A Foundation of Support | May 2022 by Independence Health System

Excela Health Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute Milestones Promoting Safety for Newborns Continued Growth for Surgical Institute

May 2022

Expert Care. Here.

CONTENTS To Our Supporters Page 3

Excela Health Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute Milestones Page 4 to 5

Your Gifts at Work Page 6 to 7

New Surgical Device For Heart Patient Care Page 6

Promoting Safety for Newborns

Stay Connected Information on our foundations is easy to find! Visit ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations to view the main foundations page with up-to-date information, upcoming events and more. Want to read the most recent news articles, blog posts or event recaps? Click here and select “Excela Health Foundations” in the category drop-down menu. You may also connect with us via phone by calling 724-832-4140 to reach the Westmoreland/Frick Foundation office or 724-537-1925 to reach the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation office.

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Continued Growth for Surgical Institute Page 8 to 9

Thomas P. Gessner, MD Healthcare Scholarship Recipient Page 9

Board Member Spotlights Page 10

Create a Powerful Legacy Page 11

2 | A Foundation of Support

Supporting Excela Health’s Vision We will be a high quality, value-driven community health and wellness system. We will manage the health of the population we serve proactively. Our caregivers and our community will work together to prevent or manage disease with early intervention. We will improve continuously through education, communication and effective management. We will measure our progress by our communities’ willingness to recommend us and by performance in national quality standards. ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations

To Our Supporters, Philanthropy is powered by engaged volunteers and generous donors. At Excela Health, philanthropy is powered by you, and so many others just like you, and we are truly grateful. In this issue of Excela’s Foundation of Support, you will read how milestones are being reached and how donors are making a difference in patient care throughout the system. Both foundations are volunteer led which means that there will be changes in leadership over time. Philomena “Phil” Dymond is moving to emeritus status with the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation board. Phil first served as a Latrobe Hospital board member and then as a trustee and vice chair of the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation board. She is an inspirational voice in the community for our patients and for the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation. Sadly, Gerald “Jerry” Lucia and Charles “Chuck” Seamans passed away since our last issue. Both were very active in the community and were dedicated Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation trustees for nearly two decades. Richard Okonak is leaving the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation board after completing five years as a trustee. We are grateful to Rick for his thoughtful engagement with us. Dr. Thomas P. Gessner is stepping down as chair of the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation board on June 30, 2022. Dr. Gessner has served the board in multiple leadership roles. Dr. Gessner led the Campaign for Excellence, a capital campaign that exceeded its goal of $10 million by raising $11.3 million in support of the Family Medicine Residency program and Excela Square Latrobe. He will continue on as trustee of the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation. With deepest appreciation,

Al Novak, Vice President, Chief Philanthropy Officer

A Foundation of Support | 3

Excela Health Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute Milestones The Excela Health Heart, Lung & Vascular Institute has recently celebrated two major milestones in patient care. In February, Excela Health surpassed 100 WATCHMANTM Implant procedures and celebrated the first year of performing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).

WATCHMAN™ As many as 6 million Americans deal with atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, an irregular heartbeat that can cause complications like blood clots, stroke and heart failure. To guard against the likelihood of these occurring, doctors typically prescribe blood thinners, which come with their own risks, such as excessive or uncontrolled bleeding. The WATCHMAN™ implant offers an alternative to such medications. During the hour-long procedure, the doctor inserts a small catheter in the patient’s groin to implant the WATCHMAN™ device in the left atrial appendage without any surgery or incisions. Once the device is in place, heart tissue will grow over the implant to seal off the appendage and close it off from circulation so clots can no longer be formed in the structure. After 45 days, a cardiologist will perform a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) to confirm that there is no blood flow around the device and no clot on the device. The patient will then be able to eliminate the use of blood thinners.

4 | A Foundation of Support

“The biggest risk as A-fib progresses is the formation of a blood clot in the heart that can then travel to the brain and cause a stroke.” Bassel Sayegh, MD Excela Health Electrophysiologist ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations

While anti-clotting medications have been around for more than a century, the WATCHMAN™ has been available in the United States since 2015. Pictured above, this technology is the most studied and implanted left atrial appendage device in the world, and has been used to treat more than 150,000 patients in 75 countries.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is being performed on patients with symptomatic, severe aortic stenosis (narrowing or restriction of blood flow) at low, intermediate or high risk for standard valve replacement surgery. A TAVR typically takes less than an hour to complete, and patients can expect to spend less time in the hospital after TAVR compared to traditional surgical valve replacement. At Excela Health, the average length of stay is one day following TAVR.

