We are honored to have our outstanding physicians recognized as
Rami M. Ausi, MD
Tatyana P. Barsouk, MD
Stephen G. Basheda, DO
Bridget K. Beier, DO
Nicholas A. Bellicini, DO
Kevin P. Bordeau, MD
Stephanie S. Brown, MD
Raye J. Budway, MD
Daniel E. Buerger, MD
Camille M. Buonocore, MD
David J. Burkey, MD
David B. Catalane, MD
Mark A. Cedar, DO
Frank A. Civitarese, DO
Louis A. Civitarese, DO
Lori L. Cherup, MD
Robert J. Chiu, MD
Bridger Clarke, MD
M. Sabina Daroski, MD
Wayne A. Evron, MD
Mario J. Fatigati, MD
Elizabeth J. Froelich, MD
John P. Girod, DO
Amy A. Gosling, MD
Peter M. Grondziowski, MD
Maxim Hammer, MD
Michelle Harvison, MD
David J. Helfrich, MD
Scott A. Holekamp, MD
Andy C. Kiser, MD
Deborah A. Lenart, MD
David L. Limauro, MD
Jeffrey C. Liu, MD
Xuong Lu, MD
Jay A. Lutins, MD
James H. MacDougall, MD
Douglas H. MacKay, MD
Richard H. Maley, MD
Ashith Mally, MD
Christopher M. Manning, MD
Leo R. McCafferty, MD
Robert E. McMichael, DO
Leigh H. Nadler, MD
Lisa A. Oliva, DO
Amelia A. Pare, MD
Jeffrey A. Perri, MD
Brett C. Perricelli, MD
Kristen Peske, DO
Matthew G. Pesacreta, MD
Christopher Pray, MD
Raman S. Purighalla, MD
Robert C. Rankin, MD
Patrick G. Reilly, MD
Christie G. Regula, MD
Vincent E. Reyes, MD
Antonio M. Riccelli, MD
Edward J. Ruane, MD
Theresa Schuerle, DO
Robert N. Shogry, MD
Arthur P. Signorella, MD
Felicia E. Snead, MD
Michael J. Speca, DO
Arthur D. Thomas, MD
Nestor D. Tomycz, MD
Amy B. Turner, DO
Samuel Urick, DO
Justin J. Vujevich, MD
Jason G. Whalen, MD
Paul M. Willis, MD
Ryan W. Zuzek, MD
Identifying and prioritizing the needs of the communities we serve shepherds increased access to essential services. 6 10 14 18 AR TICLES
SHARED HUMANITY
Compassionate collaboration across every level of the organization meets challenges head-on with the golden rule.
QUALITY LEADER
Leading minds driving state-ofthe-art processes and technology coalesce from the board room to patient bedside.
ADVANCED CARE CLOSE TO HOME
The best people. The best teams. The best partners. Clinical excellence through innovation is the evolution of expertise.
REGIONAL RESOURCE
SINCE 1954, St. Clair Health has been dedicated to quality, innovation, responsiveness to community needs, and the humanity of the physicians, nurses, and caregiving staff.
Playing an active role in your health for the past 70 years has been a profound privilege.
Everything we do is to ensure that the communities we serve experience what makes us different.
At St. Clair Health you’re MORE THAN A PATIENT.
Michael J. Flanagan President & Chief Executive Officer
It was February 22, 1954, when St. Clair Hospital first opened its doors as a 104-bed community hospital with a single campus located on Bower Hill Road. Today, St. Clair Health is a nationally recognized leader in quality, safety, patient experience, and value with advanced clinical services, serving patients and communities across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Even though we have grown beyond what could not have been imagined in 1954, we have never lost our focus—and that is to treat every patient, partner, and person like we’d want to be treated ourselves. I’m certain the community members who had the vision and foresight to build a hospital in the South Hills would be proud of the healthcare system we’ve become.
This edition of HouseCall is a celebration of our first 70 years and our relentless commitment to the community and people we serve. Looking back, key milestones showcase transformative moments in our shared history, like being instrumental in organizing what is now a best-in-class community Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system; opening the St. Clair Heart Center, introducing open-heart surgery and interventional cardiology to the South Hills; being ranked as the No. 1 ER in the country in patient experience; or becoming the first—and still the only—member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network in the region.
Working together, the St. Clair medical staff, nursing staff, and team members across the organization helped achieve top ten percent performance nationally in quality, safety, and patient satisfaction, as well as achieving a decade of consecutive ‘A’ grades for hospital safety, while earning multiple 100 Top Hospital designations. And then in 2021, St. Clair redefined the patient experience in outpatient services with the opening of Dunlap Family Outpatient Center—the largest construction project in St. Clair history that serves as the crown jewel of our main campus.
This is an organization that focuses its innovation and thinking around the needs of the patient. We design our system of care so that you can be your best self. That’s what matters most and that’s why we continue to build clinical programs, hire the very best healthcare professionals, invest in technology, build facilities, and deliver world-class access to care across the communities we serve—whether it’s one of our many physician offices, Outpatient Centers, or in the Hospital.
This is an organization—board members, medical staff, employees, and volunteers—deeply entrenched in a mission of service, and one that respects its history, but is always looking forward.
The success of any organization is dependent on its people— and I’m very proud to say we have great people at St. Clair Health. We cannot thank everyone across this organization enough for shepherding the community through the unprecedented challenge of a global healthcare crisis—and for remaining committed to focus on each patient’s road ahead. It has been inspiring to see our people care for others, when their own health may have been at risk. That dynamic energy in conjunction with our expanding education platform is how St. Clair is preparing to build the healthcare workforce of the future—one built through intense collaboration.
A shared humanity. Thinking of others, ahead of ourselves.
Your regional resource. Being essential to the region as a provider, employer, and educator.
The quality leader. Demonstrating health care excellence with tangible results every step of the way.
Delivering advanced care close to home. Providing specialized treatment options to our neighbors.
Expert care from people who care stands on pillars built to support every single person who walks through our doors. Our stated goal: to be at our best when you need us most.
