News from Mainline Health

NEWS ALERT: To Reduce Flu Risk, Hospitals Limit Visitors to Age 17 and Older

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Please help us protect our patients

Main Line Health is taking seriously what is now officially a flu pandemic, and we are determined to reduce potential flu risks to our patients and staff.

Because children are more likely to catch and transmit the H1N1 flu virus, the Main Line Health visitor policy now requires that only friends and family (including siblings) 17 years and older visit our hospitals, effective Monday, Oct. 26, 2009.

In addition, visitors of any age are asked to postpone their visit if they have or recently had a fever or any other flu-like symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has flu-like symptoms or has been diagnosed with the flu.

This policy, which will be in effect for the duration of the flu pandemic, is consistent with guidelines from OSHA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is in line with policies at other hospitals in our region and across the country.

Exceptions to this policy can only be made by the treating nurse or practitioner for end-of-life and other humanitarian situations.

This new hospital-wide visitation policy joins other Main Line Health flu precautions and initiatives for the community, including:

Increased emphasis on infection prevention techniques, including hand washing. ALL visitors are asked to wash their hands before entering and upon exiting a patient’s room.
Distribution of respiratory etiquette packets for visitors
Seasonal flu vaccination programs at area schools
Free seasonal flu vaccination at 10 Philadelphia and Main Line locations, primarily for those 65 and older

Extensive information and interviews on flu prevention and treatment at www.mainlinehealth.org/fluinfo.

Thank you for your cooperation, and please know how much we care about you, your family and your health.

Community Program Focuses on Winter Safety

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Program Slated at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital on Wednesday, Dec. 2

(Malvern, Pa.)—Icy roads, snow covered walkways and even holiday decorating can pose many hazards and result in significant injuries ranging from fractures to traumatic brain injuries. Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital will host a free community program on Wednesday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The program, Be Safe This Winter, will include free lunch and each attendee will receive a free winter car safety kit.

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital physical therapists will present important winter safety information designed to help avoid the hazards associated with cold temperatures, ice and snow. This special community program also will include safety tips for holiday decorating, climbing ladders and being outdoors for extended periods of time. The presenters slated for the day are Troy Norton, PT, OCS, ATC, CEAS, Outpatient Operations Manager at BMRH, and Josh Davidson, PT, DPT, SCS, CSCS, Therapy Supervisor for the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Outpatient Network at Exton. A complimentary lunch will be served and each attendee will receive a free winter safety kit.

“A variety of winter activities present dangers to individuals, from raking leaves and shoveling snow, walking on slippery surfaces, being in the cold for a long period of time, decorating and even shopping for the holidays,” says Davidson. “This community event will detail safety tips and exercises that can help keep everyone safe throughout the entire winter season. This is really a must-attend program.”

For more information or to register for the program, call 1-866-CALL-MLH or register at www.brynmawrrehab.org.

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, which is affiliated with Main Line Health, is a leader in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Located in Malvern, the hospital offers a unique environment for recovery for individuals with brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and other physical and cognitive disabilities. With 148 beds and an extensive Outpatient Network, the hospital is the largest and most comprehensive rehabilitation services organization in the region.

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Art Ability Now Open to the Public at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Art work on display through January 17, 2010

(MALVERN, Pa.)—The 14th Annual Art Ability Exhibition and Sale at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital in Malvern is open to the public and features nearly 400 works by artists with disability. The art work will remain on display at the hospital through January 17, 2010.

Art Ability is a unique program that provides a showcase and a marketplace for artists with disabilities and educates the community about the capabilities of individuals with disabilities. The 10 week exhibition features paintings, sculpture, photography, pastels, jewelry, stained and mosaic glass, metalwork and more. Art Ability is open to the public seven days a week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Admission is free.

This year’s exhibit features the works of 128 artists from 23 states and 10 different countries.

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Lankenau Hospital Debuts Newly-Renovated Nursing Units

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Wynnewood, Pa.)—Aiming to enhance care quality, improve safety, increase efficiency, and accommodate patient- and family-focused care, Lankenau Hospital recently celebrated the debut of two renovated patient units that feature a number of evidence-based design elements, an emerging philosophy that takes a scientific approach toward health care design.

Careful thought went into the physical design of each unit located on One South and One Southwest in order to meet the expectation of patients for comfort and safety while, at the same time, incorporating advanced technology in the rooms and at the nursing stations to meet the needs of clinical staff.

