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LG Health News Releases
At LGH sisters opt for surgery to reduce breast cancer risk
5/9/2012 1:28:03 PM
Breast cancer has crossed the minds of most women at some point in their lives. For Jennifer Garman of Manheim, the mother of four young children, breast cancer was more than just a passing thought. Instead of wondering if she would get breast cancer, Jennifer wondered when. She wasn’t alone. Her older sister, Lavonne Kopcha of Elizabethtown, felt the same.
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“Breast cancer was always a big part of our lives,” says Jennifer. “I’ve always just assumed that I was going to get it; it was just a matter of time. But I never let my concerns get in the way of my living, especially when I became a mother.”
Her concerns weren’t irrational. Their father’s family had a history of breast cancer, which put Jennifer and Lavonne at an even greater risk for developing the disease.
“Each year I had annual mammograms that turned up nothing,” said Lavonne. “I’d keep thinking each time: ‘this could be it—the year it happens to me’."
Genetic testing through the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at Lancaster General (LG) Health* confirmed what the family history suggested — both woman had a gene that made them susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer. Carriers of these genes have up to an 85 percent chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetimes. Positive identification of the genes usually points to a higher risk of ovarian cancer as well.
“Our genetic counselor discussed our options in depth,” says Jennifer. Among them was increased screening including mammograms, MRIs, and ultrasounds about every six months.
A lifetime of surveillance, however, led Jennifer and Lavonne to a decision that made perfect sense to both of them. They chose elective surgery to remove their breasts.
They knew some may say their choice to have a prophylactic bi-lateral mastectomy was radical since they might never have developed breast cancer, but for them, the choice was a “no-brainer”.
“Having a mastectomy was an easy decision for both of us,” explains Jennifer. “"To be tested every six months for the rest of our lives wasn’t an option for us. Thankfully, our husbands and family supported our decision completely.”
Both sisters’ children were too young to really understand what was going on but they tried to talk about it a lot. “I didn’t want my kids thinking I was sick or going into school saying ‘my mom has cancer,” says Jennifer. “I wanted to make sure they knew nothing was wrong and I was going to be in the hospital for a few days so that I wouldn’t get ‘sick’."
The sisters made an appointment with breast cancer professionals at LG Health Cancer Center, including surgeon Paul G. Newman, MD, FACS, and plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Alisha Arora, MD. Both sisters chose have reconstruction at the time of their mastectomies.
“Knowing everything involved with the procedures, we decided to space out our surgeries in order to support each other’s recovery,” says Lavonne. Jennifer went first followed by Lavonne several months later.
The initial surgery involved the complete removal of both breasts and the first stages of reconstruction. It required a brief stay in the hospital.
“Treating a person requires more than just removing the disease or the risk,” says Dr. Arora. “For these sisters, our surgical goal was to restore an appearance of normal anatomy in order to restore their quality of life after mastectomy.”
According to Dr. Arora, the first step of reconstruction for Jennifer and Lavonne involved the placement of balloon-like implantable devices called tissue expanders behind the chest wall muscle. Saline is then injected into the expanders through a metal port under the skin every week in order to gradually stretch the muscle and skin to a desired breast size. At the second stage of reconstruction, the expanders are removed and replaced with soft, more natural feeling permanent implants. A third step may be performed later to recreate the appearance of a nipple with what Dr. Arora describes as “origami of the skin” plus skin colored tattoos.
“Although the majority of women choose implants there are other techniques to reconstruct a breast that uses tissue from other parts of the body,” says Dr. Arora. “These are less common and typically more complex procedures involving a longer surgery and recovery.”
For Jennifer and Lavonne, explains Dr. Arora, these tissue-based procedures weren’t really an option due to their slender, athletic frames. Both sisters are very pleased with their outcomes.
Overall, the surgery reduced their chance of developing breast cancer by about 90 percent. Both sisters will still require annual examinations of the chest wall and, it was recommended for Jennifer to have a hysterectomy at age 40 or once she is through having children because of the associated risk of developing ovarian cancer. Lavonne had already undergone a hysterectomy, which revealed precancerous cells.
