VOLUME VOLUMEVII V ISSUE 1 2
HouseCall Saving Alison 26-YEAR-OLD PATIENT PRAISES THE LIFESAVING TREATMENT SHE RECEIVED FROM ST. CLAIR’S DEDICATED CARE TEAM
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Primary Care Physicians Play Leading Role In Region’s And U.S.’s Healthcare Systems Ask The Doctor I Awards And Recognition I Foundation Updates
LIFESAVING TREATMENT
SavingAlison 26-YEAR-OLD ALISON WEATHERLY WAS CONFRONTING THE MOST SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM OF HER YOUNG LIFE. THAT’S WHEN HER TEAM OF CAREGIVERS AT ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL WENT TO WORK.
M
ichele Weatherly was at work when she received
a career in forensics. Living in an apartment in Mt. Lebanon,
the phone call that every parent dreads. The
she had taken a semester off and was looking forward to
caller identified himself as a physician in the
returning to school to finish the final four classes that would
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at St. Clair Hospital, and told her
lead to her degree. Michele and Reg, who are attorneys in
that her 26-year-old daughter, Alison, had been admitted
downtown Pittsburgh, had taken Alison out for dinner just a
through the Emergency Room with pneumonia. She had been
few days earlier. Alison seemed fine then, except for a cold.
intubated and placed on a ventilator. Her condition, the doctor
“I kept getting sicker instead of getting better,” Alison recalls.
explained that day last fall, was “very serious” — and he
“I didn’t go to the doctor because I thought it was just a bad cold.
urged Michele and her husband, Reg, to come to the Hospital
But I developed a fever, and my breathing became difficult.
immediately.
I asked a friend to take me to St. Clair’s Emergency Room.
That was the beginning of a long ordeal for the Weatherly
By the time I got there, I was very sick, in extreme pain, unable to
family of Upper St. Clair. Alison, a University of Miami (Fla.)
breathe and feverish. I learned later that the doctors intubated
senior majoring in anthropology, was a bright, healthy, viva-
me right away and put me on oxygen and a ventilator; they
cious young woman who had dreams of graduate school and
sedated me, started antibiotics and admitted me to the ICU.” Continued on page 4
ABOUT THE COVER Michele Weatherly reaches out to her daughter, Alison Weatherly, during a recent visit to the ICU to thank the physicians and nurses there who cared for Alison during her hospitalization. Pictured with Michele and Alison are, left to right, Greg Thompson, R.N., Kristen Cardimen, R.N. and Gregory J. Fino, M.D.
2 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
Former ICU patient Alison Weatherly, left, and her mother, Michele Weatherly, share a laugh with St. Clair Hospital ICU registered nurses, Greg Thompson, rear, and Mike Sembrat, during Alison’s and Michele’s recent visit with some of the clinicians who cared for Alison during her battle to overcome severe sepsis. Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 3
LIFESAVING TREATMENT Continued from page 3
Sepsis is triggered when some of the pathogenic organisms — usually
A very serious diagnosis As bad as things were for Alison at that point, they would quickly
bacterial, but sometimes viral or fungal — get into the bloodstream, which
become far, far worse. Alison had pneumococcal pneumonia, which had
carries the infection beyond the site of origin to various organs. The body
developed into severe sepsis, a raging, whole-body complication of infection
goes into shock, cells are not perfused with the oxygen they require, and
that leads to multiple organ failure, shock, abnormal coagulation (the body’s
they die. Organ damage, and eventually organ failure, is the result. The
blood clotting process), and sometimes, to a condition known as ARDS —
signs of early sepsis are subtle: changes in body temperature, above or
acute respiratory distress syndrome. ARDS results in respiratory failure,
below normal range; tachycardia (an abnormally fast heart rate); abnormally
with poor ventilation, perfusion and low oxygen levels throughout the
rapid breathing; and low blood pressure. In patients with sepsis, their bodies respond to infection with a tremendous,
body. It is about as sick as a person can get. Sepsis is a medical emergency, a life threatening condition that begins with a localized infection such as pneumonia, a
all-out counterattack that
Sepsis is a severe medical emergency,
wreaks physiologic havoc throughout their
urinary tract infection or a surgical wound infection. Sepsis can
a life threatening condition that can
happen to anyone, but those at highest risk are usually the elderly
Fino, M.D., a pulmo-
and people who are immunosuppressed due to chemotherapy or transplant medication. Those who are hospitalized are at risk,
systems. Gregory J.
happen to anyone.
too, as they often have incisions and breaks in the skin. Sepsis
nologist and Co-Director of Critical Care at St. Clair, who played a primary role in managing Alison’s care in
has one of the highest mortality rates of any medical condition; it carries a
the ICU, says the body’s immune system mounts a “systemic inflammatory
far greater risk than heart attack or stroke. It is a major cause of morbidity
response” that sets off a cascade of events which lead to organ failure and,
and mortality in hospitals throughout the world. Sepsis mortality is as high
all too often, death. “The medical term for this response to infection is SIRS —
as 80 percent for elderly or immunocompromised patients; in general, the
systemic inflammatory response syndrome. The body reacts so vigorously
mortality rate is 40 percent. Fully one-third of those who develop severe
to the invading microbes that it overshoots a bit,” Dr. Fino explains. “We can
sepsis with ARDS will die.
treat the infection with appropriate antibiotics, but there’s no way to stop
Posing for a group photo in the ICU at St. Clair Hospital are, left to right, Greg Thompson, R.N., Kristen Cardimen, R.N., Michele and Alison Weatherly, Gregory Fino, M.D., and Mike Sembrat, R.N. 4 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
the body’s attack mode. It will carry on for a week or so. Once we have the infection under control, we more or less wait for the body to heal itself, as we provide support to the patient and do everything we can to optimize the outcome.” Severe sepsis is a diagnostic challenge, but identification of those at risk, recognition of the early signs, and the prompt initiation of diagnostic testing and treatment is critically important to good outcomes. Early recognition and treatment of sepsis greatly improve chances for survival. ( Please see sidebar on detecting sepsis in patients, page 8.)