The design of patient rooms was seen as a critical factor to improve patient satisfaction and safety and to create a more healing environment. The two units feature all private rooms in an effort to reduce infection and injury, special flooring to reduce noise, individual air controls for comfort, and bright natural light, soothing color, and décor for a less stressful atmosphere.

To enhance staff efficiency, the units include decentralized nursing stations that feature work stations near patient rooms. All the rooms have identical in-room set up to improve processes and reduce risk for error. Among the clinical upgrades to improve safety and reduce medical errors are: PC workstations accessible at every bedside to support error free medication documentation and clinical charting, integrated nurse call/locator system to improve staff access and communication and reduce noise, and a dedicated central monitoring room for all telemetry systems staffed by specially-trained monitoring technicians.

The design of each unit was a collaborative effort over the course of many months involving administration, clinical, and support staff along with architects, RTKL Associates, Inc. and project managers, Granary Associates.

The opening of the new nursing units is the first of many improvements planned for Lankenau Hospital as they embark on an extensive campus improvement plan. The Hospital has committed $600 million over the next five years to incorporate the new design principles in other hospital units and to improve the overall hospital environment. The inpatient dialysis and the intensive care unit (ICU) are the next in line to be renovated.

Pictured at the grand opening from left: Mary Lance Smith; Betty Craig, vice president, Patient Services; Jeanne Gray; Maria McKenna; Maryann Finnegan; Elaine Thompson, PhD, President; and Margi Iacobacci, director of Nursing.

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Paoli Hospital Recognized for Patient Safety

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Paoli, Pa.)—Paoli Hospital received the prestigious Healthcare Improvement Foundation’s 2009 Delaware Valley Patient Safety Award for a pilot project to reduce the risks associated with intravenous (IV) heparin flushes, a practice widely used in healthcare to keep IV lines open and flowing freely. The award was presented during the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council's Annual Meeting at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel.

“This recognition validates our continuing efforts to improve quality care and patient safety, and it inspires us to continue challenging ourselves to improve,” said Jan Nash, PhD, MSN, RN, vice president of nursing and project team leader.

The "Use of Sodium Chloride in Place of Heparin for Maintenance of Central Line and PICC Line Patency" project, which tested the use of a sterile saline solution in place of heparin, placed third out of 38 entries. Judging was based on contribution to patient safety; demonstration of leadership and organizational commitment to patient safety; significant and sustainable improvement; innovation; and the potential for being replicated at other organizations.

Team member, Al Celidonio, director of pharmacy, explains that a heparin flush is administered by injection directly into the IV line. It is usually given each time after the IV line or catheter is used. Although this form of heparin is not the same concentration of medication used as a blood thinner to treat and prevent blood clots, it does have similar risks associated with it.

“Heparin is undoubtedly a useful medication,” he said, “but the risks with heparin flush, such as selecting the wrong strength or dose, are not well recognized by practitioners and can sometimes result in serious and even fatal outcomes.”

One of the most severe side effects is Heparin Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT), which decreases the formation of platelets, the particles in blood that help with clotting. As a result, blood does not clot normally.

The project found that saline was as effective as heparin in maintaining IV patency, and that using normal saline rather than heparin as a flushing solution improves the quality of patient care by eliminating the problems associated with its use.

“We concluded that the safest practice for Paoli was to adjust the standardized IV flush policy to no longer include heparin unless ordered by a physician,” added Nash. “The goal at this point is to expand this evidence-based best practice beyond the boundaries of Paoli, first to the rest of the Main Line Health system and then to the region at large.”

About HCIF
The Health Care Improvement Foundation (HCIF) is an independent, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to building partnerships for better health care in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The Patient Safety Award process is one of the ways that HCIF promotes best practices in patient safety throughout the Delaware Valley and advances the goal of making the region the safest place to receive care.

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Adds Robotic Ambulation to its High Tech, High Touch Rehab Program

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Newest Acquisition Features Virtual Environment Module

(Malvern, Pa.)—Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital clinicians are taking their high touch, high tech philosophy one step further thanks to the addition of Lokomat Pro®, an innovative robotic ambulation device that incorporates virtual reality into its technology. “We are excited that our patients can take advantage of this unique therapy modality,” says Dr. Lester S. Dewis, Medical Director of the BMRH Stroke Program. “Incorporating Lokomat Pro into our program ensures patients can take advantage of a full complement of ambulation technology and techniques that begins with full robotic assisted ambulation.”

