Excela Health Group

“Sharon smith, robert rogalski & tom yarabinetz serve on the board of directors for university of pittsburgh at greensburg.”

“Excela health has a cpa firm prepare its form 990. The return is completed in draft form and reviewed by management of the organization. The form 990 is then provided to the board of directors for review before it is filed.”

“A web-based software program is used to administer a conflict of interest disclosure form and questionnaire annually to all board trustees, key employees and certain other directors, managers and contracted physicians. Compliance in completing the form is required at 100% for officers, trustees and key employees. The disclosures are reviewed by the compliance officer, chief legal officer and certain board committees. Additionally, the organization has a conflict of interest policy that is shared with employees, medical staff and business partners through one or more of the following methods: posting on the organization's intranet website, on the organization's public world wide website, in its policy manual and in its corporate code. Reports and subsequent findings of non-compliance result in disciplinary action through human resources, the office of medical affairs, or through company sanctions towards business partners.”

“After the close of each fiscal year, and subject to applicable law, the human resources committee of the board may commission an executive compensation study be completed using data obtained from outside parties and other public records to determine the market competitiveness, appropriateness and reasonableness of each pay element and the aggregate total compensation package. The human resources committee presents the study's findings and any recommended changes to the executive committee for approval.”

“Excela health and members of excela health group makes its form 990, form 990-t, and financial statements available to the public upon request. The form 990 is also available at excelahealth.org.”

“At this time, excela health and members of excela health group do not make its governing documents and conflicts of interest policy available to the general public.”

“Change in additional minimum pension liability -40,319,000. Other 6,192,121. Temporarily restricted contributions 1,015,000. Net assets released from restriction for operations -218,000. Transfer to affiliates -167,303,000.”

“Excela health has an audit committee that is responsible for the oversight of the audit and selection of the independent auditors. The process has not changed from prior year.”

“Since 2004, excela health has held true to its goal of serving as a regional health care system that embodies high quality, accessibility and advanced technology locally. Staying the course, excela health continues to believe its success is rooted in safe and efficient patient-centered care driven by value-based behaviors. More to the point, excela health seeks to live its mission of "improving the health and well-being of every life we touch" couched in values now known as the excela way. Evidence of those ideals can be found in the events of fy 2016, with the addition of new concepts, services and technologies while, at the same time, garnering recognition for its efforts from national, regional and local organizations. In all cases, the resulting programs, services and awards benefitted the area's citizenry and demonstrated a focus on quality measures, further enhancing the way excela health provides care. Perhaps more important was the continuing addition of highly trained physicians, nurses and health care professionals who continuously bring its mission to life while together, management, the board of trustees and medical staff collaborate diligently, and thoughtfully, to provide outstanding care to this region. All in a day's work at excela health as the extraordinary is embraced as routine by the 4,940 employees, 499 physicians, 224 allied health professionals, 22 family medicine residents, 14 general surgery residents, and 858 volunteers and auxilians who are the life's blood of the health system. As a pennsylvania non-profit corporation described under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code of 1986, excela health was originally incorporated as such effective july 1, 1984, previously known as southwest health system, then westmoreland health system, followed by westmoreland latrobe health partners and finally, excela health. Comprised of three hospitals - frick, latrobe and westmoreland - in addition to other health-related subsidiaries, excela health continues to expand as the needs of the community demand. The tradition of providing care in neighborhoods and communities continues so accessibility and convenience are more than just an idea they are an ideal brought to life for the good of all constituents. Across westmoreland county and beyond, excela health outpatient rehabilitation for outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy, quikdraw and quikdraw plus for routine blood work, imaging and diagnostics, and excela's network of primary care physicians and specialists offer high quality care and serve as examples of what medical care is all about - providing treatment efficiently and effectively with the objective of minimizing and/or resolving the detrimental effects of a given condition so individuals can lead the best life possible. But "conditions" encompass more than the physical; they include the psychosocial/emotional aspects of good health as well. The behavioral health team, with services offered at the latrobe and westmoreland hospital campuses, also reaches into the community to aid those in crisis. During fiscal 2016, excela health behavioral health services provided the following community services: 1. The school-based mental health program (out of the latrobe hospital campus) operates fully functional outpatient clinics in four westmoreland county school districts in derry, latrobe, ligonier valley and mount pleasant. Five licensed mental health professionals and one part-time psychiatrist provide services in the school setting. Each school site is licensed by the pennsylvania department of public welfare office of mental health and substance abuse services (omhsas) as satellite clinics of the latrobe hospital child outpatient clinic. 2. The student assistance program (sap), based at the westmoreland hospital campus, is funded 100 percent by the westmoreland county behavioral health and development services. Sap is a required service for all school districts in pennsylvania. It is an a”