A team is assembled The situation in the ICU was dynamic and dramatic. Alison was extremely unstable, in critical condition, with regular fluctuations in her vital signs and oxygen saturation levels. In constant attendance
Alison spent nine days in this Rotaprone bed. Her right foot is visible at bottom center.
was St. Clair’s team of critical care experts — doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and other clinicians — who worked to save Alison with a robust response that matched the ferocity of her illness. The team included Pulmonologist Dr. Fino, a 30-year veteran of the ICU, and his colleagues: Patrick Reilly, M.D.; Andrew Perez, M.D.; Laurie Kilkenny, M.D.; and Zachary Young, M.D., all pulmonologists and critical care specialists. Also involved in Alison’s care: nocturnist critical care physicians Yvonne R. Chan, M.D. and Maxim V. Bocharov, M.D. “Alison was deathly ill,” Dr. Fino recalls. “She had a common, community-acquired form of pneumonia, with inflammation throughout
keep her oxygen levels adequate. She was receiving
better mixing of the oxygen and the blood. Using
100 percent oxygen — what we breathe normally
this bed allowed us to deliver intervals of prone
in room air is 21 percent. We were giving her
therapy over extended periods of time to help
maximum levels of extra pressure on expiration
improve Alison’s oxygenation.”
to push oxygen through the lung to the blood-
Alison spent nine days in the Rotaprone bed,
stream. But it reached a point where we could
Dr. Fino says. “It was rocky at first as we worked
not oxygenate her.
to find the exact right position for her. At times,
“With pneumonia and ARDS there is a severe mismatch in the lungs of oxygen and blood so
despite maximum support, her oxygen levels were as low as the 70s — normal is the 90s.
oxygen is not transferred into the blood stream
We did everything possible. We all brainstormed
effectively. The Rotaprone bed literally rotates the
constantly,” Dr. Fino recalls. “We never, ever
patient from side to side and prone allowing a
gave up.”
Continued on page 6
her lungs. We provided fluid resuscitation and tailored her antibiotic therapy specifically to the pneumococcus. She was put into a medicallyinduced coma to help us to better manage her ventilation and for her own comfort. Alison’s lungs collapsed, requiring the placement of chest tubes to re-expand them. We performed a tracheotomy. She had respiratory failure, liver failure, severe slowing of her heart rate and arrhythmias. We utilized prone therapy, which can improve ventilation.” Prone therapy with a Rotaprone bed is an innovative intervention for severely ill patients in the ICU who cannot be adequately ventilated with the usual approaches. “Alison’s pneumonia was so extensive,” Dr. Fino explains, “that we could not provide oxygen via the ventilator to Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 5
LIFESAVING TREATMENT Continued from page 5
Extraordinary care
blood clot in her arm. They always knew what to do. They reassured us
It was an effort that called upon every resource of the ICU. That includes
and taught us. They understood how helpless we felt, to see her so sick
state-of-the-art technology, the most advanced equipment, and the most
in that big high-tech bed. They took a personal interest in Alison and we
effective, evidence-based clinical practices. Above all, though, it was the
became attached to them. I believe that they healed Alison and us, too.”
staff of the ICU who rose to this extreme challenge, and prevailed. It was
The Weatherlys were touched by the genuine nature of the staff’s
the power of a team, of committed and deeply caring professionals,
concern for their only child. According to Michele, “Everyone gave Alison
who held Alison’s life in their hands and gave her everything they had.
excellent care. We could see the caring in their eyes and their faces.
A top-notch, unified interdisciplinary medical team in action is an apt description of Alison’s caregivers in the ICU. Each member
Even a housekeeper, Jan, placed a rosary on Alison’s bed and stopped to let us know she cared. The whole Hospital was involved. St. Clair Hospital restored my faith in the healthcare system.”
complements the others, as
The effort to save Alison extended
they anticipate, sometimes wordlessly, each other’s
beyond the ICU. Every Hospital
needs and intentions.
service, including pharmacy,
They share focus, intuitive
respiratory therapy, physical therapy,
intelligence, passion and a
laboratory, and other departments
sense of purpose. Alison’s team
contributed to her care and recovery.
pushed themselves to their limits and
Her discharge was a day of cele-
beyond, united in their effort to save the young woman entrusted to their care. None of this was lost on parents Michele and Reg, who kept a vigil at the Hospital, often sleeping at Alison’s bedside. “The ICU doctors and nurses were phenomenal,” Michele says. “They did everything humanly possible to give Alison the best chance of survival. We knew it was tough and that they were fighting hard for her. The doctors were
Alison Weatherly displays a necklace engraved with her room number in the ICU that also bears the reminder “Live Another Day.” She also never takes off the rainbow-colored bracelet that a RN’s daughter made for her.
bration and pride for the entire staff. Their extraordinary work and caring brought Alison through five weeks of intensive care, followed by three weeks of rehabilitation. Today, Alison is back in her apartment in Mt. Lebanon, happy to sleep in her own bed — in any position she
always searching, consulting, and looking at every option. They were on top of things, never blinking, fine-tuning as her condition changed.
chooses — with her five-year-old rescue cat, Lexie. Her memories of the
They gave us confidence, even though we knew it was a dire situation.
ICU are fuzzy, but she is crystal clear in her admiration for the doctors
One thing would improve; another would go wrong. Every day brought
and nurses who saved her life.
a new complication.” Alison’s parents believed the staff was caring for them as much as
“I can’t say enough about how important the ICU nurses were. They’re amazing; they got me through it all. I still can’t believe these people
for their daughter. “We got so much attention from the staff,” Michele
cared about me this much. I bonded with them and felt safe with them.
says. “The doctors talked to us constantly. And I can’t say enough about
In the ICU, it’s a smaller group and you have the same nurses, so they
the nurses. Their care was superb; it was the nurses who discovered a
got to know me and my parents. I have such respect for nurses. I had never been so sick and I had no idea about everything they do. “Dr. Fino and the entire ICU team saved my life. When I first became coherent again, I kept hearing his name and I knew his voice, but I had no face to go with the name. I was so happy when I finally met him and I got to see his face. He’s a great doctor; he gave my parents his cell phone number so they could still call him. Dr. Fino told me I was the sickest patient he ever had. It was hard to hear that but it made me realize how fortunate I am.” Alison has gone back to the ICU to visit the place she considers “my second home.” To Dr. Fino, her visit was a special moment. “Having Alison return and walk in there on her own, with no trach or oxygen, was wonderful. She looked great! She had colored her hair, and she had a great attitude. Her recovery has been faster than expected, and I attribute that to her youth.”
6 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
It was a big moment for Alison, too. “The
She has moments of anxiety and sadness,
value and meaning. I get excited about small
nurses were so happy to see me! One registered
remembering how traumatic the experience
everyday things like beautiful weather or cute
nurse, Kristen Cardimen, gave me a bracelet,
was for her parents. “My mother slept at the
things that my cat Lexie does.
rainbow-colored, and made of parachute cord.
Hospital because she was so afraid I was going
She had told her 10-year-old daughter, Isabella,
to die and she didn’t want me to die alone.
touch with life, with the world and the people
about me and Isabella wanted to make a
She and my Dad helped get me through it all.”
I love. I’m filled with gratitude and I always
bracelet for me. I call it my ‘survivor bracelet’
“I feel things very deeply now. I’m more in
The experience changed her, she says.
will be. I’m happy that I’m alive, but even
and I’ve never taken it off, not once. It means
“I grew up. Being so sick, so close to death,
happier because, now, I feel much more alive
so much.”
changed my life. Before, I took things like my
than ever.
