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Community Education

Ellen Kennedy and Garrett Veckov, 4th grade students at Spring Cove Elementary, collected donations of coloring books, crayons, journals, activity books and colored pencils for children who are patients at Nason Hospital. This activity completed their community service requirement for their membership in the National Elementary Honor Society. Ellen and Garrett, who are cousins, were inducted into the NEHS earlier this year. Individuals, family members and several businesses contributed to their project. Nason Hospital would like to say THANK YOU to Ellen and Garrett for their hard work and thoughtfulness!

Press Release
April 29, 2013

Ron Foor received a certificate, planter, and other gifts to honor him as the 2013 Nason Hospital Volunteer of the Year. Ron has given over 5 years of service to Nason Hospital. Ron volunteers in the Nason Hospital maintenance department. A carry in dinner and awards program was held on April 25, 2013 at the Martinsburg Church of God Fellowship Hall. Awards and gifts of appreciation were given to all volunteers. The theme of the event was "The Flowers of Kindness Never Fade.” Linda Ritchey, Community Volunteer Coordinator, states, "Ron is one of the kindest, most generous people that I have ever met. There is truly not one area of the hospital that has not been touched by Ron with his talents for woodworking and his other skills.”

Linda Ritchey, Community Volunteer Coordinator, presents Ron Foor with a certificate designating him as the 2013 Nason Hospital Volunteer of the Year. Next to Linda and Ron are Craig Hattler, Director of Maintenance and Dianne Kunkle, Facility Manager

For more information, please contact Linda Ritchey, Community Volunteer Coordinator, at 224-264.

PRESS RELEASE

March 7,2013

Nason Hospital has announced the implementation of additional security measures for the safety of our mothers and newborns. To achieve this objective, effective March 26, 2013, the Nason Hospital Special Delivery Unit will be locked down 24 hours/7 days a week. Each new mother will continue to have unlimited visitation from the father or specified support person.

Today we are faced with additional threats in our society and it is our obligation to do all that we can do to provide a safe environment. The new security system will provide additional peace of mind to our new moms and babies by limiting access to the obstetric unit to only necessary staff and the patient’s support person, except for limited visiting hours.

The new system will be beneficial to the patient not only for security purposes, but to also allow for adequate rest and recovery. The birthing process can be exhausting to a mother. Within a relatively short time, a new mother is learning about baby care (e.g. feeding, bathing, diapering, cord/circumcision care, car seat safety, shaken baby prevention). In addition, breastfeeding, which has been shown to be healthy for the baby, takes practice and this is difficult to do when visitors are present. Newborns are also susceptible to diseases and may not readily fight off germs. Visitors, even though they are well-meaning, bring germs with them. This is especially true with children who may have runny noses and do not wash their hands as often as adults. Friends and extended family are often eager to visit a new baby and congratulate the new family, but it is sometimes best to schedule a time to visit after the mother and newborn have rested and established a routine at home.

Visiting hours for family and friends will be changed to 11AM – 2PM and 4PM – 8PM. Visitation for those under age 12 will be limited to the newborn’s brothers and sisters. We ask that there be no more than two visitors in the mother’s room at a time. Visitors will be given access to the unit at these times and technology has been made available to staff to facilitate this access. Visitors will ring a buzzer to request access to the Special Delivery Unit. OB staff will have a phone to communicate and allow entry from anywhere on the unit and communication and access can also be activated from the OB desk. Newborns will only be permitted to leave the OB unit for diagnostic testing and must be accompanied by hospital staff.

“At Nason Hospital, we continue to look at ways to improve service for the community and this long awaited obstetric security system is another example of this effort,” according to Deb McGraw, VP of Nursing/ Patient Care Services. “Providing care to our patients is and will always be our primary goal.”

PRESS RELEASE
February 13, 2013

Dr. John A. Baker announces the opening of Concussion Management Center. The Center will be located in the Cove Medical Building on the Nason Hospital campus. Dr. Baker will provide specialized treatment to adults, children and teens, especially athletes, who are injured with a concussion.