Since the procedure was first available at Excela Health in February 2021, more than 130 patients have been evaluated for TAVR. Of those, 90 have already received their new valve or are scheduled for TAVR. Another seven patients were candidates for replacement heart valves but required surgical intervention. A handful of patients are being monitored for future consideration. In only one instance was valve replacement not recommended.

“Thanks to our expert team within the cardiovascular program, we have continued to identify patients who would benefit from minimally invasive procedures such as TAVR or other surgical interventions and care for them in a safe, efficient manner” said Carol J. Fox, MD, Excela Health’s Chief Medical Officer.

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New Surgical Device For Heart Patient Care Heart valve surgery can be especially difficult in patients with a large amount of calcification, where there is a heightened risk that the built-up plaque may break away and enter the blood stream and thus cause a stroke. Thanks to a $231,000 gift from the Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation, Excela Health cardiothoracic surgeons now have the CUSA® Clarity Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator System, pictured left along with Dr. Hiroyuki Tsukui, to help mitigate such risks, and benefit patients who might otherwise have been considered inoperable. “The addition of this technology is another reflection of the evolution and sophistication of our cardiovascular surgery program and our ability to care for the most complex of patients on a local basis.” noted Denise Addis, MSN, RN, CPHQ, Vice President of Cardiovascular Services at Excela Health.

Purchase of Patient Amenities for Frick Hospital Proceeds from the 2021 Frick Hospital Foundation Golf Classic were recently used to purchase over-the-bed tray tables, a bedside night stand, patient/caregiver communication whiteboards and medication storage boxes in all 33 inpatient rooms at Frick Hospital. Proceeds from previous Frick Hospital Foundation golf outings have been used to purchase DynaMap machines that monitor patient vital signs, furniture for family members, etc.

6 | A Foundation of Support

ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations

Promoting Safety for Newborns The Family Additions Maternity Center continues to receive support from the Foundations in various manners. Excela Health has long utilized sleep sacks in its Family Additions Maternity Center at Westmoreland Hospital to swaddle newborns in the hours after delivery. Now, all new parents will leave the hospital with a pair of sleep sacks to promote continuing safe sleep practices at home. The gift is made possible by ongoing support from the Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation. Beginning in 2022, the foundation will provide approximately $21,000 annually for the purchase of the monogrammed sleep sacks. Click here to learn more. In addition to its Safe Sleep certification, Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Maternity Hospital and was named a two-time recipient of Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospital. Click here to learn more.

$30,000 in Financial Contributions and Supplies for Relief Efforts in Ukraine “We are proud to be part of a worldwide effort to help alleviate suffering and provide much needed aid and comfort to the Ukrainian people,” said John Sphon, Excela Health CEO. “Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of every life we touch, and while we may not be physically present in eastern Europe, we can do our part to assure needs can be met.”

New Powered Air-Purifying Respirators Infectious diseases are an occupational risk to healthcare providers. Gifts to the Excela Health Foundations supported the purchase of 40 powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs). The Foundations' gift helped to augment the number of PAPRs available to Excela clinicians to aid in their response to a hazardous situation. The PAPR has become more familiar to patients seeking testing/treatment for COVID-19 at the height of the pandemic.

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Continued Growth for Excela Health Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital Continuing its longstanding support for community healthcare, the Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation has contributed $1.5 million toward the expansion of the Surgical Institute at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital. The gift was channeled through the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation and represents the McKenna Foundation’s single largest grant to the Health System thus far. The creation of the Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital is part of Excela Health’s alignment and enhancement of surgical services, with a focus on increasing the variety and scope of surgeries, particularly those related to cancer care. “We are grateful for the unflagging support of the McKenna Foundation as we seek to provide the best possible care to our community,” said John Sphon, Excela Health Chief Executive Officer. “This is a true community-healthcare partnership where vital resources become available and needs can be met.”

8 | A Foundation of Support

ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations

The Latrobe Area Hospital Aid Society recently made a $30,000 donation to the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation to benefit the Excela Health Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital. Since September 9, 2021, the Surgical Institute has completed more than 100 surgeries, expanded intensivist coverage and added a second robot. Presently, construction is underway for the addition of Excela Health Medical Group physician offices with a summer 2022 completion date.

