected].

Workforce Home Benefit is an Initiative of the AGH North-side Partnership and made possible by Freddie Mac. Work-force Home Benefit is home ownership…one stepat a time.

Free Homebuyer Workshop on September 6By Randy Lheureau, Contributing Writer

WPAHSWearhouse – It’s Everywhere!WPAHS Wearhouse — the online “company store” for West Penn Allegheny Health System, Allegheny General Hospitaland Allegheny General Hospital — Suburban Campus — is open for business.

West Penn Allegheny Health System is pleased to present the latest in corporate branded apparel. Items available in-clude fleece jackets, T-shirts, hats, golf shirts, denim shirts and more — all at very affordable prices. Now is your

chance to have the hottest fashion trend to hit the hospital halls.

The ordering process is fast and easy. Access the WPAHS Wearhouse by logging on to thesesites and clicking on the WPAHS Wearhouse Icon:

WPAHS Intranet Site (at work): home.wpahs.org orWPAHS Internet Site (at home):www.wpahs.org

Whether at work or at play, WPAHS Wearhouse merchandise looks great everywhere you go.Don’t be left out — log on and start shopping today!

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I would like to thank Debbie Ziegler at the SuburbanCampus for making the time before my son’s surgeryvery relaxing and fun for him. He was scared and nerv-ous about it, but after a fewminutes with Debbie, hisfear seemed to fade away. He spent all that time waitingfor his surgery with laughter and a smile. Thank you,Debbie, for being such a compassionate and caring per-son.

— Patient’s mother

When my brother was brought to the AGH EmergencyRoom, Dr. Washington took great care in diagnosingand treating him. His work was very professional, butwhat was even more impressive was that he was com-passionate. His advice was given in a waywe could allclearly understand and we greatly appreciate all of hiscare.

— Patient’s sibling

The nurses at Suburban were all very friendly and con-siderate to me, especially one night when I was havinga lot of back pain and it kept getting worse. I couldn’ttolerate the pain, but didn’t want to bother the nurses.A young female employee came in to check on me and,once she saw that I was in pain and crying, went to getmy nurse. Everybody was very understanding and Ican’t thank them enough.

— Patient

Dr. Hennon at Allegheny General was very kind andtook wonderful care of me. So did my nurse, Carla. Ithank both of them for their excellent work. They reallymade me feel as though they cared about me, some-thing I haven’t seen in an ER in a long time. I justwanted to say thank you and God bless you both.

— Patient

Every person I encountered at Suburban was veryskilled and efficient, as well as pleasant and attentive.Considering the pain I was in, they made me as com-fortable as possible. A few did stand out from the rest,so I want to thankWende, Wendy, Andy, Vicki, Ce-celia and Cindy.

— Patient

My sister and I were visiting Pittsburgh for the first timewhen she had a gallbladder attack and had to be takento the Allegheny General Emergency Room. We were al-ready frightened, but what made it worse was being sofar from home.Amy in the ERwas a miracle. Shecalmed us both down and ensured that all of our needswere met. She even gave me detailed driving directionsto a 24-hour pharmacy to pick up my sister’s prescrip-tions. Her care and compassion were outstanding. Wehope you and your staff appreciate her as much as wedo!

— Patient’s sister

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Title: Patient Access RepresentativeDepartment: Outpatient Registration/

Admitting DepartmentResidence: Brighton HeightsFamily members: Husband, Dave; children,

Christopher and Katie; grandpuppy, Luna

Length of time at SC: 24 yearsFavorite AGH— SCmemory: The Service Awards Banquet on

the partylinerHow your co-workerswould describe you: Friendly, helpful and efficientFavorite movie: Splendor in the GrassDream vacation: Myrtle Beach, SCFavorite restaurant: Armstrong’sFavorite musician: The BeatlesHobbies: Reading and listening to musicYour personal goal: To stay healthyWhen I need to get away: Go to dinner with family and

friendsPeople might besurprised to know: I am very involved in my

church’s activities

Kathy Tetzlaw

If youwould like to submit the name of a co-worker to be featured in“Our People,” please contact Debbie Crawford at 412-359-8606.

Title: SupervisorDepartment: Tissue TypingResidence: Ross TownshipFamily Members: Wife, Karen; daughter, Maria; two

cats, Chloe and LizzieLength of time at AGH: 19 yearsFavorite AGHmemory: Meeting my wife while playing in

the AGH softball league 16 yearsago.