According to Clare Small-McEvoy, PT, BMRH Inpatient Therapy Manager, the Lokomat Pro system combines a treadmill, robotic legs, computerized synchronization and virtual reality. “Locomotor training has been used for years by physical therapists to help patients re-learn how to walk following a stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and other neurological illnesses,” she explains. This new technology is an adjunct to manual locomotor training that facilitates earlier mobility and gait training because robotics moves the patient’s legs in a pattern more consistent with normal walking motion. The addition of the augmented feedback module (virtual reality) creates a virtual environment where patients can engage in different walking activities and exercises. “We can adjust the intensity and level of difficulty so that the exercises can be adapted to both the cognitive and motor abilities of our patients,” she explains.

Dr. Dewis notes that the acquisition of the Lokomat Pro completes BMRH’s full complement of locomotion therapy technology that also includes the LiteGait (manual locomotor ambulation. “Adding high technology like Lokomat Pro and LiteGait means our patients can maximize their functional recovery and achieve the highest level of independence possible.”

The new Lokomat Pro technology at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital can be utilized for patients who are receiving care as an inpatient or outpatient. Patients being treated with Lokomat-based therapy have a range of training possibilities and often can achieve faster progress because the training sessions are more intensive and because ambulation is monitored and assessed electronically.

Dr. Dewis, a proponent of incorporating high technology into the high touch field of physical and cognitive rehabilitation, helped Linda Gamble, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Foundation Board member and Campaign Chairman, spearhead the fundraising campaign to acquire the Lokomat and develop a robotic ambulation therapy suite at BMRH. “My hope is that we continue to find more effective ways to tap into the healing brain and brain plasticity to achieve better outcomes as our patients recover from their physical and cognitive disabilities.”

Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, which is affiliated with Main Line Health, is a leader in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Located in Malvern, the hospital offers a unique environment for recovery for individuals with brain injury, stroke, spinal cord injury and other physical and cognitive disabilities. With 148 beds and an extensive Outpatient Network, the hospital is the largest and most comprehensive rehabilitation services organization in the region.

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Paoli Hospital Nurse “Patient Choice Award” Winner

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

(Paoli, Pa.)— Irene O’Brien, RN, of Lansdowne, was honored with the Patient’s Choice Award for 2009 by the Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania during the 20th Annual Gala at the Radisson-Penn Harris in Camp Hill. This was the first time a nurse at Paoli Hospital and within the Main Line Health System has earned this state-wide distinction.

“Out of all the nurses nominated by patients and families in Pennsylvania, Irene was selected,” said Paoli Hospital President, Barbara Tachovsky. “This is quite an extraordinary achievement and we’re thrilled she was recognized for her care, compassion, and contributions to healing and health at Paoli.”

The Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania is a statewide, non-profit foundation created to help recruit and retain nursing professionals. To achieve its objectives, the foundation has established a scholarship fund and an awards program. The awards are based on the demonstration of excellence in several areas of the nursing profession.

O’Brien was nominated by the family of one of her former patients for her devotion, dedication, and exceptional care. The nominating family presented her with the award.

"I am humbled by this award, particularly because it is recognition from a patient’s family for something that I have made my life's work," said O’Brien.

O’Brien graduated from the Bryn Mawr Nursing School in 1975 and began her career at Bryn Mawr Hospital in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). She has since moved to the ICU at Paoli, where she has worked for the past four years.

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Patrons Preview Reception To Launch Opening of Art Ability

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The 14th Annual Art Ability Exhibition at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital in Malvern, PA, will open with a Patrons Preview Reception for more than 350 benefactors and art enthusiasts. The preview will be held Saturday, November 7, from 6 to 9 p.m.

The Art Ability Program provides a showcase and a marketplace for talented artists while educating the community about the remarkable capabilities of people with a wide variety of disabilities. Art Ability is a unique program developed by Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital to increase public awareness of the competency of individuals with disabilities and to encourage others to reach beyond their own limitations.

The 10-week exhibition is part of an international juried event that features art and fine crafts by artists with physical and cognitive disabilities, and hearing and visual impairments. This year’s exhibition features more than 400 artistic works, including paintings, sculpture, photography, pastels, jewelry, stained and mosaic glass, metalwork and more. Art Ability work will be on display throughout the corridors of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital from November 7 through January 17, 2010, seven days a week; between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Admission is free.