“I feel good about my decision to have a mastectomy and hysterectomy,” says Lavonne. “I feel a great sense of relief knowing I have done everything I can to be proactive. Now it’s out of my hands.”
Jennifer agrees. “It was the best thing for me to do. I’ve put it behind me and truly have no regrets. Ultimately, of course, it's an incredibly personal choice, one that women should make carefully, evaluating all the information available.”
Jennifer and Lavonne, along with their husbands are planning on running a half marathon together in the fall. “We love being active and healthy,” says Jennifer. “This was the best way for us to address the problem and move on with life!”
* Penn’s Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at LG Health is specifically designed for individuals with a personal history or strong family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer who want information about their risk and their family’s risk. The program also provides information for those individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer and want to know about the role of genetics in their diagnosis.
LG Health is one of 14 members of the Penn Cancer Network, and is the only member in Lancaster County. Built on a National Cancer Institute model for a community cancer center, the LG Health Cancer Center strives to offer the most effective and comprehensive cancer care available locally. However, when subspecialty care is needed, the Penn Cancer Network partnership ensures timely second opinions and referrals to Penn's Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia. The partnership also provides access to Penn's extensive clinical trials program offering Phase II and Phase III national clinical trials. These trials are used to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a drug and to compare new treatments with the current standards.
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LG Health to open Ephrata Urgent Care May 29
5/9/2012 1:20:30 PM
Lancaster General Health will open a new Urgent Care in Ephrata on Tuesday, May 29. The one-story 5,000 square-foot center, located in the 222 Commons next to the Sheetz convenience store at 895 E. Main St., Routes 322 and 222, will provide extended hours for minor medical emergencies and outpatient laboratory, X-ray and EKG services.
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The public can tour the new facility and learn more about its services during an open house on Saturday, May 26 from 8 to 11 a.m.
“This hybrid model meets the needs for patients requiring immediate urgent care and for LG Health patients who live in the area and need a convenient place to come for outpatient lab and imaging services that are closer to where they live,” explained Susan Wynne, Senior Vice President of Ambulatory Services for LG Health.
“One in four people, who live in this part of the county, travel into Lancaster City for their medical care. Based on the success of our first Urgent Care, which opened in 2010 on Spring Valley Road in Lancaster, we know there is a need for these services in the community,” said Wynne.
LG Health anticipates 9,800 visits to the new Urgent Care in its first year of operation, in addition to nearly 12,000 lab visits and 3, 500 X-ray procedures. The Urgent Care will be staffed by physicians on the medical staff at LG Health. Open seven days a week with no appointment necessary, Urgent Care is ideal when medical attention is needed for sprains, cuts, burns, infections or flu symptoms and when patients cannot get in to see their family doctor, such as after hours or on holidays.
“Patients are seeking fast, convenient and cost-effective alternatives when their primary-care physicians are not available and their conditions do not warrant visits to the emergency department,” added Jasmeet Bhogal, MD, medical director for LG Health Urgent Care. “True emergencies like chest pain, stroke, severe burns or trouble breathing should always be treated at an emergency department.”
The Urgent Care physicians will provide follow up reports to patients’ primary care physicians. Physician practices using the same electronic medical record system as LG Health will have immediate access to patient records, including laboratory and imaging studies performed at LG Health.
Hours for the LG Health Urgent Care in Ephrata are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. outpatient lab and radiology services are available from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.
LG Health will offer occupational medicine services beginning in the Fall 2012, and by the end of the year, Smilebuilderz urgent care dental services has plans to locate next door to the LG Health Urgent Care.
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da Vinci Single-Site™ incision revolutionizes gall bladder removal at LGH
5/1/2012 11:34:39 AM
Each year, about one million people in the United States undergo surgery to remove their gallbladder, making gallbladder, or cholecystectomy procedures, one of the most common. Of that number, 40 % of patients are women, ages 18 to 44.*
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Now a new procedure using da Vinci Single-Site™ incision, the latest breakthrough in robotic-assisted surgery, removes the gallbladder using one tiny incision instead of multiple incisions.
