Issue11

Issue 11

Health LINES Penn Highlands Healthcare

Working together for a healthy community.

BULLYING Young People Today and the Mental Health Effects of Tomorrow INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Celebrating 40years

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduate Medical Education

Now Open

Clearfield Community Medical Building

Q&A - Why do I need a cancer care team?

Attracting Talented Physicians to Our Region

Issue 11 | PENN HIGHLANDS HEALTHCARE

CEO Perspective

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NICU Celebrating 40 Years

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Graduate Medical Education at PHH

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PHH Opens Community Medical Building

Bullying - Young People Today

Q&A - Why do I need a cancer care team?

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Keepin g Our Talented Physicians

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New Faces

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ShortScripts

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Advice From A Doctor

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HealthLines is a publication of Penn Highlands Healthcare which includes the hospitals of Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Clearfield, Penn Highlands DuBois and Penn Highlands Elk. It is produced by the system’s Marketing Team and is always available on our website at www.phhealthcare.org/magazine.

If you wish to subscribe to HealthLines electronically, sign up at www.phhealthcare.org/getmagazine. Printed copies may be found in the waiting rooms of Penn Highlands Healthcare facilities throughout the region and at several local businesses. You may pick one up at anytime.

For more information, please contact the Marketing Team at HealthLines@ phhealthcare.org or call on weekdays from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The Penn Highlands Healthcare HealthLines Team Mary Jo Yebernetsky, Senior Coordinator/Editor, 814-375-3495 Mary Jo Herzing, Graphic Design/Web Specialist, 814-375-6539 Holly Shok, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, 814-375-6508 Michele Yale, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, 814-375-3494

Penn Highlands Healthcare is on a mission: to provide you with exceptional care through our community-based health system while maintaining a reverence for life. Our more than 3,500 employees and over 400-member medical staff tirelessly work toward this mission day in and day out at our 100-plus locations throughout 12 counties.

It is my hope that you have seen our multimedia awareness campaign spotlighting some of the key services we offer right here in our region. We’ve included a few of the graphics in this issue of Healthlines. The message is a simple one: We are here. Here for you. Here to provide the care you need.

In this issue, we capture a snapshot of the work we are doing to care for our communities now and in the future. For instance, our cover story discusses the mental health needs of future generations due to the effects of bullying. We also take time to celebrate the 40-year history of our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a critical service for the region. We’ve included information on our newest providers and our efforts to attract and retain physicians within our system and educate future providers through our Family Medicine Residency program – all to improve your access to expert, high-quality care. In addition, we discuss our newest Community Medical Building in Clearfield, an innovative treatment in asthma care and how our cancer care team is here for patients when they need it most.

Sincerely,

The information in this magazine does not take the place of health advice given to you by your healthcare provider. Always call 9-1-1 for any emergency.

Next time you’re online

Steve Fontaine, CEO Penn Highlands Healthcare

Be sure to visit www.phhealthcare.org also check us out on

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Celebrating 40 Years

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit For the past 40 years, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, has been available in DuBois for babies who need extra care.

Opened on August 1, 1977, the NICU cares for little ones from throughout the region who are born prematurely or who have health-issues. Having it in DuBois helps parents from traveling long distances away from their newborns and keeps families close to home – no matter where the babies are born.

The NICU was first a part of Maple Avenue Hospital in DuBois and was opened in partnership with DuBois Hospital. It was a concerted effort of physicians that saw that tiny lives born prematurely could be saved.

From a small 12-by-12 foot room at what is now Penn Highlands DuBois

East to a larger unit at Penn Highlands DuBois West, the unit has room for 16 babies with dedicated nurses, a nurse practitioner, respiratory therapists, speech pathologists and social workers, all with extra training and certifications.

They work alongside Dr. Mohamed Hassan, a full-time neonatologist and medical director to provide care.

On arrival in 2007, Dr. Hassan had a clear vision and a focused mission of upgrading the NICU. He worked to achieve this through new technology, equipment and practices to ensure the highest quality of care to the tiniest babies therefore improving their outcomes.

“We are so proud of our achievements and the excellent outcomes of the hundreds of tiny babies we cared for over the years,” Dr. Hassan said. As of end of March 2018, there were 9,434 patients provided love and care since the unit opened.

“Today, the NICU has state-of-the art technology, equipment and tools that enable us to strive to offer the best care we can to our community’s families and their babies,” he said. “Our promise to our families is to care for their loved and precious babies with the highest respect for their precious lives in a family-centered, compassionate and caring environment, and utilizing evidence-based approaches to treatments that are regularly evaluated and updated.”

NICU 1977

NICU 1977

New technologies and equipment like

the high-frequency oscillatory ventilators and the nitric oxide gas therapy for serious respiratory illnesses have helped.

High frequency oscillatory ventilators are a special type of mechanical ventilator operating at very high respiratory rates that can reach 900 breaths/minute using very small volumes of air that allow gentle ventilation of the tiniest and sickest babies. Nitric oxide gas therapy also improves the blood flow to the lungs therefore treat pulmonary hypertension with the delivery of this special gas.

"It is also the passion and dedication of the NICU staff that added to the value and quality of care of those babies" Dr. Hassan said. The staff is always learning.