“Excela health jointworks at latrobe and westmoreland hospitals incorporates current care for joint replacement patients with up-to-the-minute techniques and treatments. Jointworks, a program that offers a comfortable, enjoyable and rapid joint replacement experience, features a welcoming environment and allows the patient to go through the therapy and recovery process with a family member who can encourage the patient throughout that time. The program lives the concept of a team effort as orthopedic surgeons, caregivers and therapists in the hospital, home and outpatient settings work closely with the patient and family for the best possible outcome. From pre-conditioning exercise to home care follow-up, jointworks presents a seamless approach to joint replacement. Within the westmoreland county market area lies a population of nearly 154,546 individuals age 50 and older. According to the 2014 state estimate, the westmoreland county population numbers 359,320 so that currently, older citizens comprise significantly more than one-third of excela health's service area population. And that percentage will increase in coming years. Considering that the age range for most hip and knee replacement surgery is 50 to 80 years of age as noted by the american academy of orthopaedic surgeons, excela health should continue to see a rise in those procedures as well as other orthopedic and rehabilitative services. In fact, excela's joint works program continues to grow with over 1,116 joint replacement patients at latrobe and westmoreland hospitals in fy 2016. In fact, efforts continue through the development of an orthopedic center of excellence, gathering together clinical components of care for those with orthopedic issues, sports injuries and concussion management. Minimally invasive surgery, too, remains a viable option for those needing surgery and is available at the hospitals of excela health as well as the outpatient sites at excela square at norwin and laurel surgical center. With a second robot at westmoreland hospital in addition to the first da vinci robotic surgical system at latrobe hospital, this form of surgery continues to grow in popularity, with trained general, gynecologic, thoracic and urologic surgeons performing procedures such as hysterectomy; uterine fibroid removal; prostate/prostate cancer surgeries; bladder and kidney surgeries; colorectal, hiatal hernia/esophageal (acid reflux) surgery; gallbladder and hernia surgeries, and others. Late in 2014, the system added a robotic thoracic surgeon to its medical staff, widening the scope of services for the population. The device greatly aids in patient recovery and the physician's ability to perform procedures with greater precision and visibility. Excela latrobe has offered robotic surgery since 2009, with procedures increasing year over year. In fiscal year 2016 alone for both facilities, 583 patients availed themselves of this advanced surgical technology. Quality and safety efforts excela health is always keenly aware of quality and patient safety, as evidenced by the range of new initiatives and programs undertaken in fy 2016 to raise the bar even higher. As such, the following was instituted and, in some cases, made note of by external agencies. 1. Westmoreland women's health center transition from current allscripts to allscripts touchworks - resulting in modifications to patient and staff workflows as well as enhanced communication among physician offices. 2. For patients transitioning from the emergency department to inpatient care or home, an emergency transition unit was developed at frick, latrobe and westmoreland hospitals. Using a portion of the emergency department to care for observation patients meeting certain criteria, the unit has emergency department nurses overseeing the patient's care. Benefits of the project include: - following distinct protocols for emergency department observation patients that help us care for patients appropriately and move”

