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Pressroom
Community Medical Center recognized for implementing quality cardiac and stroke care
For Release July 15, 2008
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
SCRANTON, July 15, 2008 — The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association are recognizing Community Medical Center for its performance in treating cardiac and stroke patients using the association’s Get With The Guidelines program. Community Medical Center joins 518 other hospitals being featured in an advertisement in the July 21st "America’s Best Hospitals" issue of US News & World Report.
GWTG is a hospital based quality-improvement program designed to ensure that hospitals consistently care for cardiac and stroke patients following the most up-to-date guidelines and recommendations. The program provides three modules that address coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke. Currently more than 1,450 hospitals use one or more GWTG modules.
Upon meeting each module’s criteria, hospitals are recognized if at least 85 percent of their cardiac or stroke patients are treated and discharged according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s recommendations.
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s advertisement recognizes Community Medical Center’s commitment and success in performance achievement.
"The American Heart Association is pleased to recognize its top Get With The Guidelines participants," said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., national chairman, Get With The Guidelines steering committee and director, Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center."The program makes it easier for hospitals like Community Medical Center to provide appropriate evidence-based care and ultimately improve the quality of life and help reduce the number of deaths in these heart and stroke patients."
"We are proud that the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have chosen the 'America’s Best Hospitals' issue of US News & World Report to recognize Community Medical Center for our achievements in their Get With The Guidelines program," said John Nilsson, Interim President and CEO."Get With The Guidelines gives our professionals the tools and reports they need to effectively treat our coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke patients."
Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) is the American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that empowers healthcare teams to save lives and reduce healthcare costs by helping hospitals follow evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. Experience has shown that 80,000 lives could be saved annually if the coronary artery disease (GWTG-CAD) module alone was implemented nationwide. For more information, visit americanheart.org/getwiththeguidelines.
CMC executive earns top healthcare management credential
For Release June 18, 2008
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
 CHICAGO, May 2008 – Kimberly J. Weaver, FACHE, Director, Operations & Strategy, at Community Medical Center in Scranton, PA recently became a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the nation’s leading professional society for healthcare leaders.
“Because healthcare management ultimately affects the people in our communities, it is critically important to have a standard of excellence promoted by a professional organization,” says Thomas C. Doland, PhD, FACHE, CAE, president and chief executive office of ACHE. “By becoming an ACHE Fellow and simultaneously earning board certification from ACHE, healthcare leaders can show that they are committed to providing high-quality service to their patients and community.”
Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. In fact, only 7,500 healthcare executives hold this distinction. To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits and demonstrating professional/community involvement. Fellows are also committed to ongoing professional development and undergo recertification every three years.
Weaver of Community Medical Center in Scranton, PA is privileged to use the FACHE credential, which signifies board certification in healthcare management and ACHE Fellow status.
For more information regarding the FACHE credential, please contact the ACHE Division of Membership at (312) 424-9400 or membership1@ache.org, or visit the Credentialing area of ache.org.
Business and Professional Women’s Leadership Summit Convened in Washington, D.C.
For Release June 4, 2008
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
WASHINGTON – Barbara Bossi, RN, Community Medical Center’s Vice President of Patient Care Services, Scranton and Maggie R. Koehler, Wyoming Valley Healthcare System’s Senior Vice President & CFO, Wilkes Barre recently attended the Business and Professional Women’s Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. The two day conference provided a forum for approximately 350 professional women from across the country to discuss a range of policy issues with members of the United States Congress, the Administration, and experts in the fields of health care, education, and business. The conference participants were nominated to attend by their members of Congress.
“Bringing together women, leaders, policy experts, and our federal officials for an open dialogue on the pressing issues facing our families and communities is critical to moving our nation forward in the 21st century,” said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (TX), Summit co-sponsor.
A host of leaders from the U.S. Congress joined prominent women to address the Summit, including keynote spearker U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) addressed the delegates and welcomed them to the Summit. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Rep. Kay Granger (TX) updated participants on legislative priorities in the 110th Congress, followed by Sen. Richard Burr (NC), who outlined plans for expanding access to affordable health care. Sen. Hutchinson led a session on leadership and innovation in the 21st century, and Sen. Johnny Isakaon (GA) discussed legislative proposals to secure American’s economy and housing industry. Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) spoke on initiatives to improve education and U.S. competitiveness. Participants also discussed ideas to strengthen opportunities for entrepreneurs, and they engaged in informative questions and answers sessions following each panel.