Pharmacists, nurses and respiratory staff are continually increasing their very specific skills and knowledge, with in-services at PH DuBois and national conferences.

“The book is not fully written yet on neonatal care,” Suzanne McCullough, RN, BSN, director of the NICU, said. “As more is discovered through research, we learn more, adapt and evolve our practice as the scientific evidence of how to give the best care grows.”

Current focuses include respiratory care, developmental care and feeding practices.

“My philosophy in medicine is to do the best I can for my precious patients, those little angels we call ‘neonates,’ ” Dr. Hassan said.

Need a doctor? — Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc

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Graduate Medical Education AT PENN HIGHLANDS

By Lisa Witherite-Rieg, DO, Director of Family Medicine Residency Penn Highlands Healthcare has made an ongoing commitment to furthering medical education programs. For decades, medical students, interns and residents have trained with local physicians.

The next natural progression of advancing medical education in our community was to establish a Family Medicine Residency where young physicians can complete the majority of their graduate medical education, or GME, in a community setting. The length of training in Family Medicine is three years following graduation from medical school.

A community teaching hospital focuses on integrating the hospital’s teaching programs with specific patient needs of the community it serves and focuses on enhancing the local patient care experiences within its specific market.

In July 2017, Penn Highlands Healthcare, or PHH, welcomed its inaugural class of Family Medicine residents. Five young physicians started their post-graduate medical training here. Six residents have been matched to PHH to begin their training July 2018, bringing the total residents to eleven. Currently, the GME program is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association. PHH has been approved to train 18 Family Medicine residents (six residents in each of three training years). By 2020, all GME programs in the United States must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, or ACGME. PHH has applied for ACGME

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approval and the program is currently being reviewed. At this time, all residents are graduates of Osteopathic Medical Schools. Once ACGME approved, both osteopathic graduates (DOs) and allopathic graduates (MDs) can train at PHH. Family medicine residents work directly with attending physicians, nurses, hospital staff and medical offices in their various rotations including inpatient medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, internal medicine sub-specialties, family medicine, and emergency medicine. Since outpatient continuity care is the cornerstone of the training of Family Medicine residents, each resident sees patients under the supervision of a family physician in the Continuity Clinic.

We are excited to partner with the James Van Zandt Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center and the DuBois VA Clinic to have our residents train with the staff of the local VA Clinic. During the second and third years of training, residents will rotate through the local VA clinic.

In the near future, we are adding another residency for psychiatry and partnering with our Behavioral Health Services throughout the PHH system.

The GME program at PHH is only a part of the commitment to educating healthcare providers to improve access to care for the people of our community. Penn Highlands Healthcare continues to educate medical, nursing, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, physician assistant, physical therapy, A community radiological technology and pharmacy teaching hospital focuses students. PHH on integrating the hospital’s offers Continuing teaching programs with Medical Education specific patient needs of the for staff and community it serves and community focuses on enhancing the physicians, local patient care nurses and other healthcare experiences within its professionals. specific market.

Currently, the clinic is in conjunction with the Brookville Rural Health Center, but as the number of residents increase and the number of days each resident sees patients in the clinic, a second location will be on the campus of Penn Highlands DuBois West.

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As we learn together, we grow together.

About PAD When plaque builds up in the body’s arteries, the arteries narrow over time thereby limiting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to various organs and other parts of the body.

Similar to blockages in the arteries on the heart, plaque buildup can result in blockages that affect all arteries of your body resulting in the development of peripheral artery disease or PAD. PAD is defined by the American Heart Association as a narrowing of the peripheral arteries of the legs, arms, head, and stomach — it most commonly affects the arteries of the legs.

Like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in these various body areas raise your risk for heart attack and stroke. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, PAD affects 8-12 million people in the United States and some people are more susceptible to PAD because of genetics or lifestyle habits.

Who is at risk? People who: • Are over age 50 • Smokers or former smokers • Have diabetes • Have high blood pressure • Have high cholesterol • Have a history of vascular disease, heart attack or stroke • Are African Americans What are the symptoms? Typically, PAD causes: • Fatigue of legs or arms • Leg or arm cramps • One leg or arm feels cooler than the other • Leg or foot pain that keeps you awake at night • Sores or wounds on the toes, feet or legs that heal slowly or not at all • Gangrene of toes or fingers • Color changes in the skin to a pale or bluish shade

Welcome to The Heart Center Kaushal J. Shah, MD, FACS, RPVI, board certified vascular and endovascular surgeon, provides cutting-edge, minimally-invasive endovascular surgery options for patients suffering from various life and limb-threatening vascular conditions. He focuses on improving the overall health of his patients and is proud to offer treatment options that minimize their recovery time thereby allowing them to return to their homes and a better functional status quicker.

Dr. Shah has been trained and worked at some of the finest and most prestigious institutions around the country and has participated in various regional and national clinical trials and research projects for the benefit of his patients. For over a decade, he has performed and gained significant clinical experience and expertise in providing the newest cutting-edge minimally invasive endovascular treatment options for his patients to improve their vascular health.