The tremendously talented 130 artists participating in this year’s event represent 23 states, in addition to 10 international artists. Several artists from the Delaware Valley will be in attendance at the Patrons Preview Reception.

Funds are raised through the sale of artwork, with 80 percent of the proceeds returned directly to the artists, and 20 percent earmarked to support Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital’s nationally-recognized rehabilitation programs. Registered guests attending the Patrons Preview Reception have the opportunity to make purchases before the Exhibition officially opens to the public the following day. Since the inception of Art Ability, more than 25,000 people have viewed the annual Exhibition, and over 1,700 artistic works have been purchased.

Art Ability is an international, juried exhibition and sale of art and fine crafts created by artists with physical, cognitive, hearing and visual disabilities. The annual exhibition was developed to increase public awareness of the competency of people with disabilities, and inspires others to reach beyond their own limitations. Art Ability 2009 features more than 400 exquisite artistic works, including paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, stained and mosaic glass, metalwork and more, and is open to the public, free of charge, from November 8, 2009 through January 17, 2010, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week, at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, 414 Paoli Pike, Malvern, Pennsylvania.

For more information or to schedule a group tour, call 484-596-5607.

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Main Line Health Supports The Franklin Institute’s Newest Exhibition -- “Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain”

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

6ABC Signs On As Exhibit Media Partner

(Philadelphia, Pa.)—The Franklin Institute has announced that Main Line Health will be the sponsor of its newest special exhibition, Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain, opening Saturday, October 17. The partnership will be focused on establishing better health through the powerful teachings of the BODY WORLDS exhibition. Deeply committed to serving the community, Main Line Health will have an ongoing exhibition presence – from medical personnel outside the exhibit, to ongoing health screenings, to contests and special educational events – aimed at educating and empowering visitors about their own health. In addition, 6ABC has come aboard as the exclusive media partner, and will work with both The Franklin Institute and Main Line Health to create an on-air series of vignettes to educate the public about health and wellness.

“Main Line Health’s commitment to this exhibition was a natural fit,” said Jack Lynch, President and CEO of Main Line Health. “As our nation faces health care reform, Main Line Health believes the first step to change is empowering our community to take charge of their health. Sponsoring Body Worlds provides us with one more opportunity to serve and help teach individuals in the Philadelphia region about the human body and how to keep it healthy.”

Originally a media partner in 2005 for the original BODY WORLDS at The Franklin Institute, 6ABC is greatly expanding its exclusive broadcast media partnership with the museum to create a compelling educational experience on health, in conjunction with Main Line Health. The unique relationship includes weekly “Fridays at The Franklin Institute” 60-second features on current health issues which will feature Main Line Health physicians shot inside the exhibition at The Franklin Institute. Additionally, 6ABC will create a health-related online contest with an all-inclusive getaway as the grand prize.

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain will open to the public on October 17 for a limited 18-week engagement. BODY WORLDS is the original and acclaimed exhibition of real human bodies that have been preserved through a process called Plastination. This chapter, The Brain, features over 200 all-new authentic human specimens, including whole body plastinates, organs and body slices, never seen in Philadelphia – with a special focus on the power of the brain in the body.

BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain focuses on the latest neuroscience findings on brain development and function; brain disease and disorders; and brain performance and improvement. Among the real human body specimens are more than 20 full-body specimens in life-like, dramatic poses; healthy and unhealthy organs; and body slices—all preserved through a remarkable process called Plastination. Additional highlights include an exploration of how the brain develops through time-lapsed MRI’s of the brain from childhood through adolescence; an exploration of the circulatory system and the brain’s influence on the body; how a brain with Alzheimer’s looks physically – and a copy of a letter issued to the American public by Ronald Reagan, revealing his Alzheimer’s diagnosis; a deep dissection of the nervous system, and much more.

The Franklin Institute hosted the East Coast premiere of the original BODY WORLDS in 2005. The exhibit made history at The Franklin Institute with a total of more than 600,000 visitors during its 6-month run.  

In keeping with his mission of educating lay people, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, inventor of the Plastination process and creator of BODY WORLDS and his wife, Dr. Angelina Whalley, conceptual planner and creative designer of the exhibitions, have created a holistic meditation on the brain that merges anatomy, neuroscience, and philosophy that resonates with everyone.

