The Sanatoga Post

The front page of Sunday's Pottstown Mercury

POTTSTOWN PA – Residents of the Pottsgrove townships – Lower, Upper and West – surrounding the borough of Pottstown, and the Pottsgrove School District as well, took their lumps Thursday night (Jan. 5, 2012) during a meeting of the Board of Education of the Pottstown School District, according to an article published Sunday (Jan. 8) by The (Pottstown PA) Mercury newspaper.

One board member reportedly characterized “people in Pottsgrove and Douglassville” as having done less than those in Pottstown in building and paying for what came to be Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC). And the board’s new president reportedly claimed Pottsgrove school officials displayed a “holier than thou” attitude regarding a repeated suggestion to merge the two districts.

Both comments arose during the Pottstown board’s discussion of the future of its five elementary school buildings, Mercury reporter Evan Brandt wrote in his top-of-the-front-page story.

• Read the article by Brandt, titled “Board delves into past, future of elementaries” and published Sunday by The Mercury, here.

The 2012 edition of the Pottstown school board

Long-time Pottstown board member Robert Hartman Jr. at one point during the meeting, Brandt wrote, proposed that construction of a pool on Morris Street property now occupied by the Edgewood Elementary School should be paid for by the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation. The foundation’s asset base came from the July 2003 multi-million dollar sale of formerly non-profit PMMC to for-profit Community Health Systems of Tennessee.

“If you look in the plaque at that hospital, you will see it was built and paid for by Pottstown people, not people in Pottsgrove and Douglassville,” Hartman was quoted as saying. He seemed to be “suggesting Pottstown deserves a larger share of the foundation’s funds,” the article said.

The story did not mention if Hartman was aware of the large numbers of Lower Pottsgrove, Upper Pottsgrove and West Pottsgrove residents who, over several decades, contributed to or helped raise funds for the medical center’s construction and programs; who continued to support the hospital (and now the foundation too) financially through its auxiliary organizations; or who worked as PMMC employees now or in the past.

The board’s earlier approaches to the Pottsgrove district about the possibility of a merger between it and Pottstown apparently also were a topic of conversation Thursday.

It was Hartman who, in February 2009 as the Pottstown district’s president, contacted Pottsgrove to explore the suggestion following public comments by former Gov. Edward Rendell. Pottsgrove declined to talk about merging, saying in part the idea was premature.

When the subject of such a consolidation arose again last week in the context of Pottstown elementary building use, Brandt wrote, it “was met with a certain skepticism.”

“The last time we talked to Pottsgrove, they had a little bit of a holier-than-thou” attitude, newly elected Pottstown president Judy Zahora was quoted as saying. She reportedly asked Pottstown Superintendent Dr. Reed Lindley to “see if you can get someone to answer the phone,” at Pottsgrove.

“They always answer the phone,” Lindley was said to have replied.

Presumably, Lindley’s potential conversation with Pottsgrove Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis will be a discussion item among Pottsgrove board members sometime in the future.

Mercury image from The Newseum; school board photo from the Pottstown School District

POTTSTOWN PA – For many consumers, smart phones are an indispensable way to stay connected.  For physicians at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), they’re also tools to provide state-of-the-art care for burn patients.

When a patient with severe burns arrives at PMMC’s Emergency Department, 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA, doctors use the Lehigh Valley Health Network’s TeleBurn system to send digital photos of the wounds to burn specialists at the Regional Burn Center in Allentown PA. As specialists view images on their phones, they discuss best treatment options with PMMC.

The network’s burn center experts “are a great resource for us” in quickly deciding whether to treat a patient at the Emergency Department or to transfer them to the burn center, said PMMC Emergency Services Patient Care Director Brian Barth.

To use TeleBurn, emergency department staffers take digital photos of a patient’s wound, upload them to a secure Internet site, and send them to a burn specialist’s smart phone.  After a phone consultation between physicians, the patient is transported to the burn center if it’s determined that specialized care is needed.

