Download smaller-incision joint replacement

Page 6
UPMC
CancerCenter
adds doctor,
new treatment
New ENT
offers balloon
sinuplasty
procedure
Page 5
Page 8
Orthopedic
surgeon brings
latest in
smaller-incision
joint replacement
Page 3
3-6 inch
incision
News and
information to
help you get and
stay healthy
Healthy Living
Fall 2 014
Don’t let
asthma rule
your life
© 2014 UPMC
Fall 2 014
Healthy
Living
Beware of the calories
in sweetened drinks
M a g a z i n e
UPMC Altoona’s Healthy Living Magazine is published
four times a year by
the Marketing and
Communications
Department.
President
Jerry Murray
Chief Operating Officer
Ronald J. McConnell
Director, Marketing and Communications
Dave Cuzzolina
Staff Writers
Jamie Baser
Patt Keith
Contributing Writer
Mary Haley
Designer
Chip Mock
Mock Creations LLC
For more information, please contact:
UPMC Altoona
Marketing & Communications
620 Howard Ave.
Altoona, PA 16601-4899
814-889-2271
[email protected]
They taste so good, but
some of those delicious
drinks we love are loaded
with calories, says UPMC
Altoona registered dietitian
Pamela Sepp.
Do you like those frozen
coffee drinks? They can
pack 300 calories or more.
Calories often jump when
you add alcohol. Frozen
alcohol dessert drinks have
755-plus calories.
Think a frozen fruit
smoothie is the way to go?
That’s still 225 calories.
“These frozen drinks really
add up,’’ Pam says.
Even fruit juices, like grape
juice and orange juice, have
more calories than you’d
probably think. A cup and
a half of grape juice has
255 calories and the same
amount of orange juice has
168. Pam says it’s better to
eat the fruit instead because
that way you get the fiber.
Sugar content may surprise
But if you really want the
juice, make sure it’s 100
If you are not receiving
Healthy Living Magazine
in the mail and would
like to, you need to join
the Healthy Living Club.
It’s free, and the
magazine is just one of
the many benefits!
Join online at
UPMCAltoona.org
or call 814-889-2630
or 1-888-313-4665.
percent fruit juice that
doesn’t have added sugar,
and consider smaller
servings.
Sweetened drinks cause
most of the problems
when it comes to gaining
weight from drinks, Pam
says. Sugar creeps into
many drinks that may
surprise people. When they
eliminate those drinks, they
lose weight. Sweetened tea
at fast-food restaurants is
one culprit, along with sugar
in soda and sports drinks.
“Of course, everything is
super-sized these days,
which just makes it worse,’’
she says.
The solution is to make
good choices and substitute
better alternatives for
sugary drinks.
The best way is to pick
water to quench your thirst,
Pam says. If you don’t like
plain water, flavor it with
a citrus fruit like lemon
or lime. Also, think about
how you take your coffee.
While you are planning your
meals, be sure to include
healthier drink choices
and choose appropriate
portions.
“It’s all about making good
choices,’’ she says. “It’s
about eating in a balanced,
healthy way.’’
Follow the ‘healthy plate’ plan
Program alert!
Pam likes the “healthy plate’’ plan, which means you
start with a smaller dinner plate, 9 to 10 inches, and
divide it in half. Then fill one half with non-starchy
vegetables, like raw or cooked broccoli, carrots, and
red peppers, and one-fourth with whole grains, like brown rice, beans, and starchy vegetables, such as corn and lima beans. The last quarter
is for lean meats, like chicken, turkey, lean cuts of beef, fish, and meat substitutes.
Pam stresses the need to eat regular, well-balanced meals and get enough exercise.
“Just remember, all foods can fit as long as you practice
moderation and portion
control,’’ she says.
2
If you’re not someone who
takes it black, try to use
as little sugar as possible.
For cream, try lower-fat
alternatives like skim milk or
1 or 2 percent milk.
Don’t Put It on the Table
Until You Read the Label
See calendar insert for details, dates, and times
Fellowship-trained
orthopedic surgeon
A gentler
replacement
brings skills in multiple areas
Hip Ball
Adrian Clayton, DO, is joining UPMC Altoona’s Elite Orthopedics and will bring with him
the latest in minimally invasive hip and knee replacement and reconstruction surgery.