“- community partnerships: since 2010, excela health nursing has been involved with the "no kid hungry" program, collaborating with the area united way to complete a community needs assessment in 2012-2013. From that assessment, the shared governance, professional image, and community partnership committees gleaned which school district in westmoreland county had the highest poverty level and collaborated with excela dietitians to choose nutritious foods and create age appropriate menus, all of which were packed in a backpack and distributed through the school. Hospital departments donated food items, bagged by volunteers, and delivered to the school. A monetary donation from a local store allowed for additional food stuffs to be purchased. To raise awareness of the program further and to keep staff engaged, the professional image and community partnership committee, with the quality department, participated in the 2015/2016 national red nose campaign. The red noses were sold during employee lunch periods with proceeds benefitting the backpack program. Due to the overwhelming success of the program, the committee expanded it to partner with a head start preschool program in the community, providing an additional 32 back packs. Some 132 preschool and elementary school students get the backpacks to use over the weekend. The results: the school principal noted that there has been increased school attendance on fridays due to the availability of receiving the food for the weekends as well as a decrease in reports of upset stomachs. Perhaps most poignantly, an excela health staff member reported driving through the town in which the school is located and witnessed two children eating the food from their back packs on thanksgiving day. Over 39 weeks, excela health delivered about 5,100 bags of food and logged 900 hours of volunteer work. - shared governance: shared governance provides the professional nurse autonomy and sets a standard for excellence for accountable and caring nursing practice. Through a series of nursing retreats over several years, a strategic plan for shared governance was finalized, assessment of the shared governance was completed and recommendations for change were analyzed. A revised shared governance structure continues to be rolled out from 2016. For excela health's efforts in quality, safety and care provision, excela health was recognized through the following awards and accolades 1. Emergency department physician william jenkins was named the emergency physician of the year by the pennsylvania chapter of the american college of emergency physicians based on patient advocacy, clinical expertise and effective leadership within the excela health system and the community. 2. The accreditation for cardiovascular excellence (ace) program again continues its accreditation to excela health's cardiac catheterization laboratory and angioplasty/stenting program. Ace accreditation recognizes the commitment of clinicians and staff to quality assurance, peer review, and the use of evidence-based guidelines. Excela health is the first health system in pennsylvania and only the fifth in the nation to receive it. According to bonnie weiner, md, msec, mbv, fscai, chief medical officer and chair of ace's board of directors and director of interventional cardiology research at st. Vincent hospital, worchester medical center, worchester, mass., "by seeking ace cardiac catheterization accreditation, excela health has shown that it has an uncompromising commitment to provide safe, high quality care. The willingness to be evaluated against nationally accepted gold standard practices demonstrates a desire to meet the highest quality standards set by the experts in cardiac and endovascular care." ace is sponsored by the society for cardiovascular angiography and intervention and the american college of cardiology foundation, the two leading professional cardiovascular organizations jointly representing more than 40,000 practitione”