A new lease on life
I appreciate simple things like being able to
family and my good health for granted. Now Months after her admission to the ICU,
“St. Clair Hospital is great. I owe my life
to this Hospital.” n
talk, walk and sit up! Everything has new
Alison has some ongoing physical issues, especially nerve pain in her leg, the result of being in one position for so long. She sometimes struggles with her memories and with the gravity of her experience, and she is still trying to understand what happened to her. “When I woke up I had the trach, so I could not speak or ask questions. A lot of information was thrown at me at once and I couldn’t take it in at all. Even now, I am still trying
GREGORY J. FINO, M.D. Dr. Fino earned his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at UPMC-Presbyterian Hospital, where he was named Chief Resident. He later completed a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at UPMC-Presbyterian. He is board-certified in pulmonary medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and specializes in pulmonary diseases and critical care medicine. Dr. Fino serves as Co-Director of Critical Care at St. Clair Hospital. He practices with Clinical & Occupational Pulmonary Associates, LLC.
to understand.”
“
I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THE ICU NURSES WERE. THEY’RE AMAZING; THEY GOT ME THROUGH IT ALL. I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE THESE PEOPLE CARED ABOUT ME THIS MUCH. I BONDED WITH THEM AND FELT SAFE WITH THEM. I HAVE SUCH RESPECT FOR NURSES.
”
ALISON WEATHERLY, PATIENT
Alison Weatherly at home with Lexie.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 7
LIFESAVING LAB TECHNOLOGY
Chanda Lee, MT (ASCP) examines a sepsis slide in the microbiology section of the lab.
DETECTING SEPSIS AND EFFECTIVELY TREATING IT REQUIRES SOPHISTICATED, HIGH-TECH SKILLS IN THE LAB
“ T
he importance of a high-tech, efficient hospital laboratory to outstanding care cannot
70 TO 80 PERCENT OF
be overstated. How important is the hospital lab? According to St. Clair Hospital
ALL MEDICAL DECISIONS
Chair of Pathology Martha Clarke, M.D., as many as 70 percent to 80 percent of
MADE IN A HOSPITAL
all medical decisions made in a hospital are based upon a laboratory test result. Thus, the
ARE BASED UPON
data that the labs present to physicians must be absolutely accurate, timely and reliable,
A LABORATORY TEST RESULT.
”
MARTHA CLARKE, M.D., CHAIR OF PATHOLOGY, ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL
8 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
every single time. At St. Clair, physicians rely on the lab, a state-of-the-art facility that operates non-stop, 24/7/365, to help physicians diagnose a condition, ascertain the extent of the condition, help guide the treatment, and monitor and assess the efficacy of that treatment. The lab, staffed by a team of highly credentialed, experienced professionals, offers a full range of testing in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, microbiology, serology and virology, using samples of blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, sputum, wound exudate and other body fluids.
Judy Luteran, MT (ASEP) SM, is the microbiology supervisor in the lab, with 26 years of experience at St. Clair. Her section within the lab plays a major role in the treatment of patients with infections — including sepsis. “It’s the lab that informs the doctors of what type of organism is causing the infection — bacteria, virus, or fungus. The entire lab is involved in a sepsis case because sepsis affects the entire body and can lead to organ damage and failure,” she explains. “In the case of sepsis, we culture the blood, obtaining two sets of samples from two different sites. Cultures take time, so we have an automated system called a BACTEC FX, which detects microbial growth within 24 hours. The blood is tested every 15 minutes and an audible alarm is sounded when pathogens show up. We then perform a gram stain, and can give the doctor an update on suspected pathogens. We release the final
Julie Hall, Medical Technologist, CLS (Microbiologist), tests for sepsis in the microbiology section of the lab.
report once testing is fully completed.” The microbiology section also performs
composed of shallow wells which contain anti-
page 2), clinicians rely on the lab in making
tests to tell the physicians which antimicrobial
biotics. The rate or lack of growth on the
decisions about the clinical management of
agent, or antibiotic, will be effective against the
VITEK cards predicts what antibiotics the
the patient’s condition. Meticulous attention to
pathogen. “We take some of the specimen
pathogen will be susceptible to. The doctors
quality control, the most advanced technology,
and put it on solid media plates,” Judy says.
put the patient on a broad-spectrum antibiotic
and an experienced staff make St. Clair’s lab an
“If bacteria grow, they are then inoculated into
initially, then modify the treatment and change
outstanding facility that contributes enormously
VITEK cards. These look like credit cards
to a more defined one. This is important
to the Hospital’s quality and growth. Says
because it will be more effective against the
Dr. Clarke: “The quality of the lab, and the level
specific type of infection, less likely to have side
of testing we provide significantly contribute
effects, and less likely to lead to resistance.”
to our physicians’ ability to treat complex
As in the case of sepsis patient Alison
medical/surgical problems and conditions
Weatherly (please see main story, Saving Alison,
at St. Clair.” n
MARTHA CLARKE, M.D. Dr. Clarke earned her medical degree at Georgetown University Medical School. She completed a residency in pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, part of the Harvard system of teaching hospitals. Dr. Clarke is board-certified by the American Board of Pathology. She serves as Chair of Pathology at St. Clair Hospital, and she practices with Clarke & Co. Pathology, Inc.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 9
SEPSIS QUALITY STANDARDS
St. Clair’s Sepsis Protocol is Proving to be a Lifesaver
T
he heroic care that saved 26-year-old Alison Weatherly’s life was
was to design a system that would enable us to recognize the earliest
the result of St. Clair Hospital’s carefully crafted system of clinical
signs that suggest sepsis, to identify any patient with known or suspected
practices, processes and quality standards. “Our goal, with every
sepsis. We wanted to identify the best way to do that.”
patient, is to provide the highest quality care,” says Nicolette E. Chiesa, M.D., Associate Chief Medical Officer and current President of the Medical Staff
Severe sepsis is one of the 10 leading causes of death for adults in the United States. It is a life-threatening, complex condition that
at St. Clair. “Already nationally ranked for quality, our goal is to be in the
requires an intensive and multifaceted clinical response, but when it is
top 10 percent in all performance measures.”
caught early, it can be treated — and it can be survived. Early recognition
Dr. Chiesa plays a key role in the Hospital’s quality initiatives as Chair
and immediate intervention are the keys. “Sepsis mortality is a national
of the Medical Staff Quality Committee. She serves on the task force that
quality issue, and sepsis management is a national priority,” says
was charged with developing the sepsis protocol and played a pivotal role
Kaitlin Shotsberger, R.N., M.S.N., Clinical Integration Specialist for
in the outcome of Alison’s case. “It was important to address sepsis
St. Clair. “Our goal in developing the sepsis protocol was to literally
because it is such a grave condition,” says Dr. Chiesa. “Knowing that
save more lives.”
early recognition and rapid treatment are the key to survival, our goal
“
SEPSIS MORTALITY RATES (LOWER % IS BETTER)
WE HAVE EXCELLENT SURVIVAL RATES
FOR SEPSIS … WE ARE BETTER THAN 90 PERCENT OF ALL U.S. HOSPITALS.
