UPMC

UPMC Hamot recently celebrated their 500th successful implant of a WATCHMAN device. The WATCHMAN is a small device, implanted one-time, for people with atrial fibrillation (AFib). Typically, these patients cannot take blood thinners and need this procedure to prevent the risk of blood clots or stroke. Electrophysiologist, Jean Moubarak, MD, was the cardiologist that performed the 500th procedure. To learn more about UPMC’s expertise in heart and vascular care, visit https://lnkd.in/eb4AHRuv.

As a post-transplant coordinator at UPMC Harrisburg, Tabitha educates her patients and their care partners about care and responsibilities following a kidney transplant, including diet, medications, and follow-up care. She maintains open communication with kidney recipients throughout the life of their new kidney, assists with medication changes, and arranges post-transplant consultations and diagnostic testing that may be needed following a transplant. “My favorite part of my role is the relationships that I have built with my patients and the trust that we have built over time. It is truly rewarding to see how well patients do after transplant and how they can get their quality of life back. A kidney transplant is life changing. I truly love my job!”

Sharon Walters, RN, has been a UPMC nurse for more than four decades. Now working part time, she has spent much of her career on the fifth floor (5B) at UPMC St. Margaret, the hospital’s medical-surgical unit. It’s one of the hospital’s fastest-paced and highest-acuity areas. There, nurses care for patients recovering from surgery or “stepping down” from critical care. Sharon doesn’t remember exactly when she became a nurse preceptor for 5B — but she does remember why. A nurse preceptor’s role is critical and engages all of one’s nursing skills and leadership experience to coach and guide student nurses. It did the same for new nurses and other nurses who came to her floor. “It’s an invaluable process to fully orient newcomers so they can become full participants on our team,” she says. As a student nurse at Clarion University’s Department of Nursing, Allison Norris, BS, BSN, RN, completed a clinical internship on 5B as a preceptee of Sharon’s. She liked her experiences there so much that she initially accepted a job as a patient care technician on the floor. “Sharon agreed to be my preceptor when I became a patient care tech, as well as several other roles I took on when I became a nurse,” says Allison. “Having an experienced mentor to guide you makes all the difference.” In all, she completed nearly 19 weeks as a preceptee with Sharon. Sharon’s influence on Allison’s professional development inspired her so much that she decided to become a preceptor, too. https://lnkd.in/gPiRyz99

José-Alain Sahel, MD, director of the UPMC Vision Institute, distinguished professor and chairman of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Department of Ophthalmology, founder of two UPMC Enterprises portfolio companies, has been awarded the Wolf Prize in Medicine alongside his colleague, Botond Roska, for their pioneering work surrounding restoring vision to blind patients using #optogenetic therapy. Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/efAA-H-C

Taking care of our patients and communities begins by taking care of our team—and providing a workplace where our people can thrive. UPMC is proud to have been named to the list of 2024 Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces in North America. The Inspiring Workplaces awards judge organizations on six key elements: Culture & Purpose, Leadership, Wellbeing, Inclusion, Communication, and Experience. UPMC ranked #42 on the overall list, with a special recognition for Inclusion. Pictured is LaShana Stokes, staff associate, Diversity, Inclusion, and Talent Management, and Joe DiCianno, director, Talent Management & Organizational Development. Click here to learn more: https://bit.ly/4cIIYiL

The UPMC Heart & Vascular Institute at UPMC Western Maryland recently celebrated the completion of the 100th Watchman case by inviting all 100 patients to a reception. Watchman is a one-time, minimally invasive procedure for people with atrial fibrillation that is not caused by a heart valve problem, also known as nonvalvular AFib, who also have a need for an alternative to blood thinners to lower their risk of stroke. The team began offering the procedure in December 2022. Pictured is Herbert Myers, the first patient, Thelma Cook, the 100th patient, and Hani Alkhatib, MD, director, Structural Heart Program, UPMC Western Maryland.

Paul West volunteers to lead church services at Haven Place every Sunday. His inspiration to volunteer came from visiting with his wife, a resident at Haven Place, and noticing a need for help with these services. Paul said he always opens his service on Sundays with celebrating birthdays, and then telling a joke to lighten the mood, hopefully provide some laughter. He and the residents worship in songs, sometimes while he plays the harmonica, and share in a short meditation and spiritual message. “It makes the residents happy to come to church services on Sundays. They love the music and enjoy getting together.” What Paul loves most about volunteering is helping the residents and interacting with them. “When you get to know them individually, you get to know them better, which makes the interaction more enjoyable and fulfilling. I am very thankful for this volunteer opportunity and to be used in this way.” Paul’s message to anyone considering volunteering is, “volunteering is getting to know not only yourself, but others. Volunteering is very rewarding and satisfying.” Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/eAandi23

UPMC physicians Don Yealy, MD, Rob Bart, MD, and Rachel Sackrowitz, MD, played pivotal roles in developing a state-of-the-art #teleconsult technology platform at UPMC. This platform empowers clinician specialists to efficiently consult with bedside clinicians across various disciplines, including stroke, neurology, critical care, psychology, and toxicology. To date, it has facilitated 40,000 consults and significantly reduced patient wait times by 92%. Recently, eVisit acquired this technology from UPMC Enterprises, aiming to bolster the company’s #telehealth capabilities. Congratulations on an incredible accomplishment for the entire UPMC organization. https://lnkd.in/gNpJeyiD

Diane Holder, president and chief executive officer of UPMC Health Plan, provided insight into fostering innovation, enhancing patient outcomes, and navigating the dynamic health care landscape as the keynote speaker for the recent UPMC Enterprises #TopofMind Digital Health Summit at the Center for Connected Medicine at UPMC. Download the in-depth recap report for more on UPMC’s participation and key insights from the summit. https://lnkd.in/edW9v3vy

Reducing waste is always top of mind for Matthew, director, Food & Nutrition Services, UPMC in Central Pa. Matthew serves as co-chair of the UPMC Harrisburg sustainability committee and brings together the ideas and passion of employees from all seven hospitals in the region. “We started by looking at the waste in our Food & Nutrition Department,” Matthew said. “We are trying to reduce our plastic use and make the food fresher for our patients.” This is achieved in several ways, from reducing the use of foods being shipped in plastic containers, to replacing single-use containers with reusable ones to deliver food to patients. “We are able to give patients food with less additives and make it more nutritious at the same time,” Matthew said. “We wanted to think of fresh, healthy, good-looking food, and by doing more in house, we can reduce our plastic and carbon footprint as well.” Thanks, Matthew, for building a more sustainable and green future for our community!