Dr. Shah can help patients with management & treatment for the following conditions: • Carotid Artery Disease (to minimize risk of a stroke) • Peripheral Artery Disease or PAD (to minimize risk of an amputation) • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm or AAA (to minimize risk of rupture & death) • Renal Artery Disease (to minimize risk of needing dialysis) • Endovascular Minimally-Invasive Surgery • Vascular Atherectomy / Angioplasty / Stenting (to minimize risk of an amputation) • Varicose Vein Management (to minimize risk of leg swelling / DVT) • Venous Ablation (to minimize risk of leg swelling / DVT) • DVT Management / IVC Filter Placement His office is located in the Medical Arts Building, 145 Hospital Avenue, DuBois, and can be reached at 814-375-2040.

• A decreased amount of hair growth on the toes and legs • Erectile dysfunction

pressure, lower cholesterol, control their diabetes, follow a healthy diet, exercise and lose weight.

To help resolve PAD, simple lifestyle changes will be the first line of treatment. That means a PAD patient should quit smoking, lower blood

A doctor may prescribe medicine and, in some cases, perform procedures to help clear these blockages and reduces your risk for future vascular complications.

Here.

Here for you.

Here for your heart.

The Heart Center at Penn Highlands Healthcare Need a doctor? — Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc

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Penn Highlands Healthcare Opens Community Medical Building in Clearfield A brand new facility opened in Clearfield on December 7, 2017, bringing increased access of imaging, urgent care, laboratory and occupational health services to area residents. The Penn Highlands Clearfield Community Medical Building, or CCMB, is located at 1900 River Road in Clearfield.

The CCMB is home to QCare Clearfield, a walk-in clinic named for the fast, convenient care provided. QCare is staffed by certified physician assistants and nurse practitioners and is designed to treat conditions such as coughs, earaches, sprains, minor eye problems, cuts, bladder infections and even minor animal bites. Patients can also obtain routine physicals for driver’s licenses and sports activities, tetanus shots, splinting and suture removal.

QCare is, however, not a replacement for the Emergency Department. Those experiencing weakness, headaches, chest pain or complicated abdominal pain will still require a visit to the Emergency Department.

“We opened the new facility at the busiest time of the year, flu season,” said Mandie Shaw, certified registered nurse practitioner at QCare Clearfield.

“We are seeing anywhere from 30-60 patients per day, and we are so thankful to the community for their patience and support during this transitional period.”

“In the last few months we have treated patients with influenza, strep throat, sinus infections, pneumonia, fractures, sprains and lacerations,” she added.

“Our work is never the same, meaning you never know who will walk in the

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door or what ailment they’ll have, so it’s never boring.”

Mandie continued, “We actually get to help people. We see them on some of their worst days…in the short time they are with us, we do our best to make them feel better.”

“This QCare has enabled the community to seek care more promptly in a time when their primary care providers cannot accommodate same day appointments,” Mandie said. “It has also helped those that need simple things like physicals and immunizations to make a short trip to our clinic versus driving to Philipsburg or DuBois for these services.”

“We are starting to receive some of our first patient experience surveys,” Mandie said. Adding that it has been wonderful to receive positive feedback and notes of thanks to the staff for providing outstanding care.

The new QCare Clearfield is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM and from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday. QCare is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Later this year, Mandie will transition to the other side of the CCMB, where she will establish a primary care practice.

The CCMB also serves as a hub for the Occupational Health Department, which offers a broad range of services to support regional employers in maintaining a healthy and safe workforce while reducing the overall cost to the company.

“Through various trainings and services, we are able to promote and maintain the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of the local workforce, which increases productivity and reduces risk,” said Dave McAllister, manager of Occupational Health Services for the Penn Highlands Healthcare system.

“This expansion of services allows us to increase patient access and make it feasible for businesses and their employees,” Dave said. “Ensuring a healthy workforce benefits the entire community.”

In addition to the Occupational Health Services offered at the CCMB, such as hearing testing, pulmonary function testing, treatment and monitoring of work-related injuries and physicals, including Department of Transportation physicals, Dave indicated several training programs that are available.

Business leaders work directly with Dave to coordinate these programs.

Available trainings include first aid, CPR and bloodborne pathogen training, safety management trainings such as leadership, compliance and accident prevention, Mine Safety and Health Administration, or MSHA, trainings and any Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, topic such as OSHA inspections and OSHA light industrial construction training, both 10 hour and 30 hour.

For more information about the occupational health services available, call 814-765-0221. Appointments are available during the QCare Clearfield hours of operation.

Along with QCare and occupational health, the CCMB also offers walk-in imaging, or x-ray, services. A physician order is required for all diagnostic testing. Additionally, there is a laboratory on-site to offer their services to the patients of the QCare and Occupational Health Department.

Penn Highlands Healthcare is continuing to grow and provide exceptional service to our region. We are committed to increasing access to a high quality of patient care to the members of the communities we serve.

Occupational Health Services Maintaining a healthy workforce benefits our entire community. That’s why keeping employees safe and healthy is not only a top priority for area employers, but also for Penn Highlands Healthcare.

Through Occupational Health Services, Penn Highlands supports area businesses in managing the health and well-being of their employees, as well as meeting government mandates by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, with screenings, immunizations and job-specific education and training.

