What He Did on His Summer Vacation: Voorhees High School Teacher Has Heart Valve Surgery after Mysterious Symptoms

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Aug. 15, 2008) – Whitehouse Station resident Ken Thompson was awakened one day in April by a strange noise coming from somewhere in his upper chest. He wasn’t snoring, but he did need medical attention.

“It was a gurgling sound coming out of my mouth,” he says.

The computer science teacher at Voorhees High School was puzzled and alarmed: “I realized it only happened when I exhaled.”

After several nights of waking to this rumbling, Thompson, 62, went to his family doctor, who sent him to cardiologist Dubravka Starcevic, M.D., of Hunterdon Cardiovascular Associates. A scan of his heart revealed the connective tissue of one of his heart valves was damaged, keeping the valve from closing properly, letting blood to back up into his lungs.

Called mitral valve prolapse, this condition occurs in 2 percent of all adults, affecting men and women equally. In most cases, the condition doesn’t require treatment. But because Thompson’s condition made him fatigued and short of breath, Starcevic recommended surgery to treat him.

“She said I was a mystery,” Thompson recalls, because he had no heart disease or other reasons to have this condition.

Starcevic told Thompson his choices for his surgery: Morristown Memorial Hospital or Raymond Singer, M.D., at Lehigh Valley in Allentown, Pa. Thompson reviewed their Web sites, along with those of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and Cedars Sinai in New York City.

A fellow educator whose parents both had heart surgery at LVH also recommended LVH and surgeon Raymond Singer, M.D.

"I looked at his Web site and was impressed at his experience. I made an appointment with him," Thompson says.

Singer explained Thompson's options were replacing the valve or repairing it, which his patient preferred. "He told me I had a 90 percent chance of having it repaired, so I wouldn't need a new valve."

Singer explains, "We prefer to repair mitral valves rather than replace them with prosthetic (artificial) valves, because it preserves heart function and the patient doesn't require blood-thinning medicine."

A member of Lehigh Valley Heart and Lung Surgeons at LVH, Singer learned advanced mitral valve repair techniques from Dr. Alain Carpentier, an international leader in valve surgery, in Paris, France.

It took less than three-hours at LVH on June 30 for Singer to remove the damaged part of Thompson's valve and reconstruct it using fine sutures. He also sewed a plastic ring around the valve to improve its sealing ability, so there wouldn't be backflow of blood into Thompson's lungs. Thompson recovered in LVH for three days, then returned to his New Jersey home to recuperate.

He's busy preparing to teach advanced placement computer JAVA programming in the fall to high-school seniors for the first time, following a summer vacation that was anything but routine

A premier academic community hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network includes three hospital facilities -- two in Allentown and one in Bethlehem, Pa. -- Lehigh Valley Health Services, providing home health, hospice, pharmaceutical and health management services and the 400-member Lehigh Valley Physician Group of primary care and specialist physicians. In 2008, US News & World Report named Lehigh Valley Hospital one of America's Best Hospitals for the thirteenth straight year. LVHHN's advanced regional resources include a Level I Trauma Center with added pediatric qualifications, regional Burn Center as well as kidney and pancreas transplant, perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer care, and neurology and complex neurosurgery capabilities. LVHHN hospitals are designated national Magnet hospitals for excelling in nursing. LVH is one of Pennsylvania's largest teaching hospitals and is a major teaching campus of Penn State's College of Medicine. Aditional information is available at www.lvh.org.

"A Magnet for nurses is a Magnet for you."

Lehigh Valley Hospital "stands out among the best in the world." Their quality nursing care has been recognized by 'The American Nurses Credentialing Center.' A best heart hospital, such as Lehigh Valley is the only Magnet hospital in the area. "Magnet" means that the care provided to patients has earned the seal of approval for "quality care."

What does it mean to be cared for by Magnet nurses?

• You are in experienced, knowledgeable hands

• Your nurses are recognized among the best in the state

• Patients like you rank our nursing care above the 90th percentile

• Your nurses use the latest technology

• Your nurses continue to grow professionally

• Your nurses are researchers

• Your nurses are recognized as experts

• Your nurses mentor the next generation of nurses

• Your nurses enjoy working here

When considering which hospital will provide you with genuine care, choose one of "America's Best Hospitals!"