Other notable speakers included Carly Fiorina, Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Company (1999 -2005); Meg Whitman, former President and CEO of eBay Inc.; Bernadine Healy, M.D... Health Editor for U.S. News and World Report; Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Founder and CEO of Pace Communications and Chairman of the American Red Cross; Angela Braly, President and CEO of WellPoint, Inc.; Dr. Elsa Murano, President of Texas A & M University; and Dr. Mary Evans Sias, President of Kentucky State University.
END OF THE PROPOSED AFFILIATION OF TWO HOSPITALS
Joint Statement of Community Medical Center (CMC), Moses Taylor Hospital (MTH) and Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA)
For Release March 27, 2008
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
Scranton, PA MARCH 27, 2008 — After careful and deliberate thought, today we regret to jointly announce that the proposed affiliation of Community Medical Center (CMC) and Moses Taylor Hospital (MTH), with support from Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA), will not take place. Despite numerous attempts to work toward an acceptable compromise, the position taken by the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General makes it impossible for us to achieve the benefits of this affiliation as planned.
Harold E. “Andy” Anderson, President and CEO of MTH stated that “The parties have worked together over the past 18 months to develop what we believed would be in everyone’s best interest. We were committed to making the affiliation work; however, based on the Attorney General’s position, and despite all of our best efforts, we now realize that it cannot occur as structured. We are extremely disappointed in this outcome.”
We remain firmly committed to working together to reach our common goal – to positively impact the quality, accessibility and affordability of health care within our community and throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. We will immediately resume serious discussions to explore other options to jointly deliver better health care and greater access to the residents of our region. We want to express our sincere appreciation to the staffs at both hospitals and at BCNEPA, and to members of the community, for their support of this proposed affiliation.
Harold E. “Andy” Anderson
President & CEO
Moses Taylor Hospital
John Nilsson
Interim President & CEO
Community Medical Center
Denise S. Cesare
President & CEO
Blue Cross of NEPA
Douglas G. Allen
Chairman of the Board
Moses Taylor Hospital
Jeffrey Jacobson
Chairman of the Board
Community Medical Center
John P. Moses
Chairman of the Board
Blue Cross of NEPA
Media Contacts:
Chris Carroll
Moses Taylor Hospital
570.340.2371 (office)
570.670.0485 (pager)
Jane Gaul
Community Medical Center
570.969.7002 (office)
570.341.1650 (pager)
Bill Schoen
Blue Cross of NEPA
570.348.1303 (office)
570.840.8265 (mobile)
COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTER OFFERS PATIENTS
LEADING-EDGE CARDIAC IMAGING AND PERIPHERAL ANGIOGRAPHY CAPABILITIES
New Siemens Medical Cardiac and Peripheral Angiography Systems
Gives Physicians Detailed Images to Help Speed Diagnosis and Treatment
For Release February 4, 2008
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
Scranton, PA FEBRUARY 4, 2008 — Community Medical Center announces the installation of a new cardiac/peripheral angiography imaging system in its cardiac catheterization lab. “This new laboratory is the Region’s first catheterization laboratory 3-dimensional leading edge capabilities that could help lead to faster diagnosis by helping physicians determine the best treatment paths for patients”, stated John Nilsson, CMC Interim President and CEO. The AXIOM Artis dTC/A cardiac/peripheral angiography system from Siemens Medical Solutions with added software gives it the multi-functional capabilities to provides physicians with highly detailed images of a patient’s minute blood vessels in the brain and kidneys during diagnostic and treatment procedures.
Kevin Olsen, M.D., Medical Director of the Catheterization Laboratory, said, “We are proud here at CMC to have a new state of the art imaging equipment to perform advanced peripheral vascular and cardiac procedures.”
The fully digital AXIOM Artis system features advanced technology in the form of flat-panel detectors, which enable physicians to obtain three-dimensional images in high resolution without the distortion common with conventional X-ray techniques. The flat detectors, made of amorphous silicon, not only enable physicians to visualize the finest coronary blood vessels, it also helps physicians visualize interventional devices for the accurate placement of stents, guidewires and catheters.
