June 2022 Excela Health Among First in Nation to Use Innovative Technology to Identify Lung Cancer Page 2 Making Rounds with Excela Health Page 3 Provider Publications Page 4 & 5 Advances Continue in Excela Health Heart Program Page 4 Excela Health Orthopedic Surgeons Named Among Nation’s ‘Rising Stars’ and Top Doctors Page 6 Outpatient Diabetes Education Center Merits Continued Recognition From American Diabetes Association Page 7
Friends and Colleagues,
This time of year seems to be filled with clichés. It’s not the end, it’s a new beginning. We’re out of here! All good things must come to an end. And so, the end of my time as the President of the Medical Staff comes to an end as well. It has been 2+ years that I could have never predicted or imagined. And I don’t simply mean the COVID-19 pandemic. I represented you through the departure of the CEO, and the subsequent search that resulted in naming John Sphon as our leader. I provided input to a strategic plan process that began the development of the service line model, growth strategies and patient care improvement initiatives. I congratulated people doing well and tried to support those facing struggles. I asked many times for your help, and you never let me down. So many of you reached out to check and be sure I was ok. In my last letter to you, I’d like to leave you with a story. A story about my dad, and it occurs to me, some of you actually know him. I’ve learned many things from my dad, not just how to solve a math equation, or how to fix a dripping faucet, but through his example, lessons that continue to shape my life. You see, my dad told me a story about a professor from his college days. A professor that took a chance on him and wrote a letter of recommendation that encouraged a graduate program to consider that the measure of a successful student should be so much more than simply their knowledge of their textbooks. Over my life, this message grew, and blossomed into what has become my vision of success. What does it mean to succeed? As I’ve grown, I have settled on this. Success is unique, and different for each person. But it comes back to this; success is using your gifts and talents to improve the lives of those around you. And so, in closing, thank you for allowing me to represent you, the most truly successful group of people I know. Thank you for taking the mission of Excela Health to heart and striving to improve the health and well-being of every life we touch. Those coming after me are people I admire not only as clinicians, but as people who share in this hope to help others. I will continue to do my best to represent you well in all I do here. And I will always be honored that you trusted me with this responsibility.
Heather Walker, MD President, Excela Medical Staff
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Excela Health COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Closure The Excela Health Vaccine Clinic, formerly located in the Excela Square at Norwin plaza, is now closed. Vaccines can still be found close to home at local pharmacies and other locations. Patients can be instructed to find a COVID-19 vaccination location near them using www.vaccines.gov.
Excela Health Among First in Nation to Use Innovative Technology to Identify Lung Cancer A new innovation that holds promise in the fight against lung cancer is now in use at Excela Latrobe Hospital. A first-of-its-kind robotic technology, Auris Health’s MONARCH™ Platform will aid Excela thoracic surgeons in viewing hard-to-reach areas of the lungs and obtaining a tissue sample for biopsy of lung nodules, thus leading to earlier and more-accurate diagnosis of lung cancer.
Occupational Medicine Opens New Office in Greensburg Occupational Medicine recently celebrated the grand opening of their new office located at 443 Frye Farm Road, Upper Level in Greensburg. Learn about Occupational Medicine services here.
OB/GYN Online Education Class: Infant Safety Excela Health wants parents to be prepared and have peace of mind about caring for their infant whether a new or seasoned parent. The online Infant Safety class will help parents learn about child safety practices, including car seat rules and regulations, infant CPR techniques and more. This class is offered as an on-demand video. Nurses are available via telephone to answer any questions after watching the presentation. Patients can call the Excela Health Call Center at 1-877-771-1234 to register.
“Through the Advanced Lung Center cancer screening program at Excela, we have performed more than 15,000 low dose CT scans in an effort to identify patients who are high risk for developing lung cancer. With the addition of MONARCH, we now have another valuable diagnostic tool to help identify those patients who have early-stage lung cancer,” added Dr. Szwerc. Dr. Michael Szwerc, Medical Director of the Center for Lung, Esophageal and Thoracic Disorders at Excela Health was recently recognized as a Top Doctor by Castle Connolly. Castle Connolly Top Doctors is a healthcare research company and the official source for Top Doctors for the past 25 years. Dr. Szwerc was recognized publicly in Pittsburgh Magazine, which showcases the Castle Connolly regional listings annually. Learn More
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Making Rounds with Excela Health Making Rounds with Excela Health is a series of WebEx meetings designed to introduce our specialists and their procedures.
Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery Hiro Tsukui, MD, PhD View the Presentation Here
Migraines Mary Elizabeth Kovacik Eicher, MD View the Presentation Here
Breast Cancer Charis Venditti, MD View the Presentation Here
Bariatric Surgery BenFauzi El-Attrache, DO View the Presentation Here
Aortic Stenosis and TAVR Nevin Baker, DO, FACC, FASCAI View the Presentation Here
Heart Failure: New Pharmacotherapy and Device-Based Therapy for HF Sandeep Arora, MD, FHRS, CCDS View the Presentation Here
Helicobacter Pylori The Woes, Worries, Tips and Tricks Rupam Sharan, MD View the Presentation Here
Lung Cancer: Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Brian Lace, MD View the Presentation Here
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Provider Publications
Advances Continue in Excela Health Heart Program Excela Health marks another milestone in the evolution of its structural heart program as clinicians surpass 1,000 heart surgeries. This benchmark was reached in three years through the clinical expertise and technology added in 2019 to deepen the complexity of care available within the health system’s open-heart surgery program begun more than 25 years ago.