Dr. Paul Newman, MD, FACS, who is with Lancaster Surgical Group and on the medical staff at Lancaster General Hospital, is among one of the first surgeons in Pennsylvania to perform the new technique. While surgery is unique with every patient, the typical procedure takes about 30 to 40 minutes; and patients experience less pain, a faster recovery and hospital stay, and can often home the same day.
“With only one incision in the belly button, the procedure is virtually scarless,” said Dr. Newman, who was the first surgeon in Lancaster County to perform the da Vinci Single-Site on April 13, 2012. “The robotically-assisted da Vinci Single-Site increases visibility, instrument control and reach compared to the traditional single-incision manual laparoscopic surgery.”
In 2011, 739 cholecystectomies, or gallbladder removal procedures, were performed at Lancaster General Health.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc., makers of the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System received FDA-approval in December 2011 specifically for removal of diseased gallbladders. The system enables surgeons to reduce the traditional number of incisions from 4 to 6 small incisions to one incision that is less than an inch in length.
With three da Vinci robots in place, Lancaster General Health (LG Health) offers one of the more comprehensive robotic-assisted surgery programs in the region for cardiovascular, gynecologic, gynecologic, urologic and general surgery.
*According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, women are twice as likely as men to develop gallstones. Excess estrogen from pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, and birth control pills appears to increase cholesterol levels in bile and decrease gallbladder movement, which can lead to gallstones.
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LG Health's Penn Cancer Network partnership helps patients with rare cancers
4/18/2012 8:33:52 AM
When Joe Querry took a nap one summer afternoon, he never expected to wake up and make a life-changing discovery: a lump he found in his neck that day would soon be diagnosed as cancer that had invaded his lymph nodes.
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Over the next two years, Querry received a range of treatments, some of it available close to his Bainbridge home and some—thanks to a longstanding partnership between Lancaster General Health and the Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center just a train ride away to Philadelphia.
Querry, 56, is one of hundreds of Lancaster-area patients who have received second opinions or specialized cancer treatments through the Penn Cancer Network. As one of 14 partners in the network associated with Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, LG Health continues to provide most of its patients with thorough cancer care in a local setting. But for those cases when a patient is facing an exceedingly rare cancer or needs a complex treatment, oncologists can turn to the extensive resources and experience provided by specialists at the Abramson Cancer Center.
“Our goal is to provide for 90 percent of our patients 90 percent of the time within the LG Health system,” says Beth Horenkamp, MD, of Hematology/Oncology Medical Specialists at LG Health. “They go out through the network for the specific piece of care they need, and then they come back to us.”
For Querry, who was referred to Horenkamp by his family doctor, it initially looked as though his treatments at LG Health would be enough to keep his cancer at bay. Horenkamp sent him for a biopsy that confirmed testicular cancer. After having his testicle removed, he went through three months of chemotherapy.
But Querry suffered what Horenkamp described as a “rapid reoccurrence” and needed additional care by January 2010. She referred him to Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, where hematology/oncologist David Vaughn, MD, recommended a stem cell transplant. Because such procedures are done relatively rarely, they are not offered at LG Health. A consultation with Edward Stadtmauer, MD, co-director of Penn’s bone marrow and stem cell transplant program, gave Querry and his wife renewed hope.
“I never felt sorry for myself,” said Querry, whose treatment at Penn included a week-long procedure during which doctors separated his own healthy stem cells from his blood and froze them for preservation. After another round of chemotherapy that “almost killed him” and did, indeed, kill his cancer cells, Querry’s doctors intravenously returned the healthy stem cells.
Doctors at Penn created a follow-up plan and were immediately in touch with Horenkamp, who resumed leadership over his care. More than two years later, Querry is still in remission and visits Horenkamp’s office near Park City Center every six weeks for a check-up.
Horenkamp said she and her fellow LG Health oncologists and surgeons have built relationships with cohorts at Penn that allow them to e-mail questions on behalf of their patients or get experiential advice when medical journals can’t provide the right guidance in a difficult case.
Through the Penn Cancer Network, experts from Penn also present continuing medical education programs four times a year, deepening local doctors’ expertise on topics such as lung cancer or reconstruction following breast cancer.
