60
C E L E B R AT I N G
YEARS
“
We have leading technology and excellent care, which attract the best and brightest doctors.
”
G. ALAN YEASTED, M.D. CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
G. Alan Yeasted, M.D. with the Hospital’s first-ever patient Antonietta Daris Menke.
Continued from page 25
victims to the emergency rooms, because traffic was so bad at the Liberty Tunnels. It made it clear that the South Hills needed its own emergency room and hospital. The founders recognized this and created St. Clair to meet that need.” St. Clair continues to do exactly that, he says, although with a level of sophistication that the founders could not have imagined. “St. Clair is often distinguished by the Heart Center, Cancer Center and the Emergency Department. Cardiac and cancer care are two services that you want to have as close to home as possible. Cardiac care is one of the most important services a hospital can offer a community, and the Heart Center at St. Clair is outstanding. In order to deliver these services at our level of quality, you need to have support services, such as Infectious Disease and Radiology. “Our Emergency Department (ED) is extraordinary. The processes and environment are designed with a ‘lean engineering’ approach for efficiency and a patient-centered focus. Every room is identically equipped to enhance efficiency. The ED staff has great ‘esprit de corps,' the nursing staff is top-quality, and all of our physicians are board-certified.” Women and Children Services is also an essential service to the community, Dr. Yeasted says. “Patient satisfaction with maternity services is exceptionally high, and we will continue offering this service. We have excellent OBs, including some recent additions to the staff. We have 24/7 in-house pediatric coverage so a pediatrician is on hand for every delivery.” Dr. Yeasted also touts the Hospital’s new Breast Care Center at St. Clair’s Outpatient Center in Bethel Park. The 26 I HouseCall I Volume V Issue 4
center’s spa-like ambience is designed to provide patients a calm, warm environment amidst its state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging technology, including stereotactic biopsy and 3D breast tomosynthesis. He believes that St. Clair has numerous strengths that set it apart, not the least of which are its progressive care and highly credentialed physicians. “St. Clair was once seen as a small community hospital. Today, it’s an independent, acute care hospital providing high quality, advanced care to more than 480,000 residents of Western Pennsylvania. The core of our strength comes from our nurses and our growing number of leading physicians. We have low turnover among nurses, so the combination of longevity and experience means clinical excellence. We’re able to recruit phenomenal physicians. For doctors, St. Clair is ideal. We have leading technology and excellent care, which attract the best and brightest doctors.” St. Clair’s independence is a major strength. And the Hospital’s success, Dr. Yeasted believes, is fostered by stability in leadership. “We are fortunate to have had only three CEOs in our history — something quite rare. Our board of directors, who hire the CEO, had the foresight to make a deliberate decision regarding this, knowing that CEO turnover is not healthy for the facility.” Donald Orr, M.D., a radiologist and chair of the Hospital’s Medical Imaging department, has known and worked closely with Dr. Yeasted since 1980, and credits Dr. Yeasted’s leadership as CMO to the Hospital’s success. “Dr. Yeasted is St. Clair’s overall champion of quality. There are numerous examples of quality improvement initiatives for which he deserves credit: the addition of 24/7 intensivists for the critical care units; more robust, 24/7 in-house pediatric coverage; the expansion and development of the ED; and successfully establishing an Electrophysiology Lab at St. Clair. He plays a primary role in the recruiting of new doctors. He also plays a major role in regulatory compliance.” “St. Clair is a well-respected, independent hospital of superior quality,” Dr. Yeasted says. “The 60 year anniversary is wonderful, but it’s only the first 60 years. We have a very bright future.”