How A Health System Benefits Communities
With the opening of Penn Highlands State College, our new hospital and medical office building, Penn Highlands Healthcare now includes nine hospitals and serves 26 Pennsylvania counties.
As part of a growing and innovative health system, the hospitals offer people in Northwestern, Central and Southwestern Pennsylvania a regional approach to health care with the expertise of nearly 850 physicians, more than 425 advanced practice providers and state-of-the-art facilities.
What is the benefit of being part of a health system?
“Members of the community and patients truly benefit when a hospital becomes part of a health system,” explained Trina Abla, DO, MBA, System Chief Medical Officer for Penn Highlands Healthcare. “Quality, convenience and innovation are among the key benefits.”
According to Dr. Abla, with a health system, patients have greater access to a broader range of primary and specialty care physicians and services. In addition, the continuum of care is strengthened for patients and the community which results in a higher level of care and decreased readmission rates.
In addition, having a hospital that is part of a larger health system is particularly beneficial to people who live in rural areas.
“Often for certain specialties, people who live in rural areas must travel to larger metropolitan areas for access to the care they may require. When people receive care in their region, it reduces stress they may experience if they have to travel to areas in which they are not familiar,” she explained.
Another benefit of having health care provided by a health system is that patients may experience convenient access to preventive care services, such as screenings, which can help reduce chronic diseases and improve overall health.
Innovation is another key benefit. Penn Highlands Healthcare is continuously introducing new evidence-based methods, technologies, therapies and equipment to improve patient care and outcomes.
For example, in terms of advanced technology, many Penn Highlands Healthcare medical imaging facilities provide breast care services that offer 3D mammography which is the most advanced technology available today for the early detection of breast cancer. For surgery, the health system offers daVinci robotic-assisted surgery at some hospitals for minimally invasive surgery and Penn Highlands Healthcare was the first health system in Northwestern/Central Pennsylvania to offer Mako SmartRobotic surgery for joint replacements by orthopedic surgeons.
Where are Penn Highlands Healthcare hospitals located?
In the Northwest Region, the hospitals include, Penn Highlands Brookville, Penn Highlands Clearfield, A Campus of Penn Highlands DuBois, Penn Highlands DuBois and Penn Highlands Elk. The three hospitals in the Central Region include Penn Highlands Huntingdon, Penn Highlands State College, A Campus of Huntingdon and Penn Highlands Tyrone. The Southwest Region offers two hospitals, Penn Highlands Connellsville and Penn Highlands Mon Valley.
In addition to the hospitals, the health system’s business continuum also includes a home care agency, long-term care facilities and residential senior living communities, as well as durable medical equipment companies and retail pharmacies.
Penn Highlands Healthcare has a footprint that reaches 26 Pennsylvania counties that include community medical buildings, outpatient facilities, surgery centers and physician practices.
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