Latest news with #WVUMedicinePrincetonCommunityHospital
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
WVU Princeton Community Hospital receives perinatal immunization award
PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital (PCH) announced that its Women's Center received an award for its efforts in immunization. According to a press release, the center received the Perinatal Award from the West Virginia Division of Immunization Services due to their efforts in protecting babies from the preventable disease, hepatitis B. The City of Bluefield plans for a consolidated emergency response facility Approximately 600 babies per year are born exposed to hepatitis C, a disease with no vaccine available, the release stated. On the other hand, approximately 20 babies are born yearly exposed to hepatitis B due to the state's vaccine laws which bolster immunity. Hepatitis B has the potential to be deadly if not addressed or prevented. The staff at the Women's Center makes sure that every baby that faces the risk receives prompt care and the full vaccine series, the release noted. The work they do is crucial in addressing issues within a region of the Mountain State that has been massively impacted by the opioid crisis and other health concerns. Our team works hard to identify newborns who may have been exposed to hepatitis B so action can be taken immediately to protect the health of the baby. Early protection is critical. When we step in at birth, we can keep babies safe for life. Karen Bowling | President and CEO, WVU Medicine PCH Summit Christian Academy joins the WVSSAC The award is presented each year to a facility in the state that displays incredible diligence in submitting timely notifications to the local health department when a person they are treating has chronic, acute, or perinatal hepatitis B, the release stated. For more information regarding WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital, visit their website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New Scrub Tech program offers career growth at WVU Princeton Community Hospital
PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — As demand for surgical support staff grows, WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital announced the launch of a new Scrub Tech training program as a method to meet the needs within the community. According to a press release, the program is aimed to help licensed practical nurses (LPNs) expand their careers and perform needed duties within operating rooms. In collaboration with MedCerts, a nationally recognized online healthcare training provider, the hospital will be providing an authorized training pathway for LPNs to become certified scrub techs, known formally as surgical technologists, the release stated. WVSOM receives 10-year accreditation from Higher Learning Commission The certification program includes 18 weeks of online instruction followed by local clinical experience at PCH, which allows participants to observe and get hands-on experience without needing to relocate. Scrub techs are a crucial part of the surgical staff. They ready the operating room, ensure a sterile environment throughout the procedure, and help the surgeon by passing instruments, handling tissues, and managing equipment until the procedure is finished. Their knowledge and skill helps to maintain patient safety and provide successful outcomes. Our region has a strong base of talented LPNs, and this is a great opportunity for them to step into a higher-skill, higher-wage role while staying in the community. We're taking a proactive approach to workforce development and invest in growing our own. Tim Anderson | Vice President of Patient Care Services, WVU Princeton Community Hospital Appalachian Psychiatric Services celebrates 40 years in Beckley Highlights of the training program, as detailed in the release, include: Target Participants: LPNs in southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia within 30 minutes of the hospital Cost: Training is fully funded by the hospital in exchange for a two-year employment commitment Application Deadline: Now accepting applications for up to three positions Melissa May is the director of surgical services at WVU Princeton Community Hospital. She will be overseeing this program. She shared some insight into what a day in the program might look like. [Scrub tech students will] come here and do their online class for about 3 or 4 hours in the day. Then [with] what they learned that day, they are going to be able to take to the operating room and work with an experienced scrub tech so they can show them what the class means. Melissa May | Director of Surgical Services, WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital PCH will work with the West Virginia and Virginia Boards of Nursing to assure all clinical standards and requirements are met. For more information regarding the program or to apply, contact senior recruiter Janet Horn by email or by phone at 304-487-7000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Robot-assisted surgery serving thousands
princeton — It resembles an assembly line's robot arm or a science fiction movie's prop, but it's one of two robots that local surgeons have used to help perform knee and hip replacement procedures. The WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital Orthopedic Center recently announced that over 2,000 robotic-assessed robotic-assisted joint replacements had been performed at its facilities with two Mako robotic systems. Princeton Community Hospital was the first hospital in West Virginia to have two of these robots. During a visit Thursday at one of the two operating rooms using the robotic system, Dr. Philip Branson, MD, medical director of PCH's Orthopedic Center and Dr. Nick Higinbotham, DO, spoke about how the devices changed the way knee and hip procedures are performed now. The Mako system makes incisions more precise, Higinbotham said. Its computer screens allows surgeons to plan operations in three dimensions. 'You're able to see in real time the cuts that you're making, makes minor adjustments and then after all of the implants are in, you're able to actually test the stability of the knee, the alignment, and how it's balanced,' he said. 'We didn't have any of that information prior to having the robot. You kind of had to do it by feel before this technology was available.' The robot does not do the actual surgery. 'Correct,' Higinbotham said. 'It's just an aid. It helps you make more precise cuts and it also gives you realtime feedback. Is the knee balanced and is it in good alignment?' Many patients come from the region's senior citizens, but others have traveled from beyond southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia. 'We have people coming from as far away as Canada now, so we have people coming from Canada and inquiring about having it (surgery) done here, Branson said. 'In terms of the technology, I think the way it works which differs from the other is called 'Scan, Plan and then the Robot can.' We have three-dimensional scan. The difference between this and previous technology is that we now have a complete three-dimensional model of the entire leg including the hip, the knee and the ankle.' Branson looked at the images on the Mako system's monitors. 'And as you see from the screens, we initially plan the surgery on the robot and establish the alignment. In contrast to the old ways we put rods up into the bones and we approximated what we saw on the X-rays in two dimensions,' Branson said. 