VOLUME II, ISSUE 2

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

ADVANCED SURGICAL TECHNIQUES

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY CASE STUDY

ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS

ASK THE DOCTOR

NEW PATIENT OBSERVATION UNIT

ER EARNS HIGHEST RANKING

ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL LIFELINE PROGRAM

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

VOLUME II, ISSUE 4

St. Clair Hospital surgeons perform more than 11,000

surgeries each year and that number is expected to increase approximately

3 percent to 4 percent annually. To meet the growing demand, the Hospital unveiled the

area’s newest surgical facilities this fall, featuring three state-of-the-art operating

2

3

6

7

8

9

10

For decades, patients with suspicious

spots in their lungs have undergone

a bronchoscopy, in which a lighted flexible

tube is inserted into the lungs to help

surgeons pinpoint the location of the lesion

and to take a sample to biopsy it.

Trouble is, an estimated two-thirds of

lung lesions are outside the reach of a

conventional bronchoscope – an instrument

that provides safe, painless access to the

lungs, but yields an answer only 33 percent

of the time.

In those cases, surgeons will often turn

to other methods to reach the lesions,

including needle aspiration, an often effective

procedure, but one that can result in a

collapsed lung. Or, patients might

LEADING TEC NNOLOGYPinpointing Cancer Earlier

ANTONIO J. RIPEPI, M.D.,GENERAL SURGEON, inone of the three newoperating rooms.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

CONTINUED GROWTH

H

New Operating Rooms Meet Increasing Demand

2

Years ago, most surgical incisions were measured

in inches. But today’s advances in minimally

invasive surgery have led to many procedures being

performed through the tiniest of slits – measuring

only a few millimeters. What was once regarded as

technology available only in the distant future,

minimally invasive surgery is the foundation of

today’s health care environment and the result of

specially designed, sophisticated tools that allow

St. Clair Hospital’s surgeons to perform numerous

complex surgeries with small surgical incisions.

The benefits of minimally invasive surgery include

excellent surgical outcomes, fewer complications, less

blood loss, quicker healing, a shorter recovery period

and hospital stay, minimal pain, nominal or no

scarring, and a return to one’s normal activities much

sooner. Minimally invasive surgical techniques are also

useful in analyzing diseases or illnesses that prove to

be diagnostically challenging and in helping to make

terminally ill patients more comfortable throughout the

remainder of their care.

“There are so many surgical options available at

St. Clair Hospital,” says G. Alan Yeasted, M.D., Senior

Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at St. Clair.

“Our highly trained surgical staff continually produces

excellent results and outcomes for patients.”

With an ongoing focus on patient safety and pain

management, St. Clair has developed a number of

measures to ensure that every patient’s surgical

experience is as safe as possible. While all surgeries

involve certain risks, the Hospital’s professional staff

has implemented many initiatives that pay particular

attention to infection control, blood clot reduction

and pain management, effectively reducing or even

preventing these risks. This unparalleled dedication

to clinical excellence and patient safety has resulted

in the Hospital’s receipt of numerous regional and

national awards.

“One of the most important advantages of having

your surgery at St. Clair is that your care is coordinated

by your surgeon,” says Antonio J. Ripepi, M.D., a

board-certified general surgeon who performed Western

Pennsylvania’s first single-incision gallbladder surgical

procedure at St. Clair Hospital in October 2008. “The

physician you meet initially is the same surgeon who

performs your surgery and provides follow-up care

leading to a completely personalized, and superior

surgical experience.”

Kevin Bordeau, M.D., a board-certified urological

surgeon at St. Clair, agrees. “St. Clair Hospital is a

growing, technologically advanced hospital. The

open and friendly environment here allows surgeons

to be immediately available to patients to answer

questions, explain procedures, and, ultimately, lessen

their anxiety.”

Advanced Surgical TechniquesImprove Patient Experience

For more information about minimally invasive surgical services

at St. Clair Hospital, please visit www.stclair.org.