St. Clair Hospital is among the nation’s leaders in reducing sepsis-related mortalities.
”
NICOLETTE E. CHIESA, M.D.
The task force, which continues to meet regularly, consists of key clinical leaders, including co-chairs Jason M. Biggs, M.D., Chair of Emergency Medicine at St. Clair, and Gregory Fino, M.D., Co-Director
12.11%
of Critical Care at St. Clair, as well as a multidisciplinary team of fellow professionals. In developing its sepsis protocol, the task force researched and implemented the best evidence-based practices from the highest performing hospitals and medical centers across the nation. The
9.01%
resulting sepsis protocol is a set of standardized orders and interventions. It also includes an early alert system that takes advantage of St. Clair’s
7.07%
award-winning electronic medical records system. At set intervals throughout the day, the system searches for abnormal values in any of four parameters that are associated with sepsis: temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and white blood cell count. If two or more abnormal values are found on a patient’s record, the system automatically triggers an alert, which is sent to the charge nurse on that patient unit. The
ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL
TOP 10% IN THE NATION
Calendar Year 2014
10 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
PENNSYLVANIA AVERAGE Source: Crimson
charge nurse arranges for blood work to be drawn, and consults a nurse intensivist (a specially trained critical care nurse) who comes to the unit to assess the patient. If appropriate, the Hospital’s Rapid Response
A group of clinicians meets regularly to continually refine and enhance St. Clair Hospital’s sepsis protocol.
Team (consisting of a hospitalist physician,
St. Clair’s mortality rate for sepsis is 7.07%,
the effort, working together toward the goal of early recognition of sepsis.”
nurse intensivist, ICU nurse and respiratory
well below that of most hospitals (please see
therapist) is called to begin immediate treatment.
chart, page 10), and the sepsis protocol can be
The patient will most likely be transferred to
credited with having a significant impact on that,
all the data, statistics and charts that serve to
the Intensive Care Unit.
says Dr. Chiesa. “We have excellent survival
quantify hospital performance and quality of care
rates for sepsis. We’re in the top decile — the
have a much deeper meaning,” says Dr. Chiesa.
“Having the alert system automatically flag the
“Of course, it can never be forgotten that
electronic medical record of any patient with the
top 10 percent — nationally, meaning we are
“They represent the lives of real people — people
clinical changes was key,” says Dr. Biggs. “If the
better than over 90 percent of all U.S. hospitals.
like Alison Weatherly, fighting for her life in the ICU,
goal is to identify sepsis, even mild cases, this
It’s a Hospital-wide achievement that includes
and her parents, keeping their heart-wrenching
system alerts us so that early treatment and
everyone. We achieved this because all the
vigil. For them, St. Clair’s quality will always be
closer monitoring can take place.”
departments and disciplines are engaged in
defined in personal, human terms.” n
Early recognition of sepsis sometimes begins even before the patient arrives at the ER, adds Dr. Biggs. Emergency Medical Services
NICOLETTE E. CHIESA, M.D.
organizations in the area are aware of St. Clair’s
Dr. Chiesa earned her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. She completed a residency in internal medicine at UPMCPresbyterian Hospital. Dr. Chiesa is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She serves as Associate Chief Medical Officer and is the current President of the Medical Staff at St. Clair Hospital. Dr. Chiesa practices in Kirwan Heights with Preferred Primary Care Physicians, Inc.
increased focus on sepsis, and play a key role in recognizing the early, subtler signs of emergent conditions and initiating life-saving care, such as fluid resuscitation. The Hospital’s protocol was tested with a pilot program in the Emergency Room. When Alison
To contact Dr. Chiesa, please call 412.257.2050.
came to St. Clair’s ER last September, the sepsis protocol proved to be a lifesaver. “This was an atypical case,” says Dr. Chiesa. “You don’t expect to see severe sepsis in one so young and healthy. The protocol worked: she was admitted, received early treatment and survived.” SEPSIS AND MORTALITY Mortality rate is a major indicator of a hospital’s quality of care. Mortality rate is simply
JASON M. BIGGS, M.D. Dr. Biggs earned his medical degree at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He completed a residency in emergency medicine at UPMC. Dr. Biggs is board-certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He serves as Chair of Emergency Medicine at St. Clair Hospital.
the number of deaths in a particular population, such as patients with sepsis.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 11
YOUR PRIMARY CARE MATTERS
EALTH YOUR IS OUR PRIMARY CARE
12 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
Primary Care Physicians Play Leading Role in Region’s and U.S.’s Healthcare Systems
Q
uality healthcare begins in the office of a primary care physician (PCP). Primary care physicians, either those trained in internal medicine or family medicine, are usually a patient’s first contact with the healthcare system, and they provide the overwhelming majority of care to all segments of the U.S. population. PCPs are critically important to patients, hospitals and the healthcare industry. To their patients, they are trusted, expert advisors who help them to get healthy, stay healthy and cope with serious illness and chronic conditions; to hospitals like St. Clair, they serve as frontline diagnosticians and the air traffic controllers of the healthcare team; and to the entire healthcare system, they are the backbone, emerging in the current national healthcare environment as essential to solving complex problems of access and quality. So valuable are PCPs, says one national expert, that it is primary care that has the capacity to transform the U.S. healthcare system, leading it to optimal performance as a patient-centered system of the highest quality. “Our healthcare system is built upon and relies upon a network of PCPs,” Shawn Martin, Vice President for Practice Advancement and Advocacy of the American Academy of Family Physicians, tells HouseCall. “In fact, 55 percent of all physician visits are to a PCP. They are important to our national healthcare goals of improved prevention, higher quality care for individuals and populations, reduced spending and increased satisfaction. Investing in PCPs is the key to meeting both individual and national healthcare goals.” The value of primary care to the healthcare system has been underscored by two major 2014 reports that are a clarion call for investing in primary care. The Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative, overseen by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, showed that primary care practices significantly reduce spending in the three highest cost areas: hospitalizations, emergency department visits and specialist visits. The Patient-Centered Medical
Home’s Impact on Cost and Quality study, from the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative, showed similar cost reductions and also demonstrated that those savings are sustainable over a long period of time. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there are 210,000 PCPs in practice in the United States. Primary care physician is the umbrella term for doctors who practice family medicine (patients of all ages) or internal medicine (patients 18 and older). To their patients, PCPs represent a “home base,” where they provide preventive care, in the form of screenings, annual exams and immunizations, and help patients identify, avoid and mitigate health risks. They diagnose, treat, counsel, teach, refer to specialists and coordinate care among those specialists. They view each patient as a partner, with whom they develop a collaborative and ongoing relationship. PCPs help keep patients healthy, bring them through the crisis of illness, and support their healthy aging. Along with medical expertise and efficient care, PCPs also provide humanity: personal warmth; wisdom that comes with practical experience; and empathy. Shawn Martin, the VP at the American Academy of Family Physicians, says primary care is in the midst of a renaissance, and it is largely being driven by the doctor-patient relationship. “This one is different from the revivals in the past that were driven by economic incentives. There is greater connectivity today between the doctor and the patient; patients are far more connected to their doctors and view the relationship in more positive terms.” Given PCPs’ integral and invaluable role in the healthcare system, HouseCall recently sat down to talk with a number of St. Clair Hospital’s primary care physicians to glean their respective insights on what being a PCP means to each of them, and to their patients.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 13
YOUR PRIMARY CARE MATTERS Continued from page 13
“ TRUST HAS TO BE EARNED.” G. ALAN YEASTED, M.D.
