Join Mount Nittany Medical Center for an Open House on Saturday, June 23 from 9:00 am - noon to celebrate the completion of the first phase of its new emergency department (ED) facility. Tours, refreshments, giveaways, health information and more will be featured.

"In 2010, more than 50,000 patients needed care at Mount Nittany Medical Center's emergency department, and by 2020, about 85,000 people are predicted to seek out care here," said Theodore Ziff, MD, medical director of the emergency department. "To accommodate and plan for a growing region, Mount Nittany Medical Center is undergoing an expansion and renovation project that will be complete in 2013 and will total 56,180 square feet dedicated to emergency medicine services."

	Cheri Woll, RN, BS, CCM, oncology nurse navigator

June is National Cancer Survivors Month.

A cancer "survivor" is anyone living with a history of cancer - from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life, according to the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation. Major advances in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment have resulted in longer survival. In the United States, there are nearly 12 million people living with a history of cancer.

A cancer diagnosis can leave a host of problems in its wake as physical, financial and emotional hardships often persist after diagnosis and treatment. Survivors may continue to face challenges such as inadequate insurance and employment issues. Resources are available to help cancer survivors with all of these issues; patient navigators and other healthcare providers can help connect survivors to the appropriate care and resources.

Mount Nittany Health is pleased to announce the addition of Daniel Hearn, CPC, as Chief Financial Officer, Mount Nittany Physician Group.

Hearn received his bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in accounting from Temple University, Philadelphia. He is a member of several professional organizations, including American Association of Certified Professional Coders, Health Care Financial Management Association and MGMA Medical Group Managers Association.

With more than 30 years of experience in hospital and physician practices in both finance and operations, Hearn was most recently Chief Financial Officer for Delaware Valley Urology in Marlton, NJ.

Mount Nittany Physician Group currently employs more than 70 physicians who provide a variety of primary and specialty care services at a growing number of offices throughout Central Pennsylvania. For more information, visit mountnittany.org.

It's no secret - fluids are necessary to beat the heat. As long as you make the right choices, the fluids you consume are second only to oxygen in keeping you alive and well. But what beverages are best? And how much should you drink?

During the summer in Pennsylvania, we live with high heat and humidity so staying hydrated by drinking lots of fluids is key. Plain water is certainly preferable; after all we don't just drink it, we're made of it. Water comprises almost 70 percent of our weight and is critical to functions such as carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, flushing away waste, and regulating body temperature.

	The Keller family

Most people have been in an emergency department at some part during their life, either as a patient or with a family member or friend. The experience can be scary and nerve-racking. For Tricia Keller, a resident of Huntingdon and the mother of three children, Mount Nittany Medical Center's emergency department has been a lifesaver for her family.

Keller describes how her husband, Scott, complained of severe abdominal pain that started to worsen very quickly. She made the decision to take him in her own car from Huntingdon, about 45 minutes from State College, to Mount Nittany Medical Center. "On the way there, my husband said he didn't know if he could make it since he was in such severe pain. I called an ambulance and they met me in Pine Grove Mills," said Keller. "By the time I got to the medical center, the staff knew who I was and why I was there. They gave Scott some pain medications to make him more comfortable before taking him for tests to determine his medical issues. It turned out he had a twisted bowel, which could be corrected without surgery. I was very impressed by the amount of communication with the staff and their professionalism. Scott ended up spending two nights in the medical center and the nurses were just wonderful," Keller concluded.

The Lance and Ellen Shaner Cancer Pavilion at Mount Nittany Medical Center will provide an environment of healing and care for patients with cancer. Patients and their families will have access to a best-practice driven, multidisciplinary team of nurses, social workers, dietitians, patient and nurse navigators, therapists, chaplains, pharmacists and rehabilitation specialists, all led by oncologists.

The Cancer Pavilion will include:

• Dedicated space for the current intensity modulated linear accelerator - technology designed to allow physicians and physicists the ability to program delivery of exact forms of radiation up to eight times faster than other delivery systems, pinpointing radiation to the tumor and preserving healthy tissue.

	Jay Hoover, RN, administrative director, Pain Management Clinic

Jay Hoover has joined Mount Nittany Heralth's Pain Management Clinic as the administrative director. Hoover, under the direction of the vice president for quality, will coordinate the day-to-day management of personnel and operations at the clinic to ensure services that both satisfy patients and promote financial stability.

Hoover earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Mount Aloysius College and previously held several positions at Mount Nittany Medical Center over the past 16 years.

The Pain Management Clinic treats patients whose pain has outlasted the normal healing period following an accident or injury, as well as those experiencing pain related to other health conditions. For more information on the Pain Management Clinic, visit mountnittany.org or call 814.237.3360.

Early detection is important.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer of American men, and although it is a serious disease, the good news is that it is treatable. Approximately 200,000 new prostate cancer cases will be diagnosed this year in the United States and 30,200 men will die of this disease. In most cases, prostate cancer is a slow growing cancer, so early detection is important.

Prostate cancer generally affects older men and is rare to get before the age of 50. However, men in their 30s and 40s can also contract it. African-American men have the highest incidence, as well as the highest death rate, from prostate cancer. Having a family history of prostate cancer puts men at high risk.

It wouldn't be happy valley without Mount Nittany standing so majestically in the center! The White Trail, one of several that crisscrosses the mountain, leads to the Northwest Overlook.

From this vantage point, at an altitude of 2040 feet, hikers have a stunning view of the valley below and some well-loved State College landmarks, including Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center. Because it stands in the shadow of this great mountain, Mount Nittany Medical Center is part of the vista from its pinnacle.

Join Mount Nittany Physician Group audiologist Leslie Purcell, AuD, for a frank talk about hearing loss - what it is, what causes it, and how to have a full life even if you are facing hearing loss.

Melanie O'Brien, AuD, from Phonak Hearing Systems, will be on hand to talk about today's assistive device technology, including hearing aids and Bluetooth-enabled products that enhance hearing and can counteract hearing loss.

Tuesday, June 12
6:30 pm
Galen and Nancy Dreibelbis Auditorium
Mount Nittany Medical Center
1800 East Park Avenue

RSVP to 814.234.6727

Light refreshments will be served.