“ T h e r e a r e s o m a n y s u r g i c a l o p t i o n s a v a i l a b l e

Eng Hui Khor of Upper St. Clair was an active 35-year-old

who consumed a diet rich in fruits and vegetables,

exercised regularly and maintained a healthy weight. So it was

surprising and perplexing when his blood pressure levels

were consistently high.

Initially, Mr. Khor was placed on medication to control his high

blood pressure, but after awhile,the medications ceased working

and another medication needed to be prescribed. This changing

3

Following minimally invasive surgery, patient ENG HUI KHOR was ableto be discharged the next day and return to everyday activitieswithout delay.

medication cycle continued for several years, with no one

medication sustaining an adequate blood pressure level.

When his blood pressure was still high and his potassium

level was low during a routine physical at age 40, Mr. Khor’s

primary care physician, James Moretti, M.D., a board-certified

family practice physician at St. Clair Hospital, suspected a

condition known as Conn’s syndrome. A rare and often under-

diagnosed condition, Conn’s syndrome (also called primary

hyperaldosteronism) is a disorder in which excess amounts of

the hormone aldosterone are produced by the adrenal glands,

which are located atop each kidney. Along with causing high

blood pressure and low potassium levels, Conn’s syndrome

can also produce headache, fatigue, increased urine production,

muscular weakness and excessive thirst.

To further investigate the condition, Dr. Moretti scheduled an

appointment for Mr. Khor with Qizhi Xie, M.D., a board-certified

nephrologist at St. Clair. Following blood work and a kidney

ultrasound, Mr. Khor’s potassium levels were determined to be

low, and his aldosterone levels were high. Dr. Xie

recommended a CT (computerized tomography) scan – this time

Patient’s Rare Syndrome EffectivelyTreated Using Minimally Invasive Approach

I couldn’t believe thatthis type of surgery could bedone in a minimally invasive

manner, at a hospitalright in my backyard.”“

–Eng Hui Khor of Upper St. Clair

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

t o p a t i e n t s a t S t . C l a i r H o s p i t a l . ”

G . A L A N Y E A S T E D , M . D . , S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N TA N D C H I E F M E D I C A L O F F I C E R

Pinpointing Cancer EarlierCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

THE iLOGIC INREACH SYSTEM AT WORK

On a recent afternoon in a Hospital operating room, Dr. Maley

used the iLogic system to obtain a sample from a lymph node in

the right lung of 63-year-old Donald Drew of Bridgeville.

Just prior to being put to sleep for the procedure, Donald

explains to an observer that he was diagnosed with Large B-Cell

Lymphoma, a cancer in the lymphatic system of his neck, a little

over two years ago.

Donald says he was in remission for about 15 months when

a follow-up exam revealed a cancerous nodule on his right lung

and an enlarged lymph node in the center of his chest.

A biopsy of the lung nodule showed lung cancer, not

lymphoma. Perhaps, Donald’s oncologist wondered at the

time, the lung cancer had spread to the lymph node. But

while three chemotherapy treatments for the lung cancer

helped shrink the tumor, it had no affect on the enlarged

lymph node. In fact, it grew larger.

As Donald is prepped for the procedure in the operating

room, Dr. Maley explains that he needs to access the

lymph node to determine if Donald’s

lymphoma, once confined to his neck,

was now also in his chest, or if the

lymph node just contained drug

resistant lung cancer.

Lymph nodes in the chest, though,

are not directly accessible via the windpipe,

explains Dr. Maley. “So we’re going to use the

“–Richard H. Maley, M.D.,

Certified Thoracic Surgeon, St. Clair Hospital

undergo surgical biopsy, a highly invasive procedure in which

an incision is made in the chest cavity.

Now, physicians at St. Clair Hospital have another option

to help them reach so-called “distal” lung lesions, as well as

enlarged lymph nodes that might be harboring lymphoma, a

cancer of the lymphatic system, a part of the body’s built-in

defense system that, ironically, is designed to help fight diseases.

