News Release

AWARDS, NEW TECHNOLOGY HIGHLIGHT HOSPITAL'S ACHIEVEMENTS

Feb. 23, 2005 — Two hospital awards, acquisition of new treatment technology, increased home health care visits, and further plans for an independent living unit at Sugar Creek Station were among UPMC Northwest’s achievements during 2004.

UPMC Northwest

100 Top Hospitals Award – UPMC Northwest earned its third straight Solucient 100 Top Hospitals award last year for superior patient care, operational and financial performance. The award winning facilities treat more and sicker patients; their patients experience fewer complications, go home sooner and have higher survival rates; and the top-performing hospitals provide care less expensively than non-winning hospitals, Solucient says.

UPMC Northwest is one of only 20 medium-sized community hospitals nationwide to earn a spot on Solucient’s current 100 Top Hospitals list.

“Our employees, medical staff, board, and volunteers all contribute to the continued success of UPMC Northwest, and their efforts clearly show when we earn awards like this,” said UPMC Northwest president Neil Todhunter.

Community Value Index (CVI) Top 100 – UPMC Northwest earned a place last year on this honor roll of 100 hospitals nationwide that have the most value to their communities. Hospitals provide value when they are financially viable, reinvest in their facilities, maintain a low cost structure, and have reasonable charges, says Cleverley & Associates, a health care financial strategies company that named UPMC Northwest to its first (CVI) Top 100 list.

UPMC Northwest was the only northwestern Pennsylvania hospital to make the list, one of five statewide to achieve this distinction, and one of only 20 of its size nationwide to do so.

Earning recognition for value “is a very gratifying achievement for us,” Todhunter said.

InstaTrak Surgical Navigation System – This new surgical technology is helping doctors perform sinus surgery more safely and effectively at UPMC Northwest. With the InstaTrak system, physicians can better visualize patients’ sinus cavities, skull anatomy, and the surgical instruments, allowing them to more precisely target and remove diseased tissue while reducing the risks associated with these procedures.

UPMC Northwest was the first hospital in the region to obtain the InstaTrak system, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists are using it with excellent results. “They’re very happy with it and the results they’re getting,” says Vivian Todd, RN, UPMC Northwest’s program director of Surgical/Invasive Services.

Accreditations – The hospital during 2004 earned accreditation of its laboratories and ultrasound services. The ultrasound accreditation from the American College of Radiology (ACR) came after the ACR gave UPMC Northwest’s ultrasound program a near-perfect score.

Clarion Family Practice-UPMC – UPMC Northwest reopened its Clarion Family Practice center in August. Thanks to the presence of two UPMC Northwest affiliated family practice facilities in Clarion County – the other is Koenig Family Practice-UPMC in Knox – and the opening of the new UPMC Northwest hospital in nearby Seneca, Clarion County area residents have “better access than ever to UPMC Northwest’s facilities and services,” says family practitioner Randy Kreider, MD, who staffs the Clarion site.

UPMC Northwest Foundation

Branching Out – Gifts to Branching Out – UPMC Northwest Foundation’s 2004-2005 Annual Appeal – are helping to put a finishing touch of green on the new hospital in Seneca. Through Branching Out, individuals and organizations purchase shade trees and flowering trees for planting around the hospital site. While beautifying the grounds, the greenery also pays lasting memorial or honorary tribute to many persons for whom the contributions were given.

Visiting Nurses Association

Patient care – While providing care for slightly fewer patients last year, VNA markedly increased the number of home health care and hospice visits it made. During 2004, there were 40,620 visits (up almost 16 percent from 2003) to 1,634 patients. Growth in VNA Hospice services was especially noteworthy: the average daily census in the hospice program was 24 patients last year compared to 19 in 2003 and 12 in 2002.

VNA Private Duty provided 82,048 units of service, an average of 225 a day.

Patient satisfaction – VNA continues to earn top marks in patient satisfaction surveys. Patients gave VNA an overall score of 94.6 in the most recent Press Ganey survey (October to December 2004), making it one of the best performing home health care organizations among more than 300 in the survey.

VNA’s latest score marked the fourth time in six quarters that it has ranked in the top two percent of the survey. “We’re getting some excellent marks, and that speaks very well of our staff and the quality of care they provide,” says VNA chief executive officer Pat Kaufman.

Another mark of excellence – In addition to its exceptional patient satisfaction scores, VNA has earned a mark of excellence for accomplishing better results with two specific types of care. Working with a quality improvement organization known as Quality Insights of Pennsylvania, VNA significantly improved patients’ ambulation and management of patients’ oral medications during 2004. Both of these “stellar quality outcomes” are indicative of VNA’s commitment to provide high quality care, says Karen Hudock, VNA’s chief information officer.

VNA now is involved in an initiative to achieve better outcomes for patients who

experience pain. VNA’s results already meet or exceed state and national averages, but better outcomes are possible and VNA’s goal is to accomplish them, Mrs. Hudock says.

Sugar Creek Station

The 160-bed Sugar Creek Station offers skilled nursing care, respite care and short-term rehabilitation. Its services include expanded physical, occupational and speech therapy areas, a rehabilitation apartment, pet therapy and on-site pets, and a specialized Alzheimer’s/Dementia unit complete with a therapeutic outdoor courtyard.

Independent Living Unit – Sugar Creek Station is accepting inquiries for the seven apartments that it plans to build in an existing hallway later this year.

Each apartment in the proposed independent living unit (ILU) would include a kitchenette, living room, bedroom and bathroom, and the ILU would have several central facilities including a dining-activity room, laundry room, and landscaped patio.

Optional services like meals, light housekeeping, and transportation would be available, along with a call system for residents to summon a staff member in case of emergency.

Auxiliary involvement – Sugar Creek Station Auxiliary’s fund-raising activities produced contributions of about $4,000 worth of diagnostic and treatment equipment, furniture and other supplies during 2004.

The auxiliary is seeking to expand its efforts by recruiting more volunteers to assist not only with fund-raising but with other opportunities including escorting residents and visitors and lending a hand with residents’ activities inside and outside the facility.

Resident activities – Seeking to make the facility like home, Sugar Creek Station offers numerous activities including fine dining, theater productions, shopping trips, countryside drives and more for residents’ enjoyment.