As you turn the pages, we hope you find these stories insightful in providing context into what makes St. Clair the healthcare system you have come to know and trust over 70 years—trust that we earn every day. St. Clair is the hospital that was built by the community that is now integrated across providers, comprehensive in its offerings, and delivering care in direct proximity to the reason we strive to evolve and excel for the next 70 years and beyond.
And that reason is you, your family, and the communities we serve. n
Expert medical care is critical to supporting health. Being cared for by a team of compassionate and respectful people may have an even bigger impact.
At St. Clair Health, our ability to meet the growing needs of our patients and the communities we serve is dependent on our people. They are our best resource and greatest strength because of their shared passion for helping others and unrivaled commitment to excellence.
Whether they have worked at St. Clair Health for only a short time or several decades. Whether they work in patient care or provide ancillary support. Whether they are helping a returning patient or someone visiting St. Clair Health for the very first time. Team members come together each and every day to deliver Expert care from people who care to our patients.
While expert medical care is critical to support a patient’s health, a caring environment can have just as big of an impact on their wellbeing. It’s why St. Clair Health team members are committed to providing a welcoming environment for every patient. When patients are comfortable, they feel their concerns will be listened to and their needs addressed.
“Compassion and respect have been the standard here for a very long time. Because we know numbers can only tell you so much. You learn much more in conversations,” says Diane Puccetti, RN, BSN, MS, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “This helps patients in building a good relationship with their caregivers and feeling safe enough to tell us what they need.”
A physician with Advanced Women's Care of Pittsburgh for over two decades, Stephanie Shaw Brown, MD, knows that trust is a must for a successful patientprovider relationship. Still, she’s learned that personalizing care and humanizing healthcare can also go a long way in building rapport.
This approach means Dr. Brown arrives at the office early to personally make difficult phone calls, so there is ample time to answer patient questions. It means she shares her personal experiences with pregnancy and menopause, so patients know their doctor is also a human who truly understands.
“OB/GYN care is very personal, which is why patients appreciate hearing when I’ve experienced some of the same things and have
tips to share in addition to medical advice,” shares Dr. Brown. “I think it’s why I have lifelong relationships with so many patients and see some of their children now that they’re all grown up.”
Linda Vance, RN, is proud that this caring culture started at the top with our St. Clair Health leaders and was passed on to team members at every level, across every department. According to Vance, who is a retired nurse but remains actively involved as a community representative on multiple St. Clair Health committees, “You just care about people, and that compassion and caring goes out into the community.”
During her 44 years with St. Clair Health, Vance often went above and beyond to help not just patients but also their loved ones. The long-time nurse manager was known for rounding during visiting hours since they were limited years ago.
“Families would sit all day in a waiting room just to be able to see their loved one for 10 minutes if they were in critical care. I never left for the day without sitting down with these family members to explain the plan of care and answer any questions they may have,” explains Vance.
She continues, “It has always been the St. Clair Health way to serve the community in any way we can. This included the parking lot, where we often helped individuals find their cars or helped them find the entrance.”
While dedicated team members like Vance, Dr. Brown, and Puccetti prioritize patient care and customer service day in and day out, they also make it a point to provide help and support to their colleagues as much as possible. At St. Clair Health, there is a high level of mutual respect among team members across the organization and an enduring tradition of teamwork that lends itself to our caring culture.
“We develop personal relationships, become good friends, and realize we would not be able to do what we do for our patients without each other,” emphasizes Vance. “Where would we be without housekeeping? Without dietary? Without engineering? We all play an integral part at St. Clair Health.”
Puccetti adds, “I think how our patients see us interact with one another makes a difference. And fortunately, I always feel that there are really good relationships here. When you have team members who care about each
Puccetti knows relationships are the cornerstone of expert care.
Expert care from people who care is more than a tagline. It’s the relentless drive our more than 2,500 employees and nearly 600 physicians bring every single day to carry out the St. Clair Health mission of providing highly valued and service-oriented health care for the community.
No matter our role or department, team members are committed to treating every patient, partner, and person like we would want to be treated ourselves—with compassion and respect at every step. Because we understand how these small efforts can really make a big difference.
“From the moment you walk in the door, you can sense a caring family attitude. Everybody cares about everybody.”
Maureen “Mo” Odonnell
Mailroom, 50 Years with St. Clair Health
“I have always been a patient advocate. I will do whatever I can to help them because a little understanding and kindness go a long way!”
Karen Gannon
Respiratory Care, 45 Years with St. Clair Health
“I don’t feel like a number here. When I pass someone in the hall and they address me by name, I feel like part of the team. And I want every person who comes through our doors to feel like they matter as well and that they’ll receive the best care.”
Colleen Sipe
Emergency Department, 38 Years with St. Clair Health
“Everyone here helps each other out. Whether it be something as simple as helping visitors get to specific areas. Or implementing new processes and technology upgrades to improve patient outcomes. We all rely on each other to provide exceptional care that results in a positive patient experience.”
Domenic Presto
Biomedical Engineering, 27 Years with St. Clair Health
“It is truly a gift being able to work with so many smart and professional people. When you’re surrounded by this kind of talent, you’re confident patients are getting the best care possible. I have witnessed that first hand, as all three of my grandsons were born here.”
Venard Campbell
Patient Transportation, 18 Years with St. Clair Health
other and our patients, that quality can directly and positively impact patient outcomes.”
Our team members don’t just care for the people of this region every day. They also care about them. Because they are our family, friends, and neighbors.
The opportunity to care for the people in communities where team members live and work is often what brings them to St. Clair Health in the first place. Finding mutual respect and compassion among both patients and team members is why so many end up sticking around for a majority of, if not their entire careers.
Vance never expected she would be one of them when she moved to Pittsburgh in 1967. She says, “I planned on working in one of the city hospitals where I could just learn everything but decided to try out St. Clair Health since my sister-in-law was working there as a nurse at the time. As life played out, it’s where I stayed. And I became more and more and more proud to work here as time went on.”
When Puccetti came to St. Clair Health as the Operating Room Manager in 2004, she never could have imagined that she would eventually become Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer. “Thanks to the unwavering support and guidance of former Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Joan Massella, I’ve had a fulfilling career at an organization where I felt I have been able to have a bigger impact,” shares Puccetti.