The iLogic Inreach system by Minneapolis-based

superDimension provides access to lung lesions or lymph

nodes with GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)-like electronic

navigation. In essence, it works by effectively extending the reach

of a conventional bronchoscope through the use of steerable

catheters which are guided by a 3D map of the lungs shown on a

high definition screen.

“I think this is the best technology that we have had to date to

get a tissue diagnosis of these hard to reach spots,” says Richard

H. Maley, M.D., a board-certified thoracic surgeon at St. Clair

Hospital. “As far as diagnosing, this is state-of-the-art,” he says,

noting that the system provides an answer

approximately 80 percent of the time.

The iLogic Inreachsystem enablesdoctors to accesshard-to-reachnodules orlymph nodes.

4

I think this is the best technology

that we have had to date to get

a tissue diagnosis of these hard to

reach spots. As far as diagnosing,

this is state-of-the-art.”

S t . C l a i r p h y s i c i a n s a r e t h e f i r s t i n P i t t s b u r g h t o u s e t h e

5

navigational system to find the lymph node right outside of the

windpipe. Once we find it, I’ll use a needle in the catheter to stick

it through the windpipe and into the lymph node and extract

some cells for biopsy.”

Using the iLogic system and a high resolution image of

Donald’s lungs and chest cavity, which earlier had been

captured by a St. Clair CT radiologist using the Hospital’s

state-of-the-art 64 Slice Computed Tomography (CT)

Scanner, Dr. Maley steers the catheter toward the lymph node.

Once he collects a sample of the lymph node, it is placed

on a sterile microscope slide and examined by a team from

the Hospital’s Pathology Department who quietly slip into the

operating room during the procedure.

Unfortunately, the lymph node biopsy showed the node

contained lung cancer cells. Donald is receiving radiation

therapy treatments at St. Clair Hospital to kill the drug-

resistant tumor.

Dr. Maley and fellow St. Clair Hospital physicians

DR. MALEY, foreground right, uses GPS-like navigation to steer a catheterthrough the lung of a patient.

For more information on the iLogic Inreach system, please contact one of

the above physicians. Contact information is available at www.stclair.org.

RICHARDH.MALEY, JR., M. D.earned his medical degree at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia and completed his residency in general surgery at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. He also completed a fellowship in Trauma/Critical Care at theUniversity of Kentucky. Dr. Maley completedhis residency in cardiothoracic surgery at theUniversity of Pittsburgh and a fellowship inthoracic surgery at Memorial Sloan-KetteringCancer Center, New York City. He isboard-certified by The American Boardof Surgery.

Mathew A. Van Deusen, M.D., Stephen G. Basheda, D.O., and

Evan R. Restelli, D.O. are the first doctors to use the iLogic Inreach

system in Pittsburgh, helping pinpoint cancer in hard-to-reach

areas of the lungs earlier in patients like Donald and others.

i L o g i c s y s t e m t o a c c e s s f a r r e a c h e s o f t h e l u n g s .

Electronic Patient Records Help St. Clairand Physicians Coordinate Care

St. Clair Hospital has teamed with GE

Healthcare and South Hills-based Preferred

Healthcare Informatics (PHI) to place the Hospital and

its physicians among the most integrated users of

electronic health records (EHR) in the region.

“The arrangement between St.Clair Hospital, GE

Healthcare and PHI is the first of its kind in the region,”

said Richard J. Schaeffer, Vice President and Chief

Information Officer, St. Clair Hospital. “The electronic

health records, available to any of the 550 physicians

with admitting privileges at St. Clair Hospital, include

all of a patient’s electronic information from all sites

of care (hospital stays, emergency department visits,

physician office visits, and eventually skilled nursing

facility data) within the St. Clair community, and

present it to a physician in a single view. Using this

technology, the patient’s health records are synthesized

across the different sites of care. This provides a

convenient and more complete picture of patients’ health

and enables physicians to make the highest quality

clinical decisions for patients.”

The collaboration further advances St. Clair Hospital’s

leading position in health care information technology.

The Hospital was among the first six hospitals in the

country to receive the Stage 6 award from HIMSS, the

leading trade association for health care information

technology, recognizing St. Clair’s early implementation

of electronic health records and other digital

safety systems.