He is skilled in practicing all surgical approaches for hip replacement — front, side, and
back — and has expertise in complex surgeries as well as surgeries that require revisions.
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) uses a smaller incision, resulting in less soft tissue
trauma. Soft tissues connect, support, or surround other structures and organs of the
body. Soft tissue includes tendons, ligaments, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, etc.
Socket
“With MIS, there is less tissue damage,” Dr. Clayton says. “With less tissue damage, there is the benefit of a quicker recovery time and less pain after surgery.”
Cartilage
In a healthy hip,
cartilage provides a
cushion between the
hip ball and socket.
Dr. Clayton will be the only fellowship-trained adult joint reconstruction surgeon on UPMC Altoona’s medical staff.
Handles complex cases
He recently completed his fellowship at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics
(RIAO) at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Dr. Clayton attended medical school at Lake Erie
College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his internship and residency at Memorial
Hospital in York, Pa.
“My fellowship at RIAO was quite challenging,” he says. “It was a tertiary (highly
specialized) joint center that received complicated cases from all over the country,
even outside of the U.S. I was involved in many complex cases, including congenital hip
dysplasia, severe joint deformity from previous trauma or replacement surgery, and
significant joint infections.”
Cartilage
In an arthritic hip, the cartilage
has thinned and
deteriorated, allowing
bone to rub against
bone, causing pain.
Dr. Clayton also treated a wide variety of arthritis (rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, posttraumatic), and osteonecrosis during his fellowship. Osteonecrosis is caused by reduced
blood flow to bones in the joints. In people with healthy bones, new bone is always
replacing old bone. In osteonecrosis, the lack of blood causes the bone to break down
faster than the body can make enough new bone.
Focus on hip, knee
At Elite Orthopedics, the majority of Dr. Clayton’s practice will be joint replacement
surgeries and primary and revision-type surgeries for the hip and knee. Revision surgeries
are often performed on hip or knee components that are worn out, infected, or causing
pain due to alignment issues. Revision surgery may also be done in cases where a joint
replacement surgery is difficult due to previous factures around a joint with hardware in place.
Some patients in need of a hip
replacement may be a candidate for
the anterior supine hip procedure.
This approach combines the benefits
of minimally invasive surgery with the advantages of an anterior
approach. “Anterior” refers to the
front of the hip.
“Patients today are very informed
and ask a lot about anterior hip
replacement surgery,” Dr. Clayton
says. “This is a type of minimally
invasive hip surgery that avoids
detaching muscle from the thigh
bones, and instead goes in between muscle groups to perform the surgery.”
Traditional surgery involves an 8- to 12-inch incision on the side or
back of your leg. The anterior supine
procedure uses a 3- to 6-inch incision
on the front of your leg, which allows
the surgeon to have an optimized
view of your hip joint during surgery.
This method also helps preserve the
tissue that keeps your joint tight and
reduces the risk of hip dislocation
after surgery.
“Early studies are showing reduced
rehabilitation time and less pain with this surgical approach,” Dr. Clayton says. “I have performed
many replacements with this
approach and will be offering this
type of surgery in Altoona.”
3-6 inch
incision
Additionally, Dr. Clayton will fix fractures and perform partial knee replacements, shoulder replacements, knee and shoulder arthroscopy, and minor hand surgeries.
“Many of the other graduates from my fellowship enter into academic medicine, likely due to the amount of research that is done,” Dr. Clayton says. “Others opt for
practices in large cities due to the comprehensive training and access to a large patient population.
“I enjoy the small community setting and look forward to bringing my training to an area that might otherwise have to travel in order to have their orthopedic needs met.”
Images courtesy
of Zimmer
Program
alert!
Contact: Dr. Clayton begins seeing patients Sept. 29 in Altoona and Bedford.
Elite Orthopedics has offices in Hollidaysburg, Altoona, Bedford, and Huntingdon.
Appointments can be made by calling 814-889-3600.
What’s New in Joint
Replacement Surgery?
3
See calendar insert for
3
details, dates, and times
Transplant patients applaud Altoona clinic
Makes entire process easier, improves access to UPMC program
Compared to traveling
two hours to Pittsburgh,
transplant recipient
Dale Barnes prefers the
convenient drive and easy
access to multiple services
at the UPMC Altoona
Kidney Transplant Clinic at
Station Medical Center.