“12. Excela health ranks among the nation's leaders in energy efficiency and is one of only two health systems in pennsylvania to receive the energy to care award. The american society for healthcare engineering (ashe) of the american hospital association recognized excela health at its 53rd annual conference and technical exhibition. The program, sponsored by johnson controls, encourages hospitals across the country to reduce energy consumption. This is the second consecutive year that excela health has received this honor on behalf of one or more of its hospitals. 13. Excela health has been awarded a 2016 theodore roosevelt workers' compensation and disability management (teddy) award. The teddy award program recognizes excellence in workers' compensation risk management and is presented by risk & insurance magazine. Excela health is one of four winning programs and five honorable mentions. Award winners were selected from nominees nationwide. Award criteria include achieving measurable performance results, as well as creativity and resourcefulness in solving workers' compensation challenges. A panel of judges consisting of industry professionals, including past teddy award winners, selects the winners. Just as excela health cares for its patients, so too, does it take into account the health and well-being of its work force through a variety of health initiatives. 1. For the third consecutive year, excela health has been recognized as a healthiest 100 workplace in america, an awards program presented by springbuk . Excela health continues to move up in the ranking, this year finishing in the top 25. More than 5,000 employers applied for the award nationally. Excela health continued its recognition as one of the "healthiest employers of western pennsylvania", which in 2016, marked the sixth consecutive year. The pittsburgh business times, a local business and industry publication, partnered with indianapolis-based healthiest employer llc to find the healthiest workplaces in western pennsylvania. Community health needs assessment as part of the patient protection and affordable care act of 2010, non-profit hospitals are required to complete a community health needs assessment (chna) survey every three years. An implementation plan must be adopted to address the identified needs and compliance with this requirement. The purpose of the chna process is to improve community health through utilization of a model that integrates health system planning with public health and community planning. A community health needs assessment must include a description of the community, a description of the process and methods to conduct the assessment and other collaborating agencies involved in the process, a description of how the hospital considered input from persons who represent the broad interests of the community, and a description of the health care facilities and other resources within the community available to meet the community health needs identified in the community health needs assessment. If a hospital has more than one facility, a separate report and implementation strategy must be completed for each facility. Once the chna is completed, it must be made available widely to the public by posting it on the facility's web site and must be easily downloadable from the web site. Equipment, service and technology updates by way of system-wide equipment and service enhancements, excela health committed monies toward several vital service additions: 1. The implementation of a comprehensive lung cancer center screening clinic offering low dose ct screenings that allow for early detection and treatment of lung cancer. 2. The addition of digital breast tomosynthesis, also known as 3d mammography, to the growing list of women's services at excela square at norwin, frick, latrobe and westmoreland hospitals. Approved by the fda, 3d mammography is excela health's standard of care for every mammogram, taking pictures of the breast from differe”

“Reaching into the community in fact, the health system has garnered much recognition for its efforts on behalf of the "health and well-being" of the public it serves, always striving for excellence as excela health's very name implies. Excela health takes the role of corporate citizen seriously, too, partnering with community organizations to spread the word about various health issues, giving of its time and talents to neighborhood causes, and supporting the efforts of area health-related groups and others whose mission meshes with its own. Cases in point include: 1. Excela health continued its participation in community events such as the st. Rita's rcc annual parish festival (july 2015); friends of penn trafford area recreation commission bushy run 5k run and walk (july 2015); downtown irwin festival concert in the park (august 2015); healthy habits nutrition series at penn middle school, trafford middle school, norwin middle school, greensburg salem middle school, westmoreland central technology center, and others throughout fy 2016; county courthouse maps "wake up to wellness" breakfast (december 2015); westmoreland county lions youth seminar in mount pleasant (february 2016); red out for heart disease greensburg (march 2016); westmoreland county senior games (may 2016); redstone highlands fitness program expo (may 2016), and blairsville-saltsburg high school career camp (june 2016), among others. 2. To help people gauge their health status, excela health continues to co-sponsor "wellness checks", a multiphasic blood analysis that allows for the detection of many potential health problems at a low cost. Additional screenings are also offered with the program utilizing seven to 10 regional locations across westmoreland county in both the fall (2015) and the spring (2016). Excela health partners with area rotary clubs, kiwanis, volunteer fire departments and others to present the programs. Monies earned in part go to the scholarship funds of the various public organizations. 3. With the introduction of 3d mammography, excela health said bravo to women who made their breast health a priority during a free dinner discussion about breast cancer prevention october 28, 2015, at the greensburg country club. More than 350 women attended the bravo event that included a panel presentation featuring a mammography technologist, physician specialists and cancer survivors who answered questions about the latest in early detection, prevention and treatment. Excela health also shared inspiring stories of three different women who had undergone cancer care, each receiving makeovers courtesy of j.c. Penney and sephora. Regional radio personalities emceed the evening moderated by jennifer miele, vice president of marketing and communication for excela health. 4. To educate youngsters and, as a byproduct, their parents about the importance of bone density, the decorate dex program was devised. Participating were more than 15 elementary schools in excela health's market where dex (short for dexa scan) the friendly skeleton sheet was to be decorated by the students. The dex sheet also contained important information about bone health for students and parents to review. Excela health also included this in area newspapers for greater exposure and to acquaint people with its dexa scanning capabilities. 5. Excela's mall walkers program continued, gathering some 300 individuals each month (excluding december) at westmoreland mall, located in greensburg, pa., in fiscal year 2016. The program features free health screening(s), a health professional discussing a relevant health topic, a complimentary breakfast and a walk along a course of pre-measured distances. At churches, malls and scores of other venues, for youth, seniors, and everyone in between, health-related events are offered. In this manner people have the opportunity to pursue a course of wellness, find needed support, learn about excela health's capabilities and how it can help, or discove”

