Spring 2011 - Charles Cole Memorial Hospital

Hospital outlines plans for major project improvements
Port Allegany building project begins this spring
Charles Cole Memorial Hospital is embarking on one of
its major projects this spring as expansion and renovation
work begins at the Port Allegany Community Health Center.
The facility will remain open during construction which is
expected to last approximately nine months.
CCMH has operated the facility for more than 25 years and
while infrastructure improvements have been made during
that time, the most recent project was over a decade ago. Increased
demand and limited space for primary care, specialists
and ancillary services has led to the project coming to fruition.
Primary care providers at the health center currently see
14,000 patients annually. This project is expected to allow for
an increase of more than 4,000 visits per year. Rotating specialists
could increase patient visits by an additional 5,000.
The $2.2 million project, funded in part by UPMC Hamot, will expand healthcare services available in McKean County by
adding 4,600 square feet and renovating 7,900 square feet to the current space. CCMH entered into a clinical affiliation with
UPMC Hamot last year, with the goal of increasing the presence of specialist physicians in the area.
The Port Allegany Community Health Center currently features family practice, pediatrics, wellness/rehabilitation services, laboratory
and imaging. When completed, space will include a total of 22 exam and treatment rooms for family medicine, pediatric,
podiatry, behavioral health, visiting UPMC Hamot and CCMH specialists and telemedicine services linking patients at the center
to UPMC Hamot’s specialists in Erie and Pittsburgh.
“I am excited about the new expansion project for the Port facility. CCMH and Hamot have made it possible to expand our
ability to provide more patient care to the community. We have been limited in space and have not been able to fulfill the needs of
the community and with the new facility we will be able to offer more care to more people,” Dr. Jason Tronetti said.
“In a time of renewed emphasis on community-based health and wellness, we believe this is the right investment in healthcare
for the Port Allegany community,” said Ed Pitchford, CCMH president and chief executive officer. “I’m confident that the community
will be well served for decades to come. We want to reach out to the community in the months to come to ask for their
support and to design the interior to make this important landmark feel like it’s theirs.”
Community asks for improvements to emergency services
With the assistance of both public and private gifts and grants, Charles Cole is proceeding with plans to expand, renovate and
modernize its 47-year-old emergency department with the goal to improve patient and family privacy, comfort, safety, and satisfaction.
While a firm timeline has yet to be finalized, Pitchford believes that ground can be broken in late summer 2011. Plans, many
months in the making, to improve the area include new private treatment and exam rooms, registration and reception areas,
separate walk in and ambulance entrances, an expanded waiting room and staff support space. The $4.4 million project will also
include heating, air conditioning and mechanical upgrades to the original hospital building as well as prepare the ED to be accredited
by the Pennsylvania Trauma Foundation as a Level IV trauma center in 2013.
“We are pleased that through the interest and support of state and federal representatives, county commissioners, and the Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic Development, sufficient grants and a federal loan have been secured to allow
us to proceed this year,” Pitchford said.
“The renovation of the Emergency Services Department will be a significant milestone for us as we strive to keep Cole Memorial
modern and relevant in north central Pennsylvania. This project has been in the planning stages for several years in response
to input we have received from our communities, staff and our board of directors’ strong commitment to patient satisfaction and
superior quality and safety. We are thankful for the ongoing support that we receive from our elected officials who recognize that
strong local community hospitals are essential to the area’s economic growth,” Pitchford said.
Continued growth spurs surgical suite project
Efforts to secure sufficient public and private funding to renovate
and expand CCMH’s surgery and recovery facilities continue. As
the demand for interventional services increases and the breadth of
surgeons at the hospital expands, many of whom utilize state-of-theart
equipment and technology that require a larger space to function,
Surgeons at CCMH, including Dr. Michael Tarbox, pictured,
use equipment like the C-arm in the operating room.
hospital physicians and leaders have been working to improve
efficiency.
“We already enjoy high patient satisfaction with our surgical
services but we can do better,” Pitchford said. “And, with
surgeons in high demand, we are committed to providing our
professionals with the right tools and environment to offer
world class service for their patients.”