How your co-workerswould describe you: Easy going, funny, dedicatedFavorite movie: Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)Dream vacation: A Hawaiian golf tripFavorite restaurant: Outback SteakhouseFavorite musician: Yanni/New AgeHobbies: GolfYour personal goal: To obtain a private pilot’s licenseWhen I needto get away: Work outdoors or in the garagePeople might besurprised to know: I play piano by ear

George Parris

Allegheny General Suburban Campus

If youwould like to submit thenameof a co-worker tobe featured in “Our Peo-ple” forAGH—SuburbanCampus, please contactDebbie Crawford at

412-359-8606.

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Free Employee Yoga SessionsCome and experience Kripalu Yoga. A gentle, relaxing ex-

perience for persons of all physical fitness levels; no prioryoga experience required. Sessions will be held on Fridaysin the Cancer Center Classrooms 2 and 3. There will be twosessions: 12 to 1 p.m. and 1 to 2 p.m.

Bring a yoga mat or beach towel and wear comfortableclothing; it is best not to eat for one to two hours prior to ayoga session.

Brought to you by the AGH Integrated Medicine Programto improve the health of your mind, body and spirit.

Employee Discounts OfferedThrough Allegheny General’s affiliation with the Pittsburgh

Employees Activities Association (PEAA), we can offer em-ployee discounts to the events/attractions listed below:

• Mellon Arena – upcoming events discounts• Riverset Credit Union – opening to PEAA members• Sprint – discounts from 5 to 25 percent• PEAA Night at PNC Park – discount tickets

• Pittsburgh CLO – discount ticket prices• Children’s Museum – discount ticket admissions• Brinks Home Security – free basic package installation• Vector Security – special offer – free installation• Del’s Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo – 20 percent off totalfood bill

• Italian Specialty and Gourmet Catering – 10 percent off toall PEAA members

• Whitesmiles – Pittsburgh’s Premier Teeth Whitening Center– complete teeth whitening package for only $129 + tax

Located at AGH? Visit the Human Resources Departmenton the 12th floor and pick up a CURRENT DISCOUNTSbrochure from the rack.

Located at Suburban Campus? Call your Human Re-sources Department at 412-734-6010 to obtain a CUR-RENT DISCOUNTS brochure.

If you aren’t located at AGH or Suburban, then pleaseemail [email protected] with your name (include spelling),department, phone number and work location. A brochurewill be sent to you via interoffice mail. If you are at an offsitelocation where interoffice mail is not possible, please leaveyour office mailing address or fax number.

Bereavement Education andSupport GroupThe Allegheny General Hospital Social Work Department

continues to host its Bereavement Education and SupportGroup. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of eachmonth and include a combination of guest speakers andopen discussions facilitated by AGH social workers and out-side speakers. The next meeting will be held September 9from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Cafeteria rooms 1 and 2 at AlleghenyGeneral Hospital.

For more information or to RSVP, please contactStephanie Walker-Moore at 412-359-4765.

Seeking donations of magazinesand puzzle books for patients!The Volunteer Office is seeking donations of new or

gently used magazines and also new Sudoku, word findsand puzzle books for our patients. All donations may bedropped off at the Volunteer Office, First Floor, SouthTower. For more information, please contact us at exten-sion 3067. Thanks for your support!

In Memoriam

Sharon StephanyMailroom Associate

19 years of service at Allegheny General Hospital

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Healthy Living Guest Lecture SeriesThis educational lecture series is held the second Wednes-

day morning of each month at Allegheny General Hospital –Suburban Campus. Continental breakfast is available at 9a.m. and the lectures begin at 9:30 a.m.

The series is also held each month at the Lutheran Serv-ices Society, 440 Lincoln Avenue, from 2 to 3 p.m. Light re-freshments are served.

These programs are free, and all interested adults are wel-come. Free parking is available, and registration is required.To register, please call Physician Access at 1-877-284-2000.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008Topic: Safety in the HomeSpeaker: Kathy Ferri, COTA/L, Department of Health Pro-motions, AGH — SC

Location: AGH — SC, Conference Room 1, 7th floorRegistration deadline: September 3, 2008

Friday, September 12, 2008Topic: ArthritisSpeaker: Brett Smith, M.D., Department of OrthopaedicSurgery, AGH

Location: Lutheran Services Society Prime Time Senior Cen-ter, 440 Lincoln Avenue, upper level

Registration deadline: September 5, 2008

Monday, October 6, 2008Topic: Safety in the HomeSpeaker: Kathy Ferri, COTA/L, Department of Health Pro-motions, AGH — SC

Location: Lutheran Services Society Prime Time Senior Cen-ter, 440 Lincoln Avenue, upper level

Registration deadline: September 29, 2008

Wednesday, October 8, 2008Topic: New Advances in the Treatment of Breast CancerSpeaker: Thomas Lheureau, M.D., Department of Surgery,AGH and AGH — SC

Location: AGH-SC, Conference Room 1, 7th floorRegistration deadline: October 1, 2008

Gift Corner Lobby SaleThe Gift Corner is pleased to announce the debut of Soap

Sisters merchandise, on sale in the main lobby on Septem-ber 9, 2008 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The selection featureshandmade vegetable glycerin soaps and a large selection ofsoy bean candles. Cash, check, credit and debit cards willbe accepted.

