Allegheny Health Network, Highmark Health commemorate opening of Health + Wellness Pavilion in Wexford

Officials and employees of Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network today joined community leaders and public officials to celebrate the planned October 1 grand opening of the Network's new Health + Wellness Pavilion in Wexford.

Located at 12311 Perry Highway (U.S. Route 19) in Pine Township, the state-of-the-art, 175,000 square-foot Pavilion will provide tens of thousands of residents in the North Hills of Pittsburgh and beyond with access to a comprehensive array of retail, preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic healthcare services under one roof.

Large-scale, multi-specialty outpatient facilities, often referred to as medical malls, are a newly emerging concept in U.S. healthcare as medical centers adapt to the increasing demands from patients for closer to home, more efficient healthcare options.

"Health care is personal, and it's about serving people's needs," said David Holmberg, Highmark Health's President and CEO. "Our patients told us, and the trends in health care told us, that people want access to quality health care in their community. This facility is 175,000 square feet of putting customers' needs first."

According to the Network's Chief Medical Officer, Tony Farah, MD, the Pavilion was designed to provide patients and physicians with a well-organized, uniquely integrated and multi-disciplinary approach to disease management, prevention and wellness.

"Our goal was to create a first-of-its kind, transformational healthcare facility that would raise the bar on patient convenience, care coordination, quality and service excellence," Dr. Farah said.

Patients will find a wide array of clinical and retail health services at the new facility, including:

• Primary care physician offices with walk-in appointments and extended early morning, evening and weekend hours.
• A state-of-the-art Cancer Institute with advanced radiation oncology and medical oncology facilities, including a 16-chair chemotherapy infusion center.
• An outpatient surgery center with four operating rooms and three minor procedure rooms.
• A comprehensive Women's Health Center with a full spectrum of gynecologic and breast healthcare services.
• Comprehensive orthopedic surgery, sports medicine and follow up care, including physical, occupational and rehabilitation therapy.
• A Cardiovascular Institute complete with access to medical and surgical specialists, cardiac rehabilitation and advanced diagnostic care such as EKG, echocardiography and nuclear cardiology.
• On-site laboratory testing and a retail pharmacy.
• A Visionworks® store complete with optometry care and an onsite durable medical equipment supplier.

In addition to its broad depth of clinical programs, the Pavilion also offers a wealth of services to ensure that every patient's visit is as comfortable, convenient and productive as possible.

"One of the significant advantages of the Pavilion is the ability of patients to see multiple physicians or address multiple health needs in one convenient visit. To support that level of care we have surrounded patients with every amenity possible to accommodate them, ease the stress of their day and help them on their journey to a healthier tomorrow," said Susan Manzi, MD, Chair of Allegheny Health Network's Department of Medicine.

"Our motto at AHN is 'caring people, caring for you' and this Pavilion clearly lives up to that promise. It truly puts the patient at the center of everything," Dr. Manzi said.

The Pavilion also will be Allegheny Health Network's first facility to incorporate its new, fully integrated, singular electronic health record (EHR) system. The EHR will preserve all of a patient's health history and make it available in real time, allowing caregivers at the facility and eventually throughout the entire Network to work better as a unified team to provide the best patient care possible.

SOURCE Allegheny