PRIME time!It’s

Meet Tim Harclerode, Conemaugh Health System’s new Chief Executive Officerof Nason Hospital.

“Thank you to everyone

for the warm welcome

to the region. I am

excited to be working

alongside a medical

staff, board, leadership

team, and employees

who are so proud of the

rich tradition of Nason

Hospital. Now a member

of the Conemaugh Health

System, we are excited

about the future of Nason

Hospital and our ability

to fulfill our mission of

Making Communities

Healthier.

conemaugh.org

Why do we wait?

Time is Ticking

For more than 24 hours, Roger Damon’s heart was dying and he did nothing about it. “I sat in a chair writhing in pain all night. I did not want to wake my wife. I did not want to bother the ambulance crew. I figured it was acid reflux and I would eventually feel better.”

The 66-year-old Blairsville, PA resident did not have the traditional pain in his arm or jaw, or pressure in his chest but he was having a major heart attack.

Dr. PenumetsaConemaugh Physician Group - Cardiology

814.475.8600

“I cannot say enough about Dr. Penumetsa and the cardiac team at Conemaugh Memorial,” says Damon. “If I ever need this kind of care again, I would tell the ambulance to take me right to Conemaugh!”Mr. Damon read an article that denial is the most dangerous symptom of heart disease. He couldn’t agree more. “If sharing my story gets even just one person to get help more quickly it was worth it.” To read the rest of Roger’s story, visit conemaugh.org.

conemaugh.org

Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center is proud to announce that we have received Blue Distinction® Center designation from Highmark for delivering quality care and better outcomes for patients in these areas.

• Cardiac Care • Knee & Hip Replacement • Spine Surgery• Maternity Care

In addition, our colleagues at Nason Hospital in Roaring Spring have also received Blue Distinction® Center designation in maternity care. “Conemaugh Memorial is proud to be recognized by Highmark BCBS for meeting the rigorous selection criteria set by the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program,” says Dr. Susan Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Conemaugh Health System.

“Our physicians and staff work very hard to make these successful programs, so patients can get great care without having to travel to a larger city.” For more information about the Blue Distinction® program and a complete list of designated facilities, visit www.bcbs.com/bluedistinction.

Matters

“Mr. Damon had three blockages; one artery was 100% blocked,” says Dr. Srikanth Penumetsa, a Conemaugh Physician Group Interventional Cardiologist. “Every second he waited was doing more damage to his heart.”

“My primary symptom was a burning pain under my rib cage,” says Damon. “It never occurred to me that it was heart related. I am thin, in good shape and have no family history of heart disease.” But when he looks back, Damon does recall feeling tired and winded for several months and, as he waited out what he thought was acid reflux, he had a strong feeling of dread.

“Many people do not recognize heart attack warning signs and they can be very different for each person,” says Dr. Penumetsa. “That is why you are encouraged to seek help right away if something does not feel right.”

Mr. Damon’s blockages were successfully treated in Conemaugh Memorial’s Cardiac Catheterization Lab, which has been providing nationally recognized heart care for more than 25 years. “We were able to use a radial approach,” says Dr. Penumetsa, “going through an artery in Mr. Damon’s wrist to get to the heart.”

“Every second he waited was doing more damage to his heart.”

Quality

Time is Ticking

Roger and wife, Judith

Dr. PenumetsaConemaugh Physician Group - Cardiology

814.475.8600

conemaugh.org

We’ve made it through the winter and travel season is upon us. This year, traveling comes with some safety concerns caused by recent outbreaks of the Zika virus.

“The Zika virus is spread to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito,” says Dr. Trini Mathew, Infectious Disease specialist at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center. “The most common symptoms of Zika are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). Symptoms typically begin 2 to 7 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.”

The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week. People usually do not get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. While the Zikaillness is typically mild for most people, it has been linked to very serious birth defects for babies of mothers who were infected while pregnant. “Zika virus has been linked to a serious birth defect of the brain called microcephaly, a condition in which a baby’s head is smaller than expected when compared to babies of the same sex and age, and other poor pregnancy outcomes,” says Dr. Adib Khouzami, perinatologist specializing in high risk pregnancies and chairman of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Travel safely. Know the facts.