P
You earn the patient’s trust through your
office feeling better, or with a problem solved, it
called “family physicians” or
competence. Competence is crucial — PCPs
gives me great satisfaction. The hours may be long,
“personal doctors” — terms that
must have a large knowledge base, being
but when you enjoy what you do it isn’t tiring.
rimary care physicians were once
reflect the relationships that are the
knowledgeable about every organ system and
Few jobs can give you the kind of rewards that
essence of this medical specialty.
up-to-date on everything new. You have to keep
this one does.” As St. Clair’s Chief Medical Officer and a PCP
To the physicians who practice primary care,
learning, staying abreast of all the advances in
the doctor-patient relationship is paramount:
drugs, technology and medical science. You
himself, Dr. Yeasted is well aware of the importance
it enables partnership with patients, creates
also have to be confident; that inspires trust.”
of PCPs to St. Clair Hospital. “We advise a large
mutual respect and even facilitates diagnosis.
Dr. Yeasted, who maintains an office in the
number of people in the greater Pittsburgh area,
Most of all, say a number of PCPs on the medical
St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center–Village
including which specialists to see. St. Clair is
staff of St. Clair Hospital, that relationship is the
Square in Bethel Park to see his patients,
able to provide advanced specialty care and
source of the deep and fulfilling sense of personal
believes that excellent communication skills
diagnostics, and the PCPs recommend patients
satisfaction that made them want to become
are among the most important qualities of a
to St. Clair for that care. A PCP influences
physicians in the first place.
good PCP. “Listening well, and having a good
where and from whom a patient will receive
understanding of human nature, is essential.
care for other problems.” Good relationships
You need to be a bit of a psychologist.”
between PCPs and medical specialists foster
It’s a matter of trust, says G. ALAN YEASTED, M.D., a primary care physician who is also Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
Although the demands on PCPs are strenuous,
at St. Clair. Trust is the essence of the physician-
Dr. Yeasted loves his work and considers it a
patient relationship, he believes, and that trust
vocation. “I’m invigorated by going to work and
has to be earned. “It’s a unique relationship.
seeing patients. When a patient walks out of my
better coordination of care, and that translates into higher quality, adds Dr. Yeasted. “A PCP is a colleague, a friend, a co-worker, an advisor and a partner,” says Dr. Yeasted. “A PCP helps you stay healthy, directs the care when you are sick, and helps you recover to keep you healthy. A PCP is involved in every stage, from the office to the hospital to long-term care and recovery. The best way to maintain good health and have a good outcome when you are sick is to maintain a good relationship with your primary care physician.” G. ALAN YEASTED, M.D, FACP Dr. Yeasted earned his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh. Dr. Yeasted is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He serves as Chief Medical Officer of St. Clair Hospital, and also maintains a private practice in Bethel Park. To contact Dr. Yeasted, please call 412.572.6066.
14 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
“I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR PATIENTS DURING DIFFICULT TIMES.” NINA M. FATIGATI, M.D.
N
INA M. FATIGATI, M.D. had
he still is. He has a wealth of experience and
mutual respect among PCPs and specialists
no hesitation about becoming a
knowledge, and I love having him as my mentor.”
that she has found at St. Clair. “St. Clair is a
primary care physician. Growing
Dr. Fatigati, whose relationship with St. Clair
phenomenal hospital, patient-centered and
up in the South Hills, she was a
includes having worked as a junior volunteer at
high quality. I love working with people who
daily witness to the rewards and
the Hospital while in high school, says patients
share my values. Everyone works together
challenges of the field: her father, MARIO
seem to have an immediate level of comfort
for the benefit of the patient.”
FATIGATI, M.D., is a well-regarded PCP in the
with their PCPs. “You become a familiar figure
region with a large group practice, Fatigati-
to them and they trust you. You know their
NINA MARIE FATIGATI, M.D.
Nalin Associates, which is a division of St. Clair
problems, and you’re an advocate for them
Medical Services. Nina Fatigati joined the practice
during difficult times and transitions. That’s
in 2014, and when not rounding on hospitalized
reassuring to the patient, particularly when
patients at St. Clair, is seeing patients every day
the American healthcare system can feel a
at her office in the St. Clair Hospital Outpatient
little overwhelming.”
Dr. Fatigati earned her medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She completed a residency in internal medicine at UPMC. Dr. Fatigati is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She practices in Peters Township with Fatigati-Nalin Associates, a division of St. Clair Medical Services.
Center–Peters, in neighboring Washington County. “My dad was a great role model and
Dr. Fatigati, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, appreciates the
To contact Dr. Fatigati, please call 724.731.0090.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 15
YOUR PRIMARY CARE MATTERS Continued from page 15
“ I FEEL LIKE THE CONDUCTOR OF A SYMPHONY.”
N
NALINA PRABHU, M.D., FACP Like her colleagues, Dr. Prabhu most
ALINA PRABHU, M.D., FACP
a calling. “I always wanted to be a doctor, and
chose primary care because
this work is so satisfying. Primary care may
she likes taking care of the
appear unexciting, but it’s never boring to me.
has patients who have been with her for 30
whole patient. “Primary care is
You have to have the personality for it.” PCPs,
years. “I think patients feel safe with their
values the relationships with patients, and
Dr. Prabhu believes, recognize that patients
PCP. They like to say, ‘This is my doctor,’
come to us with a broad range of problems; we
are seeking a human connection. “You are
especially when they are hospitalized and
treat conditions in every organ system, including
there for them, in difficult times; you learn to
seeing unfamiliar doctors. I love it when I am
many complex and co-morbid conditions.
consider their perspective. You ask the right
making rounds at St. Clair and I walk into my
When we refer a patient to a specialist, we
questions and listen well — a diagnosis can
patient’s room and see their face light up.
remain involved and help the patient understand
often be made by attentive listening. You have
It’s humbling and gratifying.”
the specialist’s recommendations; we coordinate
to do what’s right for the patient.”
more comprehensive. Patients
and collaborate with the specialist. As a PCP,
There are frustrations and challenges,
I sometimes feel like the conductor of a
she acknowledges. “A PCP has to be willing
symphony: I bring all the parts together into
to put in long hours and be on call a lot. You
a cohesive whole.”
must be conscientious about all the tests,
Dr. Prabhu, who shares an office and
reports and paperwork, which can be time
practice with her physician husband,
consuming. Primary care is demanding
ANIL PRABHU, M.D., views her work as
and tough.”