This latest enhancement fully integrates information

from both the Hospital and physician office settings,

enabling better coordination of patient care. Schaeffer

noted that PHI is the informatics division of Preferred

Primary Care Physicians (PPCP), a 32-physician group

with17 practice locations in southwestern Pennsylvania.

PPCP was an early adopter of ambulatory EHR. Schaeffer

said PPCP’s real world experience in using electronic

health records proved invaluable in designing and

operating the new synthesized system and in helping

physicians utilize it to its fullest.

“Over the past six years, physicians with PPCP have

learned how to practice more effectively using electronic

health records,” said Dr. Louis A. Civitarese, President

of Preferred Healthcare Informatics and a practicing

physician with PPCP. “More importantly, we’ve learned

how to provide even better medical care to our

patients as a result of having this technology.”

Dr. Civitarese, who has served on the Ambulatory

and Advanced Quality Workgroups for the Certification

Committee on Health Information Technology

6

Electronic health records put all patient information at the fingertipsof physicians.

E l e c t r o n i c H e a l t h R e c o r d s a r e e n a b l i n g p h y s i c i a n s a n d

DOCTORASK THE

DR. RYAN ZUZEK

Q:Can a statin neutralize the cardiovascularrisk of unhealthy dietary choices?

A: A recent article in the American Journal ofCardiology assessed the risk of eating a fast foodmeal high in fat versus the cardiovascular protectiveeffects of the popular cholesterol-lowering medicinescalled “statins.” The article proposed that the riskreduction associated with the daily consumption ofmost statins is more powerful than the increasedrisk of a heart attack caused by the daily extra fatintake associated with a 7-oz hamburger with cheeseand a small milkshake. In essence, the statin“neutralizes” the poor dietary choice.I think this article presents a novel approach to

primary prevention of heart attacks, but I haveconcerns over the message delivered. You wouldn'twant to do something bad and then do somethinggood and get a neutral result.

Statins reduce the amount of unhealthy “LDL”cholesterol in the blood and are proven to be highlyeffective in lowering a person's heart attack andstroke risk. Everybody knows that fast food is bad foryou, but people continue to eat it because it tastesgood and is convenient in today’s busy society.I want patients to maximize the good. If somebody

needs to take a statin, and they benefit from a statin,and are compliant with that statin, then they shouldtake the drug and gain the benefit. They should alsogain the benefit from a healthful diet. Why would younot want to do both?Cardiovascular preventive care should continue to

focus on lifestyle interventions, such as healthfuleating, smoking cessation, and regular exercise, withdrug therapy being added in appropriate patients.

Board-certified cardiologist Ryan W. Zuzek, M.D., earned hismedical degree at the National University of Ireland in Galway,and completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland,Ohio and a fellowship in coronary, cardiac and peripheralintervention at the Brown University hospitals, Providence, RI.

7

(CCHIT), the national organization that first began certifying

EHR technology, said EHR allows physicians to document and

view comprehensive medical histories, order diagnostic testing and

view the results, send electronic prescriptions to pharmacies, and

view electronic alerts for potentially harmful drug interactions or

allergies.

For patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, EHR

provides physicians with sophisticated “decision support” tools

based on clinical guidelines. For example, physicians can be

alerted when patients with chronic conditions are due for

medical services according to clinical guidelines.

Moreover, EHR connects members of a patient’s health care

team by allowing providers to electronically send and receive test

results and other important medical information as they consult

with each other. With the push of a button or click of a computer

mouse, EHR, empowered with the new HIE technology, puts a

patient’s most current and accurate medical information at a

physician’s fingertips within seconds, and does so in a secure

manner that protects patient confidentiality. EHR also allows

a patient to manage his or her own personal health record.

