Independence Health System Remains Top in Wellness
Independence Health System continues to be recognized as a leader in employee wellness, with its human resources programs once again honored by the Best and Brightest Program®. This is the seventh consecutive year Independence Health System Westmoreland area is ranked among the Nation’s Best and Brightest in Wellness winning companies in a program sponsored by the National Association for Business Resources. Only companies that distinguish themselves as having the most innovative wellness, well-being and human resource practices are bestowed this honor in 2023. This demonstrated success year over year as a national honoree within the healthcare sector will be advanced in the coming months as Independence Health System enhances employee engagement systemwide.
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Top Stories
Clarion Family Medicine Residency Graduation
Cardiovascular Program Reaches 25-Year Milestone at Butler Memorial Hospital
Latrobe Family Medicine Residency Graduation
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Keeping you connected. Expert Care. Here. JULY 27, 2023
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In Butler, Shapiro Administration Reiterates Commitment To Keeping Pennsylvanians Covered Amid Major Federal Changes To Medicaid
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh joined Pennsylvania Insurance Department Policy Director Katie Merritt and representatives from Independence Health System to highlight how the Shapiro Administration and community service centers are collaborating to support Pennsylvanians through federal changes to Medicaid and CHIP renewal requirements so they can complete their renewals, protect their health, and stay covered.
The federal public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic allowed for individuals to remain enrolled in Medicaid even if they became ineligible, except in certain circumstances. This is also known as the Medicaid continuous coverage requirement. A federal law ended the continuous coverage requirement on March 31, 2023. Now, all Pennsylvanians receiving Medicaid or CHIP must once again complete their annual renewal when it is due to determine if they are still eligible for coverage. No one will lose Medicaid or CHIP coverage without first having an opportunity to renew their coverage or update their information.
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Coming Soon...the Loop
The Loop is the new intranet site that will soon be available to Independence Health System Employees.
This custom-built site takes the most-utilized features of Jostle and EHWeb and combines them to give users an experience that combines utility with pleasing aesthetics. We appreciate your patience as we continue to fine tune the site.
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Independence Health System Cardiovascular Program Reaches
25-Year Milestone at Butler Memorial Hospital
Milestone at Butler Memorial Hospital Independence Health System continues to demonstrate its commitment to offering expert care locally as the cardiovascular program at Butler Memorial Hospital reaches its 25-year milestone this month. The Heart Center at Butler Memorial has been providing patients with high-quality screenings, prevention, treatment, cardiac rehabilitation, and surgical interventions for heart disease since its inception in July 1998 and continues to evolve in depth and breadth of technology and clinical expertise.
George Davliakos, MD, an experienced cardiovascular surgeon in private practice with Three Rivers Cardiac Institute in Pittsburgh, spearheaded the creation of the Heart Center at Butler Memorial and was named medical director of the program. He was instrumental in developing and training the hospital’s initial heart team and continues to lead the cardiothoracic service line at Butler and Clarion hospitals, now as a member of Butler Medical Providers, a multispecialty group serving Independence Health System-Butler area.
Healthy Connections - July
As a new Wellness initiative the Well-Being Center is promoting a monthly “Healthy Connections” flier. Each month it will highlight prevention, awareness, and holistic wellness topics to remind all of our employees of the benefits of participating in the Independence Health System Wellness Program.
The July issue highlights UV Safety Awareness Month. Learn More
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Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation
2023 Golf Outing
The Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation
Golf Outing was held Friday, June 16, 2023, at Ligonier Country Club. The event was a great success with a sold-out crowd attending. The event realized close to $80,000 in profits.
For the second year, proceeds will benefit the Surgical Institute at Latrobe Hospital to provide our patients the most advanced cancer treatment close to home.
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Kudos & Recognition
Dr. Sarah Treter did my hernia surgery in 2015 and one in March 2023. She is very knowledgeable and knows what she is doing. Dr Treter goes through everything thoroughly with you and gives you her best advice. She is so sweet, and I just love her. I can't say enough good things about her.
"I was very pleased with Butler Memorial hospital; it is a very clean facility. Delicious coffee shop in the lobby. Cafeteria had a decent breakfast. Very organized system for outpatient procedures. The doctors and nurses were all accommodating and kind."
July
l UV Safety Month
l Sarcoma and Bone Cancer Awareness Month
l National Therapeutic Recreation Week I 7/9-7/15
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Google Review
Google Review
New Clarion Hospital Residents
Independence Health System is proud to welcome our new Clarion Hospital Residents!
We would like to congratulate the following Family Medicine Residents Omais Ahmed, MD; Samee Alheraki, MD; Zubia Khan, MD; and Paul (Trip) Valigorsky III, MD.
New Latrobe Family Medicine Residents
Independence Health System is proud to welcome our new Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residents!
We would like to congratulate Gabrielle Beck, DO; Luke Egan, MD; Joshua Loucks, MD; Taylor Matlas, DO; Taylor Miller, MD; Lauren Nord, MD; Allison Silber, DO; Joshua Sokolowski, DO.