16 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
NALINA PRABHU, M.D., FACP Dr. Prabhu earned her medical degree at Kasturba Medical College, India. She completed an internship and residency at St. Francis Medical Center, Pittsburgh. Dr. Prabhu is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, and practices in Mt. Lebanon with Prabhu Primary Care, P.C. To contact Dr. Prabhu, please call 412.531.7330.
“ I AM THERE TO SERVE MY PATIENTS.” ROCCO J. ADAMS, M.D.
R
OCCO J. ADAMS, M.D. has a solo
defined by the patient. “Patients want good
Dr. Adams says his daily experiences with
practice based in Brentwood,
communication, empathy and compassion.
patients reinforce his decision to be a primary care
where he has multiple generations
Listening well is how you can best provide those
physician. “I was interested in every discipline as a
of families among his patients.
things. I try to give down-to-earth explanations,
medical student,” he recalls. “I’m happy that I
about why they are having this test and what the
chose to be a PCP, and I would do it all again. I
results mean. I always ask my patients about
encourage medical students to strongly consider
PCP: the relationships with patients. I guide my
their personal lives; I’m genuinely interested
becoming one. There is a great need for PCPs.”
patients through difficult life situations; it can
and I am convinced that it helps in diagnosing
be emotionally challenging, but you have to be
what is ailing them.”
“Sometimes I feel like part of the
family,” he says. “It’s the best part of being a
there when they need you. A good PCP is reliable
When his patients are hospitalized at St. Clair,
and available: I never turn off my cell phone and
Dr. Adams sees them on a daily basis. “My
I return calls as quickly as possible. I feel that
patients are used to me coming to see them in
I am there to serve my patients. With a solo
the Hospital and they expect it. I know the
practice, I’m always on call, but you get used
hospitalists (physicians who provide round-
to that. It’s simply my life. I chose this.” Dr. Adams believes that quality healthcare is
the-clock care within the Hospital) at St. Clair. They’re excellent.”
ROCCO J. ADAMS, M.D. Dr. Adams earned his medical degree at Autonomous University of Guadalajara, Mexico. He completed an internship and residency at St. Francis Medical Center, Pittsburgh. Dr. Adams is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He practices in Whitehall with Rocco J. Adams, M.D., LLC. To contact Dr. Adams, please call 412.884.8233.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 17
YOUR PRIMARY CARE MATTERS Continued from page 17
“ PATIENTS COME TO ME FOR REASSURANCE.” ASHITH MALLY, M.D.
A
SHITH MALLY, M.D. is a primary
need to be able to tell me about it and for that
make healthcare choices, says Dr. Mally. “These
care physician who finds his work
to happen, they have to feel they can trust me.
things relieve some of the stress when you are
to be immensely satisfying, and
Without that trust, their anxiety will not go away
ill and going to see the doctor. Attention to
explains it in the simplest terms:
and the blood pressure may remain elevated.”
these details makes the patient feel cared for. You may have a world class healthcare system,
“I’m a doctor. I care for my patients.
Dr. Mally and his associates DRS. WALTER
I know them well.” He agrees with his colleagues
ROBISON and STEPHANIE COLODNY recently
but if it is difficult to navigate, the patient may
that strong, ongoing relationships with patients
welcomed a new physician, SUPRITHA A.
get stressed, and that stress can delay recovery
are at the heart of primary care. “My patients
SHETTY, M.D., to their practice, Preferred
want me to know them in a personal way,” he
Primary Care Physicians, at their office at
says. But he sees an additional, clinical dimension
St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center–Peters.
to having relationships with patients.
She joined in January, and Dr. Mally says he
“I can make a better diagnosis when I know
will encourage her to spend time getting to
my patient. Personal aspects of illness come
know patients in order to be better able to guide
into play and often, when a person comes to
them through the maze of medical services.
me, they really need to talk to me, about their
“That’s how you build relationships. It helps to
fears or losses. Perhaps their blood pressure is
know their history and their personal situation.”
elevated because there is crisis happening
Although relationships are key, even external
within the family. The patient comes to me for
factors like easy access and a comfortable,
reassurance, not just for a prescription. They
welcoming environment, matter when patients
18 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
and healing.” n
ASHITH MALLY, M.D. Dr. Mally earned his medical degree and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Kasturba Medical College, India. He completed an internship at St. Barnabas Hospital, New York, and a residency at Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh. Dr. Mally is board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He practices in Peters Township with Preferred Primary Care Physicians, Inc. To contact Dr. Mally, please call 724.941.8877.
ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS AND PRACTICES Rocco J. Adams, M.D., LLC 3000 Brownsville Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15227 412.884.8233 Rocco J. Adams, M.D. Adiba S. Ahmed, M.D. 2101 Greentree Rd., Ste. A-103 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 412.279.2020 Adiba S. Ahmed, M.D. Banksville Medical, P.C. 2508 Banksville Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15216 412.341.6650 Charles F. Diederich, M.D. Roy M. Beerel, M.D. 1370 Washington Pike, Ste. 206 Bridgeville, PA 15017 412.257.3395 Roy M. Beerel, M.D. Bhavank Doshi, M.D., LLC 1000 Bower Hill Rd., Ste. 312 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.381.1949 Bhavank V. Doshi, M.D. Fort Pitt Senior Health Care Associates 393 Vanadium Rd., Ste. 307 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.232.8494 John M. Prendergast, M.D. Internal Medicine/ Richard Gobao, M.D., LLC 393 Vanadium Rd., Ste. 307 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.279.5372 Richard A. Gobao, M.D. Shabbir Lakdawala, M.D. 2912 Glenmore Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15216 412.563.1132 Shabbir Lakdawala, M.D. Medi-Help 1691 Washington Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15228 412.835.6900 Bora Janicijevic, M.D. Nenad Janicijevic, M.D. Nikolai Zdrale, M.D. James M. Moretti, M.D. 2589 Washington Rd., Ste. 423 Pittsburgh, PA 15241 412.835.5304 James M. Moretti, M.D.