Although many patients sustain an injury serious enough to be transferred, TeleBurn has been able to keep in their local area for care more than 14 percent of patients seen, according to burn center Chief Dan Lozano. “This shows how TeleBurn is improving access to care and quality while reducing costs,” he noted.

Time-efficient interaction between physicians assures the best care is provided quickly, Lozano said. With TeleBurn, “physicians get fast access to information they need to consult about a patient,” Barth added. In turn, patient “chances for a complete recovery dramatically improve.”

TeleBurn is a recent innovation. When launched in 2008, it effectively sent pictures but burn specialists had to log into a computer system to see them. With technology installed last year, burn center doctors receive a phone call and simply log into a secure application on their phones to check photos and talk with emergency department physicians.

The burn center is the largest of its kind in Pennsylvania, with 18 beds and about 700 inpatient discharges annually. TeleBurn has expanded to serve 39 facilities.

“With certain medical conditions, the expression ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ is literally true. Burns are one of those conditions,” says PMMC emergency medicine physician Dr. Richard McLaughlin.

POTTSTOWN PA – Free prostate screenings to help in the early detection of prostate cancer will be offered on three dates this fall – Sept. 19 (2011; Monday), Sept. 20 (Tuesday), and Sept. 22 (Thursday) – by Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC) at the hospital, 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA.

Advance registration is required due to a limited number of appointments available, and blood work for the test must be drawn between Aug. 15 and Aug. 31 at a participating PMMC laboratory.  For more information or to register, call (610) 327-7092.

One in six men will develop prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men. Early stages of prostate cancer may not cause any symptoms, so yearly medical checkups are important, the hospital said Monday (July 11) in announcing its offer.

Age is the biggest risk factor of prostate cancer, with the likelihood of diagnosis greatly increasing after age 50; however, some men are at a higher risk.  African Americans are diagnosed 60 percent more than white American men, and should begin screening as early as age 35.  A man’s chance of diagnosis doubles if he has a father or brother with prostate cancer, so men with a family history of the disease should also begin early screening, the hospital said.

Healthy diets and exercise also can lower risk for the disease. Foods such as tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit are especially beneficial because they contain lycopenes, which are antioxidants, and have been linked to prostate cancer prevention.

All men over the age of 40, and those who are 35 and identified as high risk, are strongly encouraged to register, the hospital added.  PMMC’s free prostate screening consists of two parts:  a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) performed by a trained physician.

By Dr. Carol Cola
of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center

POTTSTOWN PA – Before heading outdoors to enjoy the long summer days, be properly armed with all the essentials for spending time in the sun, safely. You’ll want a pair of sunglasses, a hat and, most importantly, a good sunscreen.

In addition to premature aging, excessive sun exposure puts health at risk. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than one million cases diagnosed each year. Melanoma cases – the most serious and fastest-growing type of skin cancer – have doubled in the past 20 years.

If found and treated early, melanoma has a high cure rate – about 99 percent – according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. It’s better to prevent it, though.

Around 90 percent of skin cancers occur on the head, neck, ears, lips or hands … areas that are in the sun most often. Other factors that play a role in skin cancer risk include age, complexion (light-skinned people have the greatest risk), any prior family history of skin cancer, and geographic location of the country (the sunny Southern states are a hot spot for increased cancer risk).

A sunburn can happen anywhere, not just at the park or the pool. Exposure to sun occurs while driving, through a glass window at home, or reflected off another surface such as concrete, sand or snow. The good news: it’s never too late to begin protecting your skin.

Recent studies by the Skin Cancer Foundation state that the average individual has received only 23 percent of lifetime sun exposure by age 18, not 80 percent as formerly thought. Consequently, there’s always a health benefit to be gained by beginning new habits.

For adequate coverage, start with a good sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30. The number refers to the product’s ability to protect the skin, for the amount of time it takes to burn unprotected skin versus sunscreen-protected skin. For example, a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 allows those outside to spend 30 times longer in the sun without burning.