He can drive himself to the
appointments in Altoona,
instead of needing his
girlfriend and another friend
to take him to Pittsburgh.
“I can get evaluated right
here,” says Dale, 59, of
Duncansville. “It’s a relief
for me. I don’t have to travel
too far.
for a new kidney. While
he waits, he needs four
hours of dialysis Tuesdays,
Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Adding liver patients soon
“Between doctor
appointments and dialysis,
I always have something to
do. I’m busier than when I
was working,” the former
machine technician says.
“But having this clinic in
town takes some worry off
my mind.”
“My girlfriend hates to drive
in Pittsburgh traffic, so she
would drive some of the way
there, and then my friend
would do the inner-city
driving. He was always very
willing to do it, but I felt I
inconvenienced him.”
UPMC Altoona opened its
Kidney Transplant Clinic
June 10. Patients will have
the transplant surgery
in Pittsburgh and can
be evaluated in Altoona
before and after. The clinic
sees kidney and pancreas
transplant patients,
evaluates potential live
donor kidney patients, and
plans to add liver patients
soon.
Dale received a new liver
Feb. 10 and is on the
transplant waiting list
The clinic saves time and
money for the nearly 200
people from this region who
are waiting for or who have
had a transplant. It is easily
accessible from Interstate
99; has the testing services
transplant patients require,
and offers reserved parking.
“This clinic brings
specialized care closer to
home,” says Jerry Murray,
UPMC Altoona president.
“It’s a tangible example of
what our relationship with
UPMC means to this region,
and many more advances
will follow.”
Clinic improves access
The clinic answers a
community need, says Deb
Maurer, transplant program
administrator at UPMC.
“The area has a high
number of people awaiting
transplant,” she says.
“By having the clinic in
the Altoona community,
patients who may have
been hesitant to explore
transplantation in the past
may now be interested
in learning about the
procedure because the only
time they have to come to
Pittsburgh is for the surgery.
It improves access.”
not only reduces that
burden but also eases their
fears and worries about the
entire transplant process.”
The Pittsburgh transplant
team includes six
surgeons, six nephrologists
(physicians who specialize
in kidney disorders), a
patient care technician,
a nurse coordinator, and
a social worker. Staff
members take turns coming
to Altoona.
At the clinics, patients
receive education about
the transplant process and
are scheduled for testing.
UPMC Altoona at Station
Medical Center offers
what they need, including
CT scans, bloodwork, and
echocardiograms. They
then visit with different
members of the transplant
team for evaluation.
Amit Tevar, MD, surgical
director of UPMC
Kidney and Pancreas
Transplantation, says having
a clinic in Altoona is “truly
a move that puts patients
first.”
Eases patients’ worries
“We’re pleased to be able to
offer these pre- and post-op
services to patients close to
home,” Dr. Tevar says. “We
realize it’s often a hardship
for people to have to travel
to see us in Pittsburgh, and
having this clinic in Altoona
A staff member escorts
patients through each step
in their evaluation.
“UPMC Altoona has
embraced this,” Deb says.
“Station Medical Center
is an ideal ambulatory site
at which to take care of
patients. It has everything
we need. It’s absolutely so
convenient.”
“. . . having this clinic in town
takes some worry off my mind.”
4
Transplant patient Dale Barnes with transplant surgeon Amit Tevar, MD:
“It’s a relief for me,” says Dale. “I don’t have to travel too far.”
Contact: For more information on the UPMC Kidney and
Pancreas Transplant Program, please call toll-free 1-877-640-6746.
Jack Schocker, MD, (left)
and Joshua Siglin, MD,
with the Elekta Infinity™
linear accelerator.
Cancer doctor brings new procedure to Altoona
A new radiation oncologist has joined Jack Schocker, MD, at
UPMC CancerCenter Radiation Oncology at UPMC Altoona.
Joshua Siglin, MD, began seeing patients in August.
In addition to general radiation oncology, Dr. Siglin will bring
stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment to the Altoona
area. SRS is a precise form of radiation therapy that uses
concentrated radiation beams in high doses to destroy tumors in difficult or hard-to-reach areas.
The noninvasive treatment minimizes damage to surrounding
healthy tissue and organs and requires no anesthesia or
incisions. SRS treatments target tumors of the spine, head,
and neck, including the brain.