The project plan includes the addition of two new operating
rooms for a total of three of sufficient size to permit CCMH
orthopedists to comfortably perform back and joint surgeries
and new pre and post anesthesia care units. In total, the hospital
will have four surgery rooms, an endoscopy suite and an
interventional pain and minor procedures room. Additionally,
the hospital operates a wound clinic for the management and
treatment of non healing skin conditions.
“We hope to have our funding in place in 2011 so that both
the emergency services and surgery projects can be constructed
simultaneously,” Pitchford concluded.
To learn about how your gift can help your
community hospital, call 274-5204.
Physician Spotlight
Dr. Andrew Gottschalk
Health system drives
local economy
Charles Cole Memorial Hospital not only serves as an essential
medical provider in the region, it also drives the economy
like perhaps no other industry.
In fact, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania
(HAP) reported CCMH annually contributes nearly
$113 million to the regional economy.
As the area’s top employer, its employees both live and spend
their money here. CCMH president and chief executive officer
Ed Pitchford said, “Cole provides some of the area’s highest
paid jobs across a broad spectrum of professions.”
HAP president and CEO Carolyn Scanlan said state-wide,
hospitals provide not only essential healthcare services but a
stable employment for nearly 600,000 citizens.
“As lawmakers craft a difficult 2011-12 state budget, they
need to ensure adequate payments for hospitals to remain fiscally
healthy and to maintain their status as national leaders in
health care quality.”
Pitchford said this health system directly contributes $64
million to the regional economy with an additional ripple
effect of nearly $50 million annually, providing 558 full-time
equivalent jobs, with a payroll of nearly $1.2 million every two
weeks. The actual number of individuals employed at Cole
exceeds 700, which includes full and part-time employees.
“Besides providing much needed access to essential health
care services, Cole is a significant regional economic stimulus,”
he said.
State-wide, hospitals often are the biggest economic engines
in both rural and urban areas. Hospitals are the top five employers
in 55 of the state’s 67 counties, and in Potter County
CCMH is the largest employer.
“Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, which includes 11
primary care health centers in nine communities, an array of
specialty services, home health and hospice care, Cole Care
home supply products, and long-term care services, is vital
to the region’s economic stability and business environment,”
said Potter County Commissioner Susan Kefover. “Especially
because they are continually improving and adapting to the
changing needs of the citizens of the region, having a first-rate
health system means so much to the area’s quality of life,” she
said.
Pitchford noted that over the past two years, CCMH has
worked to raise public and private funds to complete upgrades
to the hospital’s emergency department, operating rooms and
the rural health centers in Port Allegany and Shinglehouse.
“Not only will these projects enhance the hospital’s services,
they will preserve and grow jobs within our health system and
provide much needed construction work in this area,” he said.
Dr. Gottschalk chose Charles Cole because the area reminded him of his small, rural hometown
in Michigan.
“When I completed my medical training, I looked for a part of the country where the town
and the people reminded me of home. The only difference is there isn’t a hospital within an
hour of where I grew up, and Coudersport has one in its back yard.”
Dr. Gottschalk sees patients at Champion Orthopedics and Sports Medicine’s offices in
Coudersport and Olean. While Coudersport reminds him of his hometown, he loves the college
town feel to the Olean area. “The populations are similar in that they consist of hard working
folk who enjoy being active and leading healthy lifestyles. These are the types of communities
I have always wanted to serve. The nice thing about being trained in family and sports
medicine is that I’m comfortable seeing patients of all ages, with any type of bone or joint
ailment. It lends a variety and richness to my practice that keeps me coming back for
more. Keeping people healthy is exciting and fun, and the reason I smile when I get out
of bed in the morning.”
Since moving to the area, two things have impressed him. “The people who live in the
New York/Pennsylvania border regions are honest and sincere; it’s heartwarming. The
other is the integrity, the intelligence, and the skill of the doctors and staff with whom
I work. In the year 2011, no doctor stands alone. Successful patient care is a team process. The Charles Cole hospital system executes
that team process effectively and passionately. I am extremely proud to be a part of it.”