The AXIOM Artis system technology also helps provide patients with the lowest possible radiation doses. Minimizing radiation dosage is especially beneficial during cath lab procedures because they are often lengthy in duration. The system also reduces the need for re-examinations – and resulting patient radiation exposure – by providing distortion-free, high-definition images and enabling physicians to quickly access images saved from past patient exams.
Cardiologists at Community Medical Center can now perform a number of therapeutic procedures in the cath lab, which could help some patients avoid more invasive surgeries and the attendant long recovery times. For example, when stenosis (narrowing) of the coronary vessels is detected using images obtained with the AXIOM Artis system, the vessels can be widened with a balloon catheter to increase blood flow to the heart tissue.
Angiography is a procedure that helps physicians visualize blood vessels in various parts of the body, including the heart, brain and kidneys. After a thin catheter is inserted into an artery leading to the desired body area, an iodinebased dye is injected to highlight the vessels when X-rays are taken. Angiography is often used to determine whether blood vessels are narrowed or blocked. It also makes it possible to combine diagnosis and treatment in a single procedure, as in patients who undergo surgery, angioplasty or stent placement.
The AXIOM Artis system features an accessible ergonomic design that eliminates time-consuming and uncomfortable repositioning of the patient in the exam room, making the procedure faster and less stressful for the patient. During interventions, the compact flat-panel detector technology enables virtually all anatomical regions to be easily imaged, while system functions can be performed via a tableside touch screen display.
A further benefit of the AXIOM Artis system is its interconnectivity, which enables information captured during procedures to quickly and easily be shared with other physicians and specialists to determine the best course of treatment.
This catheterization Laboratory was made possible by the late Kathryn E. Grambs who established a substantial perpetual trust administered by Penn Security Bank & Trust Company for the benefit of Community Medical Center.
Community Medical Center Receives APEX Award for Excellence In Patient Care from VHA Inc.
For Release November 6, 2007
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
Scranton, PA NOVEMBER 6, 2007 — The Pittsburgh, PA. office of VHA Inc., the national health care alliance, has recognized Community Medical Center for demonstrating excellence in patient care. CMC is one of a few qualifying VHA member hospitals to receive VHA Pennsylvania’s Achieving Patient Care Excellence (APEX) award. The award was presented to Community Medical Center on November 2, 2007 for demonstrating extraordinary levels of clinical performance in Surgical Infection Prevention Core Measure Indicators, January through March 2007.
“We are proud to be among the VHA member organizations receiving this award for achieving patient care excellence of greater than 90% in the surgical infection prevention category,” said John Nilsson, Interim President and CEO, Community Medical Center Healthcare System.
The APEX award is designed to honor organizations that have differentiated themselves by demonstrating extraordinary levels of clinical performance. The recognition program is open to all members of the VHA Pennsylvania region, and hospitals are evaluated in several areas that include infection control, critical care, glucose control and patient safety.
“We are pleased to honor Community Medical Center with this award,” said Marilyn Rudolph, RN, BSN, MBA, vice president of performance improvement at one of two VHA offices in Pennsylvania. “VHA is working with hospitals across the nation to help them improve clinical performance. In fact, our members are some of the best performers in the country. This award validates their commitment, as well as ours, to improve clinical quality and patient care.”
The APEX award program was launched in March 2007. Data for APEX Award criteria is reviewed by VHA Pennsylvania staff on a quarterly basis.
To learn more about Community Medical Center’s clinical improvement initiatives visit, www.cmchealthsys.org and to learn more about VHA, Inc. and its clinical improvement initiatives, visit www.vha.com.
Community Medical Center recognized for implementing quality cardiac and stroke care
 
Standing (left) Stephen J. Voyce, MD, Cardiologist and GWTG Physicians Champion, Norma Nocilla, BS, LPN, CPHQ, Director of Quality and Clinical Outcomes, Madhava S. Rao, MD, CMC Chief of Cardiology, Kathleen E. Bird, Senior Director, American Heart Association, Vernon Jennings, LPN, GWTG Coordinator and David L. Lohin, DO, Cardiologist.
For Release July 23, 2007
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
Scranton, PA JULY 23, 2007 — Community Medical Center is one of 277 hospitals in
the United States being recognized in the July 23 issue of US News & World Report by
the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With the Guidelines
SM (GWTG) program in an ad for its performance achievement in cardiac and stroke
patient care.