“But it's all about a call to action. And those actions translate to assuming a purposed leadership role as excela health seeks to increase access and enhance quality in new and enlightened ways. From its board of trustees to professional staff, excela continues to focus its sites on what people need most - the best care possible, as close to home as possible, with the advanced technology and expertise to deliver that care. In short...excela health has excellence in health care. You have excela health. A statistical look at excela health as a fiscally responsible organization, excela health continues to look at ways to consolidate, integrate and initiate practices and processes that can sustain the health system over time, so that it is here today, and well into the future. As stewards of the public trust, it is excela's duty to do so, and the legacy it leaves at this moment will become part of its history spanning some 119 years. Licensed beds: 612 staffed beds: 416 employees: 4,940 volunteers and auxilians: 855 births: 1,281 inpatient admissions/observations: 29,993 outpatient visits: 641,379 emergency department visits: 115,230 communities served: 97 zip codes/ westmoreland, fayette, indiana counties service area population: 359,320 (in westmoreland county only) in addition to its hospitals, excela health is a sole corporate member of the following organizations located in westmoreland and parts of fayette counties and include its not-for profit subsidiaries: - excela health home care and hospice - caregivers of southwestern pa - westmoreland/frick/ hospital foundation, a charitable foundation - latrobe area hospital charitable foundation and its health care-related subsidiaries under the excela health holding company umbrella: - excela health medical group (formerly called the excela health physician practices) encompassing bariatric surgery, behavioral health, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, ent, family medicine, gastroenterology, general surgery, hospitalist program, internal medicine, intensivist program, neurology, neurosurgery, ob-gyn, occupational medicine, orthopedics and sports medicine, pain medicine, palliative care, physiatry, thoracic surgery and vascular surgery. - medcare equipment company - excela health diversified services - excela health ventures, llc - excela health anesthesia associates, llc - excela health reciprocal risk retention group westmoreland hospital over a century ago, westmoreland hospital opened its doors to a community in need of medical care and thus began a "healthy" partnership that has not only endured, but flourished. More importantly, the community leaders who served as the driving force behind this fledgling hospital set a standard by which all future leaders would be measured, one that embodied the tenets of high quality, cost effectiveness and commitment to excellence in patient care, all close to home. As a 501 (c)(3) organization located in the heart of westmoreland county, pennsylvania, westmoreland hospital has sought to abide by those tenets while navigating the waters of industry change, economic downturn, and demographic shifts, always with an eye toward a steady horizon - its mission of "improving the health and well-being of every life we touch." today, westmoreland, with 373 licensed beds, provides a full range of acute care services while serving as a regional referral center, caring for friends, neighbors, family members and others. Patient admissions/observation: 18,691 acute care patient days: 69,403 newborns: 1,281 total operating room procedures: 6,865 lab procedures and tests: 1,466,900 emergency room visits: 58,404 physical therapy treatments: 124,842 outpatient surgeries: 3,873 outpatient visits: 314,502 outpatient x-ray procedures: 132,959 because excela westmoreland firmly believes that its mission is inclusive and speaks to its truest sense of community commitment, the hospital and its employees reinvest in the community in the following fashion: - absorb”

