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News: Press Releases
Here you will find the latest information, feature stories, plus comprehensive articles in the latest treatment options and research at Altoona Regional Health System.
2/4/10 - SIX ALTOONA FAMILY PHYSICIANS CONTRIBUTE TO NEW BOOK
1/26/10 - LOCAL SCHOOLS JOIN ALTOONA REGIONAL FOUNDATION FOR LIFE’S TEAM PINK
1/22/10 - GO RED DAY TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE AND STROKE IN WOMEN SET FOR FRIDAY, FEB. 5
1/21/10 - NURSE RECEIVES MASTER'S DEGREE
1/21/10 - ALTOONA FAMILY PHYSICIANS RESIDENCY PROGRAM EARNS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION
1/21/10 - TWO CARDIOLOGY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES RETIRE
1/15/10 - ALTOONA REGIONAL HEALTHY LIVING CLUB SCHEDULES FEBRUARY ROGRAMS
1/15/10 - ALTOONA REGIONAL OFFERS SUPPORT GROUPS/CLINICS IN FEBRUARY
1/12/10 - NATIONAL EXPERT ON BREASTFEEDING ISSUES SPEAKS TO CONFERENCE
1/8/10 - IN-SERVICE ON CONCUSSION EDUCATION FOR ALTOONA AREA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PERSONNEL
1/2/10 - FIRST BLAIR COUNTY BABY OF NEW YEAR BORN AT ALTOONA REGIONAL
February 4, 2010 - SIX ALTOONA FAMILY PHYSICIANS CONTRIBUTE TO NEW BOOK

Six faculty members of the Altoona Family Physicians Residency Program are contributing authors of the book “Essential Evidence” by Ebell, M.H., Ferenchick, G., Smith, M., Barry, H., Slawson, D., Shaughnessy, A., Forsch, R., Li, S., Wilkes, M., Usatine, R., eds. John Wiley & Sons: Hoboken, N.J., 2009.

The AFP authors and chapters are:

Jennifer Good, M.D., "Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)"

Fiona McLellan, M.D., "Alopecia and Baldness."

Arthur Morrow, D.O., "Bell's Palsy"

Terry Ruhl, M.D., "Epistaxis and Nosebleeds"

Laura Siems, M.D., "Nipple Discharge"

Kathleen Sweeney, D.O., "Acne and Rosacea," co-authored with Richard P. Usatine, M.D.

The Web version is now live at www.essentialevidence.com, and a hard copy is to be published soon.

The AFP residency program is affiliated with Altoona Regional Health System and trains physicians in the practice of Family Medicine.





January 26, 2010 - LOCAL SCHOOLS JOIN ALTOONA REGIONAL FOUNDATION FOR LIFE’S TEAM PINK

The Claysburg-Kimmel and Bellwood-Antis High School girl’s basketball teams have been selling t-shirts and pink ribbon money banks, and collecting change, in support of the Foundation for Life’s TEAM Pink campaign.

The Tuesday, Feb. 2, game between the teams is dedicated solely to raising funds for TEAM Pink. The game starts at 6 p.m. at the Claysburg- Kimmel High School. T-shirts, ribbons and TEAM Pink bracelets will be available for purchase with proceeds benefiting the campaign for life-saving digital mammography.

Altoona Regional will offer digital mammography in its planned women’s breast care center at the Station Medical Center. Digital mammography images appear in seconds on a computer screen allowing for better visibility, greater image flexibility and faster results. With digital mammography, Altoona Regional can electronically transmit images to physician offices as well as to experts in other communities.

The schools will present a check to a TEAM Pink and Foundation for Life board member at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Bellwood-Antis High School between the JV and varsity boys’ basketball games.

To make a donation and join TEAM Pink, contact the Foundation at 814.889.6406.

Altoona Regional Health System Foundation for Life is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which exists to inspire gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations and other entities to support the preservation of health care for the well-being of community members in Central Pennsylvania. As a qualified charitable organization, donations to the Foundation for Life are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.





January 22, 2010 - GO RED DAY TO SUPPORT THE FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE AND STROKE IN WOMEN SET FOR FRIDAY, FEB. 5

It’s a simple, visible way to support the fight against heart disease and stroke in women Friday, Feb. 5 — by wearing red.

Cardiovascular disease — heart attacks and stroke — is the number one killer of American women. They cause one in every 2.6 female deaths.

Altoona Regional’s Vascular Institute, Primary Stroke Center, Cardiac Rehab department, HealthForce and Healthy Living Club encourage you to stop by either hospital campus for a free blood pressure checkup. The blood pressure screening will be offered between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Atrium at Altoona Hospital Campus, 620 Howard Ave., and at the Bon Secours Hospital Campus, 7th Avenue Lobby.

