Hospital News, 10-1-2011 - Western Pennsylvania Healthcare News

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52 | wphospitalnews.comIssue No. 10Windber MedicalCenter CEO NamedDistinguishedAlumnaBarbara Cliff, RN, PhD, FACHE, has been namedas the first ever Outstanding Alumna for WesternMichigan University’s PhD program in InterdisciplinaryHealth Sciences in the College of Health andHuman Services. She was honored October 8 at a ceremonyon WMU’s campus in Kalamazoo, MI. Dr.Barbara CliffCliff completed her PhD in 2007 and has been thePresident/CEO of Windber Medical Center since 2009.For more information, visit www.windbercare.org.Two Distinguished Researchers toReceive Scholar Awards at PittCeremoniesA researcher who hopes to find effective treatments foramyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and another who islooking for biomarkers to detect early colon cancer werehonored last month with awards that support educationprograms to broaden awareness of these deadly diseases.Robert J. Ferrante, Ph.D., professor of neurologicalsurgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, hasbeen chosen as the first recipient of the Leonard GersonDistinguished Scholar Award.Three months ago, Dr. Ferrante brought to Pitt fromBoston University his bench-to-bedside translational programand 20 years of experience to augment ongoing researchand clinical efforts in degenerative diseases of thebrain, particularly ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He hasled efforts to develop animal models of these complexconditions and to bring promising drug candidates to human trials.Sanford MarkowitzRobert Ferrante“I am humbled and pleased to be selected for the Leonard Gerson Award, and applaudthese efforts to raise awareness about ALS and the need for aggressive research,” Dr. Ferrantesaid. “This disease is like a runaway train, and so far nothing we have thrown at it hasbeen able to slow down its progression.”The award was established by Sandy Gerson Snyder, of Squirrel Hill, in memory of herfather, Leonard, who died from ALS complications threemonths after he was diagnosed.On Friday, Oct. 7, the Sadie Gerson DistinguishedScholar Award was presented in a private ceremony sponsoredby the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute toSanford Markowitz, M.D., Ph.D., of Case Western ReserveUniversity, Cleveland. Dr. Markowitz grew up inPittsburgh and attended Peabody High School.His research focus is identifying biomarkers that canprovide early indications of colon cancer, and he has discoveredgene mutations that contribute to the disease.The Sadie Gerson Award honors expertise in colon cancerresearch and was established by Mrs. Snyder in memoryof her mother, who died of the disease.For more information, visit www.medschool.pitt.edu.American Cancer Society Honors CEOJudy Lentz with 2011 Pathfinder inPalliative Care AwardThe Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association(HPNA) announced that its Chief Executive Officer, JudyLentz RN MSN NHA, has been awarded the 2011 AmericanCancer Society Pathfinder in Palliative Care Award.This honor recognizes the outstanding achievements of aprofessional who has demonstrated remarkable innovationand ingenuity across a range of opportunities for actionthat contribute to the advancement of the field of palliativecare. The award was presented October 11th during the2011 Kathleen Foley Palliative Care Research Retreat atLe Château Montebello in Quebec, Canada.According to the American Cancer Society, Lentz wasselected for this award specifically for her many leadershipefforts and collaborative achievements to advance palliativecare at a national level, including her groundbreakingJudy Lentzwork in creating new funding sources for research, initiating numerous educational summitsand conferences to address current critical issues in patient care, and leading coalition effortsto help establish standards of quality practice and care. In addition, she has also been a tirelessmentor to many nurses over the course of her career, having spent countless hours supportingemerging leaders in the field and lending her expertise to develop palliative carenursing curricula and certification program strategies.Lentz is currently the CEO of the Alliance for Excellence in Hospice and Palliative Nursing(The Alliance), which includes the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA),National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN®), and theHospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation (HPNF). Lentz has served these organizationssince her hire in June 2000.For more information, visit www.hpna.org.Tradition of Caring Award AnnouncedDebbie DeMarco, Nutritional Services Department at Canonsburg General Hospital wasawarded with the 2011 Tradition of Caring Award in October. This award recognizes an employeethat exemplifies the tradition of caring expected by hospital patients, physicians, fellowstaff members and the community.The Tradition of Caring Award is given to a person that demonstrates outstanding jobknowledge, performance, and communications skills, which Ms. DeMarco exhibits on adaily basis.The award process begins with fellow employees and supervisors nominating a coworkerfor the award; everyone that is nominated deserves recognition. There are 21 nominees forthe eighth annual award of Canonsburg General Hospital including, Sharon Brown, CyndiCampbell, Debbie DeMarco, George Eicher, Kelly Garove, Doreen Getty, Toy Gregorakis,Jodie Ilgenfritz, Jamie Markle, Robert Nash, Joanne Phillips, Melvin Ralston, Shirlene Romanosky,Mary Ross, Dinah Rutkowski, Donald Schuler, Annette Schulte, Heather Silbaugh,Andre Smith, Anne Veres and Jackie Wilkinson.For more information, visit www.wpahs.org.FFree aide traininga click agaway!is just a click away!online education for directcareworkers employed byhomehealth agencies, hospices,hospitals, assisted living centers,nursing homes and more.33 online video courses available:End-of-Alzheimer’s anddementia care-life careAlInfection controlSeniors and aginggSafAnd much more!A tool to meet competency requirements ements for homecare licensurefetyIndependence &confidentialityMedication and pain