Prabhu Primary Care, P.C. 1050 Bower Hill Rd., Ste. 301 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.531.7330 Anil Prabhu, M.D. Nalina Prabhu, M.D. Preferred Primary Care Physicians, Inc. 102 Broadway Ave., Ste. 100 Carnegie, PA 15106 412.279.0320 William Bader, M.D. 1050 Bower Hill Rd., Ste. 202 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.572.6122 Barry Austin, D.O. Kimberly Anne Hewitt, D.O. Raman S. Purighalla, M.D. 1145 Bower Hill Rd., Ste. 204 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.276.3050 Khattar Aizooky, M.D. Mai Yousef, M.D. 1168 Washington Pike Bridgeville, PA 15017 412.257.2050 Nicolette E. Chiesa, M.D. Donald E. McFarland, D.O. 2375 Greentree Rd. Carnegie, PA 15106 412.276.1560 Frank A. Civitarese, D.O. Louis A. Civitarese, D.O., MMI David C. Garretson, D.O., FAAFP Michael J. Speca, D.O. 313 Barr St. McDonald PA, 15057 724.926.3320 Michael J. Speca, D.O 300 Fleet St., Ste. 100 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 412.920.0400 Richard J. Egan, Jr., M.D. Joshua B. Goldman, D.O. Ewa M. Hozakowska, M.D. 3400 South Park Rd. Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.835.6653 Uma Purighalla, M.D. 363 Vanadium Rd., Ste. 202 Pittsburgh, PA 15243 412.279.9900 John G. Yaros, M.D.
3928 Washington Rd., Ste. 220 McMurray, PA 15317 724.941.8877 Stephanie Colodny, M.D. Ashith Mally, M.D. Walter J. Robison, M.D. Supritha A. Shetty, M.D. 1039 Brookline Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15226 412.561.3452 Stephanie Colodny, M.D. Ashith Mally, M.D. Walter J. Robison, M.D. Supritha A. Shetty, M.D. 2000 Oxford Dr., Ste. 220 Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.831.1522 John L. Bobby, D.O. Kevin G. Kotar, D.O. Premier Personal Healthcare, Concierge Practice 2000 Oxford Dr., Ste. 440 Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.833.2233 Joel D. Warshaw, M.D. Lawrence J. Purpura, M.D. 1206 Brookline Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15226 412.344.8900 Lawrence J. Purpura, M.D. South Allegheny Internal Medicine, P.C. 2000 Oxford Dr., Ste. 302 Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.854.5491 John E. Popovich, M.D. St. Clair Medical Services DeGiovanni Montini Associates 717 Washington Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15228 412.341.7887 Lesley DeGiovanni, M.D. John Montini, M.D. Dobkin/Riccelli Associates 250 Mt. Lebanon Blvd., Ste. 306 Pittsburgh, PA 15234 412.563.5560 Larry A. Dobkin, M.D. Antonio M. Riccelli, M.D. Fatigati-Nalin Associates 3928 Washington Rd., Ste. 280 McMurray, PA 15317 724.731.0090 Nithin V. Bhandarkar, D.O. Nicholas P. DiTullio, M.D. Mario J. Fatigati, M.D. Nina M. Fatigati, M.D.
5187 Library Rd. Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.835.4886 M. Sabina Daroski, M.D., FACP Joseph P. Endrich, M.D. James P. McDowell, D.O. 1025 Washington Pike Bridgeville, PA 15017 412.221.3377 Cynthia P. Butler, D.O. Nicholas P. DiTullio, M.D. Daniel B. Erlanger, D.O. Mario J. Fatigati, M.D. James P. McDowell, D.O. 733 Washington Rd., Ste. 401 Pittsburgh, PA 15228 412.343.1770 Cynthia P. Butler, D.O. M. Sabina Daroski, M.D., FACP Daniel B. Erlanger, D.O. Mario J. Fatigati, M.D. Robert E. McMichael, III, D.O. John E. Love, D.O. Family Practice 1626 Potomac Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15216 412.531.7020 John E. Love, D.O. Johnston Internal Medicine 2000 Oxford Dr., Ste. 302 Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.471.3061 Robert T. Johnston, M.D. Mt. Lebanon Internal Medicine 300 Cedar Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15228 412.561.1484 Karl E. Bushman, M.D., FACP Aimee K. Marmol, M.D. Carol Showalter Myron, M.D. David R. Sacco, M.D. Beth Ann Schneider, M.D. Sapna Vasudevan, M.D. Samuel Urick, D.O. 5482 Campbells Run Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15205 412.494.3339 Samuel Urick, D.O. G. Alan Yeasted, M.D., FACP 2000 Oxford Drive, Ste. 303 Bethel Park, PA 15102 412.572.6066 G. Alan Yeasted, M.D., FACP Anisa S. Yunus, M.D. 6000 Steubenville Pike, Ste. 103 Robinson, PA 15136 412.490.7440 Anisa S. Yunus, M.D.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 19
ASK THE DOCTOR
Ask the Doctor MATTHEW S. COOPER, D.O.
Q A
When I’m sick or hurt, how do I know whether to go to St. Clair Hospital’s Emergency Room or to St. Clair Urgent Care? Other common ailments and conditions treated at
Indeed, there is a distinction between the two. So making the right decision on where to go will help save precious
St. Clair Urgent Care are:
time and ensure you receive care in the appropriate setting. If you are having chest pain, or believe you are experiencing
• Allergies and asthma
• Fever
stroke symptoms, the appropriate destination is the
(breathing treatments and
• Skin rashes/infections
Emergency Room (ER). Time is of the essence, and
intramuscular steroids
• Stomach ailments
are available)
• Urinary tract infections
prompt treatment could be life saving. Call 911. Do not attempt to drive yourself to the ER. If you fall, hit your head, and lose consciousness at
• Colds, pneumonia and flu
some point, again, go directly to the ER. Patients on blood
(rapid strep testing
Also available:
available)
• Flu shots
thinning medicines like Coumadin (Warfarin) or Plavix
• Cuts requiring stitches
(Clopidogrel) are at particular risk from head injuries.
• Earaches
Other injuries and conditions that demand ER attention include deep lacerations with heavy bleeding, suspicion
• Nose bleeds • Eye infections
of a blood clot in your arm or leg, moderate to severe burns, and seizures. Moreover, severe abdominal pain or bleeding from the rectum requires a more detailed “work up” and medical imaging provided through the ER. St. Clair Urgent Care is designed to handle a wide range of other, less severe injuries and illnesses. Urgent Care is staffed by board-certified Family Medicine physicians, so we are trained to treat children four months and older, as well as teens and adults. My colleagues and I treat minor to moderately severe bodily injuries from falls or accidents and can diagnose fractures, sprains and strains. All X-rays, whether involving a bone or the chest, are first interpreted by the physician on duty and then by a radiologist on staff at St. Clair Hospital.
MATTHEW S. COOPER, D.O. Dr. Cooper earned his medical degree at LECOM. He completed his residency in Family Medicine at UPMC-Shadyside. Dr. Cooper is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and practices at St. Clair Urgent Care.
20 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
(rapid UTI testing available)
• Coughs and sore throats
Matthew S. Cooper, D.O.
• Sports physicals
“
ST. CLAIR URGENT CARE IS DESIGNED TO HANDLE A WIDE RANGE OF INJURIES AND ILLNESSES. MATTHEW S. COOPER, D.O.