Be sure to choose a sunscreen with both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B rays (UVB) protection, also called a ‘broad spectrum’ sunscreen.

Ultraviolet rays affect skin differently. UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply, causing DNA and collagen damage. UVB rays, on the other hand, are shorter, more intense rays that cause skin color changes (such as a burn or tan). Both can quicken skin aging, and also play roles in the development of skin cancer.

Protect skin all day, but especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.; that’s the prime time for sunburns. Remember that it’s still possible to get a sunburn on cloudy days too. Apply plenty of sunscreen (about an ounce, which is the equivalent of a shot glass of lotion), 20 to 30 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply frequently – about every two hours – particularly after exercise or water activities.

Keep an eye on freckles, moles and other spots on the skin, and show any changes to a doctor or dermatologist. Warning signs to look for include a mole, birthmark or brown spot that over time changes color or texture, increases in size or thickness, has irregular outlines, or is bigger than 6 millimeters or a quarter-inch (the size of a pencil eraser).

Also, any spot or sore that itches, hurts, crusts, scabs or bleeds, or an open sore that does not heal, should be brought to a doctor’s attention.

Carol Cola, D.O. is a member of the medical staff, department of surgery, at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. She is a graduate of The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed a rotating internship at The Hospital of The Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She served a dermatology residency at The Dermatology Center, Philadelphia. Dr. Cola also completed a fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery at Dermatology Associates of Tulsa OK. Dr. Cola’s practice has offices at 933 N. Charlotte St., Pottstown PA, and 599 Arcola Rd., Collegeville PA.

POTTSTOWN PA – Pottstown Memorial Medical Center‘s operating margin – the money it earned from reimbursements for patient care and related operations – during fiscal year 2010 hit 18.08 percent, the highest among 23 general acute care hospitals operating in the Philadelphia suburbs, the Harrisburg PA-based Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council reported Friday (May 6, 2011).

PMMC as it appeared last October, lit at night in pink for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In addition, PMMC’s total margin for the same period, which accounts for both operating and non-operating income (such as earnings on investments), ranked fourth – at 10.63 percent – within the same 23-hospital group, the council said.

During 2010 PMMC collected $188 million in net patient revenues, according to the report, and incurred $154 million in total operating expenses, resulting in a fiscal year profit of $34 million.

The council is an independent state agency charged with addressing the cost and quality of health care in Pennsylvania. Copies of Volume One of its 2010 Financial Analysis, from which figures cited here are taken, are available free for download from the council website, here.

PMMC’s high profitability last year compares to an average 2010 operating margin of 4.36 percent among all general acute care hospitals statewide, and an average 2010 total margin of 5.26 percent statewide. Effectively, PMMC performed two- to four-times more profitably than other hospitals identified in Region 8 of the council’s report.

Of the same group, which covers Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, six hospitals were reported to have lost money and operated in the red.

Moreover, PMMC’s profitability has been constant or climbing in each of the preceding three years as well. Council statistics indicate the hospital earned $19 million in 2007 ($153 million in revenue; $134 million in expenses); $20 million in 2008 ($161 million revenue, $141 million expenses); and $34 million in 2009 ($173 million revenue, $139 million expenses). Its three-year average total margin for 2008-2010 was 10.63 percent, the council said, second only to Paoli Hospital on the Main Line for the same period.

PMMC is owned by Tennessee-based Community Health Systems (CHS), which on Monday (May 2) raised its public bid to buy Tenet Healthcare Corp. to $7.25 per share, or about $4.06 billion.

Another nearby CHS-owned facility – Phoenixville Hospital, 16 miles east in Phoenixville PA – also proved to be profitable, according to the council report, although not in the same league as Pottstown.

Phoenixville’s 2010 operating margin was 9.54 percent, ranking it fourth for that measure of profitability in the region. Its 2010 total margin was 5.54 percent, earning it seventh place. For the year Phoenixville collected $163 million in net patient revenues, and spent $149 million, for a profit of $14 million, the council report shows.