Horenkamp estimates 5 to 10 percent of her patients have some contact with the Penn CancerNetwork, often just for a second opinion. Even for those who will never need the care of a Penn specialist, knowing that their own doctors have the support of one of the nation's foremost cancer centers is a reassuring part of treatment.
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LGH physician receives Drexel's Golden Apple Award
4/18/2012 8:28:45 AM
Philip Billoni, MD, of Lancaster, who practices with Internal Medicine Hospital Specialists at Lancaster General Hospital, was one of three recipients of the prestigious Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching and mentoring from Drexel University College of Medicine.
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A native of Hempfield Township and graduate of Hempfield High School, Dr. Billoni is the physician lead for third year medical students at LGH. Each year, third and fourth year Drexel medical students nominate and vote for the best three attending physicians from all the hospitals in which they rotate.
“I was so surprised, yet honored to be recognized by my students,” said Dr. Billoni. “The award demonstrates that we have established a superior learning environment for our medical students and they appreciate it greatly.”
Dr. Billoni, a graduate of Elizabethtown College, earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and served his residency at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. Prior to coming to LGH in 2010, Dr. Billoni was a hospitalist at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, OR, and at The Reading Hospital and Medical Center in Reading, PA.
He served as a Major in the US Army from 1997 to 2003, including a tour of duty in Tikrit, Iraq as a battalion surgeon during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Lancaster County ranked 14th nationwide in healthcare delivery
4/18/2012 8:22:06 AM
A new study from the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System ranks Lancaster County 14th nationwide in healthcare delivery, putting it in the top 10 percent of all local areas.
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Specific categories where Lancaster excelled: disease screening and prevention, adult continuity of care, low incidence of inappropriate prescription among the elderly, reduced hospital 30 day mortality and appropriate home discharge instructions.
“This report shows that Lancaster County physicians are dedicated to the new value proposition in healthcare. We have a highly motivated, physician led medical community and this report demonstrates our collaborative care model, dedication to clinical excellence and attention to healthcare utilization,” said Paul M. Conslato, MD, Lancaster General Health’s Physician Services Director of Clinical Affairs. “It’s a validation that our physician commitment to quality is now being nationally recognized, but more importantly reflected in the health of the communities we serve in Lancaster County, and that’s why we are here.”
After comparing 306 local health care areas, the Scorecare on Local Health System Performance found that where a patient lives has “a major impact on the ability to access health care and the quality of care received.”
In fact, there is often a two- to threefold variation from one local community to another in the four indicators the report studied: 1) access, 2) prevention and treatment, 3) potentially avoidable healthcare use and cost and 4) healthy lives.
After Lancaster, the next closest rankings in Pennsylvania were York (32), Harrisburg (51) and Danville (64). At the other end of the spectrum in Pennsylvania were Erie and Sayre (both 137) and Pittsburgh (156). The top ranked health care delivery area nationwide was St. Paul, Minnesota. Monroe, Louisiana came in last at 306.
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Prominent Heart Surgeons join Lancaster General Health
4/2/2012 12:03:21 PM
Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster, the nationally recognized physician practice that provides open-heart surgery at Lancaster General Hospital, joined the Lancaster General Health system effective April 1.
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Under a new name, Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster General Health, the practice includes heart surgeons Mark W. Burlingame, MD, a co-founder of the practice; Jeffrey T. Cope, MD, who joined the practice in 2002; and Mark Epler, MD, who joined Lancaster General Hospital in March.
“Since Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster is already closely aligned with Lancaster General Health, and our physicians hold key leadership and clinical positions, full integration will only further strengthen the coordination of care we give to our patients and the community,” said Dr. Cope, who was recently named Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
In addition to providing a comprehensive heart surgery program, the surgeons perform extensive treatment in general thoracic surgery, including lung cancer and benign and malignant conditions of the chest. The team also plays an integral part in developing and supporting the health system’s oncology program.
The expertise of the cardiothoracic surgeons is joined by the cardiologists and clinicians at The Heart Group of Lancaster General Health. LG Health also collaborates with Cardiac Consultants, P.C., Heart Specialists of Lancaster County, and Red Rose Cardiology, along with primary-care doctors and physician specialists in the region to improve how cardiovascular disease is addressed in the community.
