Latest news with #Conemaugh
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
'Get people from everywhere': International physicians numerous at Conemaugh, across U.S. health care industry
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A map of the world hangs at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, with pins marking the origin nations of the internal medicine department's current residents. They come from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Brazil, Libya, Türkiye and other countries. 'We have a big, diverse resident population,' said Dr. Khandakar Hussain, Conemaugh's chief medical information officer and a former member of the residency program from Bangladesh. 'We try to get people from everywhere.' WATCH VIDEO | Conemaugh's Dr. Khandakar Hussain talks modern immigration Dr. Khandakar Hussain, from Bangladesh, talks about why he decided to live in the Johnstown region during an interview at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center on March 5, 2025. Dr. Saba Waseem, the director of Conemaugh's Internal Medicine Residency Program, said foreign-born medical personnel, including residents who are undergoing postgraduate training in specialized fields, make up an important part of the hospital's identity. 'I think that certainly helps international graduates to be able to see that the institution is welcoming to a diverse group of very skilled physicians from all over,' said Waseem, a native of Karachi, Pakistan, a major city with a population of more than 20 million people. Dr. Saba Waseem Dr. Saba Waseem 'Within our department, we usually have 10 to 12 different nationalities that we have residents from, and our extended faculty and then obviously medical staff overall. We learn from each other, and then we learn from our local colleagues who have been here for a very long time.' 'Opportunities for everything' There are 84 residents throughout the hospital's different programs, with 40 of them being international, according to information provided by Conemaugh Health System. 'Residency-wise, it's a huge hospital for the residents,' Hussain said. 'The reason is there are a lot of small residency programs which offer opportunities for everything. 'For our program, we handle all the rotation in house. The residents come here. They stay in Johnstown and they do all of their training here – their surgery, their medicine, cardiology.' Faces of Immigration logo Conemaugh's workforce also has a strong international presence. The diversity was highlighted in 2021 when flags from across the world were hung in the hospital to celebrate the Summer Olympic Games. At the time, there were natives of almost 60 nations among Conemaugh's staff and providers. Across the United States, 'eds' and, in Conemaugh's case, 'meds' are fields that attract immigrants. The American Medical Association estimates that nearly one-quarter of the nation's active physicians are foreign graduates and international medical graduates. 'Really welcoming' Like Hussain and Waseem, Dr. Aly Husein, from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, also started his time at Conemaugh as a resident in 2019. Faces of Immigration | Dr. Khandakar Hussain Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Khandakar Hussain, former member of the residency program from Bangladesh, points to a world map with pins denoting the origin nations of the internal medicine department's current residents at the hospital on Franklin Street in Johnstown on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. He described the region as an 'awesome place' with plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities, such as skiing at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Somerset County, just like back in Canada. 'It actually reminds me of home because everyone is so friendly,' Husein said. 'That's kind of how I felt growing up in Canada – very nice, polite, they help each other.' Husein, who is of Kenyan descent, is now established at Conemaugh as director of Apogee's hospitalist medicine program, which puts him in a position in which he can provide assistance to potential residents who are considering coming to Johnstown. 'If I see someone that needs help with getting them a spot, I try to tell them how I feel living here,' Husein said, 'how it kind of feels like the town is really welcoming, small town so there's no traffic at all, and the bigger cities are close by.' 'Bond' with patients Husein is a hospitalist, a physician who specializes in providing personalized comprehensive care for hospitalized patients. 'We're here all day, pretty much to monitor patients,' said Husein, who trained in primary care. 'It's kind of a more in-house physician. … I switched over to this because I don't have to worry about any of the insurance stuff. I just see my patients, treat them, and then they go to their primary care after for follow-up. I can actually take care of the patient and not worry about what I can and cannot do.' He said the job enables him to 'build a bond with the patients.' 'I like the rapport that you get,' he said. Hussain and Waseem also spoke positively about how their careers provide them with the opportunity to help their patients in their times of need, along with being part of Conemaugh Health System, the region's largest employer. 'I love my patients and my patients love me,' Hussain said. Waseem expressed that she is 'blessed and privileged and humbled to be able to provide health and care to people in our community, to make a difference in their lives.'