“As the centerpiece of excela health's system-wide cardiac expertise, this interventional center houses the cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs and a 64-slice ct scanner; allows for high-volume open heart surgery (three cardiovascular operating rooms with two dedicated to open heart procedures as well as a 16-bed cardiac care unit, 52 telemetry beds and a dedicated nursing staff); has an imaging department with echocardiography, cardiac ct, cardiac mri and a vascular lab, and all related technologies along with the experienced medical staff for diagnosis and treatment to ensure high quality and excellent survival rates. With the recruitment of additional interventional cardiologists, westmoreland also offer atrial ablation to correct atrial fibrillation (a-fib) and supraventricular tachycardia (svt). The heart center procedures performed:2,623 open heart surgeries: 189 cardiac catheterizations: 1,870 electrophysiology studies: 22 device implantations: 384 cardiac rehabilitation visits (all locations): 31,847 pulmonary rehabilitation visits (all locations): 2,449 additionally, innovative programs have further increased survival rates of individuals experiencing a cardiac event and include: - twelve-lead ekg transmission: a pre-hospital program, 12-lead ekg transmission brings together multiple technologies to aid in patient diagnosis, expedite care, and minimize heart damage. This program reduces the time to cardiac intervention significantly, in fact, below state averages, which has improved outcomes for heart attack victims. The goal has been for each patient transported by emergency medical services to skip the emergency department visit and go directly to the cardiac catheterization laboratory. For the health system's efforts, they have been recognized by the american heart association as a model among the members of its mission lifeline coalition in pennsylvania. - hypothermic treatment of cardiac arrests: patients suffering a cardiac arrest have a high rate of mortality and morbidity. Studies have shown that more than 90 percent of people with cardiac arrest die before they reach a hospital. Studies also have indicated that cooling a patient's core body temperature improves those odds. Hypothermia therapy, most often begun in the emergency department, can also be started in a cardiac catheterization laboratory, a critical care or intensive care unit or in the field by emergency medical first responders. Many ems providers are trained and equipped to initiate hypothermia therapy in the field including excela health's ems crews at frick hospital. Excela westmoreland also supports transparent public reporting of health care quality data and participates in national initiatives such as: - american college of cardiology cath/pci r - society of thoracic surgery registry - american college of cardiology icd registry - center for medicare and medicaid - hospital compare (www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov) the accreditation for cardiovascular excellence (ace) accreditation continues for excela health's cardiac catheterization laboratory and angioplasty/stenting program. Excela is the first health system in pennsylvania and only the fifth in the nation to receive this designation, which recognizes the commitment of clinicians and staff to quality assurance, peer review and use of evidence-based guidelines. Highmark blue cross blue shield has designated excela's program as a blue distinction center plus for cardiac care. Excela westmoreland has also received the american heart association "get with the guidelines" heart failure quality achievement award and a bronze recognition through american heart association "mission lifeline" award. Patients are also introduced to a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program consisting of exercise and education as well as support services and home health care, if needed. We're expecting you - the family additions maternity center at westmoreland expert care, support and education are”