Penn Highlands offers two fullservice locations, one at the Clearfield Community Medical Building and the other at Penn Highlands Elk – Ridgway Campus, and additional services are offered throughout the Tri-County area.

• Respirator fit testing • Immunizations: flu shots, Hepatitis B, tetanus/diphtheria pertussis, titers for MMR and Varicella • Health screenings: thyroid, PSA, Vitamin D, A1C, lipid panel, bone density, BMI and blood pressure The department also offers jobspecific education and training, including: • CPR training and certification • First aid training and certification • Bloodborne pathogen training • Proper lifting techniques • OSHA training • Safety training

In addition to the full-service locations, DOT physicals are offered at a number of Penn Highlands sites throughout the region, including: The full-service locations offer many • DuBois Community Medical services, including: Building • Physicals • The Clinic at Walmart • Department of • QCare Moshannon Valley *Also Transportation physicals offers drug and alcohol testing • Work-related injuries • QCare Punxsutawney • Return-to-work services • QCare St. Marys *Also • Drug and alcohol testing: urine, offers drug and breath alcohol, hair sampling alcohol testing, and • Vision testing treatment for • Audiometric testing work-related Occupational • Nursing services injuries Health Services, • X-rays call 814-299-7547 • EKGs • Respiratory testing or 814-205-1263 (pulmonary function)

Need a doctor? — Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc

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BULLYING -

Young People Today and the Mental Health Effects of Tomorrow The issue of bullying has garnered national attention in recent years, sparking much debate and a demand for stricter laws to punish both bullies and their parents or guardians, as it has wreaked havoc on the mental and physical wellbeing of so many children in the United States.

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this repeated behavior, when occurring among school-aged children, may create serious and lasting problems for both the children being bullied and those who bully others.

There are three types of bullying: verbal, social and physical.

Verbal bullying, or saying or writing mean things about another person, includes teasing, name-calling, taunting and threatening to cause harm.

Social bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships.

This includes purposely excluding someone, telling others not to befriend an individual, spreading rumors and embarrassing another person in public.

When a young person is being physically bullied, this means that their bodies are being hurt by hitting, kicking, spitting, tripping or even pushing. This also includes having their possessions taken or broken, and enduring mean or rude hand gestures.

While bullying can happen almost anywhere, the U.S. Department of

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Health and Human Services points out that most reported bullying happens in school, with a significant percentage taking place on playgrounds or buses.

There are also many incidents taking place on the Internet, a major issue in the country known as cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying takes place over digital devices such as cell phones, computers and tablets and can happen via text, apps, social media or anywhere on the web that allows users to share content. Cyberbullying often includes sending, posting or sharing negative, false and harmful things about someone else. This includes sharing personal information, which can cause embarrassment or humiliation.

Dr. Mayank Gupta, medical director of psychiatry at Penn Highlands Healthcare, specializes in child/adolescent psychiatry and treats patients of all ages at Penn Highlands DuBois East off Maple Avenue in DuBois. He pointed out that “developing self-esteem and confidence in the social arena is integral for adolescents.”

“Cyberbullying is unique when compared to in-person bullying,” Dr. Gupta said. This type of bullying is persistent, meaning it can be difficult for children experiencing it to find relief because their aggressors have the ability to communicate continuously, day in and day out.

Additionally, cyberbullying is permanent, meaning that most of the information being posted is public, able to be shared and often very difficult to have removed. “The effects of this bullying are everlasting and very far reaching,”

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Dr. Gupta said, adding that negative online reputations of those bullied can impact other areas of their lives including college admissions or future employment.

“In the most extreme cases of cyberbullying, feelings of hopelessness may contribute to depression and even suicide,” added Dr. Gupta.

Bullying can affect anyone – those who are bullied, the ones who bully and others who witness the bullying. It has been linked to many negative outcomes that include impacts on mental health, substance abuse and suicide.

“An analogy that I’ll share is that bullying is like radioactive material,” said Dr. Gupta. “If you were attacked with this radioactive material, you may not notice serious effects right away. Instead, over time, this encounter will simmer and grow inside of you, and eventually it will cause a lot of damage from which you may never recover.”

Dr. Gupta pointed out that young people who are bullied are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, changes in sleep and eating patterns as well as a loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. “These issues may persist into adulthood,” he added.

“In addition to an increased risk of psychological disorders, this rejection

among peers has also been linked to loneliness, academic difficulties and increased school dropout rates,” Dr. Gupta said.

“Children who bully others can also engage in violent or risky behaviors well into adulthood, making them more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, get into fights, drop out of school, engage in early sexual activity, be abusive toward romantic partners or have criminal convictions as adults,” said Dr. Gupta.

Not even the children who simply witness bullying are safe from its effects.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these bystanders are “more likely to have increased use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs; have increased mental health problems, including depression and anxiety or miss or skip school.”

So, what are the warning signs that parents or teachers need to recognize?

“Look for changes in the child,” said Dr. Gupta, who also cautioned that not all children who are bullied will exhibit warning signs.

“Take note of unexplainable injuries, lost or destroyed belongings, frequent headaches or stomach aches, difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares, a sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations, declining grades, selfdestructive behaviors such as running away from home or a decrease in selfesteem,” advised Dr. Gupta.