A related treatment, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT),
is used by both Dr. Schocker and Dr. Siglin to deliver radiation
to other areas of the body in a similar manner.
Because of the high dosage, these treatments can be
completed in a short period of time, sometimes in a single day. Currently, patients who can benefit from the advanced
SRS treatment must travel to UPMC Shadyside or another
out-of-area hospital to find an expert.
“Adding SRS to the other great treatments provided at UPMC Altoona allows patients to receive more care closer
to home,” Dr. Siglin says. “SRS allows for treatment in a short
time that is quite effective.”
SRS and SBRT are alternatives to invasive surgery, especially
for patients who are unable to undergo traditional surgery.
They are particularly effective for tumors and abnormalities
that are hard to reach, located close to vital organs, or subject
to movement within the body. Like other forms of radiation
treatment, SRS and SBRT work by damaging the DNA of
tumor cells to reduce their ability to reproduce.
“I am delighted that Dr. Siglin has joined me and our
physician assistant, Meghan Drago, at UPMC Altoona,” Dr. Schocker says. “Dr. Siglin just completed his residency at one of the premier radiation oncology teaching programs
in the country. He is trained in the treatment of all malignant
diseases, and has a special interest in advanced threedimensional and stereotactic techniques.
“This will enhance our ability to provide the most
up-to-date treatments to our patients.”
Dr. Siglin is a native of Pennsylvania. He received his medical
degree from Thomas Jefferson University and completed
his residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in
Philadelphia. He completed his internship at Easton Hospital.
About UPMC CancerCenter
UPMC CancerCenter connects patients across western
Pennsylvania to the integrated expertise of leading clinicians,
academic researchers, specialty programs, and treatment
centers.
Through its partnership with the University of Pittsburgh
Cancer Institute (UPCI), a National Cancer Institutedesignated Comprehensive Cancer Center, UPMC
CancerCenter is working to accelerate breakthroughs in the labs into clinical practice around the world.
Backed by the collective strength of UPMC and UPCI, UPMC CancerCenter is transforming cancer research, care, and prevention — one patient at a time.
For more information about UPMC CancerCenter Radiation Oncology, or to schedule an appointment,
call 814-889-2400 or visit our websites at
UPMCCancerCenter.com or FocusedOnYou.com.
Partnership with
UPMC brings
world-class care
The integration of UPMC
Altoona’s Radiation Oncology
Department into UPMC
CancerCenter will bring worldclass cancer care, backed by
best practices, leading-edge
treatments, and cancer clinical
trials, to our region.
UPMC CancerCenter’s partner
— the University of Pittsburgh
Cancer Institute — is the
region’s only Comprehensive
Cancer Center as designated by
the National Cancer Institute.
“The resources of UPMC
further strengthen our position
as a high quality provider of
radiation oncology services in
this region,” Dr. Schocker says.
The UPMC Altoona team is
one of the largest and most
experienced radiation oncology
teams in the area. New
technology and new talent
will continually be added as
UPMC Altoona works toward
full integration with the UPMC
system.
“A great example of this is
our recent recruitment of Dr.
Siglin,” Dr. Schocker says. “The
potential is very promising and I look forward to the future.”
5
Catching his breath
Severe asthmatic benefits from new procedure
Severe and persistent
asthma robbed Garry
Kensinger of his active
lifestyle, but a new lung
treatment returned him
to doing what he loves:
tending a 14-acre farm and
raising goats for the local
4-H program.
Garry, 67, raked and
replanted the large yard of
his farm near Williamsburg
— without any breathing
discomfort — after having
bronchial thermoplasty
(BT), a new lung treatment
for severe and persistent
asthma.
“I can do things again,”
Garry says. “I have a better
quality of life. Now, I can
clean my barn, carry an
80-pound bale of hay or a
heavy feed bag, walk to get
the mail, and handle my
goats without shortness
of breath. If I do become
short of breath, my recovery
is better, faster. I use my
rescue inhaler once every
couple of days. Before, I had
to use it daily.”
Typical improvement
The improvements Garry
notes are typical of patients
undergoing BT, says
Mehrdad Ghaffari, MD,
Garry’s pulmonologist and
medical director of UPMC
Altoona’s Pulmonary
Services.
He first used standardof-care medications to
help Garry, but Garry
suffered repeated bouts of
breathlessness, bronchial
infections, and stays in the
intensive care unit.