“Always an object of community pride and community life, frick hospital also boasts a nationally recognized emergency department staffed with board certified emergency medicine physicians. Serving southern westmoreland and northern fayette counties, frick hospital also offers enhanced surgical services and new, state-of-the-art cardiac rehabilitation. Its cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation program is one of three across the excela health system, providing exercise, education and support to those who have had a heart attack. Patients are often joined by family members in a structured program of recovery that includes monitoring, supervision, maintenance and finally, independent exercise. With the announcement made in june 2014, excela health is investing more than $12 million in the frick community over five years to design an innovative health care delivery system for the northern fayette and southern westmoreland county region. The completed project will boast a medical mall concept with lab, imaging and physical therapy services, physician offices, specialty services and extensive renovations. Phase i of this project began with a $2 million remodel of the emergency department. Phase ii started with plans to renovate the lobby area and caf , create a patient-centered medical home with primary care suites, enhance diagnostics with rapid results along with the creation of a satellite oncology partnership with the arnold palmer cancer center. A phase iii will follow in subsequent years. This 501(c)(3) hospital has also garnered the hospital and healthsystem association of pennsylvania achievement award for quality, is a press ganey patient satisfaction leader, and is among the top 200 coding hospitals named by ingenix. Like its sister hospitals, frick readily embraces the mission of "improving the health and well-being of every life we touch." patient admissions/observation: 2,836 acute care patient days: 8,641 total operating room procedures: 1,678 lab procedures and tests: 432,394 emergency room visits: 24,023 physical therapy treatments: 23,636 outpatient surgeries: 1,521 outpatient registration/visits: 91,516 outpatient x-ray procedures: 49,777 because excela frick firmly believes that its mission is inclusive and speaks to its truest sense of community commitment, it reinvests in its communities in the following fashion: - absorb bad debt and provide charity and uncompensated care: $1,192,311 - 79 volunteers donate of their time and talents: 14,429 hours - patient education materials: $5,672 the lifeline emergency response program is located here as are outpatient physical, occupational and speech therapy services. Loyal to their community hospital, area residents volunteer to help with the day-to-day tasks that allow the hospital to run smoothly. Frick houses a cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation center providing easier access and convenience to those recovering from heart and lung-related issues. As the number of patients needing services nearly doubled, it was obvious that a larger, updated facility was a necessity. Consolidating all rehabilitation services in one location, the size of the center nearly doubled. The gym holds $80,000 in equipment including five stationary bikes, three nustep machines, a recumbent bike, two upper body ergometers and five treadmills. Flat screen televisions are an added amenity for patients as they work out. Jacob's creek area faith in action is also located at frick hospital, which is one of four sites in westmoreland county. The group provides volunteer companionship and assistance to help older adults remain in their homes independently and healthfully. The goal of the free program is to bring interfaith, non-profit and business communities together to enhance the everyday lives of those age 60 and older. With its parallel mission, hosting faith in action seemed a natural fit and frick has helped to reduce administrative expenses so more united way dollars can be used for volunteer su”

“Additional community contacts include programs offered by the well being center, tobacco cessation and others. By reaching beyond the traditional walls of the hospital, as well as understanding the many, varied medical needs of the populations served, the hospital can direct care where it is most accessible and most needed. Through events such as american red cross blood drives, bone density screenings, blood screenings, the mount pleasant glass and ethnic festival, wellness initiatives at local colleges and schools, the scottdale fall festival, and excela's golden hour heart and stroke program and much more, many lives have been touched within the communities served. Latrobe hospital in latrobe, practicing physicians traveled by horse-drawn buggy at all hours of the day and night, through all types of weather conditions to reach the bedside of stricken patients. These dedicated souls not only journeyed far to administer medical care but also blazed the way for a local hospital to be built. That was 1907. Today, this 172 licensed bed hospital offers a special blend of concern and compassion, creating a unique experience for patients in latrobe hospital, serving the eastern portion of westmoreland county and southern indiana county. Compassionate, expert and high quality care are the traits most profoundly embodied by its physicians, nurses, and all health care professionals, inspiring trust and confidence in a lifelong relationship with the hospital. There's a pride in this place that transcends the changes in health care, ensuring the community's enduring support and the hospital's continuing service to patients and their families. A 501(c)(3) organization, latrobe provides acute, surgical and specialized care, with: patient admissions/observation: 8,466 acute care patient days: 25,184 total operating room procedures: 9,600 lab procedures and tests: 953,255 emergency room visits: 32,803 physical therapy treatments: 64,618 outpatient surgeries: 8,284 outpatient registration/visits: 235,361 outpatient x-ray procedures: 90,379 because excela latrobe hospital firmly believes that its mission is inclusive and speaks to its truest sense of community commitment, its employees reinvest in the community in the following fashion: - absorb bad debt and provide charity and uncompensated care: $2,617,983 - 209 volunteers donate of their time and talents: 23,742 hours - patient education materials: $16,932 fundamental to a healthy community are strong capabilities in internal and family medicine. Latrobe hospital is home to many primary care physicians who have practiced in the area their entire career, and several are graduates of the health system's family medicine residency program, affiliated with the jefferson medical college of thomas jefferson university. With community needs as a focus and with the help of excela's extensive resources, latrobe has expanded the scope of services beyond the traditional community hospital realm. But at the heart of all excela latrobe hospital does is the simple message of its mission... "improving the health and well-being of every life we touch." epic rehab (excela physical improvement center) is excela health's inpatient rehab program. Within epic, the goal is to help individuals achieve the highest level of functioning, independence and quality of life as possible. Under the direction of a physiatrist, the program offers extensive physical, occupational and speech therapies and activities of daily living including a "practice" suite, as well as family training, neighborhood way to aid in community reintegration, and pet therapy and visitation. Minimally invasive surgery, offering quicker recovery and less discomfort, is fast becoming the norm in many surgical specialties throughout the health system with latrobe offering a dedicated suite for minimally invasive surgery. The emergency department has the ability to place a dedicated emergency physician in triage to expedite care for non-threatening e”