Dr. Epler, who joins Drs. Burlingame and Cope in practice, came to LG Health from Palmetto Cardiovascular & Thoracic Associates, in Charleston, SC. He completed his fellowship in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Penn State University College of Medicine in Hershey, and earned his medical degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine.
The tradition of pioneering surgeries and outstanding results that defines Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster began in September 1983, when the first open-heart procedure was performed at Lancaster General Hospital. In 2011, its clinical outcomes were noted by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and published by Consumer Reports, as among the best in the nation. The practice voluntarily shares its clinical outcomes because it results in better care, and helps surgeons identify where they need to improve.
Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Lancaster General Health is located at the Lancaster Downtown Outpatient Pavilion at 540 N. Duke Street, Lancaster.
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Program benefits patients at high risk for developing GI cancers
3/13/2012 2:16:50 PM
A partnership between LG Health's Cancer Center, Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster and Lancaster Gastroenterology Inc. offers genetic counseling, testing, and recommendations for patients who are at high risk for developing GI cancers.
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Patients with a personal or family history of colon cancer and who may have an inherited risk for certain gastrointestinal (GI) cancers can benefit from Penn Medicine's Cancer Risk Evaluation Program (CREP) at Lancaster General Health (LG Health).
A partnership between LG Health's Cancer Center and Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster (RGAL) and Lancaster Gastroenterology Inc. (LGI), the program offers genetic counseling, testing, and recommendations for patients who are at high risk for developing GI cancers. Patients can be referred to the program by a healthcare provider or they can self-refer.
"When a patient has a family member with early onset colon or endometrial cancer, multiple relatives with these cancers, or a personal or family history of multiple colon polyps, it suggests a possible genetic cancer condition," said Mark Johnston, MD, of LGI. "Patients who fit that profile should see a specialist for an evaluation. If a patient has a family history involving colon cancer, he or she should be referred for a colonoscopy.”
Dr. Dan Connell at RGAL recommends that the family member who actually has cancer be tested first for the genetic factors. “Some individuals with a hereditary risk for cancer may have a better prognosis and are less likely to die from colon cancer than someone with sporadic colon cancer. They can also benefit from earlier screening for colon and endometrial cancers if they test positive for a family genetic defect,” he added.
"Our program is modeled after that of our partners at Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center," said Erin Sutcliffe, MS, one of two certified genetic counselors in the Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at LG Health. "After the patient completes a medical history questionnaire, we meet in person to review his or her personal situation and explain the risk factors and procedure for genetic testing. If appropriate to their case, the patient may have blood drawn for genetic testing. Following the first visit, we present that patient's case to a multidisciplinary team at Penn's weekly oncology genetics case conference."
The development of this program has been a collaborative effort between LG Health and Penn Medicine as a benefit of LG Health's membership in the Penn Cancer Network. High-risk families identified to carry one of these genetic defects are offered access to several research studies Penn Medicine is conducting to further understand these inherited syndromes.
At the patient's second visit, the LG Health genetic counselor, along with a physician or nurse practitioner from the program, review the patient's risk assessment and any test results. Follow up may include recommendations for further testing, a referral to specialists, surgery, or participation in research studies. The CREP team will also help determine whether other family members may benefit from genetic counseling/testing.
"Once we know a patient's genetic risk, we can recommend screenings and interventions to reduce their cancer risk and promote early detection, so if a patient does develop cancer, we have a better chance of curing it," said Sutcliffe.
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Improving seniors' lives through coordinated care
3/9/2012 10:34:27 AM
LG Health's Geriatric Fracture Program is getting results.
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For the elderly, a broken hip can be a life-changing event; one that often leads to disability, loss of independence, and for nearly a quarter of those affected, death within a year.
The Geriatric Fracture Program at Lancaster General Health Orthopedic Center is helping to change that picture. The first of its kind in the region, and one of only 200 in the nation, the program is improving outcomes for this vulnerable patient population through evidence-based practices, like:
• Decreasing the time from admission to surgery (goal: surgical intervention within 24 hours or less). This reduces the risk of complications such as pneumonia, pressure ulcers and urinary tract infections.