'So it's a substantial change. In hip replacement, for example, we can be precise in terms of the length of the leg and what we call the offset of the hip, which decreases the postoperative limp for patients with total hip replacement.' The surgical cutting attachment is connected to three metal spheres on the robot arm's tip. The robot has feedback which positions its arm relative to the bone and tracks the bone's position, Higinbotham said. While the surgeon does the work, the robot helps keep the cuts on track. Higinbotham compared the robot to ones seen on automotive assembly lines. 'The robot positions the cutting device very precisely for us,' Higinbotham said. Branson said most of the over 2,000 surgeries have been performed over the last three years, Princeton Community Hospital ranks seventh out of the 73 hospitals using the Mako device. This area includes larger hospitals such as the Cleveland Clinic and Columbus Hospital which has 40 surgeons. 'For three surgeons, what I think is remarkable first of all is in a community hospital when WVU came in and Karen Bowling (president and CEO of Princeton Community Hospital) came in, they got a second robot, so we use two robots so we can do a higher volume of surgery,' Branson said.' For a community hospital, it is exceptional to have surgeons with a lot of robotic experience, he said. 'We have more people who are traveling in. It's interesting,' Branson said. 'Our primary service is the patients who have been loyal to us for years in the Bluefield, Princeton, Beckley and surrounding areas, but now we have people who are coming in from further distances, so we see more and more of that.' Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Behavioral Health Pavilion celebrates15 years of service
bluefield — A facility providing mental health services to West Virginia, Virginia and beyond celebrated its anniversary Friday and recounted the care it has provided to over 104,000 people since its opening over a decade ago. Princeton Community Hospital, now WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital, opened the Behavioral Health Pavilion of the Virginias to bring mental health services to the community. Since opening, the pavilion has cared for around 22,000 individuals with its inpatient program and another 82,000 through its outpatient programs. People from West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky have been served by the pavilion's physicians and personnel. 'Fifteen years ago, Princeton Community Hospital embarked on this journey with a vision — to create a place where individuals could find hope, healing, and support. Our facility has become a beacon of hope for those in need, and it is all because of the dedication of our team and the support of our community,' said John Nekic, executive director of the Behavioral Health Pavilion. The Behavioral Health Pavilion, located at the site of the former St. Luke's Hospital in Bluefield, is a 64-bed behavioral health hospital for adults, outpatient psychiatric medication management, individual and family counseling and an intensive outpatient program to help adults prevent a hospital stay or transition from inpatient to outpatient care. The need for accessible mental health services in West Virginia continues to grow, hospital officials said. More than a quarter of West Virginians consider their mental health to be fair or poor and the state faces higher rates of substance use compared to the national average. Karen Bowling, CEO and president of WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital, said during a celebration at the pavilion that the hospital plans to break ground this spring on a full-service emergency department co-located at the pavilion to improve both behavioral health care and emergency care for the Bluefield community. This project will enhance emergency care for both acute patients and those experiencing behavioral emergencies, she said. 'With our plans for the new emergency department, we are creating a space that not only provides immediate care for emergency patients but also offers close, seamless access to behavioral health services,' Bowling said. 'This is a critical step forward in ensuring that those in crisis receive the care they need without unnecessary transfers or delays. This project will make a significant impact on the lives of the people we serve.' Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Milestone of 2,000 robotic joint replacement surgeries announced by WVU Princeton Community Hospital
PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — The WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital Orthopedic Center announced the completion of more than 2,000 joint replacement surgeries with robotic assistance. According to a press release, more than 2,000 robotic-assisted joint replacement procedures were done by the WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital (PCH) Orthopedic Center. WVU Princeton Community Hospital announces re-accreditation from the DNV PCH, a DNV Hip and Knee Replacement Center of Excellence, not only ranks seventh out of 73 hospitals in its area, including major healthcare centers in Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cleveland, Erie, and Youngstown, in the number of robotic-assisted surgeries, it is also the Mountain State's leading provider of Mako robotic joint replacement. Our mission is to deliver exceptional healthcare close to home, ensuring our patients don't have to travel long distances for the high-quality care they deserve. That's why we invest in both our people and cutting-edge technology, allowing us to stay at the forefront of medical advancements and provide the best possible outcomes for our community. Our reputation as a top-performing hospital speaks for itself. Patients travel from our 10-county service area and beyond because they know they can receive the highest quality robotic joint replacement surgery right here at PCH. Karen Bowling | PCH President and CEO The press release stated that the first hospital in the Mountain State to get two Mako robotic systems was PCH, and that 707 Mako surgeries were performed by surgeons at PCH in 2024, an average of around three robotic surgeries each weekday through the year. Beckley ARH Hospital welcomes new COO For a community hospital to have one joint replacement robot is rare — and to have two is truly unique. The team at the Orthopedic Center is committed to using this cutting-edge technology to provide accurate, precise, and personalized joint replacements that help patients regain mobility and improve their quality of life. Phil Branson, MD | Medical Director of PCH's Orthopedic Center Robotic partial and total knee replacements, as well as, total hip replacements, are a part of the robotic-assisted joint replacement program at PCH. The Mako system, that costs around $1 million for each unit, lets surgeons pre-plan surgeries with the help of 3D imaging and CT scans due to the technology showing real-time guidance during surgeries, helping with the precise placement of implants and optimizing patient outcomes. Summers County ARH Hospital names Angela Rivera as new CEO/CNO The robotic-assisted surgeries can help patients who deal with chronic hip or knee pain due to offering benefits such as smaller incisions, less pain and blood loss, and shorter recovery times to ensure the patients can get return to their daily lives faster. Dr. Frederick Morgan and Dr. Phil Branson, surgeons from the Orthopaedic Center of the Virginias who perform surgeries at PCH, carried out the first Mako cases at PCH in 2021. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