A concussion is defined as a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions. It can be caused by a direct blow to the head, or by an indirect blow to the body. A concussion is not a life-threatening injury, but it can cause both short term and long term problems. Symptoms of a concussion can include:
• Temporary loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Dizziness
• Short term memory loss

Post-concussion syndrome (PCS) is a condition that can result after a concussion or mild traumatic brain injury. PCS is a medical problem that can persist for weeks or months after a head injury has occurred.
Concussion injuries are on the rise, especially among children and teens. As an emergency department physician at Nason Hospital for over 6 years, Dr. Baker has treated many patients with head injuries and concussions. However, in 2010, a young family friend sustained a concussion while playing in a high school football game. Unfortunately he ended up with Post-concussion syndrome and Dr. Baker began his quest to research and learn everything that he could about concussions and traumatic brain injuries.

Dr. Baker has attended numerous training seminars and has spent time training with Mickey Collins, PhD, director of UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic and with Edward Snell, MD, director of Allegheny Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic. Some of the other training that Dr. Baker has received includes Emergency Procedures from the National Procedures Institute; Addressing Concussions in Sports among Kids and Teens from the CDC; ImPACT training; and Interpretation and Treatment Options for ImPACT from ImPACT Applications, Inc. Dr. Baker is currently enrolled in training earn his certification as a Credentialed ImPACT Consultant.

At the Concussion Management Center, Dr. Baker will provide patients specialized concussion treatment close to home. Dr. Baker has already developed a referral base from local physical and occupational therapists and other physicians. He has also been providing specialized concussion treatment for the Hollidaysburg School District as a volunteer since the summer of 2012.

If you would like more information or are interested in scheduling an appointment, please call the office at 814-224-6096 or 814-650-5927. Office hours are by appointment only.

PRESS RELEASE

Nason Hospital has reduced Surgical Site Infections by 85.7% in 2012. Only 1 per 5,088 patients acquired a Surgical Site Infection (SSI) at Nason Hospital during 2012. The reduction was achieved by utilizing protocols that are easy to follow and relatively low in cost.

Nason Hospital has been participating with the Joint Commission’s Surgical Care Improvement Project and in June 2012, Nason Hospital partnered with Highmark and their Quality Blue Lite Program to Improve Surgical Safety. Measures enacted include:

• implementation of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist
• hand hygiene stations that are more accessible to vendors, non-surgical staff and families
• expanding the use of highly effective specialized skin prep for at risk patients
• implementing antiseptic pre-shower/bathes for caesarean section patients
• developing patient pre-warming and surgical warming protocol
• enhancing screening and isolation of MRSA
• establishing patient weight based pre-operative antibiotic guidelines

Nason has also made environmental adjustments such as operating room air quality improvement, new operating room sterilizers and improving the work flow for central supply.

Surgeons, nurses, operating room staff, vendors and patients have all collaborated in this effort. Sharon Mock, director of Surgical Service, praised the efforts, stating, “All of the staff has embraced and contributed to the success of the program. It has been a total team effort.”

Surgeons are especially appreciative of the efforts of the hospital. Dr. Angela Rowe of Blair Orthopedics said, “Nason Hospital has made great strides in improving surgical site infection rates through several proven methods, such as making hand hygiene stations more accessible, increasing education of pre- and post-operative guidelines and improving air quality in operating rooms. Speaking for myself and my colleagues at Blair Orthopedics, we are proud to work in a facility that is consistently dedicated to the health and safety of its patients and staff, and I am confident in the hospital’s continued success in reducing healthcare-acquired surgical site infection rates for years to come.”

Lower infection rates translate into fewer visits to the Emergency Department, fewer hospital readmissions and less need for subsequent surgeries. In addition, patients experience less pain and are more satisfied with their experience.

PRESS RELEASE
January 14, 2013

For the fifth year, Nason Hospital Foundation, Nason Medical Staff, and Nason Hospital employees and volunteers presented holiday donations to the Claysburg Food Bank and the Martinsburg Ministerium’s “Cove Christmas Love.” The Nason Medical Staff made a $1,000 donation and the Nason Hospital Foundation made a $1,000 donation. With the help of Nason employees, a donation was made to the Claysburg Food Bank in the amount of $1,605.00 and to “Cove Christmas Love” in the amount of $1,245.00.

Additionally, 22 local children, including one family of 7, will also have a brighter holiday through the “Roaring Spring Community Angel Tree” program, thanks to Nason Hospital employees. Children receiving gifts through this program are all students of Spring Cove, Claysburg, Northern Bedford, or the Williamsburg School District.