Physicians with Fatigati/Nalin Associates, which, along with

PPCP, is one of the South Hills’ largest primary care providers, are

among the first doctors to use St. Clair Hospital’s new synthesized

EHR. “My colleagues and I appreciate the benefits that this

system provides,” said Mario J. Fatigati, M.D. “In particular, the

enhancements to patient care and patient safety are what our

doctors like most about this huge leap in health care technology.”

...we’ve learned how to

provide even better medical care

to our patients as a result of

having this technology.

–Dr. Louis A. Civitarese, President of Preferred Healthcare Informaticsand a practicing physician with PPCP ”

“

t h e H o s p i t a l t o b e t t e r c o o r d i n a t e p a t i e n t c a r e .

St. Clair Hospital has opened a new Observation

Unit that is helping treat and discharge patients

in a faster, highly-focused manner.

“The Observation Unit is essentially an extension

of the Emergency Department,” explained David Kish,

Executive Director, Emergency Services and Patient

Logistics, and also Nursing Director of the 35-bed unit

for adult patients. “Each year, an estimated 6,000

patients come into the ER who require some ongoing

monitoring and

diagnostic testing

so we can determine

if they need to be

admitted to the

Hospital or can be discharged with plans for appropriate

outpatient follow up. These patients are placed in

outpatient observation status so we can initiate a

focused plan for evaluation of their situation and render

the most appropriate care.”

“Observation status is really a continuation of

8

outpatient evaluation,” Dave continued. “It is a safety

net to allow a patient to be further monitored outside

of the ER. This method is better for patients in that it

helps us give them a diagnosis faster.”

Dave said many of the patients who are treated in

the ER and are then being moved to the Observation

Unit include those complaining of chest pain. Others

include patients who have asthma, or congestive heart

failure, and people suffering from dehydration or

nausea and vomiting, among other

medical issues.

Prior to the opening of the Hospital’s

new Observation Unit, patients in

observation status were housed

throughout the Hospital

in various inpatient units,

including on Nursing Unit 4B,

which underwent extensive

renovation to create the new

permanent unit.

“In the Observation Unit,

we try to get all tests done within

24 hours and then make a

determination on a patient’s

status,” Dave said.

The Observation Unit has a full-time Medical

Director, a Nursing Unit Manager and a full contingent

of Hospitalists (in-house physicians), Registered Nurses

(RNs), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and unit

secretaries, all of whom are focused on managing

observation status patients.

The unit’s new Medical Director, Dr. Terry Gilbert,

said his role is to help coordinate the physicians and

staff “to ensure that we provide the highest quality

of medical care in a system designed for patients to

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

MICHELE JOHNSON, R.N. (on phone), SUSAN McKINNIS,R.N. (center), and LISA KELLY, R.N. (partially obscured)carefully monitor patients in the unit.

DR. JAIME MULLIN examines patientLUANN BRITTON in the Observation Unit.

New Observation Unit Treating EmergencyPatients Even FASTER

S t . C l a i r ’ s n e w O b s e r v a t i o n U n i t g i v e s p a t i e n t s a f o c u s e d p l a n

Emergency Room Ranking Rises Again

St. Clair Hospital’s Emergency Room (ER) has been ranked No. 1 in the country for patient satisfaction, according to Press Ganey,

an independent national research firm. The ER had previously been ranked No. 2 nationally and No.1 across Pennsylvania.

The Hospital attributes the No. 1 ranking to an employee-led effort to redesign processes within the ER, which recently

underwent a $13.5 million expansion and renovation. In August, St. Clair opened an extension of the ER called an Observation

Unit. The 35-bed unit is designed for patients who enter the Hospital through the ER, but require further testing and monitoring

before being admitted as an inpatient or discharged within 24 hours. (Please see story on page 8. )

The new No. 1 in the U.S.A. ranking is based on random surveys that were mailed to patients treated in St. Clair Hospital’s ER last

spring and summer.

9

rooms. The $5.5 million project adds 7,429 square feet

featuring spacious rooms, high-definition monitors mounted

to the ceiling, in-suite imaging capabilities that provide

immediate access to medical records and images, and the

most advanced minimally invasive surgical tools, all conveniently

located within the surgeons’ reach. The addition of the three

operating rooms gives the Hospital a total of 13 surgical

suites which are equipped to handle minimally invasive

surgical procedures and designed to address future

technological advances.