The three-year average total margin at Phoenixville was listed at 6.21 percent, also good for seventh place. Until last year, its profitability was similarly consistent to that of Pottstown. The report shows Phoenixville made $10 million in 2007, $15 million in 2008, and $17 million in 2009.

“Overall, the financial health of Pennsylvania hospitals improved primarily because of gains in the economy and the stock market,” council Executive Director Joe Martin said. “However, the cost to hospitals for providing uncompensated care continues to increase.”

Both Pottstown and Phoenixville had dramatically lower levels of uncompensated care – the amount of hospital services rendered for which no payment was made – last year than their regional counterparts, according to the report. The region’s average in the category was 2.05 percent. The highest level of 2010 uncompensated care occurred at St. Luke’s Hospital in Quakertown PA, at 4.15 percent. At the CHS-owned hospitals, by comparison, uncompensated care hit just 1.47 percent in Pottstown, and an even lower 1.18 percent in Phoenixville.

• Read a story about the study’s overall results, written by reporter John George, titled “27 Phila.-area hospitals notch 2010 profits,” and published Friday by the Philadelphia Business Journal, here.

POTTSTOWN PA – More than 200 people who offer their time and talents as volunteers at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA, will be the hospital’s guests this week at a National Volunteers Week meal in their honor.

The “Give From The Heart” dinner Wednesday (Aril 13, 2011) scheduled at Brookside County Club particularly will recognize 47 individuals who donated between 100 hours and 22,000 hours of their time, according to Sharon Steinmetz, the hospital’s manager of volunteer services.

During 2010, PMMC volunteers – including its teen-age VolunTeens – donated a total of 44,000 hours of service to the hospital and its patients. “We appreciate the time and dedication they give to the hospital every day,” Steinmetz said.

For more information on becoming a hospital volunteer, call (610) 327-7136.

Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.

POTTSTOWN PA – Dr. Howard Kessler of the radiology staff at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center will serves as a guide April 13 (2011; Wednesday) at 6 p.m. as participants in the PMMC Healthy Woman program tour the hospital’s new-look Women’s Imaging Suite. The program is free to women of all ages, and starts in the PMMC Board Room, 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

Guests will learn how digital mammograms and bone density scans are reviewed using the latest technologies, and about diagnostic services the hospital offers, including digital mammography and stereotactic breast biopsy. For more information or to register, call 610-327-7662.

Healthy Woman is a PMMC program intended to provide women with knowledge and confidence to make informed health care and well-being decisions for themselves and their loved ones.

Photo from PMMC

Drs. John Lignelli (left) and Paul Smith

POTTSTOWN PA – In what was characterized Wednesday (March 9, 2011) as “ground-breaking,” first-of-its-kind surgery at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, two local physicians led and successfully completed a three-hour procedure to replace the jaw of a woman in her 50s who suffered from a condition known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

Pottstown surgeons John Lignelli II and Paul Smith “recently” performed the operation on their patient, who began experiencing jaw pain during 2003. The announcement from the hospital, 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA, did not provide a specific date. The patient reportedly has already made a full recovery and has normal use of her jaw.

Spokeswoman Helen Guardiani said the procedure “was the first such operation” performed at PMMC, and added Pottstown’s was “the only suburban hospital to offer this procedure outside of the major inner-city university medical centers.” It now plans to offer the surgery to others as needed.

“The jaw functions like any other joint. It has bones, cartilage and tendons; it can get tired and sore, and you can sprain the jaw muscles,” Lignelli said. His patient’s problem started “because her TMJ (temporomandibular) joint wasn’t aligned properly, which put too much stress on it. Over time,” he explained, “the cartilage in her jaws simply wore out,” making replacement necessary.

For this replacement, the surgeons said they used a titanium prosthesis custom-made to fit the patient.