THE PROCESS OF PLASTINATION

During Plastination, all bodily fluids and soluble fats are replaced with reactive resins and elastomers such as silicon rubber and epoxy, through vacuum-forced impregnation. After gas, heat, or light curing, the specimens assume rigidity and permanence. “The purpose of Plastination from its very inception was a scientific one, to educate medical students. But the interest that laypeople had in the plastinated specimens inspired me to think of creating public exhibitions, which was followed by the realization that I had to offer a heightened sense of aesthetics, to avoid shocking the public and to capture their imagination,” said von Hagens.

The striking whole-body plastinates in BODY WORLDS—people who in their lifetime donated their bodies for Plastination for the express purpose of educating future generations about health—allow viewers to see inside the staggeringly complex and completely interconnected network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies. To date, more than 10,000 people have agreed to donate their bodies to the Institute for Plastination and use in the exhibits.

TICKET INFORMATION

BODY WORLDS 2 & The Brain single ticket pricing at The Franklin Institute follows:

Adults: $27.00; $18.00 (After 5pm – exhibit only)
Seniors: $24.75; $16.75 (After 5pm – exhibit only)
Children ages 4-11: $19.80; $13.75 (After 5pm – exhibit only)

Tickets are timed and dated. Exhibition hours are 9:30 am to 9:00pm daily, with the last entrance at 7:30 pm. Admission before 4:30pm includes museum general admission and a Fels Planetarium show. The evening ticket price begins with the 5:00pm exhibition admission. Advance ticket purchase is recommended by calling 1.877.TFI.TIXS or visiting www.fi.edu. Information on tickets for groups of 15 or more is available at 1.800.285.0684. The exhibit runs through February 21, 2010 at The Franklin Institute.

For more information on BODY WORLDS visit www.bodyworlds.com.

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About The Franklin
Founded in honor of America’s first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin Institute is a renowned and innovative leader in the field of science and technology learning, as well as a dynamic center of activity. It is dedicated to creating a passion for science by offering new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would dazzle and delight its namesake. For more information, please visit www.fi.edu.

Annual Juvenile Diabetic Candy Exchange Party at Bryn Mawr Hospital Sunday, November 1st

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

(BRYN MAWR, Pa.)—The pediatric nursing staff at Bryn Mawr Hospital will sponsor their annual Juvenile Diabetic Candy Exchange Party on Sunday, November 1st from 4 to 6 p.m. in the hospital’s Clothier Auditorium, 130 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue.

This annual free event gives children and adolescents with diabetes, ages one through 18, the opportunity to enjoy trick or treating with their friends, and then, instead of discarding the candy, exchange it for a gift bag.

This year’s event features Steve Clarke "The amazing Pumpkin Man" who holds the Guinness World Records title of the fastest pumpkin carver. Additionally, there will be entertainment by “Makin Music” and Stacey’s Face Painting, and refreshments will be served.

Juvenile Diabetes, also known as Type 1 diabetes, has its onset during childhood. Children diagnosed with juvenile diabetes are insulin dependent, meaning their bodies lack the hormone that is necessary to convert the food they eat into energy. According to the American Diabetes Association, about one in every 400 to 600 children and adolescents has type 1diabetes.

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Main Line Health Changes Visitor Policy to Protect Patients This Flu Season

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

(Bryn Mawr, Pa.)—Taking another step to keep patients and staff as healthy as possible during the flu pandemic, Main Line Health (MLH) has announced a change to its hospital visitor policy. Effective immediately, Main Line Health requires that only friends and family 17 years of age and older visit Main Line Health hospitals, including Bryn Mawr Hospital, Lankenau Hospital, Paoli Hospital, Riddle Memorial Hospital, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, and Mirmont Treatment Center.

“As patient safety is our number one priority, we are taking seriously what is now officially a flu pandemic, and we are determined to reduce potential flu risks to our patients and staff,” said Michael Reno, Vice President of Bryn Mawr Hospital and Director of Disaster Preparedness for Main Line Health. “Because statistics indicate children are more likely to catch and transmit the H1N1 flu virus, we feel it is important to take this action.”

In addition, visitors of any age are asked to postpone their visit if they have or recently had a fever or any other flu-like symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has flu-like symptoms or has been diagnosed with the flu.

“We understand limiting visitors to 17 and older means some of our patients may not receive visits from certain family or friends, but our primary goal is to keep all of our patients as healthy as possible by decreasing their chance of catching the flu,” explained Reno.