“The opening of St. Clair’s new surgical suites effectively

addresses the Hospital’s increase in the number of surgical

procedures it performs,” says Diane Puccetti, R.N., who

New Operating RoomsCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

manages the Hospital’s operating rooms. “Most importantly,

the additional space and new technology allow St. Clair’s sur-

geons to conduct highly complex surgeries.”

ANTONIO J. RIPEPI, M.D.is board certified in generalsurgery. He earned his medicaldegree at Jefferson MedicalCollege in Philadelphia andcompleted his residency atthe Case Western ReserveUniversity Integrated SurgicalProgram in Cleveland as wellas a fellowship at the ClevelandClinic Hospital.

f o r t h e i r e v a l u a t i o n w h i l e a d m i s s i o n s d e c i s i o n s a r e m a d e .

ST. CLAIR LIFELINE ALERT PROGRAM

The St. Clair Hospital

Lifeline program

has been giving area

seniors peace of mind

for more than 20 years

by providing them access

to help in a medical

emergency with the

simple push of a button,

24 hours a day, 365 days

a year.

for help when a subscriber falls. It’s an added layer of

protection.” Kathy added that the medical alert

pendants with AutoAlert are lightweight, waterproof

and easy to wear. They are also equipped with an

“intelligent alarm” that allows seniors who have fallen

but are able to get up within 30 seconds to avoid

sending an alert. “We believe St. Clair Hospital Lifeline

pendants with AutoAlert provide a much higher sense

of safety and security to individuals who are maintaining

their independence in the comfort of their own homes,”

Kathy said. It is estimated that about half of older

adults who fall cannot get back up without help.

Other benefits of the St. Clair Hospital Lifeline

Program include local service representatives, no

long term contracts, a cost that is equivalent to about

“a cup of coffee a day,” and close working relationships

with local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crews.

“We want to provide individuals in our community

safety, security and independent living in their

homes,” Kathy said.

Now, St. Clair has strengthened its relationship

with Philips Lifeline, the leading provider of medical

alert services, a move that has expanded the Hospital’s

services to current and future subscribers.

“Sometimes when a subscriber falls, he or she may

forget to push the button or may be unable to push

the button on the medical alert pendant,” said

Kathy Scarpaci, St. Clair Hospital Lifeline Program

Coordinator. “St. Clair Hospital Lifeline now offers a

pendant with an AutoAlert that automatically callsFor more information, or to order service, please call

Kathy Scarpaci at 412.942.2080.

be evaluated and cared for in the most efficient and

timely manner.”

Patients and family members are kept updated at

all times. “A case manager starts that conversation

while a patient is still in the ER,” Dave explained.

“They are letting patients know they are not being

admitted, but are being observed, tested and if

necessary, treated.” Patients are also issued

a printed handout that details their outpatient

observation status.

New Observation UnitCONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

10

DR. JAIME MULLIN references the patient status board in theObservation Unit as she explains how patient LUANN BRITTONwas discharged from the unit following 19 hours in observation.

N e w A u t o A l e r t f o r L i f e l i n e p r o v i d e s q u i c k e r a c c e s s

11

Minimally Invasive Surgery CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

focusing exclusively on the adrenal glands.

But before Mr. Khor received that CT scan, he developed a

cold and visited an urgent care center for treatment. There, his

blood pressure reached dangerous levels and, fearing that he

could suffer a stroke, he was sent to

St. Clair’s Emergency Department and later

moved to a nursing unit at the Hospital.

During Mr. Khor’s three-day stay in the

Hospital, Dr. Xie ordered the CT scan

focused on the adrenal glands. The CT scan

showed a nodule located in the right adrenal

gland. To further explore and determine

the cause of Mr. Khor’s symptoms, St. Clair

board-certified endocrinologist Bridget

Beier, M.D., wanted him to have a venous

sampling, a procedure in which a small

catheter is inserted into a vein and a

sample of blood is checked for specific

substances.