Nason Hospital employees and volunteers also “adopted” the women and children at the Blair County Domestic Abuse Shelter and the men at the Blair County Family Services Emergency Shelter for Christmas. Gifts were provided for 16 mothers at the Domestic Abuse Shelter and 7 men at the Emergency Shelter. Nason employees also filled the Christmas lists of 35 children at the Domestic Abuse Shelter. Several area individuals and organizations assisted with the Family Services donations and Nason Hospital would like to thank all that helped, including: members of Simpson Temple United Parish and Women’s Club, several employees of Homewood, several employees at Garvey Manor-Our Lady of the Alleghenies Residence, RR Management of Transportation of Altoona, Andrew Sikora, Nikki Matusky Brown, Anne Stoltz, Susie Burr, Renee Weaver, Betty Baroner, Becky Clapper, and Little Blessings of Martinsburg. With the help of all who donated each child received a winter coat, shoes and/or boots, two outfits, activities and toys as well as other needs and wishes for Christmas.

Pictured is Lorie Smith, Director of Human Resources at Nason Hospital, (right) presenting a donation to Pastor Mary Hendricks, Pastor at St. John’s United Church of Christ, representing the Martinsburg Ministerium and “Cove Christmas Love.”

Lorie Smith, Director of Human Resources, at Nason Hospital, (left) presents a check to Jim Neatrour, Administrator of the Claysburg Food Bank.

A third photo shows Lorie Smith, Director of Human Resources, Cheryl Gonsman, Family Resources Director of Development, and Linda Ritchey, Nason Community/Volunteer Coordinator with donations for families at the Domestic Abuse Shelter.

PRESS RELEASE
December 5, 2012

Nason Hospital staff and volunteers collected donations of snacks, puzzle books, and personal care items for a local Navy SEAL soldier and for Operation SOS.

Several boxes of donated items were given to Operation SOS and 21 boxes were mailed to Jeffrey Reid and his SEAL unit in Afghanistan.

Jeffrey Reid is a local young man currently serving in the Navy as a SEAL. He is the son of Jeff and Patty Reid of Martinsburg and a 2007 graduate of Central High School. He is married to the former Jeri Baker of Martinsburg.

Jeffrey enlisted in the Navy in 2007 after high school graduation and completed SEAL training in August of 2009. He serves out of the Little Creek Naval Base in Virginia Beach. Jeffrey left in September for his 2nd deployment to Afghanistan. His unit of about 30 are at an undisclosed location and expect to be deployed for about 8 months.

He and his wife reside in Virginia Beach.

Pictured are Linda Ritchey, Volunteer and Community Coordinator and Heidi Kreider, Director of Development.

PRESS RELEASE

ALTOONA REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND NASON HOSPITAL CONTINUE TALKS
November 12, 2012

Altoona Regional Health System and Nason Hospital continue discussions aimed at developing an integrated, countywide health system to serve the communities of Blair County and the greater region.
Both boards of directors have approved and signed a memorandum of understanding, announced Aug. 2, authorizing Altoona Regional and Nason to move forward with the planning for a countywide health system. Any agreement would need the approval of both boards.
Discussions of this type are accelerating in Pennsylvania and nationwide as small and mid-sized community hospitals and health care systems seek ways to meet growing financial challenges and the requirements of Healthcare Reform. Altoona Regional also recently announced talks with several larger regional healthcare organizations about a possible partnership with the planned countywide healthcare system.
“Our goal is to meet the challenges of the changing health care environment and better serve the health care needs of the people of our region,” said Steve Martz and Rob Halbritter, board chairs for Nason and Altoona Regional respectively.
No timeline has been established for reaching an agreement.
About Altoona Regional Health System
Altoona Regional is a nonprofit, full-service regional health care system serving the people of Central Pennsylvania. With a team of more than 300 physicians and over 4,000 clinical and support staff, Altoona Regional offers a wide range of services and the latest technology to meet the health care needs of the region. Altoona Regional is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. For more information about Altoona Regional, please call (814) 889-2271 or visit www.altoonaregional.org.
About Nason Hospital
Nason Hospital is a nonprofit, full-service hospital serving the people of south central Pennsylvania. With a team of more than 50 physicians and 300 clinical and support staff, Nason offers a broad range of services to meet the health care needs of the surrounding communities. Nason, located in Roaring Spring, Pa., is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. For more information about Nason Hospital, please call (814) 224-2141 or visit www.nasonhospital.org.