On the other hand, Dr. Brown knew in the seventh grade that she wanted to be a doctor and work at St. Clair Hospital. She clarifies, “Serving this community is very personal to me because I grew up here. Though I was away from the South Hills during medical school, residency, and the four years my husband was on active duty in the Army, I joined St. Clair Health when we moved back to the South Hills.”
She continues, “Though I interviewed everywhere I could, no other organization offered the personal touch and sense of community that St. Clair Health did. And in the 20 plus years that I have now worked and been a patient here, I’m proud to say that commitment to patientcentered care and a caring culture have persisted.” n
shared humanity was never more evident than during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even when facing unprecedented challenges and working to adapt to evolving guidelines throughout the global crisis, St. Clair Health team members went above and beyond to care for our patients, the community, and each other.
Stephanie Shaw Brown, MD, who practices with Advanced Women's Care of Pittsburgh, explains, “We never closed our doors, not even for one day. We can't do our job without being face-to-face, so our practice was committed to staying open and offering in-person care even during the height of the pandemic.”
When the world was on lockdown in the early days of the pandemic, our team members were full speed ahead with patient care. “When talking with team members, I think it's so incredible that what they said is not, ‘I'm working too hard.’ They said, ‘I'm worried about my patients,’” shares Diane Puccetti, RN, BSN, MS, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer.
Puccetti continues, “During times when no visitors were allowed, nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) virtually connected patients with loved ones through video chat or sat with patients so they wouldn’t be alone. In other units, they arranged for loved ones to sit outside patient room windows for visits whenever possible.”
Since team members were focused on providing medical care— and emotional support in many cases—Puccetti and other St. Clair Health leaders did everything they could to take care of our people. She remembers, “We made sure Gatorade and snacks were readily available, as well as made rounds with a therapist to share mental health resources to support their well-being.”
Additionally, St. Clair Health provided complimentary meals for team members and their families during the pandemic, along with essential supplies such as toilet paper when they were in short supply. This extra support helped to ensure our people were taken care of so they could be here to continue taking care of our community.
Despite the stresses of the pandemic, St. Clair Health team members continued to show up and show compassion every day—for patients and for each other. Even when their faces were partially hidden behind masks, their demeanor demonstrated their unwavering commitment to caring for others.
When retired nurse Linda Vance, RN, was admitted as a patient to the hospital in early 2023, she recalls, “You could still hear the compassion in the tone of their voice, see it in their eyes, and sense it in behavior—which I felt was pretty special knowing everything that was going on.” n
A relentless focus on continual improvement will help us grow. Not to be the biggest, but the best.
The standard of excellence. As measured against others. Distinct attributes and characteristics achieved.
A noteworthy accountant for some of the world’s largest companies and tax management practices—including H.J. Heinz, Price Waterhouse, and Joy Manufacturing Company—Thomas M. Medwig is also a former active-duty Air Force Sergeant, Carnegie Borough Councilman, and devoted community leader whose ties are all but too robust to list. He has been a member of the board for 39 years, serving as Chairman of the St. Clair Health Board for the past 28.
“I’ve been very fortunate in life—lucky, you could surely say, growing up in Carnegie— because people have always helped me, and from a young age that instilled a want to give back to the community,” he says. “From the beginning of my time with St. Clair I felt a parallel of sorts imbued over how I could best contribute.”
For Medwig, time spent on special committees and subcommittees digging into the finite forensics of the organization made the answer abundantly clear.
“We formulated a good hypothesis early on that one of the best ways to turn potential problems into solutions was to ensure that we had the right people in the right places backed by the right training,” he says. “And the driving factor behind my keen interest in this everevolving healthcare system has been a focus on quality.”
Nicholas P. DiTullio, MD, CMD, Quality Committee Chairperson for St. Clair Medical Group (SCMG), says that for many industry leaders, the meaning of quality depends on how it’s measured—stars, numerical scores, insurance company and media outlet grades.
“Quality care equals excellent patient outcomes, and that’s what we do here,” he continues. “Our star scores are like the Super Bowl for me—but I want you to know that if you’ve never heard of a ‘quality score,’ then all you need to know is this: we send our families here.”
Dr. DiTullio adds that St. Clair exceeded organizational goals for 2022, for example, and for 2023—the data continues to accumulate through the beginning of the following calendar year—the numbers are going to be even better.
“That’s because we never let up on our focus to provide quality care,” he says.
Examining how the system achieves top quality begins by taking a close look through the lens of learned experience. For Marion A. McGowan, BSN, MPM, PHD, SVP & Chief Operating Officer at St. Clair Health, that means evidence-based and national standards.
And assessing benchmarks against those begins with a multi-pronged question:
“What do we need to do in order to build systems, utilize advanced technology, prepare teams, and implement communication streams every day to deliver the very best for every patient?”
Rigorous accountability drives St. Clair’s relentless expectations while serving to answer the aforementioned question.
“That’s what motivates all of us to help the community understand and experience what makes St. Clair different. Here, we come together for a common thread—our shared purpose is resonant across every level of the organization because we are always speaking the same language,” she says. “Here, we make things personal knowing we are caring for our community.”
Dave Heilman, MBA, Chairperson of St. Clair Medical Group, formerly served as CFO/COO of Omax Health, a nutritional supplement company empowering people to live life to the max.
“I’ve volunteered throughout my career— at church, through the food bank, and March of Dimes. The opportunity at St. Clair was a combination of all those things, creating value locally in a service-oriented way,” he says.
With a business acumen developed from serving in executive positions spanning industries including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and enterprise software for material handling, oncology drug sensitivity testing, and
health and wellness, St. Clair’s strategic vision also drew him in.
“It’s all about the direct-to-consumer mindset,” he says. “Patients are consumers and we have to understand what they’re looking for today, which informs how we serve them tomorrow. At St. Clair Health, that means treating you when and where you want to be treated, and delivering solutions based on how you prefer to interact.”
Heilman joined the St. Clair Health board in 2004 and currently serves as Vice Chair. On a personal note, and, with a bit of a chuckle, the Upper St. Clair resident notes particular kudos for St. Clair Health’s Emergency Department.