Because these signs can also be linked to other issues, it’s incredibly important to talk with children to help identify the root of their problem.

For those concerned with cyberbullying, pay attention to children’s device usage habits. Often times those involved in cyberbullying may display drastic increases or decreases in device usage.

They may also hide their screen when others are near and avoid talking about what they’re doing on their device. Also,

Create your own anti-bullying poster Students, we and enter to win want to see your a Garmin Vivofit Jr. or a Garmin creativity shine Vivofit 4. Four in our Better winners will be Without Bullies selected, one from each grade poster contest. level – Primary Another important component Kindergarten to grade is knowing the signs that may 2, Intermediate grades indicate that your child is the bully.

3-5, Middle School grades 6-8 According to www.stopbullying.gov, and High School grades 9-12. “kids may be bullying others if they get into physical or verbal fights, have Send your entry with your name, grade friends who bully others, are increasingly and phone number written on the back aggressive, get sent to the principal’s to: HealthLines, c/o PHH Marketing, 204 office or to detention frequently, have Hospital Avenue, PO Box 447, DuBois, unexplained extra money or new PA 15801. belongings, blame others for their problems, don’t accept responsibility All entries are due by Friday, June 15, for their actions or are competitive 2018. Only one poster can be entered and worry about their reputation or by each individual, and you must be in popularity.” grade K-12 to win. take note if their social media accounts are shut down or they create new ones. “If children become withdrawn, depressed or lose interest in friends and activities, it’s time to intervene,” added Dr. Gupta.

Because young people are more likely to report bullying to their parents, Dr. Gupta recommended nurturing children by providing open lines of communication, providing structure by enforcing limits on computer use when dealing with cyberbullying and joining children in their world in appropriate ways, while respecting their privacy.

“Most importantly, teach adolescents good judgement,” recommended Dr. Gupta. “Teach critical thinking with regard to social media and internet use, as well.”

If you think a child is involved in bullying, talk to them, keep a record of what is happening, report the actions and find support to positively influence the situation.

If you need more help, Penn Highlands Healthcare offers inpatient and outpatient Behavioral Health Services to children and adolescents at the Penn Highlands DuBois Behavioral Health Center in DuBois.

Outpatient services include a variety of

The winners will be selected by a member of the Winkler Gallery of Fine Art and Education Center, and will be announced on our website on Friday, June 29, 2018. Good luck! counseling, therapies and assessments for mild to severe behavioral health conditions, as well psychiatric evaluation, medication management, psychological assessment and individual and family psychotherapy.

Inpatient services for young people, ages 5-18, are available for those who are exhibiting behavioral health problems that impair their ability to function in the home and/or school environment.

This unit operates 24 hours a day and includes private and semi-private rooms, a classroom, dining room, a recreational lounge and therapy offices.

To learn more about the behavioral health services available to children and adolescents at Penn Highlands Healthcare, visit www.phhealthcare.org or call 814-375-6379.

Need a doctor? — Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc

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ASK THE EXPERT - Why do I need a cancer care team?

The care provided at Radiation Oncology at Hahne Regional Cancer Center goes beyond the treatment. There is a team of people who can give support to the patients and their families and friends.

Who are they and what do they do? We have asked them for you.

WHAT CAN A SOCIAL WORKER DO? “As social workers at the Hahne Regional Cancer Center, we provide support to patients and loved ones during cancer treatment. We give this support by assisting and connecting patients with resources within the community, such as support groups, agencies and community foundations, and within the healthcare system. We also provide emotional support to patients and families who are facing many life challenges.”

Julie Lauer and Melissa Prisk Social Services/Case Management

WHY WOULD A PATIENT NEED A DIETICIAN? “My primary role at Hahne Regional Cancer Center is to work in collaboration with our medical team to identify patients at high-risk for malnutrition because of painful swallowing, nausea, malabsorption or anxiety to name a few, and provide evidence-based nutrition therapy to improve the health and nutrition status of our patients during their cancer treatments. I have always had a special interest in oncology. I love what I do and the patients I get to help during their journey.”

Tazharae Bauer MS, RD, LDN Registered/Licensed Dietician/ Nutritionist

HOW DOES SPIRITUAL CARE HELP? “After a cancer diagnosis, people may feel remote from God. Often times, people begin to question ‘Where is God?’ or ‘Why me?’ They are questioning their faith and the meaning of it all. That is what we try to help people with – faith, and the meaning and purpose of life. A person doesn’t need to be religious to be spiritual. We do a lot of talking and a lot of listening.

People say what they are feeling and express it as they need to – crying or shouting…and it’s ok. We help patients work through the issues because holding it in creates a whole new realm of issues.”

Rev. Kevin Bockus, Chaplain Pastoral Care Department

For more information visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/cancercare or call the Hahne Regional Cancer Center at 814-375-3535.

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HOW DOES BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AT PENN HIGHLANDS MAKE A DIFFERENCE? “I provide emotional support and therapeutic intervention. It is known that emotional upset may create a barrier to a patient’s overall ability to cope with cancer and its treatment. My goal is to assist each patient in restoring a level of emotional stability for a favorable quality of life.

This is achieved by delivering personcentered care to each patient at Hahne.

