Mount Nittany and Penn State Hershey Discuss Women and Heart Disease

On April 15, Annick Haouzi, MD, FASE, associate professor of medicine and cardiologist at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, will present “Women and Heart Disease,” the fourth seminar in the Family Medicine Seminar series. This seminar will focus on the risk factors of cardiovascular disease that are unique to women, management of cholesterol and preventative measures.

Each evening in the series begins with a buffet dinner at 6:00 p.m. for a nominal fee, followed by the lecture at 6:30 p.m. in the Galen and Nancy Dreibelbis Auditorium, located at entrance D.

Click here to read the full story »

Work on East Wing Expansion Continues

Facility upgrades and expansion continue at Mount Nittany Medical Center. Mechanical upgrades have been completed on the south wing HVAC system for the first four floors. The new system will operate more efficiently, conserve more energy and provide a better environment for patients throughout the south wing.

Work on the flooring, ceilings and other finishing touches continues inside the new East Wing at the Medical Center as well. Fine-tuning of the HVAC systems will begin on the fourth floor in early April and continue throughout the month. The new waiting room and public restroom areas on the second, third and fourth floors are nearing completion and will be available for use in April.

The project has taken more than 150,000 man-hours to date, with no lost-time accidents.

The east wing expansion will add three stories of single-bed patient rooms and is scheduled to open in late fall. To view photos of the construction, visit the construction gallery at www.mountnittany.org.

Mount Nittany Medical Center Celebrates National Healthcare Decision Day on April 14

If you were unable to communicate your wishes for healthcare, would your family members know what you wanted? To celebrate National Healthcare Decision Day on April 14, Mount Nittany Medical Center will host a free program on advance directives at the Galen and Nancy Dreibelbis Auditorium, located at entrance D in the rear of the Medical Center. The goal of this nationwide initiative is to ensure that all adults with decision-making capacity have both the information and the opportunity to communicate and document their future healthcare decisions.

Community members are invited to attend a short presentation at 7:00 p.m. on the purpose of advance directives and some of the misconceptions about them, including a common belief that these documents need to be drafted by an attorney. Staff will be available to answer questions and help attendees fill out free advance directive forms, including a healthcare power of attorney and a living will.

Click here to read the full story »

Charity Ball Raises $67,700 for the Women & Children's Services Department

Nearly 300 guests attended the 62nd Annual Mount Nittany Medical Center Charity Ball on February 13 which raised $67,700 to support the Medical Center’s Women and Children's Services department. Proceeds from the event will be used to purchase equipment for labor and delivery services, the nursery and pediatric services.

"We were thrilled with the turnout of guests, including many physicians, community leaders and business professionals," said Charity Ball chairperson Penny Blasko.

Click here to read the full story »

Appointed medical director at Penns Valley Area Family Medicine in 2008, Paul O. Woolley, MD, MPH, has been with the practice for seven years. Prior to his service at Penns Valley, Woolley was the medical director at Foxdale Village in State College, PA. A 25-year physician with Geisinger Medical Group in Bellefonte, PA, Dr. Woolley was also a professor at The Pennsylvania State University.

He previously served as a medical officer for the Office of International Health, U.S. Public Health Services. A graduate of Cornell University and Yale University School of Medicine, Woolley also holds an MPH from the University of California at Berkley, School of Public Health, and also serves as medical director of Centre HomeCare’s hospice program.

Click here to read the full story »

Managing Blood Glucose Levels When Ill

Managing blood glucose levels may seem hard enough when you are feeling well, but being ill and having to deal with diabetes can be a real strain. Consider the following tips to help stay well when you are feeling ill:

• Check blood glucose levels every 3-4 hours.
• Do not stop taking insulin or medications, unless directed by your physician. Insulin balances out the battle your body’s stress hormones are constantly fighting.
• Even if you have a cold and lose your appetite, stay on your normal diet. The American Diabetes Association recommends 15 grams of carbohydrates every hour.
• Drink a cup of fluid each hour to prevent dehydration. If your blood glucose level is high, drink sugar-free liquids like water, tea or broth. If it is low, drink liquids with about 15 grams of carbohydrates in them such as apple juice or milk.

Be cautious of over-the-counter cold or flu medicines. Some medicines can raise your blood glucose and blood pressure levels.

For more health and wellness information, visit the wellness library at www.mountnittany.org.