“We’ve spent a good deal of time there with our children and grandchildren over the years, and it’s so nice to know that when an event occurs for your family, there’s something that good that close to home,” he says. “We’ve been very fortunate.”
A pharmacist by trade, Teresa Whalen, RPH, is by day the CEO of CytoAgents, a Pittsburghbased clinical stage drug development company. She currently serves as Chair of the St. Clair Hospital Quality, Safety, and Service Committee, Vice Chair of St. Clair Medical Group, and on the St. Clair Health Board of Directors. Whalen is also a member of the Medical Staff Development Committee.
Prior to founding CytoAgents, Whalen’s career featured more than 20 years across the spectrum of life sciences—as a biotech innovator, healthcare technology leader, investor, and clinical pharmacist. “My background brings a perspective that combines knowledge of the clinical care setting, an understanding of the complexities driving top-tier clinical performance, and leveraging technology to gain efficiencies,” she says.
Whalen, a South Hills resident since the mid-90s, is driven by a deep personal connection to the community and the desire to maintain St. Clair as a premier health system.
“I’ve witnessed St. Clair’s evolution into a top decile hospital and the reasons were so clear,” she says. “The focus and dedication of the entire organization to be
Continued on Page 12
that high-performing, quality-of-care hub for the community.”
She joined in 2019. And the intersection between her professional life and St. Clair’s goals was equally evident.
“From day one it was obvious how committed everyone is to patient safety and delivering quality patient outcomes,” she says. “St. Clair Health maniacally monitors healthcare trends and multifactorial data to create interdisciplinary clinical quality and operational efficiency.”
McGowan points to the St. Clair Health Pharmacy and Laboratory teams as prime examples working diligently to ensure patient safety.
“The combination of state-of-the-art processes and technology is designed to give patients peace of mind along each step behind the scenes all the way to their bedside,” she says. “There’s tremendous intent from ordering, filling, and delivering prescriptions to processing, chemistry, and tissue tracking.”
At St. Clair Health, safety and quality are tethered tightly to create cohesion across your care team.
“They’re completely interdependent—one doesn’t exist without the other,” McGowan continues. “And these foundational elements of patient care create a tremendous impact for the community.” Continued
From Medwig’s unique perspective, top quality and top finances strengthen the braid.
“They don’t just ‘go together,’ you can’t have one without the other,” he says. “Quality care inspires patients to walk through that door, and the bottom line drives topline facilities, equipment, and the most critical element of all: people.”
Good begets good. Quality begets quality. As St. Clair raised its clinical profile, the organization settled into a groove at the intersection of recruiting and expanding.
“Good people bring in other good people—and that’s far greater than excellent doctors bringing in other excellent doctors,” Medwig clarifies. “Delivering top quality as an organization permeates through every level. Now you have the best infection prevention people bringing in the best in their field and each unit elevates their respective performance.”
At the unit level, Daily Dashboards present patient events across service lines, allowing care teams to assess immediate needs in real time.
Strategic benchmarking drives the systemwide effort.
“Performance. Programs. Patients. Our objectives are very intentional,” McGowan says. “It’s not just more rounding and reporting— we’re actively resolving any barriers and clearing the path to increased resources, engagement, and measurable tactics.”
McGowan, a Pittsburgh native whose administrative career has spanned nearly three decades across several large health systems, joined St. Clair Health in 2023.
“I’m from here, just like so many others— we live in the community and are led by the community,” she says. “I’m grateful to everyone who has helped us make real progress during my first year, from stabilizing staffing challenges brought on by the pandemic to improving both ancillary and outpatient testing times substantially by upgrading patient access and equipment. Being the quality leader is truly a total team effort.”
St. Clair’s culture is built on compassionate care. For Heilman, that boils down to the system’s relentless focus on quality throughout the patient experience.
“There’s a tremendous amount of pride in exceeding not just the physical needs of each patient, but also the emotional and intangible elements at a time of great stress for them and their families,” he says. “It’s all linked—the type
"The combination of state-of-theart processes and technology is designed to give patients peace of mind along each step behind the scenes all the way to their bedside."
MARION A. MCGOWAN, BSN, MPM, PHD SVP & Chief Operating Officer
of care you receive at St. Clair enhances the quality of your experience.”
And at St. Clair Health, every member of the team plays an integral role in your healthcare journey.
“If nurses are the bedrock, then St. Clair’s coordination of care builds all around you. There’s a driving force of communication from your doctors through to the person who delivers your food and those cleaning your room, all working together to make you comfortable,” Heilman adds.
Dr. DiTullio, who also served as President of the Medical Staff throughout 2023, extends that stream of consciousness.
“Our goal is to have no gaps along your healthcare journey, from preventative screenings to post-operative recovery—and every step in between,” he says. “And that’s also fundamental: we want to take care of whatever’s ailing you long before it becomes a problem—even if you’re not yet aware of it. From a colorectal perspective, we can remove polyps before they become cancerous; a small lump in your breast can be treated more quickly and effectively when caught earlier.”
Another standout element from Whalen’s perspective is St. Clair’s purposeful commitment to collaboration, including being Western Pennsylvania’s only member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network and the St. Clair Hospital Cancer Center affiliated with UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.
“The patient is at the center of everything we do, and these partnerships expand our reach to the country’s top clinical programs—creating synergies, improving patient care, and driving growth in critical service lines. As an example, the partnership with UPMC Hillman Cancer Center brings access to groundbreaking clinical trials,” she says. “Being one small part of saving lives in our community is very meaningful.”
After more than two decades and change, Dr. DiTullio is most proud of the fact that he can’t point to just one service line breakthrough to highlight superior clinical quality at St. Clair.
“What that means is huge for the community,” he says. “It’s not just one process
or program or procedure that we built the right way from the ground up—from the Family Birth Center at the beginning of a patient’s life to advancements in elderly care, everyone is thinking outside the box for every patient.”
When it comes to awards, Heilman points to the perspective gained in their achievement.
“Tangible measurement of the respective team’s efforts also helps the community recognize exactly what you can expect here,” he says. “That’s how it becomes a collective sense of pride—recognition of the day-to-day expert care running alongside the expectation of the highest levels of treatment across service lines.”