Exceptions to this policy can be made by the treating healthcare provider for end-of-life and other humanitarian situations.

This new hospital-wide visitation policy joins other MLH flu precautions and initiatives for the community, including:

increased emphasis on infection prevention techniques, including hand washing
distribution of respiratory etiquette packets for visitors
seasonal flu vaccination programs at area schools
free seasonal flu vaccination at ten Philadelphia and Main Line locations, primarily for those 65 and older
extensive information and interviews on flu prevention and treatment at www.mainlinehealth.org/fluinfo

For more information on the flu, or to request an appointment with a Main Line Health physician, visit www.mainlinehealth.org.

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Lankenau Opens Novel Clinical Trial of Cryoablation for Breast Cancer

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

(Wynnewood, Pa.)—There is one common fear that unites all women—finding a lump in her breast that turns out to be cancer. The subsequent surgery can range from a lumpectomy to mastectomy, and many women fear the changes in body images associated with treatment. Currently, Lankenau Hospital cancer surgeons are involved in a clinical trial that could revolutionize the surgical approach to early breast cancers. Through a technique called cryoablation, two Lankenau cancer experts are investigating whether or not it is possible to simply destroy small cancers by freezing them with a minimally invasive cryotechnology treatment that eliminates the need for surgery.

Lankenau is currently one of only nine centers nationally to offer the Phase II clinical trial coordinated by the American college of Surgeons Oncology Group. Ned Z. Carp, MD, Surgical Director of the Lankenau Cancer Center, and Jennifer Sabol, MD, Director of the Lankenau Hospital Breast Center, use the Visica2™ Treatment System (Sanarus Technologies, Pleasanton, CA) to ablate the cancerous tumors. The cryoablation procedure is a process of using extremely cold temperatures to freeze and ultimately ablate the targeted tissue. While currently the only option for removal of a cancerous breast tumor is surgery, cryoablation offers hope that, sometime in the near future, women will have the option of foregoing surgery.

“Cryoablation offers our patients the hope of a truly minimally invasive alternative to the surgical removal of breast cancer,” says Dr. Carp. “Through cryoabalation, we will offer women a relatively painless alternative with little or no recovery time needed—and when faced with the prospect of cancer, a surgery free approach can help decrease the apprehension associated with the diagnosis of cancer.”

In order for a patient to be considered a candidate for the trial, the individual must undergo an MRI to determine the size of the tumor (only tumors less than 2 centimeters are candidates). The cryoablation is then performed in the physician’s office via a small needle inserted into the tumor under ultrasound guidance. The tip of the probe becomes extremely cold and freezes the mass, thereby destroying it. The whole process is done under local anesthesia and is essentially pain free. Following the procedure, the patient undergoes a subsequent MRI to show the effectiveness of the ablation.

At this point in the research, all patients must still undergo excision of the breast cancer to determine the effectiveness of using cryoablation. If the trial proves successful, however, surgery may no longer be considered necessary in the future. However. there are compelling reasons to consider cryoablation at this stage in its development—it turns out that there may be additional immunologic advantages to freezing cancers. In other trials of cryoablation, ablating tumors inside the body actually seems to stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against the cancer, much like a personal anti-cancer vaccine. It is possible that this may help to protect the body from recurrent cancer.

The Cryoablation procedure was FDA approved in 2001 for treating benign breast tumors, and patients at Lankenau have been treated with the Visica2 system since February 2004 for benign breast growths such as fibroadenomas. Currently, Dr. Carp and Dr. Sabol are the only two surgeons performing this procedure for breast cancer in the Philadelphia area.

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Driving with Neuropathy to be Topic of Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Community Program

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

(Malvern, Pa.)—Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital will host a community program that focuses on driving with neuropathy. This program will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, 414 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA. The program will feature a presentation by local podiatrist, Dr. Mark C. Yagodich, and information from a Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital occupational therapist, who will review how individuals can maintain their independence. A complimentary lunch will be served.

“Drivers with peripheral neuropathy can experience a loss of sensation in their feet, weakness in their muscles and even foot drop,” explains Thomas Kalina from Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. “They also may have a difficult time controlling their lower extremities. This program will provide information on the causes, signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, along with information on how adapted devices can allow individuals with neuropathy to maintain safe driving,” notes Kalina, who oversees the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital Driver Rehab Program.