Drawings will also be held to win gift certificates for vegetable and fruit trays prepared by the hospital Nutrition Services department and for Subway sandwich party platters.

Women’s heart attack symptoms may be different from men’s because women tend to have blockages not only in the main arteries but also in smaller blood vessels, according to Kay Adams, CRNP, manager, Vascular Institute. If experiencing symptoms, call 911! Do not drive to the hospital yourself!

Symptoms may include:
  • Neck, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort
  • Shortness of breath — get winded, hard to catch breath
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Sweating
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Unusual fatigue
Risk factors for heart disease include:
  • Fat around the belly
  • High blood pressure (140/90 is Stage 1 hypertension)
  • High blood sugar (fasting blood sugar of 126 indicates diabetes)
  • High triglycerides
  • Mental stress and depression — makes it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow recommended treatment
Steps to prevent heart disease include:
  • Eat less red meat, more vegetables (red, yellow, green colors)
  • Eat more fiber (read labels for fiber content)
  • Exercise: Walk 10,000 steps a day
  • Reduce stress and emotional conflict — list stressors and what can be done about them
  • Increase joy and self-love — meditation, yoga, massage
In addition to heart attacks, cardiovascular disease also includes strokes.
  • Altoona Regional is a primary stroke center, said Janet Ashurst, a cardiac care registered nurse, neuroscience clinical coordinator. “This means a dedicated stroke team of trained professionals is available to provide emergent evaluation and treatment to halt the progression of brain damage from stroke or impending stroke to area residents. The stroke team evaluates a patient through NIH stroke scale assessment, CT scanning, EKG and lab testing. It’s available 24 hours daily.”
  • Stroke is the number three leading cause of death in the U.S. and the number one cause of functional disability.
  • Research has shown that compared to patients who received care in general medical units, patients on dedicated stroke units had a 17 percent reduction in death, a 7 percent increase in discharge to home and an 8 percent decrease in the length of stay, and the reception of a clot-busting drug rose from 2 to 10 percent.
  • If suspicious that a person has suffered a stroke, ask him or her to:
    • Smile. Does one side of the face droop?
    • Raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
    • Repeat a simple phrase. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
    • If any of these signs of stroke are observed, call 911.






    January 21, 2010 - NURSE RECEIVES MASTER’S DEGREE

    Britney Dodson of Altoona
    Britney Dodson of Altoona

    Britney Dodson of Altoona, a registered nurse in the Intensive Care Unit, Altoona Hospital Campus, graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a master’s degree in the Science of Nursing Dec. 20.





    January 21, 2010 - ALTOONA FAMILY PHYSICIANS RESIDENCY PROGRAM EARNS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION

    The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has accredited the Altoona Family Physicians Residency Program for five years — the maximum allowed.

    The AFP residency program is affiliated with Altoona Regional Health System and trains physicians in the specialty of Family Medicine. It is one of 457 family medicine programs in the United States and one of 30 in Pennsylvania.

    The ACGME, based in Chicago, is the national organization that accredits residency programs in the United States.

    “Less than half of the residencies seeking accreditation get the five-year accreditation, so we did better than the majority,” said Don Beckstead, M.D., program director.

    The review of the program consists of the submission of a 110-page document detailing the residency curriculum, an on-site visit from a reviewer who verifies what is in the report and then a final review by a committee of all information submitted.

    Dr. Beckstead said, “The site visitor was very impressed with the quality of the faculty and the residents, as well as the support that the residency receives from Altoona Regional administration and the teaching attending physicians.”

    Charlie Driscoll, M.D., program director of the Family Medicine Residency Program in Lynchburg, Va., conducted the on-site visit.

    “He was a good person to impress,” said Dr. Beckstead. “Up until last year, he served as the head of the ACGME Review Committee for Family Medicine, so he knew all the rules.”





    January 21, 2010 - TWO CARDIOLOGY DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES RETIRE

    Jane Eckels, LPN
    Jane Eckels, LPN
    Cammy Pulcino, RTCV
    Cammy Pulcino, RTCV

    Jane Eckels, LPN, and Cammy Pulcino, RTCV, both of the Cardiology department, Altoona Hospital Campus, recently retired.

    Eckels, of Altoona, a cardiology technician, retired Jan. 4, with 28 years of service. She was hired in 1982, as an LPN on Tower 14. She later transferred to Tower 10. With additional training, Eckels became a cardiology technician in the Cardiology department, where she spent the last 17 years.


    Pulcino, of Hollidaysburg, a cardiovascular technologist, retired Jan. 2 with 39.5 years of service. She was hired in 1970 as a Radiology staff technician. In 1993, she was promoted to the department’s operations coordinator, a position she held until May 1994. She then transferred to the catheterization lab and became a cardiovascular technologist, a position she held until her retirement. Pulcino also earned a bachelor’s degree in business from St. Francis University in 1992.