McGowan doubles down on St. Clair’s relentless commitment to continuous improvement—built on understanding that any and all treatment options must take shape around each patient’s individual needs.
“And we want to know what you think,” she adds. “That’s why we conduct forums and focus groups to curate the unique patient perspective and create healthcare journey maps. We work directly with Press Ganey to collect data that helps St. Clair adapt care models to be even more personalized.”
Medwig is adamant that no amount of quality conversation can take place without mentioning two key names:
Donald P. Orr, MD, and G. Alan Yeasted, MD, who have each served in a variety of clinical and administrative capacities during their illustrious careers at St. Clair Health.
“When you’re in a boat, everyone has to row in the same direction if you want to get anywhere,” Medwig says. ““Quality is the responsibility of everyone in the healthcare system. They got everyone—and I mean everyone—on the same page.” n
Expert care from people who care. This is world-class medical services, for generations to come.
dvanced care close to home is defined by the best people, the best teams, and the best partners, working together in an environment that delivers consistent, high-quality care,” says
John T. Sullivan, MD, MBA, SVP & Chief Medical Officer at St. Clair Health.
Another key element: superb training.
“Our highly-skilled experts are surrounded by a passionate team across many disciplines that excels in coordinating care for every patient,” he says. “We’re committed to providing the best care, and we have the best in the world right at our fingertips through our collaboration with Mayo Clinic.”
Dr. Sullivan, whose background includes more than 15 years of progressively responsible experience in leading academic institutions and over three decades of service as a Medical Officer in the United States Navy, joined St. Clair in 2017.
“Our entire organization has long prided itself on its culture of continuous learning and a relentless pursuit of industry-leading performance,” he says. Dr. Sullivan’s stewardship has been focused on continuing to elevate St. Clair’s specialized programs.
“As we recruit and develop the best people within that established culture, we focus on offering innovation and best practices across all of our services,” he says. “In orthopedics, that might mean the most contemporary approaches to joint replacement; our cardiovascular team consistently delivers the same-day-discharge transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). At St. Clair, truly innovative examples exist across service lines, and division leaders are in lockstep to establish targeted goals and deliver even more integrated solutions that take patient care to the next level.”
An uncommon bond shapes the cardiovascular team at St. Clair Health.
“We don’t just work closely, we work constructively,” says Andy C. Kiser, MD, MBA, FACS, FACC, FCCP, Physician-in-Chief of Cardiovascular Services at St. Clair Health. “Wherever your challenge presents on the spectrum of potential treatments, what we’re most concerned with is figuring out the best way to treat your specific needs. One of the most refreshing things about St. Clair is that our communication and collaboration is entirely focused on helping each patient reach the very best decision for their care.”
Dr. Kiser, who also serves as Western Pennsylvania Society of Thoracic Surgeons (WPASTS) President, joined St. Clair in 2018 after more than three decades of distinguished teaching and surgical leadership in both university and healthcare system settings. He points to the intellectual maturity of his team as a key to leading the region forward.
“Our reputation for clinical excellence enables us to be more than just elite on our own—we can lead by building bridges far beyond our own walls and accomplish even more.”
Here, Dr. Kiser dovetails directly into the annual Pittsburgh Heart Summit, whose steering committee comprises leaders from UPMC and AHN right alongside St. Clair Health.
“We’re driven to create alliances that improve patient care and outcomes—for everyone,” he says. “By empowering our teams and fostering connectivity, we enhance the Greater Pittsburgh Medical Community.”
In 2024, those cutting-edge insights will be delivered live through interactive roundtable discussions at home plate of PNC Park.
“What really stands out to me—I could break down every single member of our team and talk about something truly outstanding in their specialty,” he says. “From electrophysiology to women-led initiatives in cardiac medicine across every facet and function of the heart. But just like the spirit of The Summit, our people are uniquely focused on how
Continued on Page 16
they bring it all together. Their commitment to each other is how we built a Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) in conjunction with our partners in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care. What makes St. Clair different is that spirit of always-on togetherness.”
Raye J. Budway, MD, FACS, Director of St. Clair Hospital Breast Care Center, is leading in the same fashion through the High Risk Breast Program, where a team of specialists combine their expertise with advanced technology—including an innovative risk calculator tool that identifies high-risk patients before they’re even diagnosed.
Dr. Budway, who joined St. Clair in 2011 after more than 15 years of directing surgical intensive care throughout the region, also serves as Co-Chair of the St. Clair Hospital Cancer Committee.
“Capturing cases before they even exist is a key that helps us take a proactive approach,” she says. “It’s strategic from a clinical perspective, and, just as important, helps unlock much-needed peace of mind as we establish your care plan.”
The Tyrer-Cuzik Risk Assessment Calculator—used with every patient who comes to St. Clair for a screening mammogram—is based on a questionnaire that includes family history and other risk factors.
“Helping you understand exactly where you are helps us get you exactly where you want to go,” says Dr. Budway. “And patients who are identified as high-risk can then be guided through more concentrated screenings and treatment plans.”
Clinical support. A closer eye on breast health. Catching cancer earlier to give you a much better chance at survival.
“An annual breast screening MRI is St. Clair’s most sensitive noninvasive examination for the detection of breast cancer,” says Dr. Budway. “The added care and support provided by breast care specialists is invaluable to patients who present with a higher risk and need to be followed more closely. At St. Clair Health, you’re not a number—you become part of a tight-knit community where our top priority is providing the best possible care, clinically curated to address your medical and personal needs.”
Kevin P. Bordeau, MD, a urologist with St. Clair Medical Group, echoes that sentiment wholeheartedly.
“If you look at the arc of urologic robotic surgery—and cancer care in general—at St. Clair, one of the most exciting elements is that we’ve consistently expanded our expertise,” he says. “Honing the processes and techniques required for one procedure always inspires the team to want to do even more for our patients.”
Dr. Bordeau points to the intimate attention to detail of St. Clair Health urologists as a prime example concerning prostate cancer.
“The whole care team is looking at the whole patient—and their family—at every turn, in order to ensure that we’re not just attacking the problem you’re facing when you come in, but also setting you up for success to achieve your life goals,” he says. “We utilize an intraoperative nerve monitoring system to evaluate the location of nerves that run alongside the prostate, which is critical to help patients regain urinary control and erectile function after surgery.”