Pictured: Excela Health Chief Philanthropy Officer, Al Novak; Clinical Coordinator of 2 West, Monica Krinock, RN, BSN; Medical Director for the Center for Lung and Thoracic Disease, Michael Szwerc, MD; Excela Health Chief Executive Officer, John Sphon and Latrobe Area Hospital Aid Society Officers: President, Jan Mills; Vice President, Sally Anne Novak; Treasurer, Debbie Newingham and Secretary, Roberta McCahan.

Thomas P. Gessner, MD Healthcare Scholarship Recipient Theresa Ann MacBlane, BSN, RN, is the latest recipient of the Thomas P. Gessner, MD Healthcare Scholarship. A registered nurse at Excela Latrobe Hospital, she received her Bachelor's degree from Carlow University where she is continuing to pursue her Master's as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Ms. MacBlane hopes to focus her career on the needs of the underserved including the LGBTQ community or those in rural settings. “Quality medical care is a right and everyone deserves access to a practitioner that is compassionate, well-trained and accessible to them and their family." Recognized as an Excela Health Employee of the Month, Ms. MacBlane is also a 2021 recipient of a $2,500 scholarship from the Westmoreland Hospital Auxiliary. The Gessner Scholarship, valued at $3,000, is given to an employee pursuing an advanced degree in a variety of specialties. Once Ms. MacBlane completes her education, she plans to augment an office or clinic practice with time spent in an Excela Health hospital setting, thus providing continuity within the healthcare system.

Read More A Foundation of Support | 9

Board Member Spotlights Jackie Horrall, PhD

Barbara Wang, MD, FACP

Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation

Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation

As a young child growing up in Jamaica, Jackie Horrall, PhD, was often sick or hospitalized and she recalls the tremendous effort required to maintain the precarious balance that kept the family out of poverty. After migrating to Florida in 1997 for graduate and doctoral studies, she accepted a faculty position at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

For more than 36 years, a doctor’s office examination room or hospital bedside was the place where Barbara Wang, MD, FACP, teased out the subtleties of patient diagnoses and family dynamics. Since her retirement in 2017, the forum in which she addresses healthcare needs has changed, but the reasons have not.

As Vice President for Academic Affairs at Pitt-Greensburg, she helped to facilitate the creation of the Center for Applied Research (CFAR), which has been the major partner to Excela Health in meeting its obligation to the IRS to complete a Community Health Needs Assessment. Likewise, as the Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Horrall has played a key leadership role in developing the University’s undergraduate degree program in Nursing which is likewise critical to Excela.

Dr. Wang has always encouraged the support of family and caregivers to help achieve a desired outcome for her patients, advice she has taken to heart. She and her husband, Bill Kennedy, were frequent visitors to Redstone during the time in which her mother was a resident. Now she is devoting much of her free time to caring for her grandchildren and watching them grow. “But the prospect of doing something meaningful for our community has been enticing, and I feel blessed to be able to participate in that as a member of the LAHCF board,” she added.

As a member of the Westmoreland/Frick Hospital Foundation board, she offers a global mindset from which to address diversity and disparity within academia, healthcare and the community. “Education and health go hand in hand,” she says. “When you improve a person’s health literacy, you improve overall well-being.”

10 | A Foundation of Support

Given the demographics of southwestern Pennsylvania, determining how best to serve an aging population and assuring that high-quality, appropriate medical care is readily available will be a primary goal as Dr. Wang works to further a community-healthcare partnership.

ExcelaHealth.org/Foundations

Create a Powerful Legacy A Planned Gift is a personal and meaningful contribution that affords you the opportunity to give in a way that will leave a lasting legacy for you and your family, as well as the thousands of patients and community members at Excela Health that will be influenced by your generosity.

Why Give? Your giving can support what matters most to you at Excela Health and the Foundations are here to help you leave a legacy for the people and priorities closest to your heart. Thousands of individuals benefit from the latest innovations that medical technology has to offer. Whether a bequest in your will, a beneficiary remainder of an IRA or a 401(k), a gift of appreciated assets like stocks or a tax smart opportunity that generates income for you and your loved ones, the possibilities to make a difference for the health and well-being of your family, friends and neighbors are endless for generations to come.

Naming Opportunities Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation presents a spectrum of attractive naming opportunities. These gifts will be acknowledged in a fashion consistent with the design and atmosphere of the facilities. These gifts can pay tribute - or memorialize - loved ones who received exceptional care at Latrobe Hospital. The naming right is for the life of the facility unless there is a substantial change to its use or it is rebuilt after a time period no sooner than 20 years from the time the naming right was recognized at the specific site.