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Milestone heart procedure performed at Conemaugh Memorial
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center recently performed its milestone 300th procedure using the Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device. Dr. Lou Mastrine did the operation March 3. A Watchman is a minimally invasive one-time implant that closes off the heart's left atrial appendage, a small pouch where clots often form. It is designed to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. In a clinical study, 96% of patients who received a Watchman were able to stop taking blood thinners within 45 days of getting the implant. 'Reaching the 300th Watchman implant is a significant milestone for our team and for the patients we serve,' Mastrine said. 'This procedure has truly transformed the way we manage stroke risk for patients with atrial fibrillation, providing a safer and more effective alternative to long-term blood thinners. 'I'm incredibly proud of our team's dedication and expertise in bringing this innovative treatment to our community. 'It's a privilege to be able to offer cutting-edge cardiovascular care right here at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, ensuring that our patients receive the best care possible, close to home.' The Watchman has been used at Conemaugh since 2019. Offering the implant is part of the hospital's overall heart care program that included opening the new $77 million Cardiovascular and Surgical Care Pavilion in 2024. Vinod Kudagi 'This procedure has provided hundreds of patients in our community with a safer, more effective option for stroke prevention,' Dr. Vinod Kudagi, the hospital's director of cardiology, said. 'We are proud to offer this groundbreaking treatment right here at Conemaugh.' More than 500,000 people worldwide have received Watchman implants.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Man dies of hypothermia in home, another dies in crash, Pennsylvania coroner says
CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees held a conference on Wednesday where he discussed two recent deaths in Central Pennsylvania. The first death occurred after a man, Rober Procious, 59, froze to death in his residence on Village Street in the Moxham section of Johnstown. Lees said that his family called for a welfare check after going a week without hearing from Procious. The autopsy, which was conducted Monday, confirmed that Procious died from hypothermia with the cause of death being ruled accidental. Coroner: Moxham man froze to death in home with gas, heat was turned off The temperature of the residence was measured at 18 degrees Fahrenheit, with Procious's body temperature being 22 degrees, according to Lee. Procious, who was unemployed, had allegedly applied for assistance in the past but had been denied, his family noted. It was discovered that Procious had a gas furnace, however, it had been turned off. 'During these winter months, especially when we have extremely cold weather, please check on your neighbors and family members as often as possible,' Lees said. 'Especially when we are dealing with temps well below zero. It doesn't take long for your body to succumb to hypothermia.' Procious's body was completely frozen when investigators found him Friday, Jan. 24, which required Lees to wait two days before performing the autopsy on Monday. Lees highlighted that Procious's death had come during a time that the area was going through a cold stretch that had dropped temperatures down to well below zero. Lees stressed the importance of minimizing long-term exposure, even if the temperatures feel 'warm' when they hit 30 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months. He highlighted that hypothermia starts when a core body temperature drops to 95 degrees and in some serious cases the hypothermia takes only 20 – 30 minutes to kill someone. The second death occurred after Colin Keough, 18, of Latrobe, crashed head-on into a Suburban. Keough was flown by medical helicopter from the scene of the crash to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center where he died Tuesday, Jan 28 in the Intensive Care Unit, according to Lees. Keough's cause of death was found to be multiple blunt force trauma to the torso, with his death being ruled accidental. He was the driver of a 1987 Porche, driving north in Ligioner Township on State Route 711 when he crashed head-on into a Chevy Suburban. Lees noted that the five children and the driver were taken to an area hospital and all released. Lees noted that the roads were dry at the time of the accident. Toxicology has also been sent out for analytics, however, Lees said that it can take weeks to receive results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