PRESS RELEASE

Nason Hospital Home Health Agency Named to the Top 500 of the 2012 HomeCare Elite
November 1, 2012

Nason Hospital Home Health Agency announced that it has been named to the Top 500 of the 2012 HomeCare Elite™, a compilation of the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. Now in its seventh year, the HomeCare Elite identifies the top 25 percent of agencies and further highlights the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. Winners are ranked by an analysis of publicly available performance measures in quality outcomes, process measure implementation, patient experience (Home Health CAHPS), quality improvement, and financial performance.

“The 2012 HomeCare Elite winners demonstrate a commitment to providing patient-centered care and serving as leaders in the home health community. Their success offers data-driven proof of being well-managed and high quality care providers to hospitals, managed care organizations, ACOs, and other potential referral partners across the healthcare continuum,” said Susan L. Henricks, President and COO of National Research Corporation, the parent company of OCS HomeCare. “Again, this year, we updated our methodology to reflect the rapidly evolving quality-focused healthcare landscape and national value-based purchasing trends. We congratulate Nason Hospital Home Health Agency on being one of the top 500 home care agencies in the country.”

“Competent clinicians and a focus on improving the patient's quality of life with the agency’s ability to achieve recognition as one of the HomeCare Elite,” said Sharon Snider, Director of Nason Hospital Home Health Agency.

“HomeCare Elite recognition continues to gain importance given the increased regulatory mandates and the threat of shrinking reimbursement revenue. Home health agencies that have earned recognition among the HomeCare Elite demonstrated that they not only can adapt to an evolving marketplace but continue to excel in clinical, patient experience, quality improvement, and financial outcomes,” said Marci Heydt, Product Manager for the post-acute care business group of DecisionHealth.
The HomeCare Elite is the only performance recognition of its kind in the home health profession. The 2012 HomeCare Elite is co-sponsored by National Research Corporation (also known as OCS HomeCare), the leading provider of cross-continuum healthcare metrics and analytics, and DecisionHealth, the publisher of the industry’s most respected independent newsletter Home Health Line. The data used for this analysis were compiled from publicly available information. The entire list of 2012 HomeCare Elite agencies can be downloaded by visiting the National Research Corporation website at www.nationalresearch.com.

PRESS RELEASE

Nason Hospital Used No Products From New England Compounding Center
October 29, 2012

In light of the recent serious meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center (NECC) injectable medications, Nason Hospital would like to assure our patients and the community that we have never purchased nor distributed any drugs from this facility.

According to Larry Snowberger, Director of Pharmay at Nason Hospital, “NECC provides customized medications for patients, physicians and pharmacies that may not be made commercially by drug manufacturers. The injections that were contaminated were used clinically as a steroid back injection to help relieve chronic pain. Nason Hospital does not use medications compounded by NECC.”

Nason Hospital continues to scrutinize our relationships with all pharmaceutical vendors to assure the safest treatments for our patients.

PRESS RELEASE

Diabetes Patient Educates Peers on Taking Control of the Disease

WHO: Roger Baird will be delivering a free educational program at Nason Hospital to share diabetes self-management and lifestyle strategies based on extensive training and his personal experience living with diabetes.

WHAT: Roger is a member of the A1C Champions® Program, supported by Sanofi, which is a patient- led approach to diabetes education. A1C Champions® know first-hand the challenges and obstacles to maintaining control of their diabetes. They are REAL people...with REAL A1C control...providing REAL inspiration.

Roger will cover topics including:
• Achieving good glucose control
• Learning about effective self-management
• Developing a balanced, healthy lifestyle
• Planning and prioritizing diabetes management
• Overcoming fears surrounding diabetes
• Finding resources for diabetes support

WHY: If you or someone you know is struggling with diabetes or has an A1C that is 7% or above, the A1C Champions® can provide motivation to take those first steps to better blood glucose control. Diabetes patients need to know they are not alone and there are people like Roger who can help them along their journey with diabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic, widespread condition characterized by high blood sugar in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, the hormone needed to transport glucose (sugar) from the blood into the cells of the body for energy. It is estimated that that nearly 26 million people in the United States have diabetes, including an estimated 7 million who remain undiagnosed. At the same time, about 40 percent of those diagnosed with diabetes did not achieve the blood sugar control target of A1C <7 percent recommended by the American Diabetes Association The A1C test measures average blood glucose levels over the past two- to three-month period.