“The best candidates for BT
are those that manage their
asthma,” says Dr. Ghaffari.
“They take their medications
regularly, but they are still
having significant problems.
BT can have a significant,
positive role in improving a
patient’s quality of life.”
Garry’s asthma worsened
in May 2012. Unable to do
much of anything without
triggering an attack, his
life and his family’s lives
revolved around his illness.
Asthma changed the life
of a man who had missed
only one day in 30 years of
working two jobs. In addition
to farming, Garry worked in
the quality control lab of the
Sproul Specialty Plant yard
until he retired in 2012. For
the next two years, severe,
persistent asthma required
“dozens and dozens” of
ambulance calls and trips to
the intensive care unit.
Married for 48 years, Mary
tears up when describing
Garry’s limitations before
the procedure.
Struggled to breathe
“Just taking a shower and
getting ready in the morning
would leave him struggling to
breathe. After he showered,
he’d have to rest before he
finished getting ready. He
couldn’t walk 10 feet without
becoming breathless.”
“I was so
excited; I had hope
again.”
The couple’s four daughters,
sons-in-law, and eight
grandchildren pitched in to
help keep the farm going,
says Mary, who also has two great-grandchildren.
Garry recalls how he and his
wife were moved to tears
when they first learned of BT.
“I was so excited; I had hope
again,” he says. The couple
had no concern about Garry
being the first patient treated
with BT at UPMC Altoona.
“BT was our only option. We had no life before,” Mary
says. “We had hope again
where before we had none.”
Garry Kensinger enjoys
raising goats for the local
4-H program. Here he is
with Dolly, named a grand
champion 4-H goat in
August.
Since his BT treatment
ended in April, Garry’s
symptoms continue to lessen
and his asthma medications
work better.
Inset: Garry Kensinger
with his wife, Mary, and
grandson Keller Metzker
with Dolly.
“He tells me every day that
he feels better than the day
before,” says Mary. “I thank God for Dr. Ghaffari;
he’s an angel.”
For more information on
bronchial thermoplasty,
please call 814-889-2716.
What to expect with BT
“Asthma is a potentially deadly disease that needs to be taken
seriously,” says Mehrdad Ghaffari, MD. “Most asthma deaths
occur in younger patients who don’t take their medications
regularly and then they have a sudden event.”
During the nine-week treatment process, a patient works closely
with the pulmonologist and respiratory therapists to manage
asthma symptoms and maintain breathing at optimal levels.
BT is performed in three separate treatment sessions, three
weeks apart — lower right lung, lower left lung, then both upper
portions. One session lasts about 45 minutes to an hour.
BT is an outpatient procedure that reduces excessive amounts
of smooth muscle in the airway. Asthma attack frequency is
reduced because the muscle’s ability to constrict is lessened.
Complications post-procedure are rare, Dr. Ghaffari says,
but asthma symptoms are aggravated and require treatment
immediately afterward.
BT treatment is appropriate for 5 percent to 10 percent of adult
asthma patients with moderate to severe asthma, Dr. Ghaffari
says.
This is why asthma must be managed well beforehand
so breathing is adequate before BT treatment, says Stacy
Hufman, a registered respiratory therapist. Baseline breathing
measurements and treatments are taken the day before, and
before and after the BT treatment.
But BT isn’t a quick fix, he adds, and requires patient
commitment. Ultimately, BT can reduce the frequency of asthma
attacks, help asthma medications work more effectively, and
improve quality of life.
6
A respiratory therapist makes wellness phone calls one, three,
and seven days after BT treatment to watch the patient closely.
News from the
United Way awards grant to clinic
From left, Dr. Carlos and Heather
Weigering and Rob and Andrea
Okonak at Founders Club Spring
Reception at the Blairmont in May.
At the grant presentation were (from left): Zane Gates, MD, clinic medical
director; Tim Balconi, foundation president, and Robin Beck, former United Way executive director.
Over 80 attend
Founders Club event
The United Way of Blair County has awarded a $12,000 grant to
the UPMC Altoona Partnership for a Healthy Community.
The Founders Club, UPMC
Altoona’s annual leadership
giving society, now numbers
more than 60 members.
The grant is designed to enable patients of the clinic to learn
about and purchase healthy foods through its market bucks
program. Clients are given nutritional information and special
market bucks to redeem at local farm markets for healthy dairy
products, fruits, and vegetables.