At start of treatment, the patient is screened to assess their personal level of emotional distress as well as identifying worry, fear, sadness, depression and nervousness. I meet with each patient offering emotionally supportive interventions with a focus on mindfulnessbased cognitive therapy. (Mindfulness is being aware of our thoughts, feelings and emotions. Cognitive therapy helps us grow and find relief from the negative thoughts.) After treatment, patients may continue with therapy on an out-patient basis.”

Heather Anderson Tate, MS, NCC Behavioral Health Services

WHAT DO ONCOLOGY NURSES DO? “Patients currently receiving radiation are seen by Dr. Grae Schuster, our radiation oncologist, every five radiation treatments, and these patients are also seen by a nurse who assesses symptoms or pain, reconciles medications and assess the radiation treatment site. Radiation oncology nurses gather follow up information on any patients that have recently completed radiation - this means vitals, updating and reconciling medications lists, assessing for any changes in health, obtaining photos if necessary of recent radiation treatment site, and then reporting findings or changes to the doctor or physician assistant. We also do a lot of education on side effects, skin care and pain management. Nursing also calls the patients after the radiation is complete to discuss any problems or concerns they may have as part of their continued care.”

Michelle Hemke, RN Fran Manners, RN, BSN, OCN

Here.

Here for you.

Here to help you fight.

Hahne Regional Cancer Center

Support groups are also a part of what Hahne Regional Cancer Center can offer patients.

The Breast Cancer Support Group at Penn Highlands DuBois meets at 6:00 PM on the second Sundays of the month at Hahne Regional Cancer Center, 100 Hospital Avenue, DuBois.

In October, however, they meet at a local restaurant.

All breast cancer survivors at any stage – newly diagnosed or long-time survivors – can attend. As it is for survivors only, its goal is to provide a comfortable place for listening, learning and sharing. We want to help women understand their diagnosis, treatment and survivorship in a safe, nonjudgmental environment,” CandyCole, RN, BSN, MPM, OCN, CTTS, Nurse Navigator, said. There is no cost to attend, and it doesn’t matter where a participant received treatments. For more information, call Hahne Regional Cancer Center at 814-375-3535.

The Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network meets at 7:00 PM on the first Monday of the month in St. Camillus Hall, Penn Highlands DuBois West, 100 Hospital Avenue, DuBois. Us TOO is for those who have questions about prostate cancer, who need support or would like to have insight into what the future will bring from a personal background.

It is a place to talk and listen with people who have been through or going through prostate cancer. “If you want someone to talk to, or to ask a question of somebody who’s actually ‘been there and done that,’ or just want to know that you aren’t alone during this process, just take the first step and join us at our meeting,” said Bob Anthony of Brookville who will be facilitating the group. “Know that you are always welcome and your experiences can help others facing the same issues.” All are welcome to attend, including friends and spouses. For more information, call Bob at 814-715-0544.

at Penn Highlands Healthcare

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Keeping Our Talented Physicians At Penn Highlands Healthcare, not only are we focused on attracting talented physicians, but we are focused on keeping talented physicians.

Our medical staff is 373 physicians strong. This number includes those who are employed by Penn Highlands, those who are contracted and those who operate independently.

There will always be professionals who choose to leave for a variety of reasons. However, in the past few years, the medical staff at all four Penn Highlands hospitals have been fairly consistent; our turnover rate ranges from 5-7 percent.

Our Physician Recruitment team, in partnership with Penn Highlands Physician Network, works diligently to ensure we’re giving physicians the best support we can to retain them within our system.

With the number of physician offices and services provided by Penn Highlands, one entity – Penn Highlands Physician Network, or PHPN – oversees the ongoing evolution and logistics for the physicians.

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Currently, the PHPN is involved in the development of some initiatives to support incoming physicians and provide them with the foundation to grow and flourish in the Penn Highlands network.

Initiatives include a formal onboarding process that will provide the physicians with information they need to know to start working with an understanding of where we are going as a system and what our mission is. Also the network is working to develop a formal mentoring process for new physicians coming in so that new physicians have someone to rely on throughout the course of their first year with the system.

The PHPN is governed by a board of physicians representing all four hospital locations who focus on operations, technology and quality. Day-to-day operations are overseen by the PHPN president, vicepresidents and staff.

AT PENN HIGHLANDS We’re proud to introduce the newest members of our healthcare team.

They look forward to being there for your healthcare needs.

Diane M. Hoover, CRNP Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Penn Highlands Community Nurses 757 Johnsonburg Road Suite 200 St. Marys, PA 800-841-9397

Mikkalon Em, MD General Surgeon Penn Highlands General Surgery 761 Johnsonburg Road Suite 130 St. Marys, PA 814-781-1188 Kristie Kline, CRNP Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Penn Highlands Pediatrics 529 Sunflower Drive DuBois, PA 814-371-1510

This model is another form of engaging physicians and advanced practice providers in the vision and direction of their practices.