LVHHN Nationally Recognized Among Most Integrated Health Networks for Seventh Straight Year, Receives Two Perfect Scores

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (August 14, 2008) – Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN) ranks in the top twenty on the 2008 Verispan IHN 100, an annual assessment of the 100 most highly integrated healthcare networks (IHNs) in the U.S. This is the seventh straight year LVHHN is ranked on this national premier rating list compiled by Yardley, Pa.-based Verispan, a healthcare information company (www.verispan.com).

LVHHN ranks 18th on the national list and is the number two IHN in the Northeast.  Verispan evaluated 570 health networks on their ability to operate as a unified organization in each of eight categories: integration, integrated technology, contractual capabilities, outpatient utilization, financial stability, services and access, hospital utilization, and physicians.  LVHHN received perfect scores for integrated technology and hospital utilization. 

“This assessment is based on performance and degree of integration, which for our patients means a high degree of consistency in quality, safety and effective communication among caregivers across all of our services and facilities,” said Elliot J. Sussman, M.D., LVHHN’s president and CEO.

In addition to consistently being nationally ranked among the most highly integrated health networks by Verispan, LVHHN is named among the “100 Most Wired” and “25 Most Wireless” hospitals in the U.S. for 2008 by Hospitals and Health Networks (H&HN) magazine, a publication of the American Hospital Association (AHA).  H&HN also recognized LVHHN with an Innovator Award, one of only three hospitals in the country so honored, for its innovative use of information technology to advance patient care through its Advanced Intensive Care Unit (AICU).

“We are passionate about providing access to the highest quality care in the safest environment,” Dr. Sussman said. “On behalf of our community, we will continue to develop and implement new practices that safeguard our patients and ensure the highest quality of care.”

Dr. Sussman said LVHHN has invested in technology and personnel to increase efficiency improve accuracy and reduce medical errors. They include:

• Computer-assisted physician order entry, or CAPOE, to eliminate handwriting errors when ordering prescriptions and diagnostic tests.

• Bar-coding which allows nurses to scan all medications at the patient’s bedside, then scan the patient’s wristband to ensure the right patient gets the right medication at the right time.

• Digital archiving on x-rays, MRI's and other images, making it easier for physicians to access and view them and to confer with other specialists who can view the same image(s) from another location at the same time.

• Tele-intensivists, specially educated intensive care physicians who use video, audio and other digital technology to monitor patients 24 hours a day, providing an extra pair of eyes to catch subtle changes earlier and save lives.

• Medication Safety Officer,  whose sole job is to improve the safety and security of medications. 

A premier academic community hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network includes three hospital facilities – two in Allentown and one in Bethlehem, Pa. – and Lehigh Valley Health Services, providing home health, hospice, pharmaceutical and health management services. In 2008, US News & World Report named Lehigh Valley Hospital one of America’s Best Hospitals for the thirteenth straight year. LVHHN’s advanced regional resources include a Level I Trauma Center with added pediatric qualifications, as well as burn, kidney and pancreas transplant, perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer care, and neurology and complex neurosurgery. LVHHN hospitals are designated national Magnet hospitals for excellence in nursing. LVH is one of Pennsylvania’s largest teaching hospitals and is a major teaching campus of Penn State's College of Medicine. LVHHN is the region’s largest employer and ranks among FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” for the second consecutive year.  Additional information is available at www.lvh.org on the Internet.

New Cafeteria at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest Offers a Larger Menu, Added Conveniences and More Seating

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Aug. 14, 2008) – As part of a $241.3 million expansion project at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network’s (LVHHN) Cedar Crest campus, a new cafeteria opened at 6 a.m. today for hospital patients, visitors and employees. The new eatery including the dining area, serving space and kitchen, is 31,500 square feet, double the square footage of the former cafeteria. It features more food choices, easier ways to pay and added seating.

“Our cafeteria is more than just a place to eat,” says Elliot J. Sussman, M.D., LVHHN president and CEO. “It’s where colleagues come together to take a well-deserved break from the stresses of the day. It’s where family and friends come together to reassure one another during difficult times, and celebrate when a baby is born, or a sick loved one is on the road to recovery.”

The new cafeteria features a larger menu. It includes sections offering Oriental and Italian cuisine, a larger salad bar, a grill area serving home-style foods, and even sushi. “We’re providing people a wider variety of food choices, especially for those who choose to eat healthy,” says Andy Barsky, food and nutrition manager for Sodexo, the company that provides food services for the health network. 