The Coffee NookStop by for a specialty drink at the Coffee Nook. Located

in the Gift Corner in the lobby, the Coffee Nook offers finebrewed coffee, espresso, cappuccino and the “Flavor of theDay.” Open Monday - Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. andSunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Needed: Gently Used Book DonationsAllegheny General Hospital — Suburban Campus is now

accepting donations of gently used, paperback books andmagazines for distribution to patients. Donations may be de-livered to the AGH — SC Gift Corner during regular businesshours: Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. andSunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

August Employee Discounts (seeNews & Events for AGH)

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BEN Tip: Life Events Permit BenefitChangesCheck with the Employee Benefits Service Center if you

think any of these Life Events listed below apply to you. Youmay be able to change your Health and Welfare Benefitsmid-year:

• Marriage or divorce• New dependent (birth, adoption, legal guardianship, cus-tody)

• Loss of dependent (child loses full-time student status,graduates, or becomes age 25, custody change, anddeath)

• Gain or loss of coverage through your spouse• Employment status change• Dependent care costs or provider change, or• Domestic partner change.

Status Change – Steps to TakeComplete a “Change in Status Event Form.” Forms can

be obtained from:

• Employee Benefits Web site at home.wpahs.org/benefits 2008 WPAHS Employee Benefits Program CD,WPAHS Benefits Service Center, or Human Resources De-partment

• Attach the required documentation to support your Changein Status

• Submit the form and documentation to the Benefits ServiceCenter

Mail must be postmarked and faxes dated as follows:• Submit the form by the 30-day deadline to be eligible tochange your benefits effective with the event date

• Forms received between 31 and 60 days will be effectivethe first of the month following receipt of your form

Status Change: Other Items to ConsiderDo you need to:

• Change your coverage levels for medical, dental or visioninsurance?

• Increase or decrease life or disability insurance?• Add or delete your spouse, domestic partner, or depend-ents from coverage?

• Review coordination of benefits between your plans andyour spouse’s plans?

• Change life insurance and retirement plan beneficiary in-formation?

• Update your name with your manager?• Update your address or home phone number in PRISM?

BEN FAQ: Can my child, who is enrolledas a full-time college student, be added tomy benefits?Yes, as long as your unmarried son or daughter, age 19 to

25, is a full-time student at an accredited school and is de-pendent on you for support, he or she can be included inyour health-care coverage.

Remember, a dependent child re-entering school is eligi-ble for benefits on the first day of the month after valid Stu-dent Certification forms are submitted to the BenefitsService Center.

Important Action Steps to re-enroll a full-time student onyour benefits

Mail or fax these documents together to the Benefit Serv-ice Center:

• Change in status request form• Full-time student certification form• School’s registrar letter stating child is a full-time student.You may be able to print out the Registrar information di-rectly from the school’s Web site or from the Student Clear-inghouse Web site at www.studentclearinghouse.org

BEN Reminder: Watch for Student Certification Requests

The insurance carriers administer the student certificationprocess for full-time students between the ages of 19 to 25.Please follow the instructions specified by your insurancecarrier to complete the process. An unmarried, dependentchild between the ages of 19 and 25 must be a full-time stu-dent in an accredited school, college, or university and mustbe dependent upon you for support in order to continue tobe covered.

Coverage for a dependent who is age 19 to 25 will termi-nate on the earliest date below:

• End of the month your dependent is no longer a full-timestudent or graduates, or

• On your dependent’s 25th birthday

If your dependent has a student status change, pleasecontact the Employee Benefits Service Center at 1-800-474-1236 to remove the dependent from coverage. ACOBRA notice will be sent to your son or daughter to con-tinue coverage at his or her expense, after coverage termi-nates under your plan.

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BEN Checklist: Back to School RemindersSchedule routine physical and dental exams and immu-

nizations now.

• Consult your child’s primary care physician and yourschool’s requirements

ID cards for College Students

• Provide your student with medical and prescription drug IDcards

• Review the Home Host and Emergency Care provisionswith your student

Visit your insurance companies’ Web sites for Back toSchool topics.