Mayank Gupta, MD Psychiatrist Behavioral Health Services Penn Highlands DuBois 635 Maple Avenue DuBois, PA 814-375-6379

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551 West Mahoning Street Punxsutawney, PA 814-938-2602 2834 Maplevale Road Brookville, PA 814-849-3014

MaryBeth Logan, CRNP Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Wound Center – DuBois 635 Maple Avenue DuBois, PA 814-371-4320

Kristy Stephens, CRNP Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Penn Highlands Endocrinology 145 Hospital Avenue Suite 101 DuBois, PA 814-375-4089

Kevin Scott, CRNP Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner QCare Clearfield 1900 River Road Clearfield, PA

Kaushal J. Shah, MD Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon Penn Highlands Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery 145 Hospital Avenue Suite 300 DuBois, PA 814-375-2040

1100 Million Dollar Highway Suite 3 St. Marys, PA 814-375-4089

Attracting Talented Physicians to Our Region Expert physicians are at the heart of any strong healthcare organization, and Penn Highlands Healthcare is no exception. We’re committed not only to retaining our outstanding group of physicians, but also attracting future experts to care for our communities of Northwestern/Central Pennsylvania.

In line with this commitment, we have a strategic multiyear recruitment plan in place based on our demand model, which is a high-level view of how many physicians we need based on the populations of the communities we serve. In fiscal year 2017, we brought 50 new providers to our system, 20 physicians and 30 advanced practice providers. We have set the same goal for fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019.

To attract the right talent to our region, we continuously review our compensation packages and contracts to ensure our competiveness. In the last year, our Physician Recruitment team has doubled the number of recruitment fairs it is attending.

Another area of focus is the Family Residency Program.

In general, 36 percent of physicians stay in the area where they are trained. Therefore, our goal is to retain one-third of our Family Medicine residents.

Find A Doctor

In the past year, we have also enhanced and formalized “Bring Them Home” – an initiative to identify aspiring healthcare professionals early in our communities and then support those individuals through their various stages of education.

Penn Highlands Healthcare We are able to identify aspiring wants you to know all of your talent through referrals from community healthcare providers and /board members, guidance counselors, who is available to help civic groups, shadow days and you with your healthcare To find a education fairs for high school needs. On our website, Primary Care Office students considering www.phhealthcare. healthcare careers. location closest to org/findadoc, you can find a provider by name, you, visit us at by location, by specialty www.phhealthcare or by hospital.

Are you looking for a healthcare provider? Do you want to know a little more about whom your next appointment is with?

.org/primarycare

Need a doctor? — Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc

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ShortScripts

Register for the 2018 Golf Classic at

Come to the Penn Highlands Healthcare/ KTH Architects Golf Classic on Friday, June 22, 2018!

www.phhealthcare. org/golfclassic We are on Facebook as Penn Highlands Healthcare.

Follow us for the latest news from our four hospitals.

Do you fill out your surveys?

Patient surveys are sent after a stay at one of our hospitals. If you receive one, please fill it out. We want to know how we are doing.

Some come via U.S. Mail (especially if you are a Medicare patient) and others may come via e-mails and text message.

Be a Mall Walker!

The Penn Highlands Healthcare/ DuBois Mall Walker program is free to join. Walk laps around the DuBois Mall, keep track per quarter and receive a small prize each time you complete the number of laps indicated. At the end of four quarters, walkers receive a PHH/ DuBois Mall Walker t-shirt.

Walking inside the mall is a safe way to walk with temperature control and flat surfaces. It’s an easy way to stay in shape. Mall Walker hours: Mon – Thurs 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM Fri - 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM Sat - 7:30 AM to 9:00 PM Sun - 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM To join, go to the DuBois Mall office to register or call 814-375-3495 for a form.

Send an eCard Penn Highlands Healthcare invites you to send some cheer to brighten the spirit of a loved one who is in the hospital! A free service, you can send an eCard to patients in any of our hospitals.

www.phhealthcare.org/eCard

Penn Highlands has My eHealth Portals available for all patients at www.phhealthcare.org/ myehealthportal. Get your username and password at your next visit with your health provider.

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Plans are underway for the 2018 Penn Highlands Healthcare/KTH Golf Classic. This one-of-a-kind tournament will be held on June 22 with a 9:00 AM tee time at each of the four main communities that make up Penn Highlands Healthcare.

Golfers are able to choose the location they wish to golf: • Clearfield-Curwensville Country Club - Clearfield • Leaning Pines Golf Course - St. Marys • Pinecrest Country Club Brookville • Treasure Lake Silver Course DuBois We are very excited to be able to hold this tournament in four local communities all on the same day!

The day includes great golf, skill contests, raffles, prizes, food and drinks all day long. To top off the day, golfers will enjoy happy hour and dinner immediately following golf at the course played.

Each sponsor will also have the opportunity to choose where their donation is directed: • Penn Highlands Healthcare Shared equally among all four hospitals • Penn Highlands Brookville Outpatient Behavioral Health • Penn Highlands Clearfield - The Rehabilitation Center • Penn Highlands DuBois Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Infant Warmer • Penn Highlands Elk - Laboratory Coagulation/Hematology Instruments For more information or to register, e-mail dhaney@phhealthcare.org, call 814-375-3901.

Benefit Run for Penn Highlands Community Nurses Hospice Come ride with us on Saturday, June 2, 2018! For the past several years the ABATE God’s Country, Endless Mountains, Elk County and Kinzua Chapters have organized a Benefit Run, also known as a Dice Run, to benefit the hospice program.