    January 15, 2010 - ALTOONA REGIONAL HEALTHY LIVING CLUB SCHEDULES FEBRUARY ROGRAMS

    The Healthy Living Club has scheduled the following educational programs and screenings for February as a community service. Call 889.2630 or 1.888.313.4665 to make an appointment or to register. The Altoona Hospital Campus is at 620 Howard Ave.; the Bon Secours Hospital Campus is at 2500 7th Ave., and the Education Center is at 2621 8th Ave.

    A Child Safety Seat Checkup Station will be conducted Friday, Feb. 12, 9:30-11 a.m. in the Altoona Hospital Campus parking garage, Blue Level. Look for the Safe Kids van. No fee. By appointment only. Call Safe Kids Blair County at 889.7802. Find out if your child’s safety seat is installed properly. Your child’s life may depend on it.

    A free osteoporosis screening (heel scan) is available for men and women by appointment only on Friday, Feb. 5, from 12:30-3 p.m. in the Kaufman Dining Room, Bon Secours Hospital Campus.

    No fee. Call 889.2630 to schedule your appointment. Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because bone loss happens without symptoms. Osteoporosis occurs when, over time, bone loss causes bones to become porous, brittle and more likely to break. This painless screening takes just a few minutes and assesses bone density in the heel (a good indicator of bone health and fracture risk) by using ultrasound. Please be prepared to remove shoes and socks.

    AARP Driver Safety Program will be offered Tuesday, Feb. 9, and Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 6-10 p.m. in the Trzeeciak Conference Suite, Education Center, Bon Secours Hospital Campus. Fee: $12 for AARP members (AARP identification required); $14 for non-AARP members. Registration required. Call 889.2630 or 1.888.313.4665.

    This classroom course covers age-related physical changes, perceptual skills, rules of the road and more. All automobile insurance companies in Pennsylvania provide a premium discount to graduates age 55 and older. Most require both spouses insured under the same policy to take the class to receive a discount.

    A Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) screening will be offered by appointment only 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the Vascular Institute, Altoona Hospital Campus, 3rd floor, Outpatient Center, Altoona Hospital Campus. No fee. Call 889.2005 or 1.877.855.8152 to schedule your appointment. Peripheral Artery Disease occurs when plaque clogs leg arteries or vessels and restricts blood flow. Untreated PAD can not only make walking difficult but may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Kay Adams, nurse practitioner and manager of Central Pa. Cardiovascular Associates, will check for PAD with an ABI (ankle-brachial index) screen, a painless process in which blood pressure is measured in legs and arms to determine blood flow. Please be prepared to remove shoes and socks.

    Join Randy Grabill, clinical dietitian, for “Good Fats, Bad Fats: Do you Know the Difference?” at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19, in the Trzeciak Conference Suite, Education Center, Bon Secours Hospital Campus. What is the difference between a “good” fat and a “bad” fat, and which foods have them? Come sort out the confusion. Ample time allotted for questions. No fee. Registration required. Call 889-2630.

    A snowman pillow is the winter craft activity scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19, or 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at Trzeciak Conference Suite, Education Center, Bon Secours Hospital Campus. Class will take about 2 ½ hours. Cost: $18 if you have fabric paint brush and Identi-pen; $20 without. Call 889-2630. Class size limited. Must register before Feb.10. Materials required include 8x8 freezer paper (wax paper will do), five paper towels, large Styrofoam plate, paint shirt or cover-up (optional), fabric brush and Identi-pen.

    Unless otherwise noted, please discontinue PSA three days prior to date of program to allow for registrations. Thank you.





    January 15, 2010 - ALTOONA REGIONAL OFFERS SUPPORT GROUPS/CLINICS IN FEBRUARY

    Altoona Regional Health System offers the following support group meetings and patient clinics in February as a public service to the community. They are listed alphabetically according to the campus on which they are conducted.

    Support groups meeting on the Altoona Hospital Campus use the Allegheny and Bedford rooms and the Rotunda on the 6th floor of the Outpatient Center, Altoona Hospital Campus, 620 Howard Ave., Altoona. Dining Room B is adjacent to the main cafeteria. The 4F Conference Room is in the Behavioral Health Center, 5th Street and Willow Avenue.

    The Bariatric Support Group meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, in the Juniata Room. Please call 943-7040 for information.

    The Breastfeeding Support Group meets at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, in the Allegheny Room. Please call 889-2557.

    The Caregivers Corner Support Group meets at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, at Hoss’s in Duncansville. For information, call 889-3123.

    The Depression and Bipolar Support Group meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in Dining Room B., Fourth Floor, Tower. Call 889-2141 for information.

    Diabetes Outpatient Education is available by individual appointment and group sessions. A referral by a physician is required. Call 889-2487 for information.