Smaller incision. Greater precision. Increased vision and control. The state-of-the-art da Vinci® Surgical System helps reduce blood loss during surgery, shortens recovery time, and decreases both post-operative pain and administration of associated medications.
This is especially true with robotic radical cystectomy—essentially removing the entire bladder—for treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
“90 percent of bladder cancer can be treated locally with procedures conducted through a scope to remove your tumor,” he says. “But when it grows roots in the wall of the bladder,
that creates a more involved treatment plan— one that historically was completed with a large incision—to evaluate whether those roots have also connected to the kidneys,” he says. “Our minimally invasive tools and techniques allow us to both remove the bladder and reroute ureters through a dramatically smaller incision.”
Using the most advanced technology to perform delicate and complex operations that ease the strain on patients is the standard at St. Clair Health.
“Innovation is the expectation,” says Dr. Bordeau. “Medicine constantly evolves and we have to adapt with it. A doctor's expertise puts them on a pedestal, and they have to work diligently to earn that prestige—not just through state-of-the-art technology, but by building trust with each patient.”
Dr. Bordeau’s vision for the future of advanced care close to home is as clear as his line of sight inside the da Vinci.
“This is my nineteenth year at St. Clair. I’ve been humbled to serve as Medical Staff President and on the St. Clair Medical Group Board of Directors,” he says. “As a strategic leader, what I’m most excited about is education—the residency programs where we’ll be training the next generation of doctors that will fuel our culture of continuous learning for years to come.”
A challenge for the next generation will be redirecting some of the focus of medical education toward community-based care.
Historically, the majority of education for medical students and resident physicians was
based in large, research-oriented institutions in metropolitan areas. As individual health care has become more community and outpatient based, St. Clair Health is perfectly situated to help facilitate education in community health, and bring care to where it is needed first.
Dr. Budway, who also serves as Chief of the Division of General Surgery for Duquesne University’s new College of Osteopathic Medicine (DUQCOM), shares her perspective.
“We have an incredibly diverse, dedicated staff of physicians, nurses, and advanced practice providers that treat, prevent, and care for a wide variety of diseases. Our administrative allies have provided support and direction for this incredibly weighty endeavor. Most importantly, I feel, our patients will be strong supporters of an initiative that preserves their access to top physicians both now and in the future,” she says.
At St. Clair Health, empowerment extends directly from administration to physician leaders and beyond, infusing system-wide ownership across respective functions.
Robert B. Reynolds, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy, joined St. Clair Health in 2021 after more than a decade in pharmacy management roles at large hospitals in the region and was immediately impressed by the hands-on culture.
“Straight away we knew that in less than six months the COVID-19 booster shots would need to be operationalized,” he says. “And our team would play a critical role in shepherding both employees and the community.”
Concurrently, Reynolds was also made aware early in his tenure just how keen leadership was to examine pharmacywide optimization.
“The pillars of what we do are people, processes, and production,” he says. “The first key was diving deep into where we stood versus our future state goals. It wasn’t just, ‘We need a new robot,’ it was bigger picture thinking, ‘Why and how are we looking at automation?’ Because every choice we make has a potential impact on every phase—robotic, digital, manual—across the entire health system.”
In 1992, St. Clair made history with the launch of McKesson ROBOT-Rx, the first robotic drug distribution system engineered to automate bar-coded medications. Over the course of two decades, the system expanded across the entire medication delivery process.
The results included award-winning care and enhanced patient safety.
Reynolds’ arrival coincided with the grand opening of Dunlap Family Outpatient Center. The completion of the largest construction project in St. Clair history—and arguably its most innovative—had the entire organization rethinking what was possible.
Enter: the Omnicell XR2 Automated Central Pharmacy System and the Omnicell Pharmacy Carousel.
"At the time of installation we were one of only seven healthcare systems in the country to have the whole spectrum of fully-automated medication management,” says Reynolds. “If there’s a recall, then we can call it up in the system and know every single piece of equipment it’s in. But it’s really about being proactive, because what we’re able to offer patients here is safety through peace of mind knowing that we’re 99.9 percent accurate—and typically, the remainder is because of a barcode not scanning upon arrival, which means that product never goes into circulation.”
That safety and efficiency has another profound effect on the St. Clair pharmacy.
“Because we’re more accurate, that time saved creates robust value adds. Now we can have more pharmacy technicians working on units, building and expanding their skillsets,” says Reynolds. “We’re able to create career ladders because our people are working at the highest level of their degrees in tandem with clinical staff—and in the near future, a pharmacist will be rounding as part of our academic residency program.”
For Reynolds, the future of pharmacy at St. Clair Health is a front row seat to history in the making.
“Now we have a clinical pharmacist dedicated to the Emergency Department. Unit-based clinical pharmacists, staff pharmacists, and clinical specialists,” he says. “With our enhanced infrastructure, the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee can focus on standardizing treatment algorithms and therapies, adding elements to our formula that will keep us at the cutting edge of medicine.” n
Since 2016, St. Clair has been honored to be a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Collaborating with the best of the best includes everything from Mayo Clinic specialists or subspecialists providing second opinions to leveraging the litany of best practices across programs and treatment protocols.
Now in its 14th year, the Mayo Clinic Care Network launched with the idea to extend the industry leader’s world-renowned expertise by creating clinically meaningful relationships with high-performing organizations in order to make a positive impact on the lives of their patients.
St. Clair Health is privileged to be the only healthcare system in Western Pennsylvania with this special access to Mayo Clinic. As part of St. Clair’s mission to provide high-quality, lowcost health care, patients benefit from not having to travel in order to get a second opinion, continuing their ongoing care right on the St. Clair campus—at no additional cost.
“We are entering an immensely exciting era in patient care—in the hospital, at home, and in hybrid environments that deliver advanced care based on personalized plans built around you,” says Mark V. Larson, MD, Mayo Clinic Care Network Medical Director. “At St. Clair Health, you are truly much more than a patient.”
How St. Clair Health is creating a healthier region by providing excellent care & being a good neighbor.
It all started with a need. A need for South Hills residents to have their own quality and compassionate health care close to home.