A seventh register was added to eliminate lines, and credit cards will soon be accepted. LVHHN employees who have to eat and run will benefit from the employee checkout line. With a swipe of their hospital identification badge, employees can charge their bill to a provided credit card account. Plus, the addition of 130 seats in the dining area will make it easier for everyone to find an open table.

The former cafeteria at LVH-Cedar Crest handled approximately 2,400 transactions every day. “Because of the expansion, we expect that number to increase by 800 transactions daily,” Barsky says. To meet the increase in demand, Sodexo hired eight full-time employees.

As part of LVHHN’s commitment to being a “green” hospital, biodegradable paper cups have replaced the Styrofoam cups previously used. The cafeteria also has organic foods and drinks on its menu. These items were made with fruits and vegetables grown without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, or from livestock that hasn’t been given growth hormones.

Following a ribbon cutting ceremony involving LVHHN and Sodexo representatives, cafeteria patrons had the opportunity to receive prizes, enter a raffle to win Lehigh Valley IronPigs tickets, meet the Coca-Cola Polar Bear and Sodexo Carrie Care Bear mascots, and enjoy live entertainment in the dining area. 

Based in Allentown and Bethlehem, Pa., Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network comprises Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest & I-78, Lehigh Valley Hospital - 17th and Chew, Lehigh Valley Hospital – Muhlenberg, Lehigh Valley Physician Group, and Lehigh Valley Health Services, which includes home health, hospice, pharmacy and health management. Advanced regional resources at these non-profit hospitals include a regional burn center, kidney and pancreas transplant, perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer care, neurology and complex neurosurgery capabilities. LVHHN hospitals are designated national Magnet hospitals for excellence in nursing.

LVHHN and New Jersey Company Reach Initial Agreement to Bring Cutting-edge Proton Therapy Cancer Treatment to the Valley

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (Aug. 12, 2008) - Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN) and Proton Therapy, Inc. of Marlton, NJ, have signed a memorandum of understanding under which LVHHN would provide proton beam therapy cancer treatment to communities throughout the Lehigh Valley region and beyond. LVHHN and Proton Therapy, Inc. will continue to finalize the details of an agreement over the next few weeks.

"We were looking for a very strong clinical partner, and we found one at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network," said Irvin Richter, chairman, Proton Therapy, Inc. This is a health network that has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for 13 straight years and has clearly established itself as a national leader in cancer care. The project will be managed by Hill International, one of the largest construction consulting firms in the world. Hill is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Proton beam therapy is a form of radiation therapy for cancer treatment that delivers protons instead of photons, which are used in conventional radiation therapy. The dosage of a proton beam can be better controlled to limit the energy that affects the body's healthy tissue while maximizing the dose at the tumor. Currently proton beam therapy is being offered at just six sites in the U.S., with the closest to Pennsylvania located in Boston. The proposed proton beam therapy center will be located on the Lehigh Valley Hospital - Muhlenberg campus. The cost of the project is estimated to exceed $125 million dollars. "Clearly this is the future of radiation therapy, says Victor Risch, M.D., chair of LVHHN's department of radiation oncology. "The department has been studying this technology and its benefits for ten years. The advantages of proton beam therapy to the patient are phenomenal. The cancer program at LVHHN performs more than 30,000 radiation treatments annually making it one of the largest in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Risch says proton therapy delivers a dose of radiation equal to photon therapy but with the ability to minimize the risk of side effects and secondary malignancies. He says proton beam therapy has proven especially beneficial for treating tumors of the prostate-the most common cancer in men-near the eye, at the base of the skull and in children in general. "The greatest advantage of using proton beam therapy for the patient involves the more challenging cases where the tumor is near critical organs." According to Elliot J. Sussman, M.D., LVHHN's president and CEO, proton beam therapy would be the latest of many leading-edge cancer technologies and treatments LVHHN offers to the community.

• We are one of U.S. News & World Report's "America's Best Hospitals" for heart care and heart surgery
• Our heart program is the third largest in Pennsylvania
• Our fast care for heart attacks program has received state recognition for consistently saving the lives of patients having a heart attack by opening their blocked arteries in less than 90 minutes, the "gold standard" for heart attack care
• Digital cardiac catheterization labs
• Our Center for Advanced Heart Failure is the only facility in the region under the medical direction of a heart failure specialist
• Critical patients are monitored by an extra set of eyes after heart surgery
• We are the only regional hospital performing laser cardiac lead removal
• We have specially educated doctors and nurses to care for a woman's heart