Did you know that you don’t have to ride a motorcycle to participate?

Any street legal vehicle, cars, or jeeps etc. can join in. Bring your friends and family to ride with you for an enjoyable day together and to help support our hospice program.

The ride begins in Emporium and winds through parts of Cameron, McKean and Elk counties, with stops along the way, and food and prizes in St. Marys at the end.

Call 814-781-4722 or 1-800-8419397 for information.

Camp Flutterbye Program is a free two-day bereavement camp for children and teens, kindergarten trhough grade 12. This year, it is June 7 - 8, 2018 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at The Pines, 1008 Windfall Road, St Marys. Call 814-781-4722 or 1-800-841-9397 for information.

Online Bill Pay Penn Highlands Healthcare is making it easier to pay your bill with online bill pay.

Penn Highlands Community Nurses Annual Used Book Sale

2018 Butterfly Release Events

The Used Book Sale is a popular annual fundraising event for Penn Highlands Community Nurses. The 2018 sale will be held on May 17, 18 and 19 at Sacred Heart Parish Center, 1st Floor Gymnasium on Center Street in St. Marys.

Typically, over 10,000 books, donated by area residents, are made available to avid readers at very reasonable prices. Watch our calendar for more information on the times of the sale, and the date and times for collection days. Please save your used books to donate to our sale! Proceeds benefit the Adult Day Program.

Butterfly Release events will be held this summer by the Penn Highland Community Nurses hospice program.

At the events, hundreds of butterflies are released to honor and remember loved ones. Some flutter away immediately, and others stay to delight the crowds, resting on hands and nearby flowers.

The community is invited to attend any or all of these events, without having to purchase a butterfly.

Seating is limited, so guests may wish to bring lawn chairs.

Saturday, June 28, 2018 11:00 AM Edward V. Cherry Amphitheater DuBois City Park Parkway Drive | DuBois, PA

Community CPR Classes Heartsaver AED and First Aid Training on June 20, 2018 at

Sunday, July 29, 2018 2:00 PM Clearfield County Fairgrounds Park Street | Clearfield, PA

Penn Highlands Brookville. Cost is $25 and classes usually run from 5:00 - 8:00 PM in the PH Brookville Education Conference Center next to the hospital. Call 814-849-1870 to register.

Sunday, August 5, 2018 4:00 PM Serenity Garden Penn Highlands Community Nurses Johnsonburg Road | Saint Marys, PA People are invited to sponsor one or more butterflies for $25 each with proceeds going to hospice program.

For more information, please call 814-781-1415 or 800-841-9397.

Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org. payyourbill.

You will be given the choice of the four PHH-system hospitals to choose from. Click on the correct hospital to pay your bill. You will need your access code which is located on your statement. The rest of the information is simple – the patient’s name, birth date, address along with payment information from a credit card.

Next time you’re online, be sure to visit www.phhealthcare.org

Need a doctor? — Visit us at www.phhealthcare.org/findadoc

| 15

Advice From A DOCTOR Sandeep Bansal, MD, FCCP, FACP Medical Director, The Lung Center and Intensive Care Services 814-375-3770

How Can Bronchial Thermoplasty Help a Patient with Asthma?

Bronchial Thermoplasty, or BT, is a relatively new minimally invasive, outpatient procedure that is used to treat severe asthma – a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that can make breathing difficult.

BT uses thermal energy to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks in adults. Essentially, BT makes it easier for patients to breathe by reducing the smooth-muscle tissue in the airways, creating room for easier airflow.

The treatment involves three separate outpatient procedures, each scheduled three weeks apart.

During the procedure, a bronchoscope – a long, flexible tube with a camera on the end – is inserted through

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the mouth or nose; no incisions are required. A smaller tube goes inside the bronchoscope and warms the airway smooth muscle to around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which is cooler than a cup of coffee but warm enough to partially destroy the smooth muscle and, thus, limiting the ability of the airways to narrow.

Patients are under sedation and should not feel any discomfort other than occasional coughing. After the procedure, patients are monitored closely and often go home the same day.

Patients who benefit from BT are typically adults between the age of 18 and 65 who suffer from severe or persistent asthma that is not wellcontrolled by inhaled corticosteroids or long-acting bronchodilator medications.

In addition, candidates are typically non-smokers or have minimal history of smoking.

The treatment can significantly reduce asthma attacks, emergency department visits for respiratory-related symptoms and the number of missed days of work, school or activity.

In addition, fewer asthma attack means less medications for asthma.

Insurance coverage policies and payment vary by payer. The Lung

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Center team can help patients with the preauthorization process. To determine if you are a candidate for bronchial thermoplasty, please contact The Lung Center at 814-375-3770.

Is Asthma Limiting Your Life?

Are you…

• Taking multiple asthma medications but still having asthma symptoms?

• Adjusting your lifestyle to avoid asthma triggers?

• Missing work, school or daily activities because of asthma?

If you are an adult with severe asthma and answered “yes” to the questions above, you might be a candidate for BT treatment, offered by The Lung Center of Penn Highlands DuBois.

Insurance coverage for the BT procedure varies; The Lung Center can help you with the preauthorization process.

For more information, please call The Lung Center at 814-375-3770.