St. Clair Health was founded in 1954 to help address the unmet needs of their community—a mission that continues to this day.
The good people of the South Hills worked tirelessly to bring a dream to life more than 70 years ago, which is why we remain dedicated to serving this growing community and its members.
Our mission to serve the community is exemplified by our people and illustrated in the St. Clair Health logo.
Joseph B. Smith, member of the St. Clair Health Board of Directors and Chair of the Community Benefit Committee, explains, “There's a lot of significance to why extended hands* became our symbol. We use our hands to care for people. To heal them. To help them. And I believe the hands symbol connects back to our mission of meeting the health needs of our community members."
As an institution built by and for the community, St. Clair Health will always have the community’s best interests at heart. Delivering on this commitment is not just about providing excellent care to our patients. It’s also about being a good neighbor to the communities we serve.
St. Clair Health regularly conducts a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to identify and prioritize unmet needs in the community. We study the communities St. Clair Health serves for a period of three years, looking closely at every geographic area and demographic group, seeking to learn where there are gaps in services and underserved populations.
“We complete extensive qualitative research, including focus groups and a community survey that really touches thousands of people,” shares Smith. “We also have conversations with local leaders, prospective and existing patients, St. Clair Health medical staff, and other members of the community. In many cases, it's these relationships within the community that help us to identify needs.”
Lindsay Meucci, MBA, Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Advocacy, adds, “St. Clair Health team members live in the communities we serve, so they tend to see patients and neighbors more often in everyday settings like the grocery store. This enhanced community knowledge also lends itself to a better understanding of community needs.”
In addition to completing formal and informal qualitative research, we also collect and analyze data. G. Alan Yeasted, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer Emeritus and Chair of the St. Clair Health Foundation Board of Directors, explains, “We get statistics from the communities we serve, as well as Allegheny and Washington counties. By delving into this existing data and talking with people in our service areas, we can determine and categorize crucial needs.”
Determining the health needs of a community can be challenging, as there are a variety of factors to consider—medical, social, economic, environmental, and behavioral. Our process of digging through all the information and prioritizing the most critical health issues is meticulous and explores all these multifaceted challenges.
We have found the most effective way to address needs is to focus our efforts intensely on a few key issues to better evaluate the need, identify solutions, and execute initiatives that will make a difference in the communities we serve. That is why St. Clair Health has concentrated its efforts in four key areas in recent years.
Access to care is instrumental in ensuring a healthy community, especially in a region with a large elderly population. So St. Clair Health provides complimentary transportation to family, friends, and neighbors in need who would otherwise be unable to get the care they need. This takes away the stress of getting to a St. Clair health facility so patients can focus on what’s really important—their health.
Our Courtesy Van Service was established 25 years ago with the donation of one old car for anyone who needed a ride. Now, a fleet of six vans annually shuttles 13,000 individuals to and from their homes to medical appointments or free community screenings—thanks in part to generous donations to the St. Clair Health Foundation.
“We have dramatically changed how we're doing transportation,” stresses Smith. “We're not just providing rides to people who request them. We're trying to create a schedule and map out areas with the greatest need to make a bigger impact.”
“Food insecurity is significant in the South Hills,” says Smith. “People may be surprised to learn about the dramatic need for food among our senior and immigrant populations in the communities we serve.”
And unfortunately, not having enough to eat or having food without the right nutrients can lead to a chain of health problems. So St. Clair Health has partnered with several organizations to improve access to healthy foods among our most vulnerable groups.
“We work with Pete Donati & Sons florists and South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) every year to plant and tend to a rooftop garden at St. Clair Hospital,” shares Dr. Yeasted. “We deliver over 300 pounds of fresh produce annually to the SHIM food pantry to ensure the community members they serve can access foods not easily found in grocery stores.”
Additionally, the Nutritional Services team rescues leftover food from the St. Clair Hospital cafeteria each week and redirects it to a local nonprofit called Living Stones so neighbors in need can enjoy a hot meal together.
Meucci explains, “When a former St. Clair Health physician told us about Living Stones, we began donating prepared foods that otherwise would have been thrown away. Food is now frozen and properly stored until Living Stones volunteers can pick it up, reheat it, and serve it buffet style at their weekly community meals.”
She continues, “More recently, we’ve partnered with the Food Assistance Match (FAM) program to improve access to healthy fruits and vegetables right in our backyard. Our support helps to double the spending power of individuals who utilize Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at the Bethel Park Farmers Market.”
There are people in our community who lack health insurance or may struggle to pay for medical care. This lack of affordable and convenient access means people may wait too long to seek care, which can lead to chronic conditions worsening or cancers going undiagnosed.
Identifying chronic disease or cancer early can be instrumental in treating it—but not everyone has access to this kind of preventive care. That’s why St. Clair Health regularly offers free community events that include vital health screenings and resources to address holistic health and wellness.
According to Smith, “We've always done extensive screenings. Whether it's high blood pressure or breast, skin, or prostate cancer, we have many of those screenings that are very important.”
“Offering free mammograms is really valuable for women in the communities we serve who don't have insurance,” says Dr. Yeasted. “To be able to provide that screening and offer them transportation, both free of charge, I think that's a great service.”
Mental health and substance use disorders are ongoing challenges that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A key part of the solution is providing treatment that is compassionate and comprehensive, which is why St. Clair Health is changing the way we care for patients struggling with these issues.
Since partnering with Gateway Rehab in 2019, more than 1,600 patients have met with certified Recovery Specialists while being treated at St. Clair Hospital. Approximately 36% of these interactions have led patients to enter treatment with Gateway Rehab.
“This partnership has really made a difference. Having someone on-site who understands what these patients are going through has saved lives and helped so many families,” says Dr. Yeasted. “We are now reminding local paramedics about this partnership so they can tell patients in the community about the care available at St. Clair Health.”
We have seen improvements in these four key areas thanks to our initiatives and expanded partnerships, but we know there is still work to be done. Dr. Yeasted shares, “I think we're going to need to do more in the future to address the social determinants of health and advance health equity in the communities we serve.”
