UPIA News Updates
September 1, 2007
The Institute on Aging in partnership with UPMC, offers a new program called Staying-at-Home to help caregivers with caring for their aging family members. Staying-at-Home is a client-centered care coordination program offered to older adults living in their own home, hospital, long term care facility or a retirement community. To learn more about the program click here and to speak with a referral coordinator call the University of Pittsburgh Institute on Aging at 1-866-430-8742.
July 13, 2007
UPMC Named to U.S. News Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals for the Eighth Time
With Top Rankings in 14 Specialties, UPMC Is Only Local Hospital Honored: Geriatrics Ranked 8th in the Nation
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has once again received national recognition for its clinical programs. UPMC has earned 13th position in the U.S. News & World Report rankings of the Best Hospitals in the Country. The 2007 results place UPMC one notch higher than last year and mark its eighth appearance on the prestigious Honor Roll, which includes only 18 hospitals nationwide. In addition, UPMC is nationally ranked in 14 of the 16 medical specialties surveyed and is the only local hospital to receive recognition in any category. UPMC earned Honor Roll status by listing at or near the top in at least six specialties according to the magazine. The specialty rankings for UPMC are: 3rd in ear, nose and throat; 8th in geriatrics; 10th in rheumatology; 11th in psychiatry ; 12th in cancer, neurology and neurosurgery, and orthopedics; 14th in kidney disease; 16th in respiratory disorders; 18th in rehabilitation; and 27th in digestive disorders, endocrinology and urology.
For additional information, click here.
Pittsburgh, May 24, 2007
UPMC SPORTS MEDICINE’S PRIMA PROGRAM INVITES PEOPLE OVER 40 TO GET ‘FROM COUCH TO 5K’ BY ENROLLING IN ‘START’
UPMC Sports Medicine’s Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes (PRIMA) invites men and women over age 40 to enroll in START, a new lifestyle-changing program specifically designed for adults who don’t exercise regularly. Beginning June 16, UPMC Sports Medicine experts will guide participants through 12 weeks of physical activity and education that will gradually prepare them to walk or run the 5K portion of the 30th annual Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race on Sept. 30. START program participants also will acquire the skills needed to achieve long-term results even after completing the classes, which will stress maintaining a healthy lifestyle and improving physical fitness in the future. The first START program session takes place June 16 and participants will meet once per week for 12 weeks thereafter. All sessions will be held at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, located at 3200 South Water Street on Pittsburgh’s South Side. Free parking is available. The program is offered at an introductory rate of $120. For more information or to register, call (412) 432-3651. Space is limited! For additional information, click here.
Anaheim, CA, May 23, 2007
Men With Enlarged Prostate Can Benefit From Botox Injections Up To A Year After Treatment
Injecting botulinum toxin A, or Botox, into the prostate gland of men with enlarged prostate, eased symptoms and improved quality of life up to a year after the procedure, according to a study by researchers at the Chang Gung University Medical College, Taiwan, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The study, based on 37 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) in Anaheim, Calif. and published in Abstract 1837 in the AUA proceedings. BPH is one of the most common diseases affecting men as they age. More than half of all men over the age of 60 and 80 percent by age 80, will have enlarged prostates. Forty to 50 percent will develop symptoms, which include more frequent urination, urinary tract infections, the inability to completely empty the bladder and, in severe cases, eventual damage to the bladder and kidneys. “Millions of men in the United States suffer from enlarged prostate,” said Michael B. Chancellor, M.D., senior author of the study and professor of urology and gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “It’s a challenging disease to live with because it causes frequent and difficult urination. Unfortunately, common treatments also are problematic because they carry some risk of serious side effects, such as impotence. Our results are encouraging because they indicate that Botox could represent a simple, safe and effective treatment for enlarged prostate that has long-term benefits.” For more information, click here.
Pittsburgh, May 22, 2007
UPMC OFFERS STROKE AWARENESS TIPS FOR WOMEN
Stroke is the third leading cause of death for American women, surpassed only by heart disease and cancer. Every day, more than 270 women in the United States will die from stroke. In support of National Stroke Awareness Month, the UPMC Stroke Institute urges women and all Americans to take action to prevent and to learn the warning signs of stroke. “Patients greatly improve their chances of successful treatment and recovery if they become familiar with the symptoms of stroke and if they rapidly call 9-1-1 to summon help. At the UPMC Stroke Institute, patients who are evaluated within the first three hours of stroke symptoms may be treated with the clot-busting drug, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which can be highly effective in reversing the potentially devastating effects of stroke. And for those who are not evaluated within three hours, we also are involved in promising research that includes treatment outside of that time frame. Stroke is always an emergency. Seek treatment right away to improve your chances of having a better outcome,” said Dr. Lawrence Wechsler, M.D., director of the UPMC Stroke Institute, which offers a round-the-clock stroke assessment and treatment team. For more information about stroke awareness, prevention and treatment, click here.