The membership includes
all of UPMC Altoona’s senior
leaders, most board members,
and many physicians and
community members.
The aim is to encourage healthy lifestyle choices, reducing the
need for medications and medical treatments made necessary by
the complication of unhealthy eating.
“The Founders Club exists
to support the culture of
philanthropy at UPMC
Altoona,” says Tim Balconi,
foundation president.
“Leadership giving encourages
the community as a whole to
support our hospital, which is
serving our patients and the
staff who care for them.”
“Improving one’s health through diet and avoiding the
complications of weight gain and high blood pressure is a better
outcome for patients than taking meds when the conditions are
already present,” says Michelle Adams, clinical manager and
author of the successful grant application.
“Clinic Medical Director Dr. Zane Gates and Michelle have been
wonderfully effective in garnering grants in support of the clinic,
which has served thousands of patients well,” says Tim Balconi,
foundation president.
The Mammography staff
at Station Medical Center
with the new chair
funded by the
foundation.
Foundation
gift will increase
comfort during
mammogram
The UPMC Altoona Foundation
donated the funds for a new
state-of-the-art mammography
chair being used at Station
Medical Center.
The new chair accommodates
patients who have difficulty
standing or holding the correct
position to make the best
images possible during an
imaging procedure.
“The new chair makes patients
more comfortable and
illustrates our commitment to
provide excellent health care to
our patients,” says Mike Corso,
executive director of UPMC
Altoona’s Imaging, Cardiology,
and Radiation Oncology
services.
UPMC Altoona provides more
than 14,000 breast imaging
procedures every year.
At the announcement of
the HRSA grant were Renee
Henry, registered respiratory
therapist (front) and (from
left) Tim Balconi, president,
UPMC Altoona Foundation;
Mike Corso, executive director,
Radiation Oncology, Imaging,
and Cardiology, and Greg
Madison, Cardiology and
Respiratory Specialty Services.
The coalition is a partnership with Windber Hospital and Blue
Mountain Health System in Lehighton and has been serving
patients in central Pennsylvania for over 10 years.
“We are pleased that our application was successful given
that nearly 50 percent of the programs receiving funds for
this type of disease were defunded in this highly competitive
funding environment,” says Tim Balconi, foundation president.
Renee Henry, coordinator of cardiopulmonary and bronchial
services at UPMC Altoona, cares for patients and directs
the Black Lung Coalition. Her supervisor is Greg Madison,
manager of UPMC Altoona’s respiratory and cardiology
services. Both are respiratory care therapists.
Golf Classic sets records
The UPMC Altoona
Foundation’s fifth annual Golf Classic at Scotch Valley in
June hosted its largest field of
golfers in the event’s history —
more than 200.
Over 80 businesses and
organizations, including a
record 22 bronze sponsors,
supported the event, making it
one of the most successful in
Golf Classic history.
“We set records this year,” Tim Balconi, foundation
president, says. “I’d like to thank
our sponsors, the committee,
and volunteers who helped
make this such a great success.
Events like the golf tournament
are fueled by the generosity of
our sponsors, volunteers, and
committee members and their
desire to help the hospital and
its patients.”
Next year’s classic is June 22.
Please save the date.
The UPMC Altoona Foundation has awarded $10,000 in scholarship
money to six nurses. Tim Balconi (back right), foundation president,
and Chris Rickens, senior vice president of Nursing, presented the
scholarships to (from left): front — Ann Hoover of Dysart, float pool; Dana Fuchs of Duncansville, Critical Care float pool, and Tracy Kephart of Philipsburg, Surgical Trauma Intensive Care Unit;
back — Valorie Imler of Imler, Emergency Department, and Judy
Kuzupas of Altoona, Nursing Administration. Melissa Mulhern of Altoona, Case Management, also received a scholarship.
State renews black lung funding
The UPMC Altoona Foundation is pleased to announce
that the Health Resources and Services Administration has
renewed the funding to UPMC Altoona for the Pennsylvania
Black Lung Coalition. The coalition will receive $750,000 over
three years for services to patients suffering with pulmonary
disease.
Some of the more than 200 golfers at the Golf Classic were (from left)
Ron Barrett of Medline, Jim Fish
of Boston Scientific, Jim Kimble of
Xanitos Inc., and Gary Zuckerman of UPMC Altoona.