Colon Cancer: Earlier Screening Guidelines Rachelle Lynn Johns, MD The American Cancer Society has updated their guidelines for colorectal cancer screening. Everyone should undergo screening at the age of 45 rather than 50. This lower age guideline is for people at average risk for colon cancer. Read More During this same three-year time span, Excela’s cardiothoracic surgeons have been recognized by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), which ranks the health system’s heart surgery program among the top 2 percent nationwide.
Being Open with Your Health Care Provider Suzanne Elise Putnam, MD Coming out to your health care provider is an important step to being healthy. Many people are not aware that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people face unique health risks, such as higher smoking rates, a greater risk of suicide attempts, and a higher chance of getting certain sexually transmitted diseases. Read More
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“The mission of the Excela Health cardiovascular program is to provide advanced, highly sophisticated care across a wide spectrum of conditions with the highest clinical quality and the best patient experience,” affirmed Dr. Michael Culig. “Patients can have confidence that they are evaluated and treated expeditiously and followed carefully to ensure the best possible outcome based on their health needs.” Learn More
Interested in writing your own blog for the Excela Health website? Email us at Insight@excelahealth.org
Excela Health Marks First Year of Performing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacements
Provider Publications
In February Excela Health marked its first anniversary of offering minimally invasive aortic heart valve replacement as part of a widening array of procedures available to the residents of Westmoreland County within the Heart and Vascular Center at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital. “While the COVID public health crisis has overshadowed the day-to-day health needs of many within our community, we have remained vigilant in offering a variety of life-altering procedures to patients over this same period,” said Carol J. Fox, MD, Excela Health’s Chief Medical Officer.
Updated Screening Guidelines For Lung Cancer
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Michael F. Szwerc, MD, FACS Guidelines for lung cancer screening have changed. Both the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) are expanding recommendations for lung cancer screening.
Excela Health Surpasses 100 WATCHMAN™ Implants 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. While anti-clotting medications have been around for more than a century, the WATCHMAN™ has been available in the United States since 2015. Learn More
What is Preeclampsia? Natalie J. Plevelich, DO, FACOOG Preeclampsia is a pregnancy and postpartum medical condition involving high blood pressure and protein in a woman’s urine. Pregnancy is an exciting time but with rapid changes over the course of nine months, it can be challenging and scary. Read More
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Awards & Accolades 20 People to Know in Health Care: Dr. Carol Fox, Chief Medical Officer, Excela Health As chief medical officer for Excela Health, Dr. Carol Fox has oversight for quality, patient safety, regulatory matters, and infection prevention and control. In addition to her responsibilities at Excela, she is part of the Western PA Regional Chief Medical Officers Consortium, which includes the top medical officers of 12 major regional health systems and providers. During the pandemic, the consortium provided a place for the CMOs to discuss issues surrounding COVID, best practices and the region’s response. She has been chief medical officer at Excela since 2012.
Excela Health Orthopedic Surgeons Named Among Nation’s ‘Rising Stars’ and Top Doctors Two members of the Excela Health Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team have received national and regional honors within their specialty, as ranked by Castle Connolly.
For the second year in a row, orthopedic surgeon Daniel F. Leigey, MD, has been named among the Castle Connolly Rising Stars™ -- described as early career doctors recognized for their outstanding accomplishments and dedication. Separately, fellow orthopedic surgeon Lance Brunton, MD, has been named among Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors in the Pittsburgh metro market. Learn More
Three-Time Honoree, Excela Health Maternity Center Ranked Among Nation’s Best for Exemplary Care For the third consecutive year, the Family Additions Maternity Center at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital is featured in “America’s Best Maternity Hospitals” produced by Newsweek, which publishes the honor roll annually. Excela Health obstetrician Randi Turkewitz, MD, FACOG, speaking on behalf of her colleagues within the OB/GYN practice, “I am so proud of our department for always looking for ways to improve outcomes and reach meaningful quality metrics that improve the lives of our patients. Expectant mothers and their families can be assured that they are in expert hands throughout their pregnancy and beyond, as our clinicians provide the most up-to-date evidence-based care.”
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Excela Health Continues to Earn National Recognition For Exemplary Care of Heart and Stroke Patients Excela Health through its three member hospitals once again has received multiple American Heart Association Achievement Awards for demonstrated commitment to ensuring cardiovascular patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer returns to the hospital. The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® and Get With The Guidelines® programs help reduce barriers to prompt treatment for cardiovascular events. As a participant in both programs, Excela Health earned award recognitions by demonstrating how the health system has committed to delivering quality care for patients. “Excela Health is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping our patients have the best possible chance of survival after cardiovascular events,” said Chief Medical Office Carol Fox, MD, FAAFP. Learn More
Outpatient Diabetes Education Center Merits Continued Recognition From American Diabetes Association Nearly half of all Americans have diabetes or prediabetes, considered the nation’s most expensive chronic health condition. Many will first learn that they have diabetes when they are treated for one of its life-threatening complications – heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, nerve disease and amputation. Excela Health’s Outpatient Diabetes Education Center maintains a leading role in helping people with diabetes manage their disease through its nationally certified education program. Excela’s program was first recognized in March 2014 and was recently recertified by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) through its Education Recognition Program (ERP). Learn More
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House Calls
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