After recently returning from a trip to Haiti, Dr. Gottschalk gained a new perspective on patient care. “A team of us saw
hundreds of patients a day. They have no hospitals, no clinics, and no pharmacies but they were happy. They were excited to be
alive and excited to take an active role in their personal health. I learned an important lesson down there. Happiness and health
are linked; they walk hand-in-hand. And health is not dependent on resources or miracle cures. Health is dependent on taking an
active role in our own well being. I look forward to playing a part in my patients’ healthy lifestyles. I look forward to helping them
when they’re hurt or sick, and to encouraging them when they’re well.”
About Dr. Gottschalk
Andrew W. Gottschalk, MD works with Drs. Giannotti, Foust and Nestor and physician assistants Todd Rudy, Kevin George
and Chad Jackson at Champion Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Coudersport and Olean.
After earning a medical degree at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Gottschalk completed an internship and residency at the
Mayo Clinic and a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic.
During his fellowship, he provided sports medicine coverage for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Browns and Indians, Cleveland State
University Vikings, and Notre Dame College Falcons. He served as a staff physician for medical programs in El Salvador, Costa
Rica and the Dominican Republic.
Dr. Gottschalk serves as musculoskeletal health editor at the Family Physicians Inquiries Network. He is board certified by the
American Board of Family Medicine.
Appointments can be scheduled by calling 814/274-0900 or 716/372-3212.
Spring 2011
Reluctant patient gets new lease on life
Ben Grover thought getting older meant
he just had to live with his chronic aches and
ailments and he never had any intention of
going to a doctor. It wasn’t until he could
barely move that he started to question who
would care for the 9-year-old he was raising if
his health deteriorated even more.
After 16 years of forgoing medical attention,
he hobbled into the Northern Potter
Health Center in Ulysses. Upon examination,
he had a grocery list of ailments including
a maximum pain rating that robbed him of
sleep, which Ben said he just learned to live
with.
In Ben’s words, he often doesn’t know
where to start when talking about his health
problems. His cholesterol was extremely high,
he was overweight, he tolerated pain that
woke him at night in a cold sweat, he couldn’t
Patti Thum, CRNP, chats with Ben Grover following a recent appointment at the
hold his grandchildren, and he could barely
Northern Potter Health Center.
walk.
During a thorough examination, Patti Thum, CRNP, noted that almost every system had a problem. Over the course of two
years, Patti and Ben worked together as a team to improve his health. His care within the Charles Cole health system gave him
a new lease on life. Dr. Foust repaired a 30-year-old wrist injury that caused severe pain and did knee replacement surgery, Dr.
Horn repaired a hernia that prevented him from holding his grandchildren, Dr. Wei surgically repaired an eye problem, and Dr.
Prasad removed
several polyps
during his first
colonoscopy. In
“I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t brag to someone.
I’m so proud of how everything turned out.”
addition, Colleen DeBoer, diabetic nurse educator, helped him maintain a healthy blood sugar level, and therapists at the Irwin
Rehabilitation Center helped him regain his mobility.
“He’s so amazing,” Patti said. “I saw him as a crippled man and now he walks.”
But she’s reluctant to take too much credit for Ben’s success. “It’s not something a practitioner can do alone. Patients need to
take responsibility and Ben has done that. We work as a team.”
She also credits the Charles Cole system for Ben’s outcomes. “It’s coordinated, patient-centered care.”
Patti is working toward a doctorate in nursing and stresses that she’s particularly interested in the management of chronic care
medicine and improving coordinated care for patients, overseeing the whole picture so patients don’t fall through the cracks. “I
get excited about forward progress and positive outcomes,” she said.
Ben takes every opportunity to share his experiences with others. “I don’t think a day goes by that I don’t brag to someone.
I’m so proud of how everything turned out.” In fact, he recently convinced family members to seek care at CCMH. “Everyone
was excellent. I didn’t have one bad experience.”
He said he’s been able to shovel his own driveway and do more yard work recently than he had in years. For a man who was
reluctant to even seek medical care, he prides himself on arriving early to every appointment and jokes with staff. “I thank them
every time I see them,” he said.