• Healthy Kids Programs• Preventive Health and Immunization Guidelines• Family Fitness Ideas• Wellness Programs and Member Discounts• Link to other Health Education sites

FSA information available online 24/7Go to www.wageworks.com to manage your

HCRA/DCRA account:

• Access your account activity and balance• Check status of claims and payments• Verify eligible and ineligible expenses• Calculate your FSA savings• Download claim forms• Order an additional HCRA debit card• Request Pay My Provider payments

If you have a question on your account or do not have In-ternet access, call WageWorks at 877-924-3967 to speakwith a Customer Service representative from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Make Your Raise Work Toward Your Retire-mentIt’s salary increase time for many employees. Why not

consider putting some of that additional cash into your Re-tirement Savings Plan (403b) account? Increasing your403(b) deduction, even by as little as 1 percent every year,can amount to a substantial nest egg over time.

It’s easy to do! Complete a salary reduction agreement.This form is available:

• In your local HR department• Through Prism or on the Web athttp://home.wpahs.org/benefits/forms.htm

• By contacting Employee Benefits at 1-800-474-1236

Return the completed salary reduction agreement to:

West Penn Allegheny Health SystemEmployee BenefitsTwo Allegheny Center, 10th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15212(Sorry, we need an original signature and cannot accept

faxes)

Employee Benefits Service CenterPhone number: 1-800-474-1236, Option 1FAX number: 412-330-5760E-mail: [email protected] Address: Two Allegheny Center, Tenth Floor, Pitts-burgh, PA 15212

PRISMWPAHS Intranet Site (at work): home.wpahs.org/prismWPAHS Internet Site (at home): www.wpahs.org/prism

WPAHS Intranet Provides Instant Access to Important InformationWant to review an article from a past issue of The Latest Word? Have questions about benefits? All of this information

and more is available on West Penn Allegheny Health System’s intranet.

The WPAHS intranet may be accessed from any networked WPAHS personal computerthat is equipped with a Web browser, such as Microsoft Explorer™ and Netscape Navigator™.Simply type home.wpahs.org into your browser. Each intranet site article contains links toother relevant articles, which can be accessed at the touch of a button.

Once an intranet page is displayed on your screen, you can use the menu found on the leftside of the page to quickly navigate between major intranet resources. You can also click onany underlined link on a page to quickly navigate to another page.

Check out the WPAHS intranet today for the latest information about your workplace!Look for this button on theWPAHS intranet homepage.

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Allegheny General Hospital would like to welcome the following new employees who were recently hired. AGH takes greatpride in having such a talented and diverse group of staff who share the hospital’s commitment to excellence.

Kerry Allen – Per Diem PoolErin Allen – PhlebotomyJermaine Anderson – Food & NutritionServices

Linda Backhaus – Medical RecordsJamie Beachum – 5AChristopher Bedford – MICUHolly Bernardi – Intensive Care NurseryTiffany Bollinger – EVSSteven Bova – Human Motion RehabTracy Bowers – 5ACeleste Bowra – 5ATom Burk – EDJustin Butela – 8ATalia Chandler – PhlebotomyDiana Chulack – 8ANicole Cirrincione – TraumaShelly Conroy – 5AStephanie Defelice – 10CBeth Ann Deless – 10CNatalie Delo – MICUMichael Dixon – EVSTom Dunn – Adult PsychiatryTiffany Eberhardt – Colorectal SurgeryMelissa Fabiann – Food & NutritionServices

Lisa Fabila – 8CRebecca Freudenberg – 5C

Megan Gaydosik – 6ASharon Geibel – 7AChristie Gilmore – Wound Healing Cen-ter

Janice Glidewell – TransplantAmanda Grady – Genomic ScienceAburee Guiffre – Psych AdministrationWayne Haber – DietaryJennifer Hines – 8AKatie Hinzman – 8CShane Howard – Business CenterRobert Hulsman – 6CChavon Humbert – 6AJames Johnson – ISKelsey Kocjancic – CCUDiana Krannacker – Customer ServiceNathan Kraus – MICUKaitlan Kunkel – Food & Nutrition Serv-ices

Debra Kuzma – EDAndrew Lacenere – Genomic ScienceMatthew Langford – Anatomic Pathol-ogy

Christina Laycox – Allegheny NeurologyStephanie Lucas – MICUShelly Lyons – 10CGary Marree – MICUDan Moore – EVS