The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s GWTG program is a
quality-improvement program that helps hospitals insure that patients consistently
receive cardiac and stroke care in accordance with the most up-to-date guidelines and
recommendations.
GWTG has three modules to help hospitals use evidence-based guidelines to treat
patients with coronary artery disease, stroke and/or heart failure. Hospitals that continually
meet or exceed the nationally accepted standards, or guidelines, improve their quality
patient care by turning guidelines into lifelines.
Upon meeting criteria specific to each module, hospitals are recognized for performance
achievement if at least 85 percent of their cardiac or stroke patients (without contraindications)
are treated and discharged according to the American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association’s guidelines and recommendations. The
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s ad recognizes Community
Medical Center’s commitment and success in performance achievement.
“GWTG is about improving quality of care and saving lives, so the American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association wanted to recognize CMC’s contribution to
quality cardiovascular care in a publication such as US News & World Report, which
focuses its July issue on the top 100 hospitals. The Community Medical Center has
implemented and maintained the appropriate standards of performance in cardiac and
stroke care for patients,” said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., American Heart Association volunteer
chairman for the national GWTG Steering Committee. “We are proud of CMC’s
efforts for implementing these lifesaving treatments.”
“Community Medical Center is dedicated to making our patient care for heart and stroke
patients among the best in the country, and the American Heart Association/American
Stroke Association’s GWTG program is helping us accomplish that by making it easier
for our professionals to improve the quality of care and long-term outcomes of our cardiac
patients,” said John Nilsson, Interim President & CEO.
About GWTG:
Get With The GuidelinesSM (GWTG) is the American Heart Association/ American
Stroke Association’s hospital-based program designed to ensure that patients are consistently
treated and discharged according to evidence-based guidelines for coronary artery
disease, heart failure, and stroke. This quality improvement program empowers healthcare
teams to save lives and reduce healthcare costs through helping hospitals follow
evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for treating coronary artery disease,
heart failure, and stroke. Experience has shown that 80,000 lives could be saved annually
if the coronary artery disease (GWTG-CAD) module alone of Get With The
GuidelinesSM were implemented nationwide. GWTG was the first hospital-based program
to receive the prestigious Innovation in Prevention Award from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services in 2004. Currently almost 2,000 hospitals use
one or more GWTG modules. GWTG-CAD is supported by an unrestricted educational
grant from the Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceutical Partnership and GWTG- Heart
Failure is supported by an unrestricted grant from Glaxo Smith Kline, Inc.
For more information, visit www.americanheart.org/getwiththeguidelines
Community Medical Center vascular laboratory achieves accreditation
Community Medical Center’s Vascular Laboratory attained recognition for its commitment to providing a high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease. The facility achieved accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). CMC is the only Accredited Vascular Laboratory in the area for Abdominal Aortic Screening. CMC Administration and staff gathered to recognizes CMC vascular team’s achievement. Seated :(left) Karen Roscioli, VT, Eileen E. Vance, LPN, RVT, Manager and Technical Director of Vascular Laboratory and Mary Ellen Cole, VT Standing:(left) Barbara Bossi, RN, Vice President of Patient Care Services, Susan Ritzco, RVT, Edward Batzel, M.D., F.A.C.S., Director of the Department of Vascular Surgery, Co-Medical Director, Hyperbaric Oxygen Unit and Medical Director of the Wound Care Center and Vascular Laboratory, Bob Bonczek, Administrative Director of Ancillary Services and Jason Lewis, RVT, Not available for photo: Johanna Diaz, VT and Ryder White, VT.
For Release March 30, 2007
Contact: Jane Gaul
Phone: 570-969-7002
j.gaul@cmchealthsys.org
Scranton, PA March 30, 2007 — Community Medical Center vascular laboratory achieved accreditation by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL). CMC is now an accredited vascular laboratory for Abdominal Aortic Screening.
Medicare qualified seniors are eligible for a free one-time AAA Screening as part of their Welcome to Medicare Physical.
Please contact:
The Vascular Laboratory at CMC for more details or to schedule a screening at 570-969-8281.
For patient qualification information visit: www.vascularweb.org/medicarescreening
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