Employees support foundation
Brittany Cunningham, a surgical technologist in the Operating Room, is a first-time donor to the employee giving campaign, It Starts with Us.
“Giving back to the place where I work makes sense. I know the money will benefit patients and our whole community,” the seven-year employee says.
New contributors to the campaign raised $4,598, which, combined with recurring gifts pledged, raised the gift amount to $19,002.
The campaign now has the largest number of employees giving through payroll deduction since it began.
“The foundation uses the funds for patient care items and to fund nursing scholarships,” says Tim Balconi, foundation president. “Our patients and staff benefit greatly from the generosity of our employees.”
7
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
UPMC Altoona
UPMC Altoona
620 Howard Avenue
Altoona, PA 16601
Change Service Requested
and
Ask the specialist
Elliott Bilofsky, DO, FAOCO, is the new director of UPMC Altoona Ear, Nose, and Throat. He is also director of
medical education and director of physician-related computer technology at UPMC Bedford Memorial Hospital.
His Altoona office is in Blair Medical Center, 501 Howard Ave., Suite E-3. Phone 1-866-641-9550. He also has
offices in Bedford, Huntingdon, and Fulton counties.
In your new position at UPMC Altoona, what will be your duties and will you see
new patients in Altoona?
As director of UPMC Altoona Ear, Nose, and Throat, my main responsibilities will be patient care and I
welcome new patients. From the administrative side, I will
assist UPMC Altoona in recruiting qualified physicians and
physician assistants.
The goal is to develop a wellrounded, fully operational
program in ear, nose, and throat,
head and neck surgery, and
facial plastic surgery for Altoona
and surrounding communities.
What surgeries will
you perform at
UPMC Altoona?
Head and
neck cancer
surgery, minimally
invasive thyroid
surgery (which I
have been doing
for more than six
years), advanced
sinus surgery,
minimally
invasive
surgeries
in vocal
restoration
and esophageal
disorders —
those are some
examples.
I am listed on the balloon sinuplasty website of Acclarant,
which is the manufacturer of a balloon sinuplasty device,
as proficient in both the operative and office environments
for adults and the operative environment for pediatrics.
Balloon sinuplasty surgery is similar to the technology
used in balloon angioplasty.
In addition, my joining the UPMC Altoona staff will
increase trauma care for the community as I will be able
to help with facial trauma cases.
Will you still see patients in your other offices?
Yes, I will remain in all of our present sites and will
still provide consultation at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Altoona. I will have to reduce the
amount of time that I spend at these sites, however, to some degree. But I hope to add staff, including more
doctors, to create a premium regional health care
presence in the area that our offices serve.
What would you like to say by way of introduction to the Altoona community?
I have had the opportunity over 19 years coming from Philadelphia to create centers of excellence
in the field of ear, nose, and throat, head and neck, facial
plastic surgery in several communities that did not have
many of these services. I hope with this experience and strong and committed
staff we will be able to create an environment of
excellence in
Altoona and an
atmosphere
where patients
will feel welcome
and receive the
best care.
Program alert!
Minimally Invasive Thyroid Surgery
See calendar insert for details, dates, and times
Profile
Dr. Bilofsky is board-certified in
adult and pediatric ear, nose, and
throat conditions, head and neck
surgery, and facial plastic surgery.
Originally from Philadelphia, he
graduated from the Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic Medicine
(PCOM) and completed his
residency in otolaryngology, head
and neck surgery, and facial plastic
surgery at PCOM. He trained at
Buffalo General Hospital in New
York for head and neck surgery.
He also trained at Shadyside
Hospital in Pittsburgh for advanced
sinus surgery and facial nerve
reconstruction surgery.
In 1995, Dr. Bilofsky left his private
practice in Bucks County when
Bedford Memorial Hospital recruited
him. He has performed a wide
range of surgeries there, including
minimally invasive/endoscopic
esophageal surgery, facial plastic/
cosmetic surgery, sleep disorder
surgery, and other innovative
surgical procedures.
He received his board certification in 1995 and fellowship in 1999 from the American Osteopathic
College of Otolaryngology-Head
and Neck Surgery.
Dr. Bilofsky lives in Hollidaysburg
with his wife, Kara, and their three children.