While these are complex problems, St. Clair Health will face them together with our partners, our people, and our community to build on our progress. It really takes a collective effort to create a region where healthy lifestyles are the norm, not the exception. So we are grateful to the organizations and people who share our commitment to achieving a healthier community—whether they are helping St. Clair Health with our efforts or supporting our institution and patients.
“Community members have donated Jared Boxes for the children visiting our Emergency Room and made blankets for hospital patients. Also, a local Girl Scout troop donated cookies to oncology patients,” beams Meucci. “It's just wonderful to know people want to reach out to us and donate their time and efforts back.” n
Scan here to learn more about our latest Community Health Needs Assessment and St. Clair Health’s community impact.
t. Clair Health plays a pivotal role in the economic health and vitality of the community, with a direct and indirect impact on the area’s economy. As the largest employer in the South Hills, we are a key center for job creation and career training for community members. As a growing health system, our operations cause a positive ripple effect within the communities we serve.
We are also proud to annually contribute more than $80 million to the community through community benefit programs and charity or discounted and uncompensated care. Plus, our Community Benefit Committee often makes charitable donations on behalf of St. Clair Health to local organizations with the highest need.
In addition to this quantifiable service to the community, our team members enhance our ability to make a difference through their community service efforts. From volunteering their time with our community partners to offering much-needed assistance during community emergencies, they are just as invested in caring for others out in the community as they are in St. Clair Health facilities.
“Many of our people work and live in the communities we serve, so it’s their families, friends, and neighbors they're helping,” explains
G. Alan Yeasted, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer Emeritus and Chair of the St. Clair Health Foundation Board of Directors.
“We have so many team members who are willing to volunteer their time and efforts to help community members in need,” says Lindsay Meucci, MBA, Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Advocacy. “Whether it’s serving food at a Living Stones community meal or visiting one of the South Hills Interfaith Movement (SHIM) food pantries to provide free vaccinations.”
Dr. Yeasted adds, "Throughout the years, when major events affect our communities, we've called community leaders right away to offer our support and provide vaccinations for the first responders as needed. When our most vulnerable populations were nervous about exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic, we held vaccination clinics at senior living facilities so they were able to see their grandkids again.”
“Our ability to make a difference is what really makes St. Clair Health special,” emphasizes Dr. Yeasted. That ability, combined with our relentless commitment to serve the community, will drive St. Clair Health to continue working to create a healthier region for years to come. n
Long-tenured nurse enjoys countless opportunities for growth and connection.
Linda Zeigler, RN, first came to St. Clair Health in 1989 to gain hands-on experience as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) while attending nursing school.
She may not have planned on spending most of her career at St. Clair Health when she took that first nursing job on a medicalsurgical unit many years ago. But fast forward to 2024, and Zeigler is delighted she will soon celebrate nearly three decades as a St. Clair Health team member.
“I've had people ask me why I've stayed, and I told them that I'm happy here. It's a good organization,” says Zeigler. “Plus, St. Clair Health provides a multitude of opportunities for anybody and everybody to grow and connect.”
As St. Clair Health has grown exponentially over the years, long-tenured employees like Zeigler have embraced new opportunities to advance their careers.
After completing nursing school in 1994, Zeigler transitioned to full-time work as a medical-surgical nurse at St. Clair Hospital. It was the first of many positions she would hold in a full-time, part-time, or standby capacity in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. This career trajectory is one of a few reasons why Zeigler encouraged her eldest daughter—also a nurse—to join her at St. Clair Health.
“Nursing is a great field because it enables you to work in almost any department. And at St. Clair Health, there is room for professional growth and development,” she explains. “You can start out anywhere and grow here, whether working in a multitude of facilities or progressing to a specialty if that’s what you want.”
While Zeigler has helped to open a couple cardiovascular stress labs and most recently joined the cardiac diagnostics team, she is most proud of being part of the team that not only expanded our Low Dose Lung Cancer Screening Program but also achieved the Center of Excellence designation for the program.
“There were just a handful of patients in the program when I was asked to take on the role of Nurse Navigator,” shares Zeigler. “The amount of lung cancers that we did find and the people that we were able to help and take care of—that's a huge thing. I think we reached 2,000 patients before I left the program for my next role.”
Despite her positive experience with St. Clair Health, Zeigler explored positions with other health systems twice during her career. The first time, a friend recruited her in 2008 to work at a private orthopedics practice—but Zeigler ultimately returned to St. Clair Health after four years for more flexibility and better work-life balance. The second time, she wanted to try something different amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021—but Zeigler returned to St. Clair Health within two years because she desperately missed the sense of community.
“It was nice to come back and see everybody. People were happy to see me too, so I felt like I never left. That’s genuine warmth and care,” she emphasizes. “When you walk down the hall of our hospital, everyone from the housekeeper to your manager says hello. People know who you are.”
That is why Joan Massella, RN, MED, MBA, former Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, told Zeigler she would always have a home at St. Clair Health
Expert care from people who care. It’s more than our tagline—it’s the relentless drive we bring to carry out our mission every single day. Interested in joining the team? Follow St. Clair Health Careers on Facebook and LinkedIn or visit stclair.org.
when she first left. Jenny Petruski, MBA, Director of Outpatient Center and Medical Imaging, later reaffirmed this sentiment when she personally called Zeigler to ask if she would consider returning to St. Clair Health for a second time.
These opportunities for personal connection are what Linda most looks forward to when coming to work each and every day. She says, “There's no greater feeling than having someone like Dominic Presto from Plant Operations or even our President and CEO Mike Flanagan ask how you are doing when you walk into the cafeteria. You don't get that warm and fuzzy feeling at a lot of workplaces.”
Zeigler continues, “It's been a good experience. To be a professional here. To help recruit new people here. To watch my daughter start her career here. To see the managers I started with when I was 19 years old announce their retirements but come back to be seen as patients. It's a good feeling, to feel that you're at home, when you’re at St. Clair Health.” n
Emerging from a global pandemic to answer the siren song to serve an ever-changing healthcare landscape is defined by what makes us different. Here, we make things personal.
Every patient. Every partner. Every person. Every single day.
Our standard is excellence. Your experience is a total team effort.
World-class. Patient-first. Our algorithm is all-in on you.
Here. For you. And at our very best when you need us most.