”
While we routinely send follow-up reports to your personal physician, an added benefit for those patients whose physician is affiliated with St. Clair Hospital is that St. Clair Urgent Care is designed to integrate with our primary care and specialty networks, thereby providing continuity of care. And with our advanced electronic medical records system, a summary of a patient’s visit to Urgent Care can easily be accessed electronically by the patient’s primary care physician. Lastly, we are open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the week, and open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on major holidays. No appointment is necessary. St. Clair Urgent Care accepts most major health
insurances and can fill select prescriptions on-site. n
St. Clair Urgent Care is located on the ground level of St. Clair Hospital Outpatient Center– Village Square, 2000 Oxford Drive, Bethel Park. To contact St. Clair Urgent Care, please call 412.942.8800.
An interior view of St. Clair Urgent Care.
An exterior view of St. Clair Urgent Care, located just across Ft. Couch Road from South Hills Village.
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 21
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
St. Clair Hospital Ranks No. 1 in Pittsburgh Region in a Host of Clinical Categories
A
s recently reported in the Pittsburgh Business
care, as well as in nine other categories. CareChex
Times (PBT), a study distributed by the
offers a composite evaluation of all components of
Pittsburgh Business Group on Health (PBGH)
medical quality, including process of care, outcomes
to its members has named St. Clair Hospital among
of care, and patient experiences. “We tend not to make
the Pittsburgh region’s top hospitals for medical
healthcare decisions based on quality as much as we
excellence in a number of categories. The study,
should,” PBGH Executive Director Jessica Brooks told
performed by Comparion Medical Analytics’ CareChex
the PBT. “The goal is to help employees be truly
division, ranked St. Clair No. 1 for overall hospital
ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL RANKED
1
#
smart consumers.” n
IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION FOR:
OVERALL SURGICAL CARE OVERALL HOSPITAL CARE
VASCULAR SURGERY
MAJOR BOWEL PROCEDURES GALL BLADDER REMOVAL
22 I HouseCall I Volume VII Issue 1
ORTHOPEDIC CARE
GENERAL SURGERY
CANCER CARE
GASTROINTESTINAL CARE
PNEUMONIA CARE
MOST WELCOME
M
elvin D. Rex, former president of the Board of Directors of St. Clair Hospital, poses in front of a
new sign designating the First Floor information
desk the Melvin D. Rex Welcome Center to honor his years
of dedicated service to the Hospital. Mel first joined the board in 1993 and had served as chairman the last eight years, the longest anyone has ever served in that position in the Hospital's 60-year history. The Upper St. Clair resident was awarded with a framed resolution and a wood gavel at a ceremony to mark the unveiling of the sign at his last meeting as a member of the board. The new chairman is David R. Heilman. n
St. Clair Hospital Receives 2014 HIMSS Enterprise Davies Award
A
dding to its growing list of awards for health
and patient satisfaction scores increased to the 99th
information technology, St. Clair Hospital has
percentile from the 14th.
been named a 2014 HIMSS Enterprise Davies
The enhancement of its information technology also helped St. Clair provide pneumonia vaccinations,
Award recipient. Since 1994, the HIMSS Nicholas E. Davies Award
since 2012, to nearly 100 percent of at-risk patients.
of Excellence has recognized outstanding achievement
“We’ve had a long-term concentrated focus to
of organizations that have utilized health information
better serve our patients through the use of systems
technology to substantially improve patient outcomes.
and technology that enable us to deliver safe, high-
St. Clair was
quality care,” St. Clair Hospital Vice President and
cited for realizing
Chief Information Officer Richard J. Schaeffer told HIT
a broad range of
Consultant, a digital media platform that covers the
significant benefits
healthcare technology industry. The Davies Award, he
through the use
added, “reinforces our strategy of investing in technology
of information
that can be embraced with an organizational mindset
technology, including improving patient flow for patient
that the system will be improved on a continuous basis.
registration in its Emergency Room, where waiting room
As the system becomes more innovative and predictive,
times decreased to 4 minutes from 49 minutes, time to see a physician decreased to 28 minutes from 76 minutes,
it empowers our caregivers to deliver better outcomes
to benefit our patients.” n
Volume VII Issue 1 I HouseCall I 23
St.Clair Hospital 1000 Bower Hill Road Pittsburgh, PA 15243 www.stclair.org
General & Patient Information: 412.942.4000 | Physician Referral Service: 412.942.6560 | Medical Imaging Scheduling: 412.942.8150 Outpatient Center–Village Square: 412.942.7100 | Urgent Care–Village Square: 412.942.8800 | Outpatient Center–Peters Township: 412.942.8400
MAKE SURE ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL IS IN YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE NETWORK.
Health insurance in our region is changing rapidly. Fortunately, St. Clair Hospital makes navigating these changes easier because St. Clair participates with every major insurer in almost every product. That means ST. CLAIR IS AN IN-NETWORK PROVIDER for these insurers and products. And, if you have a health insurance product (like a high-deductible health plan) that requires you to share in the cost of paying for services, you’ll be pleased to know that ST. CLAIR IS OFTEN THE LOWEST COST PROVIDER. For more information, please call Customer Service at 412.344.3408 to speak to a St. Clair representative. For a complete list of insurers currently contracted with St. Clair to provide IN-NETWORK services to their members, please visit WWW.STCLAIR.ORG.
Thank you for supporting St. Clair Hospital!
The St. Clair Courtesy Vans Provide a Vital Service to the Community
Every gift has a direct and tangible benefit to our patients. A donation to the St. Clair Hospital Foundation may help a senior citizen secure a ride to receive treatment for cancer, help a patient buy a prescription medication, or provide mammograms for the uninsured. Some funds supported by the Foundation include: • Patient Assistance Fund: Helps eligible patients to pay for home care services, prescription drugs, and other medically necessary items. • Courtesy Van Service: This is a free, need-based service available to area residents who require rides to and from the Hospital and its affiliate locations. Your gifts provide for new vehicles and fleet maintenance. The Courtesy Van Service recently added two vehicles, bringing its fleet of vans to eight. (More details at right.) • Family Birth Center Fund: Gifts directed here are used for facilities, programs and equipment, including new bottle warmers.
IN 2014 WE TRANSPORTED MORE THAN
10,000 PATIENTS
TRAVELING OVER
125,000 MILES
• St. Clair Hospital Fund: Gifts support critical patient programs and services. If you are interested in making a gift to support patients at St. Clair Hospital, please use the envelope included in this issue of HouseCall. To make a gift securely online, please visit the Foundation on the web at www.stclair.org/giving. Or if you would prefer to make your gift via phone, please call 412.942.2465.
HouseCall
MAKING MORE THAN
14,000 TRIPS The fleet of eight vehicles runs Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., transporting eligible passengers between home and St. Clair’s medical facilities. Call 412.942.6157 for more information. The Courtesy Van Service is just one of many projects that is supported by the St. Clair Hospital Foundation.
is a publication of St. Clair Hospital. Articles are for informational purposes and are not intended to serve as medical advice. Please consult your personal physician.
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