Jaw-replacement surgery is done only if other treatments don’t work, Lignelli cautioned. “We have a whole arsenal of options available to us, including arthroscopic surgery. If a person is having constant pain and it’s affecting their productivity, lifestyle and food choices, it’s time to consider medical treatment.”

After surgery, patients generally have normal use of their jaw, and encounter significantly less or no pain. They also have far fewer restrictions on the types of food they can eat. Most patients return home within a day or two, and start a rehab program of simple exercises in which they open their mouth wider every day, according to Guardiani. In most cases, she reported, they’re back to work in two weeks.

Dr. Thea Barton

POTTSTOWN PA – A program titled “Menorrhagia: Causes and Treatment Options,” presented by Dr. Thea Barton of Women’s Healthcare PC in Pottstown PA, will be held March 23 (2011; Wednesday) beginning at 6 p.m. in the Chesmont Building conference rooms of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, 13 Armand Hammer Blvd. The free event is sponsored by PMMC’s Healthy Woman initiative and is open to the public.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

Barton will discuss causes and treatment of excessive menstrual bleeding, which can affect women in all stages of the reproductive cycle and have crippling effects on day to day activities. A PMMC therapist from its Pottstown CarePlex will also demonstrate the use of Therabands for stretching and mini stress-reduction breaks. Advance registration is requested; for more information or to register, call 610-327-7662.

Photo from PMMC

POTTSTOWN PA – A total of $979,879 in grants were awarded Friday (Feb. 25, 2011) by the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation to 32 projects submitted by local organizations and schools in concluding its Fall 2010 fundings, the foundation announced.

The recipients included three projects proposed by groups with offices in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township; one in Limerick; and 15 in or affecting Pottstown.

The Visiting Nurse Association, with offices on East High Street in Sanatoga, will share in more than a half-million dollars in foundation money to improve access to medical services.

Formed with the proceeds of the multi-million dollar sale of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center to Community Health Systems of Tennessee, the foundation provides grant money to local schools and non-profit organizations across portions of western Montgomery, eastern Berks and northern Chester counties that offer programs which motivate people to adopt healthy lifestyles.

Awards totaling $267,075 were presented to 20 projects aimed at reducing behavioral health risks; $527,654 for three projects intended to improve access to medical services; $160,500 for six projects intended to enhance formal and informal supports; and $24,650 for three programs meant to improve physical and social environments.

“The grant applications submitted are innovative and consistent with our mission to enhance the health and wellness of area residents,” according to foundation Executive Director Dave Kraybill. Grants were awarded to:

In Lower Pottsgrove:

• Coventry Christian School, for the Keep ‘Em Moving enhancement of physical and education programs;
• Family Services of Montgomery County, Project HEARTH (Helping Elderly Remain In Their Homes);
• VNA Community Services Inc., Personal Navigator program with expanded legal support services.

In Limerick:

• Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Parish, for its physical education and health program.

In Pottstown:

• Child, Home and Community, for Pottstown adolescent prenatal, parenting and support;
• Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center, Enhancing Prime Time Health;
• Pottstown Area Seniors’ Center, Save Our Collaboration;
• Pottstown Family Center, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program;
• Pottstown Karate Club, Level 1 cross-fit certifications;
• Pottstown School District, wellness campaign with Pottstown Community TV;
• Schuylkill River Greenway Association, Bike Pottstown program;
• St. Aloysius School, Steps to a Healthier You fitness and nutrition program;
• Community Health and Dental Care, Inc., community-based health care center sustainability;
• Montgomery County Community College, Dental Sealant Day;
• Montgomery County Community College, Service Learning to Build the Capacity of Community-Based Non-profit Organizations Project;
• Freedom Valley YMCA, specialized aquatic wheelchairs;
• Pottstown Area Police Athletic League, PAL administrative and operating support;
• Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, capacity building initiative; and
• Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, walk-in freezer.

The foundation’s online community, Mission Healthy Living, provides area residents with information on how to lead a healthier life.