UPMC Presbyterian
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Friday, May 11; Friday, May 18 and Wednesday, May 23: UPMC Stroke Institute staff members will distribute information and educational materials regarding stroke in the UPMC Presbyterian Cafeteria, 200 Lothrop Street.
UPMC Shadyside
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, May 18: a stroke screening event will take place in the Herberman Conference Center, 2nd floor, UPMC Cancer Pavilion, 5150 Centre Ave.
UPMC St. Margaret
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 23: educational materials about stroke will be displayed in the UPMC St. Margaret Cafeteria, 815 Freeport Rd.
UPMC Passavant
9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, May 18: UPMC Passavant will offer blood pressure screenings at State Representative Jane Orie’s Senior Expo at the Community College of Allegheny County, North Campus, 8701 Perry Highway.
UPMC Bedford Memorial
10 a.m., Monday, May 14: an educational program on stroke will be presented by Amy Roose, R.N., B.S.N., M.H.A., unit director of the emergency department, UPMC Bedford Memorial, at the Bedford Senior Center, 203 S. Richard St.
UPMC Northwest
Throughout the month of May, UPMC Northwest is offering stroke screenings:
- 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, May 8, Courtyard Conference Room, ground floor, UPMC Northwest, 100 Fairfield Dr., Seneca, Pa.
- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday, May 14, Adagio Health Venango, 3292 State Route 257, Seneca, Pa.
- 7:30 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, May 15, Tionesta Lions Health Fair at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 112 Bridge St., Tionesta, Pa.
- 9 a.m. to noon, Friday, May 25, Courtyard Conference Room, ground floor, UPMC Northwest, 100 Fairfield Dr., Seneca, Pa.
April 25, 2007
Three Peas Heretofore Not in a Pod conference announced by UPIA
The University of Pittsburgh Institute on Aging with its collaborating organizations presents the fifth Annual conference of the Three Peas Heretofore Not in a Pod on April 25, 2007, at Kearns Spirituality Center, Allison Park, Pittsburgh, PA. This conference is specifically developed for long-term care facilities and builds on the lessons learned from the earlier sessions on “Developing Exceptional Leadership Teams in LTC Series”. During this fifth session, the responsibilities and accountabilities of the Administrator, Medical Director and Director of Nursing and a fourth Pea, the clinical Pharmacist in addressing the guidelines under the new F-Tag 329 for Medication Management will be reviewed. We will try to put together the puzzle pieces of other related F-Tags 425, 428, 431 and 501 as they relate to medication management. The conference registration requires the team of Medical Director, Administrator and Director of Nursing come as a team for a facility fee of $150/team. Additional members can register for $25/member. For additional information and registration form Click Here.
February 22, 2007
Healthy Eating and Stress Reduction Techniques Will Be Topic of Class Sponsored by UPMC
For those wishing to learn the principles of healthy eating and ways to reduce stress, the Center for Integrative Medicine (CIM) at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is offering a series of classes to help. The Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies classes begin Thursday, March 22 and will meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday for six weeks through May 10. Classes will be held at the CIM, located at Shadyside Place, Suite 310, 580 S. Aiken Ave., Shadyside. Tuition for the program is $80 and pre-registration is required. There will be a registration and orientation session Thursday, March 15 from 5:30 to 6 p.m., at the CIM for those interested in learning more.
The eight-week program will educate participants in nutrition and healthy eating choices and will teach the gentle stretches of yoga and ways to reduce stress. The class is for anyone with metabolic syndrome, diabetes and high-blood pressure, those who are at risk for heart disease or stroke and those who want to learn more about how to relax and enjoy food in a healthy way. “This program is for anyone who wishes to learn more about healthy eating habits to stave off disease and specific exercises to reduce the stress in your life,” said Sharon Plank, M.D., instructor of the Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies program and integrative medicine physician at the CIM. “For many people who already have diabetes, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome, or those who are risk, learning these techniques is a way to improve their quality of life and teaches them ways to reduce the impact of the disease in their life.”
The Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies program is funded by the Shadyside Foundation. The CIM is dedicated to clinical services, education and research on an evolving form of health care where disease prevention, practitioner/patient partnership and the evidence-based application of non-conventional treatment strategies are explored in collaboration with conventional medical practices. For more information, please call the CIM at (412) 623-3023.
February 12, 2007
No Place Like Home: Living-at-Home Helps Seniors, Saves Health Care Dollars
“Living-at-home social workers, nurses, and community workers visit clients, help identify their medical needs, and recommend the UPMC or community services that can deliver needed care,” says Missy Sovak, MSW, LCSW, ACSW. Living-at-Home helps older adults like Olga Mitro live independently in their own homes, surrounded by their memories and their belongings. Olga Mitro’s sunny apartment in Greenfield Terrace is full of family photos and gifts from her three sons---shamrock placemats from Ireland and sculpture from Africa—and it smells like buttery, fresh-baked cinnamon cookies. To view the full article, click here. |