This community education program is funded in part by a grant from the America Trauma Society of Pennsylvania (ATSPA). In presenting the grant, ATSPA noted that this type of education program fits with the organization’s mission to reduce suffering, disability and death due to trauma.

For more information or to register for the program, call 1-866-CALL-MLH or register at www.brynmawrrehab.org.

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Art Ability Exhibition and Sale Opens November 8, 2009

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

For more information or to schedule a group tour, call 610-251-5607.

Study Finds Lankenau is 5-Star Rated for Cardiac, Pulmonary, Gastrointestinal and General Surgery Care

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Rating Based on Study of Patient Outcomes at the Nation’s Hospitals by HealthGrades

(WYNNEWOOD, Pa.)—Lankenau Hospital today announced that it has received a 5-Star rating for the quality of its cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal and general surgery care from HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. The recognition is based on HealthGrades’ twelfth annual Hospital Quality in America study, released today, which analyzes patient outcomes at virtually all of the nation’s hospitals.

“Receiving Healthgrades’ five star rating truly reflects the extraordinary dedication to quality shared by the physicians, nurses, and staff at Lankenau Hospital,” says Elaine Thompson, PhD, president of Lankenau Hospital. "Through teamwork and a steadfast commitment to excellence, we are able to provide a superior patient experience to all who walk through our doors.”

2010 Clinical Achievements include:

Recipient of the HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award™
Recipient of the HealthGrades Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award
Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Overall Cardiac Services
Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Cardiac Surgery
Ranked Among the Top 5 (#4) in PA for Overall Cardiac Services
Ranked Among the Top 5 (#4)in PA for Cardiac Surgery
Ranked Among the Top 10 (#8) in PA for Cardiology Services
Five-Star Rated for Overall Cardiac Services
Five-Star Rated for Cardiac Surgery
Five-Star Rated for Cardiology Services
Five-Star Rated for Coronary Bypass Surgery
Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Attack
Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure
Recipient of the HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award™
Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Pulmonary Services
Five-Star Rated for Overall Pulmonary Services
Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Pneumonia
Five-Star Rated for Prostatectomy
Recipient of the HealthGrades Gastrointestinal Care Excellence Award™
Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall GI Services
Ranked Among the Top 5 (#5) in PA for GI Services
Five-Star Rated for Treatment of GI Bleed
Five-Star Rated for Cholecystectomy
Recipient of the HealthGrades General Surgery Excellence Award™
Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for General Surgery
Ranked Among the Top 5 (#4) in PA for General Surgery
Five-Star Rated for General Surgery
Five-Star Rated for Appendectomy

The HealthGrades study, the largest annual report of its kind, analyzed patient outcomes in nearly 40 million Medicare hospitalization records from 5,000 hospitals over the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. This year’s study found:

Across all 17 procedures and diagnoses in which mortality was studied, there was an approximate 72% lower chance of dying in a 5-star rated hospital compared to a 1-star rated hospital, and a 52% lower chance of dying in a 5-star hospital compared with the national average.
If all hospitals performed at the level of a 5-star rated hospital across the 17 procedures and diagnoses studied, 224,537 Medicare lives could potentially have been saved from 2006 through 2008.

The new 2010 HealthGrades hospital ratings were posted today at www.healthgrades.com, HealthGrades’ public Web site.

Lankenau Hospital has taken a proactive approach to achieve such high quality care—through process improvement initiatives, multi-disciplinary care teams, and advanced technology, the hospital has received recognition as among the best in the nation.

HealthGrades Ratings
HealthGrades’ hospital ratings and awards reflect the track record of patient outcomes at hospitals in the form of mortality and complication rates. HealthGrades rates hospitals independently based on data that hospitals submit to the federal government. No hospital can opt in or out of being rated, and no hospital pays to be rated.

For 28 procedures and treatments, HealthGrades issues star ratings that reflect the mortality and complication rates for each category of care. Hospitals receiving a 5-star rating have mortality or complication rates that are below the national average, to a statistically significant degree. A 3-star rating means the hospital performs as expected. One-star ratings indicate the hospital’s mortality or complication rates in that procedure or treatment are statistically higher than average. Because the risk profiles of patient populations at hospitals are not alike, HealthGrades risk-adjusts the data to allow for apples-to-apples comparisons.

More information on today’s HealthGrades study, including the complete methodology, can be found at www.healthgrades.com.

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