Penn in Medical News

Cooling treatment after cardiac arrest is cost-effective, Penn study shows

(PHILADELPHIA) A brain-preserving cooling treatment called therapeutic hypothermia is a cost-effective way to improve outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which claims the lives of more than 300,000 people each year in the United States and leaves thousands of others neurologically dev...

Post-Recession Incomes Will Be Hit Hard by Health Care Spending for Middle Class Working Families, PENN Analysis Shows

PHILADELPHIA, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a post-recession America, even though as a nation income levels may rise, middle class families still won't be shielded from the crushing burden of health care costs and will watch their standards of living continue to erode, according ...

Bone from blood: Circulating cells form bone outside the normal skeleton, Penn study finds

PHILADELPHIA The accepted dogma has been that bone-forming cells, derived from the body's connective tissue, are the only cells able to form the skeleton. However, new research shows that specialized cells in the blood share a common origin with white blood cells derived from the bone marrow and t...

West Penn Hospital Named Winner of 2009 Premier Award for Quality

Premier healthcare alliance has once again recognized The Western Pennsylvania Hospital for its commitment to outstanding patient care and operational efficiency. West Penn is one of just 23 hospitals in the country and the only healthcare provider in the region to win Premier’s 2009 Award...

LIVESTRONG and Penn Medicine announce partnership to bring online care plan tool to cancer survivors

AUSTIN, Texas; PHILADELPHIA The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and Penn Medicine announced today a four-year partnership to further develop and disseminate the LIVESTRONG Care Plan Powered by Penn Medicine's OncoLink. This free service gives cancer survivors, their families and physicians the a...

West Penn Allegheny Health System Files Lawsuit Charging UPMC, Highmark with Conspiracy, Antitrust

Suit Charges Companies Exploited Community, Overcharging Employers and Driving Up Healthcare Costs PITTSBURGH, April 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) yesterday filed a complaint in United States District Court against UPMC, Pittsburgh's dominant hospit...

World's First Portable, Battery-Operated, Equine-Dedicated CT Solution Installed at Penn Vet's New Bolton Center

"Unique portability . . . Fast scan . . . low operating cost," says veterinary school's clinician KENNETT SQUARE, Pa., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Medical Systems, Inc. (UMS) of Ohio, the leading worldwide supplier of innovative veterinary computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance...

Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company Introduces Innovative Approach to Shopping for Life Insurance With EZissuelife.com

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company today introduced a new website for consumers, EZissuelife.com, an easy-to-understand, do-it-yourself approach to buying term and permanent whole life insurance. The new site offers a simple and convenient way to appl...

Living with females extends the reproductive life of the male mouse, says Penn veterinary researcher

PHILADELPHIA - Living with a female mouse can extend the reproductive life of a male mouse by as much as 20 percent, according to a study conducted by Ralph Brinster and a team of other researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. The study was reported online toda...

Newly discovered esophagus stem cells grow into transplantable tissue, Penn study finds

PHILADELPHIA Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered stem cells in the esophagus of mice that were able to grow into tissue-like structures and when placed into immune-deficient mice were able to form parts of an esophagus lining. The investigators report ...

Microsoft, Penn State Hershey Medical Center Showcase Road Map to Patient Flow Efficiencies at First Healthcare Provider Symposium

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In the midst of a season of renewed focus on solving big healthcare challenges in the United States, healthcare providers from across the country are convening this week at Microsoft Corp.'s corporate headquarters in Redmond, Wash., for the first U....

Standard & Poor's Removes West Penn Allegheny Health System Bonds From Credit Watch

S&P Also Affirms WPAHS Bond Rating PITTSBURGH, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) confirmed today that Standard & Poor's (S&P) has removed bonds issued by Allegheny County Hospital Development Authority for West Penn Allegheny Health System fro...

Stem cells with potential to regenerate injured liver tissue identified by Penn researchers

PHILADELPHIA - A novel protein marker has been found that identifies rare adult liver stem cells, whose ability to regenerate injured liver tissue has the potential for cell-replacement therapy. For the first time, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine led by Linda Green...

