WPAHS Presents "Healing Journey"

Cancer survivors are invited to a half-day of inspiration, information, support and celebration at the seventh annual “Healing Journey,” presented by West Penn Allegheny Oncology Network (WPAON) on Saturday, Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton North in Cranberry Township.

“Healing Journey,” which has attracted sellout crowds over the past few years, helps patients living with cancer deal with the social and emotional aspects of cancer therapy. Attendees have the opportunity to meet other cancer survivors and share ways to cope with stress as well as manage their physical symptoms.

Cancer survivors are welcome to bring a guest to this informative program. Complimentary breakfast, lunch and parking will be provided. The event is free, but registration is required.

Keynote speaker is Dave Balch, who cared for his wife during four bouts with breast cancer and is the author of Cancer for Two: An Inspiring True Story and Guide for Cancer Patients and Their Partners.

Healing Journey is sponsored by West Penn Allegheny Oncology Network, provider of community-based medical oncology and hematology services for West Penn Allegheny Health System. Seating is limited, so please register for this free program by calling 412-770-1818 or emailing healingjourney@wpaon.org.

Exploring Medical Careers

Looking for an exciting medical career? The Western Pennsylvania Hospital has an ongoing need for Personal Care Associates. Attend one of the upcoming Career Exploration Info Sessions being sponsored by the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center. The first session is on September 10th at 6:30 pm at Kingsley Association, 6436 Frankstown Road. The second session will be held on September 15th at 6:30 p.m. at the Parental Stress Center, 5877 Commerce St. Call 412-362-8580 for more information.

Looking for an exciting medical career?

The Western Pennsylvania Hospital has an ongoing need for PCAs and to fill other entry-level positions. This Thursday, an important Career Exploration Info Session will tell you everything you need to know about job opportunities and how to apply!

When: Thursday, August 13, 2009, 6:30 p.m.

Location: BGC Community Center, 113 North Pacific Avenue (at Dearborn), Pittsburgh, PA 15224

The session will feature:

* Requirements for a Patient Care Associate (PCA) position

* Other employment opportunities at West Penn Hospital

* A step-by-step guide to the online WPH application and hiring process

Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to jumpstart a rewarding career at West Penn Hospital! Please call the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center at 412-362-8580 for more information.

Economic Stimulus Package Summit

What does the Economic Stimulus Package mean for Pittsburgh? How does it affect local healthcare, education, housing, and more? How and where will the federal dollars be spent? Come to a citywide summit, featuring city and state officials, on Monday, March 23, at West Penn Hospital's Wintergarden-Conference Center, sponsored by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation. Networking, bagels, and coffee at 9 a.m.; speakers, presentations, handouts, and more start at 9:30. Bring your questions for the 30-minute Q&A. For more information, see the flyer above (click on it to enlarge).

Free Prostate Cancer Screening

The Center for Urologic Care at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, in Bloomfield, will provide free prostate cancer screenings at 2 p.m., Sept. 16, in the hospital’s Mellon Pavilion. Screening is recommended starting at age 40 for African-American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer, and at age 45 for all other men. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, call 412-578-7131.

Don't Miss This Job Fair!

West Penn Hospital and the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center (ENEC) have teamed up with a variety of other partners in order to conduct what will be one of the best career/job fairs in 2008.

Called "Career Check Up," the job fair takes place on Wednesday, January 23, from 3 to 8 p.m. at West Penn Hospital, 4800 Friendship Avenue, on the first floor. Not only will West Penn be ready to interview employment candidates the day of the fair for available positions, but top leadership will be available to share information on educational and training opportunities. Scholarship and tuition support information will also be available.

At 5:30 p.m., John Lasky, Vice President of Human Resource for the West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS), will provide a comprehensive overview of the career opportunities at WPAHS, along with the necessary educational and experience requirements for these jobs. Mr. Lasky will also share information on how West Penn is helping its present employees to move up the career ladder while on the job. Even if you are not looking for a job at this moment, this information can help steer your future plans.

If you need help in the preparation of a resume, call 412-362-8580 and schedule a time to meet with Latoya Hamm of the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center. Also, Latoya can answer any questions you may have related to the career fair.

Good News for West Penn!

The Western Pennsylvania Hospital has been named in a newly released national study as one of the country’s 100 Top Hospitals® for cardiovascular care.

The 2007 Cardiovascular Benchmark for Success Study was commissioned by Thomson Healthcare and examined the performance of nearly 1,000 U.S. hospitals in treating congestive heart failure and heart attacks.

West Penn is one of 30 teaching hospitals with cardiovascular residency programs named to the Top 100 list. Among the elite hospitals joining West Penn on the list are Cleveland Clinic, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

"These winning hospitals bring great value to their communities," said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president for performance improvement and 100 Top Hospitals programs in the Center for Healthcare Improvement, Thomson Healthcare. "They have set national benchmarks for clinical process, outcomes, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness."

To determine the award-winning hospitals, the study analyzed publicly available Medicare cost reports and Medicare Provider Analysis and Review data, examining several areas related to patient outcomes and efficiency.

The study found that if all cardiovascular hospitals achieved the same results as the 100 Top Hospitals award winners, more than 7,000 lives would be saved and nearly 750 medical complications would be avoided annually.

The study examined key performance areas such as risk-adjusted mortality and complications, volume of procedures, severity-adjusted average length of stay, and severity-adjusted average cost.

West Penn Hospital performed 560 open-heart surgeries and 5,000 cardiac catheterizations in fiscal 2007.

Free Diabetes Awareness Fair

A Diabetes Fair featuring risk assessments and foot screenings will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Wintergarden of The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, 4800 Friendship Avenue, in Bloomfield. The fair is free and open to the public and is sponsored by The Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital. Activities will include healthy cooking demonstrations, foot screenings by physicians in West Penn Hospital’s Foot and Ankle Residency Program, diabetes risk assessments, information on pre-diabetes, and interactive “conversation maps” that teach diabetes self-management.

HBO Star at West Penn

Aida Turturro, who played Janice Soprano on HBO’s The Sopranos, will speak about her struggles with Type 2 diabetes from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Conference Center Auditorium, First Floor, 4800 Friendship Ave. in Bloomfield.

Sponsored by the Joslin Diabetes Center affiliate at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital, the event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, call (877) 284-2000.