About St. Clair
About St. Clair
News
Winter Storm
Winter Storm
Winter Storm
February 10, 2010 - How Does Hospital Prepare for Storm
February 10, 2010 - Paralyzing snow prompts activation of Emergency Operation Center
February 9, 2010 - Cardiologist Provides Advice on Snow Shoveling
February 8, 2010 - Hazards of Snow Shoveling
St. Clair Hospital Announces Purchase of Property in Peters Township
January 6, 2010 - Hospital to construct new medical office building.
St. Clair Takes 1st Place in Hospital Care-Team Awards
November 18, 2009 - St. Clair Hospital won first place in the annual Fine Awards for cutting the average wait of patients in the emergency room by a half hour during the past year.
See related story | View video
Cuban Physicians Visit St.Clair
November 5, 2009 - Implementaion of Toyota principles gains iternational attenetion.
New Operating Rooms Planned
October 22, 2009 - St. Clair Hospital to add new state-of-the-art operating rooms.
Manufacturing Principles Meet Medical Care
October 16, 2009 - Toyota model transforms St. Clair Hospital ER.
Mystery Disease Diagnosed
October 15, 2009 - St. Clair Hospital patient to be featured on Discovery Health Channel's "Mystery Diagnosis."
Cribs for Kids
September 3, 2009 - Newborn leaves behind a cherished legacy.
Lobby Transformation Redefines Patient and Visitor Experience
July 15, 2009 - St. Clair Hospital has transformed the Fourth Floor Lobby area to better reflect the Hospital’s quality care and to provide an unparalleled patient and visitor experience. The renovated area features Café 4, a Gift Shop and the newly dedicated Dunlap Conference Center.
Hospital and Healthsystem Association Bestows Two Awards Upon St. Clair Hospital
The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) has named St. Clair Hospital as a dual winner in HAP’s 2009 Achievement Awards Program.
The hospital’s winning entries in the annual awards program were submitted under the categories of patient care and operational excellence. The patient care entry was entitled “Achieving American College of Cardiology Guidelines for Management of Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infaction” and was prepared by Shawn Balaschak, R.N., BSN, manager, Cardiac Catheterization Lab. St. Clair’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab is recognized as having the fastest “Door-To-Balloon” time of all hospitals in southwestern Pennsylvania that treat heart attack victims with balloon angioplasty, a procedure in which physicians use a small balloon to reopen blocked heart arteries, restoring blood flow, preserving precious heart muscle, and, ultimately, saving lives.
The operational excellence entry was entitled “Improving Patient Flow in the Emergency Department Using Toyota-Based Methods” and was prepared by David Kish, R.N., BSN, executive director, Emergency Services and Patient Logistics. St. Clair’s newly expanded Emergency Department (ED) has developed a reputation throughout its service area for treating patients with speed and quality. The ED is ranked in the top 5 percent of all “like-sized” EDs in the nation for patient satisfaction, according to Press Ganey, a national research firm that measures customer satisfaction for hospitals throughout the country.
HAP said it named St. Clair’s two entries as award winners for thoroughly and successfully demonstrating the Hospital’s innovation, creativity and commitment to patient care. The Achievement Awards Program is designed to showcase hospital and health system best practices in selected areas and receives entries from institutions throughout the commonwealth.
HAP officials said they will honor St. Clair for its winning entries at a formal recognition ceremony at the Hospital and will post the entries on HAP’s Web site, www.haponline.org.
St. Clair Hospital's Innovative and Entrepreneural Spirit Spurs New Development
St. Clair Hospital developed a high-tech software company that eventually was acquired by a multi-billion dollar global pharmaceutical and medication delivery company. Embracing technology to enhance patient care has been part of the Hospital's strategy for many years.
St. Clair Hospital Designated a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care
April 22, 2009 - Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has designated St. Clair Hospital as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care.
The designation serves as formal recognition that St. Clair has met or exceeded the eligibility criteria that demonstrate reliability in delivering cardiac care and better overall outcomes for patients.
“Highmark analyzes data received from Medicare, the American College of Cardiology and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons to determine if a facility meets the Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care national standards,” said Lucy Shoupp, Administrative Vice President, Chief Quality Officer, at St. Clair. “This is an evaluation of the medical and surgical cardiac care programs. It is a testimony to our physicians’ and clinicians’ commitment to excel in providing knowledgeable and safe cardiac care.”
A Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care offers comprehensive cardiac care services, including inpatient cardiac care, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac catheterization (including percutaneous coronary interventions or PCI) and cardiac surgery (including coronary artery bypass graft surgery or CABG).
“At one time, patients would say that St. Clair cardiac services were the best kept secret in town,” Lucy said. “This designation by Highmark for the second consecutive year unlocks that secret for all to know.”
In determining the selection criteria for Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association collaborates with physician experts and medical organizations such as the American College of Cardiology and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
Dr. Karl E. Bushman Given Physician Recognition Award
April 3, 2009 – St. Clair Hospital has bestowed its 2009 Physician Recognition Award to Karl E. Bushman, M.D. of Mt. Lebanon Internal Medicine. He has been practicing at St. Clair Hospital since 1993. Dr. Bushman earned his medical degree at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and his bachelor’s degree at Harvard University in Boston.
