Annual Report 2005
Grand Things Are Happening in Health Care

A Breath of Fresh Air Grand View Hospital’s Joint Replacement Center offers joint and orthopaedic patients a gazebo and patio area for rest, relaxation and, most of all, moving about.
	Annual Report 2005
	Letter from the Chairmen
	Expansion and Renovation
	Cardiology
	Surgery
	Cancer
	Women’s Health
	Research
	Choosing the Right Doctor
	Working at Grand View Hospital
	Awards
	Financial Summary
	Expanding The Vision Campaign
	Development
	Annual Giving
	Mission

Surgery

Up Close & Personal
Robert “Pete” Stuebing (right) shows off his “new knees” as he walks with Coordinator Janice Hunsberger, RN (left) in the courtyard of the Joint Replacement Center. Prior to the operations, Pete’s bad knees caused him a great deal of pain and made it difficult for him to pursue his beloved hobby, hunting. He had his first knee replacement surgery in March and the second in May. The day after this photo was shot in July, Pete headed off for the Yukon to hunt Dahl sheep in the Arctic Circle.

Joint Replacement Center ...Techniques for Modern Times
The Grand View Hospital Joint Replacement Center, now with all private rooms, is the only dedicated joint replacement center in the area. We offer patients the latest in surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgery, computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery, and reverse shoulder replacement surgery. As its name suggests, reverse shoulder replacement surgery changes the shoulder’s orientation so the normal socket is replaced with an artificial ball, and the normal ball is replaced with an implant that has a socket into which the artificial ball rests (see below).

Minimally Invasive Surgery
Over 400 local residents have had knees, hips or shoulders replaced in the last year. Many of these patients qualified for minimally invasive surgery, often called the next great leap forward in joint replacement surgery.

Minimally invasive surgery involves a smaller incision of about 3-5” at the site of the joint replacement. Formerly, incisions could be up to 12” long, depending on the joint being replaced. With minimally invasive surgery, a patient may expect a shorter hospital stay, less post-operative pain and a faster recovery time.

Reverse Shoulder Replacement Surgery
Do you experience considerable pain and have little or no movement in your shoulder? Do you have significant arthritis of the shoulder joint and an unrepairable tear in your rotator cuff? If you’ve exhausted other options, consider reverse shoulder replacement surgery, which implants a reverse prosthesis into the body. This major surgery is providing substantial benefits to patients – including restored motion, pain relief and increased stability.

Reversing the orientation of the ball and socket completely changes the shoulder’s mechanics, enabling the artificial joint to function when the rotator cuff is either absent or there is significant bone loss.

For information, call the Joint Center: 215-453-4162.

“We offer the latest advances and technologies in orthopaedics, so there’s no need for patients to look beyond Grand View Hospital for expert care. We have a dedicated sports medicine team and specialists in the areas of the spine, shoulder, foot and ankle, and joint replacements. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more talented group.” Dr. Paul Weidner, Upper Bucks Orthopaedic Associates

Computer-Assisted Orthopaedic Surgery
GVH offers computer-assisted, or image-guided, surgery for joint and hip replacement. The cutting-edge technology is substantially less invasive than traditional surgery. Because image-guided technology is so precise and accurate, surgeons can decide how to best reach a targeted area and avoid healthy tissue before any incision is made. Such precision shortens operating times and allows for smaller incisions – translating into speedier recoveries and better results for patients. Patients with conditions once considered “inoperable” also now have an option.

How the Technology Works
Prior to surgery, internal images are taken of the patient with a CT scan or an MRI. The 2-D images are converted into 3-D images using sophisticated computer software. At the time of the surgery, the patient is fitted with a special probe to which light emitting diodes (LED’s) are attached. A camera attached to the computer tracks the LED’s as the surgeon moves his hand. The 3-D images are synchronized with real-time information provided by the camera and can be manipulated by the surgeon using a touch-screen or mouse.

Left to right: Dr. Edwin W. Shearburn III, Dr. Lewis M. Gill and Dr. John J. Pagan

Advances in SURGICAL TECHNIQUES
by Dr. John J. Pagan, Chairman, GVH Department of Surgery

Technology is enabling major advances all around us. This is especially true in the field of surgery. New surgical devices and procedures are enabling surgeons to treat a targeted area of the body while minimizing the amount of trauma to healthy surrounding tissue and organs. This type of surgery is commonly referred to as minimally invasive surgery. Minimally invasive surgery usually results in less bleeding, shorter hospitalizations and more rapid recoveries. Almost every surgical specialty is applying these new technologies to appropriate procedures, and Grand View is part of this trend.

The increase of smaller surgical instruments along with better cameras has advanced a group of minimally invasive surgeries, which includes endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery. Often referred to as keyhole surgery, the surgeon uses tiny cameras, inserted through tubes into the patient’s body, to view the inside of organs, canals and cavities. Often, these tubes are inserted into openings, such as the mouth or nose, or through small surgical incisions.

Laparoscopic removal of the gall bladder and other abnormal tissues has been available at Grand View for many years. Similar procedures can also be used to address acid-reflux problems, lung biopsies and some hernias.

In women’s health, Grand View surgeons offer alternatives to hysterectomy and other gynecologic problems. These include endometrial ablation, a procedure that uses a lighted viewing instrument and other instruments to destroy the uterine lining. The lining heals by scarring, which usually reduces or prevents uterine bleeding. Another option is uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), a procedure that blocks blood flow to uterine fibroids, causing them to shrink.

In the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, minimally invasive diagnosis of breast lesions too small to feel is possible at Grand View with stereotactic biopsy or ultrasound guidance with newer vacuum needles. Patients are also benefiting from targeted lymph node biopsies, which allow same-day surgery and often quicker recovery with less chance of longer-term side effects.

At Grand View, we look forward to continually advancing minimally invasive applications to diagnose and treat other medical conditions, such as cardiac and vascular problems. Of course, your physician can best evaluate your specific problems to help determine the most appropriate treatment options for your individual circumstances.

Extensive Improvement & Expansion for the Medical & Surgical Short Stay Unit

GVH’s surgical area is going, well... “under the knife.” Extensive improvements, enhancements and expansion are planned for the Medical and Surgical Short Stay Unit, Orthopaedic Unit and Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).

• The Surgical and Orthopaedic Unit will be totally new. The modern space will house all-private rooms for surgical, joint and orthopaedic patients – a step up from the current mix of private and semi-private rooms.
• An exterior entrance with an elevator to the Surgical Short Stay Unit is planned, making access more convenient for patients and visitors.

“I’m proud to be involved in advancing surgical techniques and feel privileged to work with the team of experienced doctors at Grand View. Here, patients have access to the best care and remain close to home and their physicians.” Dr. John J. Pagan, Pennridge Surgical Associates

Emergency Department: Fast-Track Service
Grand View Hospital has designed a Fast-Track Service for its Emergency Department, which will treat patients in urgent need of medical care but not in a true state of emergency. We’re also adding two new bays to the ED to allow space for more patients.