WHEN: Thursday, 11/1/12 at 6:00pm

WHERE: Nason Hospital, Boardroom, 105 Nason Drive, Roaring Spring, PA 16673

CONTACT: Marsha Johnston at 814-224-6227 or rmaijohnston@verizon.net.

PRESS RELEASE

Nason Hospital is sponsoring a “look good feel better” program in conjunction with the American Cancer Society on Monday, October 15, 2012 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

Look good feel better is a free program to help women overcome the appearance related side-effects of cancer treatment.

Group programs are step-by-step makeover learning workshops led by cosmetology professionals using products donated by the cosmetic industry. Each two-hour hands-on workshop includes a 12-step skin care and makeup lesson, nail care techniques, and professional advice on how to deal with hair loss using wigs, scarves, hats, hairpieces, and other accessories.
Patients at various stages of treatment receive personal attention and take home instruction booklets and complimentary cosmetic kits in shades that match their skin tones. Each year, more than 50,000 individuals participate in small groups of five to 10 that create a sense of support and community.
Look good feel better aims to improve self-esteem and quality of life for those undergoing active cancer treatment as well as foster a sense of support, confidence, courage, and community.
Look Good Feel Better group programs are open to all women with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or other forms of treatment.

Preregistration is required. Please call 1-888-227-5445 to register for the workshop at Nason Hospital. You may also call Linda Ritchey at Nason Hospital at 224-6264 for more information.

PRESS RELEASE

Nason Hospital Earns ‘Top Performer on Key Quality Measures™’ Recognition from The Joint Commission
Nason Hospital today was named one of the nation’s Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in America. Nason Hospital was recognized by The Joint Commission for exemplary performance in using evidence-based clinical processes that are shown to improve care for certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children’s asthma, stroke and venous thromboembolism, as well as inpatient psychiatric services.

Nason Hospital is one of 620 hospitals in the U.S. earning the distinction of Top Performer on Key Quality Measures for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance. Nason was recognized for its achievement on the following measure sets: Pneumonia and Surgical Care. The ratings are based on an aggregation of accountability measure data reported to The Joint Commission during the 2011 calendar year. The list of Top Performers increased by 50 percent from its debut last year and represents 18 percent of accredited hospitals reporting data.

Each of the hospitals that were named as a Top Performer on Key Quality Measures met two 95 percent (95/95) performance thresholds on 2011 accountability measure data. First, each hospital achieved performance of 95 percent or above on a single, composite score that includes all the accountability measures for which it reports data to The Joint Commission, including measures that had fewer than 30 eligible cases or patients. Second, each hospital met or exceeded 95 percent performance on every accountability measure for which it reports data to The Joint Commission, excluding any measures with fewer than 30 eligible cases or patients. A 95 percent score means a hospital provided an evidence-based practice 95 times out of 100 opportunities to provide the practice. Each accountability measure represents an evidence-based practice – for example, giving aspirin at arrival for heart attack patients, giving antibiotics one hour before surgery, and providing a home management plan for children with asthma.

“When we raise the bar and provide the proper guidance and tools, hospitals have responded with excellent results,” says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., FACP, M.P.P., M.P.H., president, The Joint Commission. “This capacity for continual improvement points toward a future in which quality and safety defects are dramatically reduced and high reliability is sought and achieved with regularity. Such day-to-day progress will slowly but surely transform today’s health care system into one that achieves unprecedented performance outcomes for the benefit of the patients.”
“We understand that what matters most to patients at Nason Hospital is safe, effective care. That’s why Nason Hospital has made a commitment to accreditation and to positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes. Nason is proud to be named to the list of The Joint Commission’s Top Performers on Key Quality Measures,” says Garrett W. Hoover, Nason Hospital President/CEO.

In addition to being included in today’s release of The Joint Commission’s “Improving America’s Hospitals” annual report, Nason Hospital will be recognized on The Joint Commission’s Quality Check website (www.qualitycheck.org). The Top Performer program will be featured in the November issue of The Joint Commission Perspectives and the October issue of The Joint Commission: The Source.

Nason Hospital is the only hospital to be recognized in Blair County and the surrounding region.