We would like to congratulate the following Transitional Year Residents Greeshma Chilukuri, MD; Lauren Dolney, DO; Mahreen Gilani, DO; and Megan Svoboda, DO.
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July 27, 2023
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Clarion Family Medicine Residency Graduation
On June 15th the Clarion Hospital hosted their annual resident graduation. We would like to congratulate the following Family Medicine Residents Derek Fritz, DO, Mohammad Obaidullah, DO, Saad Shaukat, DO, John Swords, DO and the following Transitional Year Residents Naaila Ali, DO, Kirk Huang, DO, Stefen Roth, DO, Grant Smyth, DO.
Upon graduating, Dr. Derek Fritz will be joining University Kansas Health System, Family Medicine. Dr. Mohammad Obaidullah will be joining Advocate Aurora in Milwaukee as a Hospitalist. Dr. Saad Shaukat will join Primary Care at Inova Health System. Dr. John Swords entered private practice with Palmetto Primary Care Physicians. He is also a Captain in the US Army and will continue his career in the Army Reserve under the Army Professional Management Command until transfer to a new unit in Columbia, SC. Dr. Naaila Ali became an Anesthesiology resident at St. Joseph’s University medical Center in New Jersey. Dr. Kirk Huang will be joining the Radiation Oncology program at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Dr. Stefen Roth became an Anesthesiology resident at Westchester Medical Center in New York. Dr. Grant Smyth became an Emergency Medicine resident at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.
July EAP
Parenting Questions Overcoming Parental Guilt: Available on Demand Starting July 18th Find out how to overcome parental guilt and continue to do your best.
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Latrobe Family Medicine Residency Graduation
Scholarship Recipients Explore Family Medicine at Independence Health System
Four aspiring family physicians are the recipients of this year’s Andrew D. Bagby Family Medicine Scholarship. Each participated in a month-long program this summer through Independence Health System and the Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program in which they gained inpatient and outpatient experience, in addition to exploring career options in primary care.
Eight physicians in the Latrobe Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program have completed their three-year specialty training.
The Bagby Scholarship was established by family and friends in memory of first-year resident Dr. Andrew Bagby, who died tragically in November 2001. The scholarship fund has increased substantially over the 20 years the scholarship has been awarded. It is supported by the Bagby family, as well as private donors, to give opportunities to aspiring family medicine physicians. The scholarship is administered by the Latrobe Area Hospital Charitable Foundation.
Three of the graduates will be remaining with Independence Health System - Dr. Milliken is joining Connellsville Family Medicine. Dr. Copeland is part of the hospitalists serving Latrobe Hospital. Dr. Casey is becoming an attending at Frick Family Medicine. Dr. Bealer and Dr. Porter are pursuing sports medicine fellowships at Auburn University and Wellspan York Hospital, respectively. Dr. Hirsch has joined a primary care practice in Lancaster. Dr. McGowan is headed to Altoona Hospital, and Dr. Kukura will be going to Indiana Regional Medical Center.
Participants include Tessa Brown and Ashley Hebenstreit Nichols who are enrolled at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) at Seton Hill University, Julianna Capo from LECOM-Erie and Kyeunghyeun Park, who completed medical school at Ewha Womans University College of Medicine.
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Pictured back row (left to right): Jessie Milliken, DO; Elliott Hirsch, DO; Shane Bealer, DO; Alexander Porter, DO, and Michael Semelka, DO, residency program director. Seated (left to right): Nancy Copeland, MD; Kate McGowan, DO; Emily Kukura, MD; and Abigail Casey, DO
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Thoracic Surgery Conference
Independence Health System providers from cardiac and thoracic surgery recently participated in the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Association for Physician Assistants in Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (APACVS) in St. Louis.
Nicole Larson PA-C was the co-chair of the thoracic surgery track, developing a 2-day curriculum for the conference and recruiting faculty to speak including leaders both in academic and community based thoracic surgery. Topics ranged from esophageal cancer to rib plating to new paradigms in lung cancer treatment presented by physicians and physician assistants from across the nation including Duke, Mt. Sinai in NYC and several faculty from Washington University in the host city of St. Louis.
Dr. Michael Szwerc participated as an invited speaker delivering a lecture focusing on the importance of community-based lung cancer screening programs and highlighting the success of the Advanced Lung Center for Lung Cancer Screening developed at Excela Health. Since its inception in 2016, the program has served over 6500 unique patients, performed over 18,300 scans, and diagnosed over 240 lung cancers that otherwise may not have been discovered until a much later stage. He also highlighted additional criteria that could potentially be factors in the future of screening, including family history and personal biomarkers.
Janeen Stepinsky PA-C served as faculty for the cardiac surgery boot camp workshop, leading fellow PAs of various experience levels in endoscopic vein harvesting and other surgical first assistant skills. She also sat on an advisory board for a panel on endoscopic radial and vein harvesting. Janeen has been a long standing active fellow member of APACVS, having previously served as secretary on the executive board as well as a member at large.
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