    The Lap Band Support Group meets at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, in the Bedford Room. Call 943-7040 for information.

    The Parkinson’s Support Group meets at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 22, at Hoss’s Restaurant, Altoona. Call 889-2141 for information.

    The Support Group for Those Who Have Lost a Loved One to Suicide meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the 4F Conference Room. Call 889-2141 for information.

    The following support groups and clinics meet at the Bon Secours Hospital Campus, 2500 7th Ave. The Trzeciak Conference Suite is in the Education Center at 2621 8th Ave. For Kaufman Dining Room, Sleep Medicine and fourth floor waiting room, please use the 7th Avenue entrance.

    Alcoholics Anonymous meets at 8 p.m. every Monday in the Kaufman Dining Room. For information, call 946-9002.

    The Breast Cancer Support Group meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, in the Trzeciak Conference Suite. For information, call 886-6458.

    The Faith-based Bereavement/Grief Support Group meets at 6 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 3 and 17, in the fourth floor waiting room. For information, call 889-3323.

    The Stroke Support Group meets at noon Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the Kaufman Dining Room. For information, call 889-4463.

    A Wheelchair Clinic will be held at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the second floor Physical Medicine gym. Physician referral required. Call for information and appointment, 889-4463.





    January 12, 2010 - NATIONAL EXPERT ON BREASTFEEDING ISSUES SPEAKS TO CONFERENCE

    WHAT: The Pennsylvania Mid-State Lactation Coalition in association with Altoona Regional Health System presents “Current Headlines in Breastfeeding.”

    WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 13

    WHERE: School of Nursing Auditorium, Altoona Hospital Campus, Altoona Regional Health System, 620 Howard Ave., Altoona

    WHO: Kay Hoover, M. Ed., IBCLC, RLC, FILCA, a board certified lactation consultant since 1985, has worked in private practice and in breastfeeding centers and hospitals. She is the co-author of the “Breastfeeding Atlas” with Barbara Wilson Clay. Hoover is a national speaker on breastfeeding issues. Her topics are “Breastfeeding and Obesity” and “What to Do When the Baby Has Not Latched.” Hoover will be available for interviews between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m.

    Also,

    Michael L. Humphrey, D.O. of Blair Medical Associates Endocrinology, Altoona, is board certified in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. He will address the issue of “Vitamin D Deficiency.” (Availability not confirmed.)

    WHY: Worldwide Healthy People 2010 goal for breastfeeding mothers is 75 percent at hospital discharge for the U.S.





    January 8, 2010 - IN-SERVICE ON CONCUSSION EDUCATION FOR ALTOONA AREA JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PERSONNEL

    WHAT: Educational lectures and hands-on in-service provided by Altoona Regional Trauma Service and Medical Staff. This educational opportunity is for coaches, gym teachers and school nurses and focuses on the effects of mild traumatic brain injuries, also known as concussions, in sports. The purpose of the program is to increase awareness of the severity of these injuries and to provide tools to prevent further, more permanent injury.

    WHEN: 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15

    WHERE: Altoona Area Junior High School, 7th Avenue

    WHO: The following will be presenting during the in-service:
      Simon Lampard, M.D., F.A.C.S., medical director, Altoona Regional Trauma Service, Trauma/ Critical Care Services

      James P. Burke, M.D., Ph. D., neurosurgeon, Allegheny Brain & Spine Surgeons

      Hugh Newman, D.O., rehabilitation specialist, Altoona Regional/HealthSouth medical staff member

      Bill Weikert, PA-C, Altoona Regional Trauma Service

      Amy Stayer, R.N., CCRN, Altoona Regional trauma educator/trauma injury and prevention coordinator

      Flo Eberhart, NREMT-P, Altoona Regional pre-hospital manager

      Mike Schreyer, R.N., CEN, CFRN, EMT-P, HP, Stat MedEvac base site coordinator






    January 2, 2010 - FIRST BLAIR COUNTY BABY OF NEW YEAR BORN AT ALTOONA REGIONAL

    the first Blair County baby of 2010 was born at 6 a.m. Jan. 1
    The first Blair County baby of 2010 was born at 6 a.m. Jan. 1 in Altoona Regional Health System's Maternity department.

    Rylan Quarello was born to Shelly Claar and Joseph Quarello, both of Altoona. He weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces.

    As the first baby born at Altoona Regional, the family receives the following gifts:
    • Mother: a dozen red roses and a $50 gift certificate from Target
    • Father: a $50 gift certificate from Target
    • Baby: a $200 savings bond
    • A newborn picture taken at the hospital at no charge.
    There were four other babies born here Jan. 1. Their families received the following:
    • Mothers: ½ dozen red roses and a $25 gift certificate from Target
    • Fathers: $25 gift certificate from Target
    • Babies: $75 savings bond
    • Newborn picture taken at the hospital at no charge.




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