And as far as he’s come already, Ben maintains his optimism. “I’m hoping to get even better.”
Patti Thum, CRNP cares for patients at the Northern Potter Health Center in Ulysses Monday through
Friday. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 848-7555.
Mission statement
The purpose of Charles Cole Memorial Hospital is to provide excellent
health care services, responding to the needs of the communities we
serve.
Vision statement
To achieve our mission and to set a clear direction for this work, our
goal is to provide superior clinical outcomes and service satisfaction
consistent with our philosophy of clinical excellence and demonstrated
by honoring our promises and commitments.
Promises & Commitments
Your healthcare team will provide reliable, safe and coordinated care.
Competent, caring professionals will use proven medical best practices.
We will be a proactive partner in building healthier communities.
We will continually inform you about your hospital, healthcare resources
and services.
We will foster public trust and positive community relationships.
We will keep your hospital financially sound.
1001 E. Second St.
Coudersport, PA 16915
Charles Cole
Today
Innovation takes patient
safety to new level
Clinical staff at Charles Cole are using advances in technology
to improve skills, confidence, team work and patient
safety.
Last fall, the hospital became of one of nine hospitals
- and the first in the area - to receive “Pat,” the realistic
METIman simulator. Charles Cole received the simulator
through its insurance carrier, CHART, to help staff “provide
safe, reliable and coordinated care to patients by learning in
a safe environment while increasing competency,” said Lucy
Lajcsak, CCMH’s patient safety officer.
The lifelike,
life-size,
computeroperated
mannequin
allows staff
to train in
real situations
which
can be emergent
and
unpredictable.
Pat has
realistic vital
signs, excretions
and
anatomy and
can sustain a
From left, Aaron Wonderly, Mike Cunningham,
Vicki Rounds, and Jeff Barber evaluate
METIman’s conditon during a training
scenario.
variety of learning environments. Its pupils can react to light
to simulate a neurological trauma and vital signs including
heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rates can be
adjusted for various scenarios. Staff can insert IV, catheters,
intubation, perform chest compressions, and defibrillation as
well as care for bleeding wounds and blocked airways.
A core team of instructors provides oversight to Pat’s use.
Staff will establish a set schedule for training of staff on various
modules given to the hospital by CHART.
The resources needed to acquire a simulator are significant
and are therefore typically only seen in larger, academic
facilities. However, realizing the benefits that simulation
training can provide, CHART is funding the purchase for
its member hospitals, including CCMH, to advance patient
safety, Lajcsak said.
Simulation training is another step CCMH is taking to
meet its Promise and Commitment to its patients to “provide
safe, reliable and coordinated healthcare.”
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Coudersport, PA
Permit No. 8
1001 E. Second St. � Coudersport, PA 16915 � 814/274-9300 � www.charlescolehospital.com

Family
Practice
Julie Baker, PA-C
Port Allegany Community
Health Center
642-9655
Jason Tronetti, DO
Port Allegany Community
Health Center
642-9655
James Barke, MD
Shinglehouse Health
Center
260-9352
Eric Schreiber, PA-C
Shinglehouse Health
Center
260-9352
Michael Callahan,
DO
Galeton Health Center
435-2942
Primary Care in your community
Debra Carr, PA-C
Galeton Health Center
435-2942
Westfield Health Center
367-5971
Kathy Fragale,
PA-C
Emporium Health Center
486-0810
David Kulling, MD
Bowman Health Center
Smethport
887-5395
Emporium Health Center
486-0810
Frank Zitnik, PA-C
Bowman Health Center
Smethport
887-5395
Christian McMonigal,
Jr., PA-C
Central Potter Health
Center, Coudersport
274-5577
Emporium Health Center
486-0810
Your doctor’s office is closed and
you’re sick. You don’t need a visit
to the emergency room and you
shouldn’t get a bill for one.
Charles Cole Express Care
After hours adult and pediatric walk-in treatment center
4-8 p.m., Monday - Friday
CCMH’s Irwin Medical Arts Center
use main entrance
814/260-5585
* Express Care patients are charged the same copay as when they visit their primary medical provider. Express
Care is not designed to take the place of the emergency department for true emergencies, such as chest pain, nor
take the place of regular check-ups with your primary medical provider.