ZikavirusSome parents may wonder if their children are at an increased risk of complications from Zika. Dr. Khouzami says no. “Otherwise healthy children and elderly populations will likely experience the same signs and symptoms, with minimal risk for complications.” If your child develops any of the signs or symptoms of Zika, see your child’s primary doctor for evaluation and let him/her know of any recent trips the family or family members have taken,” adds Khouzami.

Jaimie anddaughter Piper,Johnstown, PA

conemaugh.org

CDC recommends special precautions for the following:• Pregnant women (in any trimester): - Consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing. - If you must travel to an affected area, talk to your doctor first and follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.• Women who are trying to become pregnant: - Before traveling, talk to your doctor about your plans to become pregnant and the risk of Zika virus infection. - Strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during your trip.

How to protect yourself from Zika• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.• Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents. Always follow the product label instructions.• If you have a baby or child: - Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months of age. - Dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs. - Cover crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito netting. - Do not apply insect repellent onto a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, and cut or irritated skin. - Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face.

Visit wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel for updated travel information.

Dr. Adib KhouzamiConemaugh Physician Goup - OB/Gyn

814.534.9230

The majority of patients infected with Zika show no signs of illness. Women with possible Zika exposure, even without symptoms, are advised by the CDC to wait at least 8 weeks after their possible exposure before attempting conception.

Men who have been exposed should wait at least six months before attempting conception because CDC experts believe the virus can persist in semen.

This map represents the CDC’s best estimate of the potential range of Aedes aegypti mosquito in the US. It is not meant to represent risk for spread of disease.

conemaugh.org

Salvatore Ferrau learned to be a barber in his native Italy when he was just six years old. He’s spent the last 45 years at his shop in Westmont, a business he opened with his late wife, Connie, which he now shares with daughters Ivana and Annalisa.

Over the past few years, Salvatore began to have problems with his vision, caused by drooping of the skin around his eyes. “It was hard to see things on the side. I would have to turn my head to look that way,“ says Ferrau. After failing a field vision test, Ferrau turned to Conemaugh Physician Group – Plastic Surgery for a procedure called blepharoplasty.

“Blepharoplasty is a very common, fairly simple procedure in which we trim excess skin, muscle and fat from the eye lids,” says Dr. Paul Rollins, Conemaugh Physician Group – Plastic Surgery. “This greatly improves the peripheral vision and also gives the eyes a younger appearance.”

“It was like opening a window,” says a delighted Ferrau. “Everything was so much brighter and now I can see to the side without turning my head. I am so pleased that I had it done.”

To learn more about this procedure or other services available by the board-certified plastic surgeons at Conemaugh Physician Group – Plastic Surgery, call 814-534-6758.

wideeyes

open

Salvatore, Johnstown, PAConemaugh Physician Group -

Plastic Surgery patient

conemaugh.org

MammographThe Power of 3D

“We are very excited to offer this technology to our patients,” says Dr. Michele Cacek, Director of Mammography at Conemaugh and Lead Interpreting Radiologist. “3D mammography helps us improve breast cancer detection, reduce false-positive findings and reduce the need for patient call backs.”

“We believe this technology can help us save lives.”

For more information about 3D Mammography, talk to your doctor or call 814.534.4444.

Dr. Michele Cacek

While standard 2D mammograms take an image of the top and bottom side of a patient’s breast, 3D mammography takes 25 images of the breast from many angles as the x-ray tube moves across the breast in a 50-degree arc. The images are assembled into a 3D study so doctors can see the breast tissue in fine detail.

“The 3D image allows us to see clearly through breast tissue that may be overlapping or through the tissue of women with dense breasts. We are better able to detect and diagnose small tumors and rule out abnormalities that may have looked suspicious in the patient’s 2D mammogram,” says Cacek.

“Early detection is the key to surviving breast cancer,” adds Dr. Cacek. “When we find tumors earlier, we’re better able to create treatment plans that are more effective.”