Moody's Removes West Penn Allegheny Health System From 'Watchlist'

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) confirmed today that Moody's Investors Service has removed it from its Watchlist for potential downgrade. Christopher T. Olivia, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of WPAHS, said: "This is an encouraging...

Searching for shut eye: Penn study identifies possible sleep gene

PHILADELPHIA While scientists and physicians know what happens if you don't get six to eight hours of shut-eye a night, investigators have long been puzzled about what controls the actual need for sleep. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine might have an answer, at lea...

West Penn Allegheny Health System Adjusts Balance Sheet

PITTSBURGH, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) officials announced today that a review of the organization's accounting methodology has revealed the need for an adjustment to its balance sheet. The amount of the adjustment is approximately $73 million. West Pen...

Using Mediasite for Lecture Capture Found to Enhance Student Performance at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Groundbreaking study reveals majority of students prefer Mediasite to podcasting, opting to watch on-demand lectures immediately after class MADISON, Wis., July 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sonic Foundry, Inc. (Nasdaq: SOFO ), the recognized market leader for rich media webcasting and kno...

Case Western Reserve and Penn State investigators inhibit corneal inflammation

Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Penn State Hershey College of Medicine identified a novel therapeutic that reduces sterile inflammation within the cornea. Published in the June issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Dr. Eric Pearlman and Dr. Mark K...

Fruit fly protein acts as decoy to capture tumor growth factors, find Penn researchers

PHILADELPHIA -- Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shown how Argos, a fruit fly protein, acts as a decoy' receptor, binding growth factors that promote the progression of cancer. Knowing how Argos neutralizes tumor growth may lead to new drug designs for inhibiti...

More genes for Lou Gehrig's disease identified, according to Penn researchers

PHILADELPHIA - In recent months a spate of mutations have been found in a disease protein called TDP-43 that is implicated in two neurodegenerative disorders: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrigs disease, and certain types of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). These mutations c...

New West Penn Allegheny CEO Meets With Insurance Brokers

PITTSBURGH, April 2, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Christopher T. Olivia, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the West Penn Allegheny Health System, today met with more than 60 regional healthcare insurance brokers to discuss Intelli-Series, a new series of benefits-rich healthcare plans now...

Godfather of Physical Fitness, Jack LaLanne, Signs Newest Book at Borders Penn Plaza Friday, March 21st from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM ET

LaLanne, and co-author Matthew J. Rettick, release 'Fiscal Fitness: 8 Steps to Health & Wealth from America's Leaders in Fitness & Finance' NEW YORK, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Jack LaLanne, the original physical fitness authority, along with Matthew J. Rettick, acclaimed financial expert, will...

Bacterial toxin closes gate on immune response, Penn researchers discover

PHILADELPHIA Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated that a bacterial toxin from the common bacterium Staphylococcus aureus shuts down the control mechanism of the tunnel, called an ion channel, in immune cell membranes. Shutting down ion channels has lo...

Anyone can save a life: Penn researchers lead national efforts to improve CPR quality

PHILADELPHIA Anyone can save a life. Thats the message from physicians at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Benjamin S. Abella, MD, MPhil, Clinical Research Director of Penns Center for Resuscitation Science and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, says bystanders can p...

Agent orange chemical, dioxin, attacks the mitochondria to cause cancer, says Penn research team

PHILADELPHIA Researchers with the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have demonstrated the process by which the cancer-causing chemical dioxin attacks the cellular machinery, disrupts normal cellular function and ultimately promotes tumor progression. The team identified f...

Researchers led by Penn vet uncover the delicate protein balance behind the immune system response

PHILADELPHIA - A team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has identified the protein interactions involved in the immune system process that fights infection yet, in certain inflammatory diseases, runs amok and attacks friendly tissue. The Penn team,...

Bravo Health and West Penn Allegheny Health System Partner to Offer Seniors Improved Access and Choice in Healthcare

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Bravo Health and West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) announced today that they will be jointly launching a number of new initiatives and senior-directed programs to help ensure that local Medicare beneficiaries have improved access and choice in their h...