Coming
Soon!
Lisa Tabbit, DO
Central Potter Health
Center
Coudersport
274-5577
Susan Miller, MD
Westfield Health Center
367-5971
Amy Sorg, CRNP
Eldred Health Center
225-4241
Patti Thum, CRNP
Northern Potter Health
Center, Ulysses
848-7555
Pediatrics
Hongye Li, MD
Coudersport Pediatrics
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-9198
Emporium Health Center
486-0810
Mary Ann Rigas,
MD
Coudersport Pediatrics
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-9198
Korin Trumpie,
PA-C
Coudersport Pediatrics
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-9198
Marlene Wust-
Smith, MD
Coudersport Pediatrics
274-9198
Port Allegany Pediatrics
Port Allegany Community
Health Center
642-7205
Becky Seefeldt,
CRNP
Port Allegany Pediatrics
Port Allegany Community
Health Center
642-7205
OB/GYN
Celso Backes, MD
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-7101
CCMH announces additions to
primary care network
CCMH re-opens Central Potter Health Center
Charles Cole Memorial Hospital announced the re-opening of the Central Potter Health Center
at 71 Elk St. in Coudersport, providing family medicine for children and adults.
Christian McMonigal, Jr., PA-C, in cooperation with Lisa Tabbit, DO, will staff the facility Monday
through Friday, focusing on primary medical care for the entire family.
Patients can schedule appointments by calling 814/274-5577 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday
through Thursday, and 8 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday. After hour coverage will be provided by Express
Care, CCMH’s walk in treatment center, located on the main floor of the Irwin Medical Arts Center
at CCMH.
“We are pleased to bring two competent and caring family medicine providers to Coudersport
and to re-open the former office of Howard Miller, MD who had a long history of caring for area
residents at that location. Dr. Miller will continue to care for adult patients at the hospital in association
with his internal medicine partners. I’m confident that area residents will be pleased with
the care available by Dr. Tabbit and Christian McMonigal,” said Ed Pitchford, president and chief
executive officer at CCMH. “The re-opening of the Central Potter Health Center completes the
building of a comprehensive network of Charles Cole primary care offices located in nine communities
and 11 locations throughout the four county region. We are committed to providing
high quality, comprehensive health services to the residents of north central Pennsylvania and the
re-opening of this site is an important component of this plan.”
Dr. Tabbit earned a medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and recently
completed a residency in family medicine in Kingston, Pa. McMonigal earned a bachelor’s degree at
Penn State University and a master’s degree in physician assistant studies at Drexel University. Prior
to joining CCMH, he worked in the emergency departments at Bradford Regional Medical Center
and Elk Regional Health Center and at the Department of Veteran Affairs in Dubois.
Appointments can be scheduled by calling 814/274-5577.
Amy Sorg, CRNP joins Eldred Health Center
Amy Sorg, CRNP has joined the staff at Charles Cole Memorial Hospital and will care for patients
at the Eldred Health Center. Appointments can be made by calling 814/225-4241.
Sorg earned associate’s and bachelor’s degrees at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and
Pennsylvania State University. She earned a master’s degree in the family nurse practitioner program
at the University of South Alabama. Most recently, she worked as an emergency room nurse at Elk
Regional Health Center. She is a member of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses and
American Nurses Association.
Appointments can be scheduled by calling 814/225-4241.
Coming
Soon!
Max Laurore, MD
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
Port Allegany Community
Health Center
274-7101
Jennifer Middaugh,
CNM
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-7101
Internal/
Hospitalist
Medicine
Crystal Fowler, PA-C
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Melissa Juliano,
PA-C
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Howard Miller, MD
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Big City Quality, Hometown Care
in your community
For a complete list of providers, visit
www.charlescolehospital.com/providers.shtml.
Julie Miller, PA-C
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Nimish Patel, MD
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Samir Shaikh, MD
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Mandy Sillick, PA-C
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276
Brenda Wahlers,
MD
Integrated Internal Medicine
Charles Cole Memorial
Hospital
274-5276