Issue No. 10 wphospitalnews.com| 53HealthSouth HarmarvilleRehabilitation Hospital ReceivesNational Presidents’ Circle AwardHealthSouth Harmarville Rehabilitation Hospital receivedthe National Presidents’ Circle Award duringHealthSouth’s Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet lastmonth in Washington, D.C.The hospital is one of only 13 hospitals in Health-South’s nationwide network of 97 rehabilitation hospitalsto receive the prestigious award. This distinction recognizesthe hospital’s outstanding performance in developmentof clinical programs, quality of patient care services,employee retention and overall operational excellence.“Being honored with the Presidents’ Circle Award isrecognition for our commitment to high-quality, cost-effectivehealthcare,” said Ken Anthony, CEO at Health-South Harmarville Rehabilitation Hospital. “Our success Ken Anthonydepends on the quality of care provided to each and everypatient and I applaud our staff’s efforts to provide an exceptional patient experience. I takegreat pride accepting this award on behalf of our physicians, nursing staff, therapists andall other hospital staff.”For more information, visit www.healthsouthharmarville.com.Children’s Hospital of Pittsburghof UPMC Hematology/OncologyFellow Receives Grant from theSt. Baldrick’s FoundationJennifer Elster, M.D., a hematology/oncologyfellow at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh ofUPMC, has been awarded a research grant of$147,961 from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, anonprofit organization dedicated to raisingmoney for childhood cancer research.Elster is one of 13 new St. Baldrick’s Fellowsnationwide this year. Her research focuses onanti-angiogenic drug research. Overseeing herfellowship is mentor Edward Prochownik, M.D.,director of oncology research at Children’s Hospital.A growing tumor requires a blood supply, andJennifer Elsterin some tumors, such as neuroblastoma, the numberof blood vessels in a tumor correlates with metastases and mortality. The formationof new blood vessels is called angiogenesis and the cells needed to formthese new vessels have previously been thought to arise only from normal cells inthe body. Anti-angiogenic drugs designed to stop these blood vessels from forminghave proved disappointing, so far. The lab in which Dr. Elster is working has determinedthat, in addition to recruiting blood vessel cells, tumor cells can sometimesturn into blood vessel cells. Because tumor cells are known to mutate very rapidly,this may explain why anti-angiogenic therapies often are ineffective or stop working.Dr. Elster is studying this newly discovered phenomenon in greater detail as itmay provide a way to identify more potent anti-angiogenic agents.“The St. Baldrick’s Foundation grant provides the funds necessary for me tospend the next two years further studying this so-called ‘tumor cell to endothelialcell transition’ and to develop a drug screening program that will allow us to screenlarge libraries of compounds for one that will inhibit this transformation,” Dr. Elstersaid. “We are working on a new way to stop a tumor’s blood flow, essentially destroyingits ability to feed itself and to grow. If we are successful, it will have implicationsfor the treatment of many tumor types including neuroblastoma, whichcurrently is very challenging to treat.”Elster is originally from Southern California and attended medical school at theUniversity of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is in the third year of her hematology/oncologyfellowship at Children’s Hospital.For more information, visit www.chp.edu.AVH Trust Awards First SeyboldNursing ScholarshipThe Allegheny Valley Hospital Trust (AVH Trust) announced that the first annual nursingscholarship from the Raymond C. and Ann M. Seybold Scholarship Fund has been awardedto Rachel Robison, a second-year student at the Citizens School of Nursing in New Kensington,PA.Robison, a residentof Lyndora, PA, will receivea $2,000 scholarshipto be appliedtoward her nursing education.The Raymond C.and Ann M. SeyboldScholarship Fund wasestablished in 2009through a bequest fromAnn Miller Seybold.Seybold, a 1932 graduateof the CitizensSchool of Nursing, lefta $345,000 endowmentwith instructions that itbe used to providescholarships to needyand worthy nursing studentsat the school.Lynne Rugh, Director, Citizens School of Nursing andWilliam B. McCready, Executive Director, AVH Trust presentRachel Robison (center) with the 2011 SeyboldNursing Scholarship.Student applications were first reviewed by the Citizens School of Nursing ScholarshipCommittee to determine if the applicant met the minimum criteria for the scholarship award.Final selection was made by the AVH Trust’s Health Services Committee.For more information, visit www.wpahs.org.LECOM at Seton Hill awardswhite coatsOne hundred first-year medical students from the Lake Erie College of OsteopathicMedicine at Seton Hill received their white coats during a ceremony on Saturday, October1, at the Palace Theater. In reciting the Osteopathic Pledge of Commitment,members of the Class of 2014 promised to uphold the high standards of the osteopathicmedical profession and administer compassionate, quality care to their patients.Frank Tursi, D.O., 100th President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association(POMA), also spoke at the white coat ceremony. Dr. Tursi is a LECOM clinicalfaculty member and Director of Medical Education at Millcreek CommunityHospital in Erie.POMA donated the white coats and stethoscopes distributed at the event Dr. Turse saidPOMA will be a valuable resource to them throughout their osteopathic medical careersOthers in attendance included LECOM Preisent John M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOMProvost Silvia M. Ferretti, and Irv Freeman, Ph.D., J.D., Vice President for LECOMat Seton Hill.For more information, visit www.lecom.edu.
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