Wiley-Blackwell and U. of Penn Health System's Center for Evidence-Based Practice launch InfoPOEMs

Hoboken, NJ, December 4, 2007 Wiley-Blackwell, the scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa), (NYSE: JWb), today announced an agreement with the University of Pennsylvania Health Systems Center for Evidence-Based Practice (CEP) to prov...

An AIDS-related virus reveals more ways to cause cancer, Penn researchers find

PHILADELPHIA Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have shed new light on how Kaposis Sarcoma-associated Herpes Virus (KSHV) subverts normal cell machinery to cause cancer. A KSHV protein called latency-associated nuclear antigen, LANA for short, helps the virus hide ou...

West Penn Allegheny Health System Selects Electronic Health Record From Allscripts

Prestigious Pittsburgh-Based Hospital Group to Automate and Connect 165 Physicians Across 36 Medical Groups CHICAGO and PITTSBURGH, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allscripts (Nasdaq: MDRX ), the leading provider of clinical software, connectivity and information solutions...

Harrison City ROCKS! Set for August 15, Music Festival to Benefit Cardiac Research at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

...Fund, which helps support cardiac research at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Fischerkeller was a 16-year-old high honors student at penn Trafford High School, who suddenly passed away in his sleep, April 14, 2005. His parents, Paul and Kris Fischerkeller, created the memorial fund with ...

Highmark Provides Pediatricians With Resources to Combat Childhood Obesity

... helping us to improve identification of obesity with its complications and resources to help treat them," said Dr. Ronald Williams, a pediatrician at penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. This is the second edition of the Childhood Obesity Physician Toolkit, which was first created in 2004 throu...

Dr. Christopher Olivia Appointed to Foundation Radiology Group Board of Directors

...ts Board of Directors. Dr. Olivia, current President and CEO of West penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS), brings an extensive resume of leadership s...doctor and businessman will be invaluable to our organization." West penn Allegheny Health System, a six-hospital academic system with two major teac...

Partnership for Prescription Assistance Prepared to Help Pennsylvania Workers Hurt by Recession

...ler , PA Wednesday, July 29, 2009 WHEN: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. WHERE: Hoss's Steak and Sea House 9016 William penn Highway Huntingdon , PA WHEN: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. WHERE: Southgate Shopping Center 171 Ceder Street ...

New Jersey Dietetic Association Names Ketchum's Jaime Schwartz Young Dietitian of the Year

...f the Dietitians in Business and Communications practice group Co-editor of the NJDA quarterly newsletter News & Views Secretary of penn State's Nutrition and Dietetics Alumni Society Lead author of research published in professional journals about "portion distortion," nutritiona...

First Anniversary of New War on Cancer Marks Many Advances

...nalysis, outreach, and education. The Lance Armstrong Foundation and penn Medicine announced in May 2009 a four-year partnership to further develop and disseminate the LIVE STRONG Care Plan Powered by penn Medicine's OncoLink. This free service gives adult cancer survivors, their ...

Spiritual Outlook Can Affect Mental Health in Breast Cancer

...thor Dr. Randy Hebert, medical director of Forbes Hospice, part of the West penn Allegheny Health System, said in a news release. "Our study suggests that e... -- Robert Preidt SOURCE: West penn Allegheny Health System, news release, June 2009 ...

Male Sex Chromosome on Its Way Out: Study

...n't mean the end of males, say U.S. scientists. penn State researchers found that the Y chromosome, car...uate research fellow, said in a news release from penn State. "We know that a few of the genes on the ...ly 17 issue of the journal PLoS Genetics . The penn State team plans to create a computer model to hel...

DaVita Clinical Research Appoints Mahesh Krishnan as Vice President

... VA, and prior to that, was in practice in Northern Virginia for nearly five years. After receiving his bachelor's degree in premedicine from penn State University, Krishnan earned his medical degree from The Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. He also holds a master's degr...

Canonsburg Woman Undergoes Robot-Assisted Weight Loss Procedure at AGH

...robotic arms exceed the natural range of motion of the human hand and are designed to minimize the possibility of human error. Doctors at the West penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) are now using the technology to perform an assortment of surgical procedures, including prostate cancer surgery, gynec...