See related story in M.D. News
Hospital snack shop making way for updated Cafe 4
St. Clair Hospital Nurse Manager Takes Prestigious Award
February 20, 2009 – The Allegheny division of the American Heart Association has bestowed its first Mary Ann Scully Excellence in Nursing Award to Linda L. Vance, nurse manager in the Coronary Care Unit at St. Clair Hospital.
The award was given to Vance – a 40-year veteran of St. Clair who helped found the Coronary Care Unit at the 329-bed Mt. Lebanon hospital – for her lifetime commitment to cardiac nursing; quality and compassionate patient care; exemplary commitment to the mission of the American Heart Association; a commitment to continued education and teaching; and outstanding leadership in the nursing field.
Vance serves as a conduit between the American Heart Association and her nurses by regularly sharing the AHA’s best practices in cardiac care, leading to improved treatments and, ultimately, better patient outcomes.
The award was named after the late Mary Ann Scully, R.N. who worked for 35 years in cardiac nursing at the former Presbyterian University Hospital in Oakland and was very active in the American Heart Association.
Vance, who resides in Upper St. Clair, will be feted at the American Heart Association’s Pittsburgh Heart Ball on February 28.
St. Clair Hospital Opens Region’s Newest Emergency Room
Reduced wait times and increased capacity will benefit patients
December 17, 2008 – St. Clair Hospital today marked the official opening of its new $13.5 million Emergency Room, typically the busiest ER in southwestern Pennsylvania with more than 50,000 patient visits each year.
Almost double in size, the new ER houses 46 state-of-the-art treatment rooms capable of handling up to 80,000 patient visits a year. By implementing industry-inspired process engineering production techniques and advanced technologies, patient wait times – the number one cause of emergency department overcrowding and patient dissatisfaction in hospitals throughout the greater Pittsburgh area and the nation – are expected to be greatly reduced, if not eliminated.
The number of emergency room visits at St. Clair continues to rise due to expanded clinical programs, and a diverse service area that includes a growing senior population and the burgeoning suburbs of southern Allegheny and northern Washington counties.
“Greatly expanding our ER is a direct response to the needs of the community,” said James M. Collins, president and chief executive officer, St. Clair Hospital. “The new ER is much more than just an expansion in square footage. St. Clair has truly redefined how it delivers emergency care and the patient experience throughout the Hospital. The new ER is the latest example of our commitment to provide state-of-the-art care, close to home.”
Designed to make the patient experience as comfortable and as efficient as possible, the number of treatment rooms in the ER has been increased to 46 from 20. The ER is filled with the most advanced health care technology, all smartly housed in a less clinical atmosphere designed to have a calming effect on patients and families alike. Each room is equipped with cardiac monitoring capabilities. The 46 treatment rooms include:
- 31 acute adult;
- Six pediatric-equipped;
- Three behavioral and mental health; and
- Six “Fast Track,” for patients with minor illnesses and injuries.
The ER is staffed by board-certified physicians, physician assistants, certified registered nurse practitioners, a nursing staff specially trained in Emergency Medicine, technicians, and 24/7 pediatric care.
$1.5 million of the new ED’s $13.5 million pricetag was a generous gift donated by the Rossin Family Foundation in memory of Peter C. Rossin. Ada Rossin, the wife of the late Mr. Rossin, attended the dedication ceremony and called the new ED “a wonderful addition to St. Clair Hospital and an important expansion of life-saving health care services to the people of the South Hills.” Peter C. Rossin was founder, chairman and CEO of Washington, Pa.-based Dynamet and is perhaps best remembered for his charitable contributions to the community.
$500,000 of construction costs was paid for by a grant from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, an initiative of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Federal funding of $487,000 from the Omnibus Appropriations Bill also was applied to the cost of construction.
The new ED includes “Austin’s Playroom,” a specially designed, child-friendly waiting area for pediatric patients and their siblings, that was constructed through a gift from the Mario Lemieux Foundation and its initiative, The Playroom Project. The playroom is named after Austin Lemieux, the son of former Pittsburgh Penguins star and current Penguins owner, Mario Lemieux, and his wife Nathalie. Mrs. Lemieux, chair of The Playroom Project, and Austin participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Austin’s Playroom at today’s dedication.
Construction on the new ED began in October 2007. The first phase opened in September and included an addition built from the ground up. The second and final phase commenced in September and involved extensive renovations to the existing ED, which opened in 1995.
“From the moment patients and their families enter the new facility, the entire staff is immediately focused not only on providing the best care, but to make the entire process as comfortable and as fast as possible,” said Dr. Christopher DeLuca, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Clair Hospital. “The entire ER experience has been designed from the patient perspective and with the goal of delivering advanced health care.”
Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery
St. Clair Hospital was the site of a medical first for the region in a surgical procedure that involved a small incision and... a belly-button.