“Excela health home care and hospice home care: a 501(c) (3) organization providing nursing care, rehabilitation, medical social services, palliative care and hospice care in the home, nursing home, hospital and other, varied settings, excela health home care and hospice tends to patients throughout westmoreland and into surrounding counties. The home care team has more than 40 years of combined experience working with patients and their families, regardless of their ability to pay. Home care and hospice pride themselves on getting to know the patient and listening to the individual's health care concerns. The home care team, consisting of nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists, medical social workers, home health aides, dietitians, volunteers and others, encourages everyone involved to make each treatment plan a success. The excela health home care and hospice community liaison continues to develop relationships with skilled nursing facilities, personal care homes, physicians, regional health providers and the public, serving as a bridge for the hospitalized patient returning to another care setting, and a problem solver for physicians and other care providers. Referrals are made via the physician, nurse, social worker, case manager, a social service agency or insurance company after which a thorough home care assessment is completed. While home care services are covered by many insurance plans, staff works with individuals to answer questions, maximize available coverage, and counsel them. Hospice care: as one of the oldest, most experienced non-profit hospice services in westmoreland county, excela hospice is committed to providing the highest level of palliative care to patients and families faced with a terminal illness. Excela's hospice program is medicare certified and provided under the approval and supervision of the individual's family physician. Care is coordinated by skilled nursing staff and may include symptom control, pain management, and physical, emotional, psychosocial, spiritual and practical support for patients and their families. The team consists of nurses, social workers, home health aides, therapists, bereavement counselors, dietitian, home care and hospice-trained volunteers (numbering 85 giving 12,039 hours of service) and clergy. Each patient's plan of care is supervised by the hospice medical director and delivered by the hospice team, who works closely with the patient and family to give meaningful, end-of-life care and support. Patients and family are encouraged to ask questions and participate actively in the patient's care and treatment, particularly when assistance or reassurance is needed. After the death of a patient, loved ones receive bereavement support for up to 13 months. To enter hospice, patients must choose this service and have a certified prognosis of six months or less from a physician. Most recently, a formalized palliative care component was added focusing on improving a person's quality of life by providing relief from pain and other symptoms while working with the patient to determine goals of care and ensuring those goals are being addressed through treatment. During the year, excela health home care and hospice offers programs, in-services and specialized support groups for the public dealing with issues of loss, grief, and separation. They include the following: - annual memorial service - annual grief and the holidays seminar - bereavement/grief support groups - participation in community health fairs additionally, programs focusing on care providers were offered at various times throughout the year. They included: specialized support groups: - art-based support/art expression of grief - ceramic classes for all skill levels - sessions for household maintenance - men's group - grief and the holidays support group - mall walkers/grief support - cooking for one - children's grief support group *all groups are meant to gather grieving individuals with others in si”

“Conclusion as a health care system with well-established roots in westmoreland county and beyond, excela health continues to move in a healthy direction, addressing the needs of varied populations defined by community health needs assessment, surveys, demographic information and more. Through a robust slate of educational classes, health screenings, and outreach endeavors, coupled with the advancement of high levels of clinical care and the retention/recruitment of new talent bringing expertise to its region, excela health can stay the course of directing care where it is most accessible and appropriate. Further, uncompensated care is rendered so that segmented populations are not denied fundamental access to needed treatment. As excela's name implies, excellence, at all levels of care in all venues, is not only a goal but a health care way of life, one that improves the health and well-being of every life we touch.”