Kristen Mullett – MICUShamma Oduor – Neuro/Med SurgSarah Peeples – RadiologyMichael Pope – Sterile ProcessingSusan Powell-Rowe – TraumaMaria Quiroz – Chem/HemaAlisa Ralph – Business CenterStephanie Renner – 5CJerica Russell – EVSHannah Schofield-Lise – PsychiatricStacy Shelter – MICUAlexis Sotereanos – OrthopaedicsLauren Surdick – 6CBrian Swinton – Hemo/Peri DialLori Tivo – Food & Nutrition ServicesTyler Toy – TraumaQuyen Tran – Trauma CenterEmily Vaughn – PsychiatricTamera Vukas – NICUDiana Wilhelm – PulmonarySharon Young – 6C

New Employees at AGH —Sub-urban Campus

Amber Calloway – EVSValerie Reha – ICU

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Grand Rounds, Medical Seminars and Visiting Professor-ships

Allegheny General Hospital

September 5-6, 2008Minimally Invasive Fracture Fixation, Magovern Conference Center,Allegheny General Hospital.

September 13, 2008First Aid in the Child Care Environment, 8:30 to 11:30 am, Magov-ern Conference Center, Allegheny General Hospital.

September 17-19, 2008Advances in Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Pituitary and Skull-base Surgery, Magovern Conference Center, Allegheny GeneralHospital.

September 19, 2008LifeFlight Conference: Why Did We Fly that Patient?, MagovernConference Center, Allegheny General Hospital.

September 19-21, 2008Third Annual Nemacolin Asthma Conference — A ComprehensiveClinical and Research Review, Day 1: 4:30 to 7:15 p.m., Day 2: 7 a.m.to 2 p.m., Day 3: 7:30 a.m. to Noon, Nemacolin Woodlands Confer-ence Center, Farmington, Pa.

September 26, 20082008 Innovations in Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension, 7a.m. to 4 p.m., Sheraton Station Square Hotel, Pittsburgh.

October 10-12, 2008Microscopic and Endoscopic Approaches for the Skullbase,Magovern Conference Center, Allegheny General Hospital.

October 30, 2008Chronic Wound Conference 2008 — Elect the Best Options: CastYour Vote for Wound Care Success, Magovern Conference Center,Allegheny General Hospital

Community Health Education Programs

Allegheny General Hospital

To register for the classes below, call 1-877-284-2000.

September 4Birthing With an Epidural, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Allegheny General Hospital.Attend this class to find out important information about epidurals,labor and birth. Topics include: how to tell true from false labor, whento come to the hospital, IVs, monitors, inductions, forceps, vacuums,C-sections, the benefits and risks of an epidural, and all about thebaby. Speaker: Lynn Mossburg, I.C.C.E., C.D., C.H.P. Fee: $50 percouple. 50 percent WPAHS employee discount available.

September 9Your Teen: What You’re Afraid They’re Doing When You’re Not Look-ing, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Northland Library, McCandless. It’s the best oftimes and the worst of times. Get the straight story about sexual activ-

ity in teens and new advances in STD treatment. Speaker: Rita Ray-mond, C.R.N.P. Fee: None, but must pre-register.

September 9The Happiest Baby on the Block, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Allegheny GeneralHospital. New parents and parents-to-be will learn step-by-step how tohelp babies sleep longer and how to soothe even the fussiest babies inminutes. Fee: $45 per couple (includes parent kit: choice of VHS orDVD and a soothing sounds CD–a $40 value) Speaker: Maryann Clay-ton, R.N.

September 16, 23 and 30Newborn Care Class, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Allegheny General Hospi-tal. Parents can prepare to care for a newborn in the first monthafter birth. Topics include newborn appearance and characteristics,bathing, dressing, diapering, bottle and breast feeding, safety, im-munizations and when to call the pediatrician. Each class includesa discussion with one of our pediatricians. Speaker: Caron Boyer,C.R.N.P. Fee: $50. 50 percent discount for WPAHS employees.

September 17Diabetes Basics, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Mt. Lebanon Library. Learn thedifference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, how diabetes is di-agnosed and the latest treatments available. Speaker: Donna Gisle-son, C.R.N.P., Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Health. Fee:None, but preregistration is necessary.

Allegheny General Hospital — Suburban Campus

To register for the classes below, call 412-734-6910.

September 2Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., AGH-SC Second FloorConference Room.

September 6Overeaters Anonymous, 9 to 10 a.m., AGH-SC Second Floor Con-ference Room.

September 9Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., AGH-SC Second FloorConference Room.

September 13Overeaters Anonymous, 9 to 10 a.m., AGH-SC Second Floor Con-ference Room.

September 16Overeaters Anonymous, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., AGH-SC Second FloorConference Room.

September 20Overeaters Anonymous, 9 to 10 a.m., AGH-SC Second Floor Con-ference Room.