• Assessing for delirium each shift. Delirium is one of the most common post-operative complications in the elderly and one associated with poor recovery, longer hospital stays, higher costs and loss of independence.
• Screening for osteoporosis, a condition responsible for more than two million fractures each year. The majority of LG Health hip fracture patients had never been screened.
"By instituting a program that coordinates all aspects of the patient's experience, we can quickly start the recovery process and give patients a better chance of returning to their normal functions," said Gerald Rothacker, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster and chairman of the Geriatric Fracture Program at LG Health.
More than a dozen LG Health departments -- Emergency Medicine, Nursing, Internal Medicine, Orthopedics, Rheumatology, Geriatrics, Cardiology, Social Work, Dietary, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Pharmacy, Perioperative Services, and Quality and Decision Support -- have worked together closely since the program began in 2009.
"Having all the disciplines represented allows us to streamline care, initiate timely action, and know what's going on at all times as the patient moves through evaluation, treatment and recovery," explained Melody Dillman, MSN, RN, Orthopedic Program Coordinator.
The results tell the story.
When the Geriatric Fracture Program began, the average time for a patient to move from the Emergency Department to the operating room was 32 hours. Today it is approximately 23 hours. Post-operative length of stay decreased from 6.6 to 5.4 days.
"Not only are we saving lives, but by reducing length of stay, we're also saving about $1,000 per case, said Dillman. "That's a great accomplishment for our team."
"The Geriatric Fracture Program gives us the opportunity to tap into other healthcare organizations' knowledge and improve care for our patients," added Stacey Youcis, Lancaster General Health Vice President, Operations. "While improving efficiencies and costs is important, we've kept the focus on improving quality of life for our patients. "
Go to www.LancasterGeneralHealth.org and click on Services/Orthopedic Center to learn more about the Geriatric Fracture Program.
In FY 2011, LG Health treated 446 patients with hip fractures; 361 of those involved patients age 65 or older.
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SmartPill Offers Painless Diagnostic Option for GI Patients
3/9/2012 9:12:20 AM
New SmartPill is painless diagnostic tool for GI problems.
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Physicians at Lancaster Gastroenterology, Inc. (LGI) at Lancaster General Health’s Suburban Outpatient Pavilion on Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, are using a SmartPill Capsule for a painless way to find out what causes gastrointestinal problems and its chronic discomfort in patients.
Using the SmartPill Capsule, an ingestible medical device the size of a large vitamin, LGI physicians pinpoint the causes of motility disorders such as long-term constipation, rapid movement of food through the small intestine, and slow stomach emptying.
SmartPill replaces two costly diagnostic tests that exposed patients to radiation. Now, instead of undergoing scans and X-Rays, LGI patients can swallow a SmartPill and provide their doctors with data on pressure, pH and temperature within the digestive tract.
“SmartPill has been a game-changer for many of our patients with abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and constipation," says LGI’s Dr. Justin Harberson, who is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Motility Society. "SmartPill is a breakthrough technology for evaluating transit through the entire digestive tract.”
LGI began offering the SmartPill in 2010, the first private practice in Pennsylvania to do so. About 90 patients have since used the technology, ingesting the pill and a granola-bar meal that stimulates the stomach and digestive tract. Following a 15-minute office visit, patients wear a small wireless receiver for a few days to track how long it takes food to move through the stomach, and small and large intestines. The pill passes painlessly within a few days.
Harberson has used the capsule to diagnose disorders such gastroparesis—delayed passage of food through the stomach—and small bowel dysmotility—rapid or delayed movement of food through the small intestine. Many insurance companies cover SmartPill because it provides more information at less cost than older procedures.
Use of the capsule is a natural fit for LGI, which has long been known as an early adopter of high-tech practices, including in-office pathology. LGI, a partner of Lancaster General Health, has been serving Lancaster County for more than 40 years. LGI helped Lancaster General Hospital earn a top 50 ranking in the digestive disorders specialty in U.S. News & World Report’s 2009-2010 publication of America’s Best Hospitals. Dr. Harberson, a noted lecturer on GI issues, joined the practice in 2008.
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