From the venous sampling report, Dr. Beier determined that,

indeed, Mr. Khor’s right adrenal gland was producing an excessive

amount of aldosterone. He was given two options: take a combination

of several different medications for the remainder of his life to

block the extra secretions–controlling both his blood pressure and

potassium levels–or have the right adrenal gland removed surgically.

“ I’d never had surgery in my life, so I was very cautious,”

Mr. Khor says. “But I was still young and knew that I didn’t want

to be on so many medications for the rest of my life, either.”

He contacted a local tertiary care facility to schedule the

surgery and was frustrated by the outcome.

“My call was transferred numerous times and I wasn’t getting

anywhere,” he remembers. “There was

just no response from anyone. Later, I

learned that there wasn’t even a

physician there who specialized in

treating my condition.”

Dr. Beier recommended that Mr. Khor

speak to Antonio J. Ripepi, M.D., a board-

certified general surgeon at St. Clair who

is an expert in adrenal gland surgery.

After talking with him, Mr. Khor’s

decision was made.

“I was very impressed with Dr. Ripepi

and he immediately put me at ease,”

he says. “I couldn’t believe that this

type of surgery could be done in a minimally invasive manner,

at a hospital right in my backyard.”

During laparoscopic surgery, in which Dr. Ripepi passed a

flexible fiberoptic instrument through a tiny incision, a small

nodule was successfully removed from Mr. Khor’s right adrenal

gland. Since the procedure could be performed utilizing a

minimally invasive approach, he was able to be discharged

from St. Clair the following day, with little to no discomfort.

Today, the only reminders of his experience are four tiny scars.

Mr. Khor’s blood pressure and potassium levels are in the normal

range now, and he no longer feels tired or shaky – symptoms he

now knows were symptoms of Conn’s syndrome. “I received personal

care that was coordinated by an entire team of specialists, which made

me feel completely at ease,” he says. “I didn’t know St. Clair

Hospital performed this type of surgery. I’m very impressed

that I was able to receive such quality medical care at St. Clair.”

I’d never hadsurgery in my life,

so I was very cautious...I was very impressed

with Dr. Ripepiand he immediatelyput me at ease.”

“

–Eng Hui Khor of Upper St. Clair

Minimally invasive surgery patient, ENG HUI KHOR

t o p a t i e n t s f o r b e s t o u t c o m e s a f t e r a f a l l .

ST. CLAIR HOSPITAL1000 Bower Hill RoadPittsburgh, PA 15243

ST. CLAIR HOSPITALGeneral & Patient Information 412.942.4000

Physician Referral Service 412.942.6560

Outpatient Center—Village Square 412.942.7100

Medical Imaging Scheduling 412.942.8150

www.stclair.org

Follow us on twitter at: www.twitter.com/stclairhospital

HouseCall is a publication of St. Clair Hospital. Articles are for

informational purposes and are not intended to serve as medical advice.

Please consult your personal physician.

VOLUME II, ISSUE 2

HCOMMUNITY OUTREACAs part of its ongoing commitment to the community, St. Clair Hospital is partnering with areacommunity organizations. The Hospital will highlight the good works of these non-profit partnersin HouseCall. In this issue we feature South Hills Interfaith Ministries.

South Hills Interfaith Ministries (SHIM), a non-profit social service agency, meets emergency needs of individuals and families

struggling to make ends meet in the South Hills by providing food, clothing and assistance with utility bills, all the while providing

support for the individuals and families to attain long term self-sufficiency. SHIM serves as a bridge for those individuals and families

who fall upon difficult times. In addition to assisting those experiencing suburban poverty, SHIM assists a large and growing refugee

population residing in the South Hills with emergency assistance and educational efforts for the children. Due to the ongoing impact

of the recession, SHIM has seen demand for its services grow

significantly and is in need of nonperishable food items and funds.

To learn more about SHIM, volunteer or donate, please visit

www.shim-center.org or phone 412.854.9120.