Penn State Health News

Todd Miller, a man with a long beard and glasses, smiles as a Kelly Rittle, a nurse on his right, holds up his shirt to administer a flu shot, out of the frame. Rittle is flanked by a table upon which is a rendering of the Penn State Nittany Lion in a shield.

Community

Penn State Health inoculates more than 1,400 people against flu

Thirteen adults pose for a photo, holding a total of 15 one-year-old children. In the near background is a Life Lion ambulance and a Life Lion helicopter. In the distant background is a brick building with dark windows.

People

Baby boom rattles through Life Lion EMS

Captain Jennifer Fan of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention speaks at a lectern with a slide projected on a screen behind her.

News

Penn State mounts broad attack on opioid addiction in Pennsylvania

A man lays with his head on a pillow, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly open.

Medical Minute

The Medical Minute: The causes and complications of snoring

A close-up of a woman's face. She's looking down slightly with a solemn expression on her face.

Research

Suicide risk more than quadruples for people with cancer

Latest News

Winter storm affects some clinic operations

The winter storm that is expected to deliver severe weather to much of central Pennsylvania this weekend will affect some clinic operations.

Penn State Health’s acute care hospital on the West Shore one step closer to groundbreaking

Penn State Health’s planned acute care hospital in Cumberland County is moving forward. The Hampden Township Planning Commission advanced the project’s land development plan on Jan. 10 to township commissioners for a vote. Penn State Health representatives presented the final land development plan for Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center during a public hearing before the planning commission. […]

Physical therapists and high school students team up for Go Baby Go! program

In a pink, motorized toy car adapted especially for her, Elyse Brown can finally keep up with her two active older brothers.

New Penn State Health facility expands access to primary and specialty care in Lancaster County

A new Penn State Health facility gives Lancaster County residents more convenient access to primary and specialty care close to home.

Henry Thomas, age 3, of Boiling Springs holds a 3D printed model of his own heart. He stands in front of a background with Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals logos. He is wearing a polo shirt and pants. The model of his heart is on a white plastic block and resembles a gnarled tree.

Focus on emerging technology brings better patient care

When Dr. Robert Tunks sits down with the concerned parents of a child found to have a heart defect, a 3D model of their child’s heart can go a long way in fostering understanding of the treatment options.

A toxin that travels from stomach to brain may trigger Parkinsonism

Combining low doses of a toxic herbicide with sugar-binding proteins called lectins may trigger Parkinsonism -- including symptoms like body tremors and slowing of body motions -- after the toxin travels from the stomach to the brain.

College of Medicine researchers to study universal depression screening in adolescents

A research team at Penn State College of Medicine will study universal school based screening of adolescents for major depressive disorder with the help of a three-year, $2 million funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

Elfar’s severe limb trauma study wins CureAccelerator Live!

A clinical trial led by Dr. John Elfar, an orthopedic surgeon at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine, won the 2018 CureAccelerator Live! philanthropic pitch event on Oct. 17.

A woman in a striped shirt with a purse over her left shoulder speaks with a female doctor in a physician’s coat.

The Medical Minute: Screenings, vaccine prevent cervical cancer

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and the National Cervical Cancer Coalition is urging women to make a New Year’s resolution to talk with their health care providers.

The Medical Minute: Easy treatments can help lift winter blues

For many people, the winter months bring a form of depression called seasonal affective disorder, which is characterized by symptoms such as daily feelings of sadness or depression, lack of energy, problems with sleeping, moodiness, changes in appetite and loss of interest in usual activities.

The Medical Minute: Screening for Hepatitis C can reduce chance of liver disease

Hepatitis C is a good news, bad news kind of disease. The bad news is that many with the liver-attacking virus may not even know it. The good news is that once discovered, doctors can effectively treat and even remove it.

The Medical Minute: Practicing mindfulness can help with everyday stress

To practice mindfulness, you must pay attention. It might sound simple, but in our fast-paced society, being engaged in the present moment, on purpose and non-judgmentally, can be a challenge.

The Penn State College of Medicine Crescent facade is seen at 500 University Drive in Hershey, PA, framed by grass below and a blue sky with clouds above. In front of the building to the right, two flagpoles can be seen displaying the American and Pennsylvania flags.

Gonzalo recognized for Exceptional Moments in Teaching

Dr. Jed Gonzalo, assistant professor of medicine and public health sciences and associate dean for health systems education, is featured in the January Penn State College of Medicine’s “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” program.

Preventing an incorrect diagnosis starts in the classroom

Dr. Timothy Mosher, chair of the Department of Radiology at Penn State College of Medicine, developed a new medical school course aimed at identifying systemic causes of misdiagnosis-and how to prevent them.

The Big Picture: Science of health systems class prepares next generation of doctors

Penn State College of Medicine offers a new class to teach medical students about health systems and how they will impact the way physicians will practice medicine.

New psychiatry fellowship addresses looming shortage of community psychiatrists

The Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry are partnering to offer a Public and Community Psychiatry Fellowship to address the growing shortage of psychiatrists.

Denise Brown, who suffers from aortic stenosis and needed heart valve replacement surgery, sits with Dr. John Conte at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Brown is sitting in an exam room on a chair next to Conte, who is sitting on a stool next to a desk on which his laptop sits, open. Brown wears a cannula in her nose to assist with breathing.

Custom made for her

Denise Brown, left, talks to Dr. John Conte about how she feels since he implanted an apical aortic conduit into her heart last February.

Virtual reality helps Penn State Health St. Joseph pediatricians solve a problem

Dr. Jerry Lee, a pediatrician at Penn State Health St. Joseph Downtown Campus uses virtual reality goggles on young patients who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions to distract them from medical procedures.

Positive attitude beats ‘stupid bum lungs’ for cystic fibrosis patient

Alyssa Kibler, a 33-year-old cystic fibrosis patient from Harrisburg, gets lifesaving help from Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center as she battles the chronic disease.

“Every day is a gift:” 500th heart transplant patient celebrates milestone with gratitude

David Wheeler’s heart transplant, which took place on June 23, marks the 500th heart transplant since Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center began doing the transplants in 1984.

On the left is a photo of a man drinking a beer while a young child sits in his lap, drinking milk. On the right is text reading:

Ask Us Anything About… Alcohol Use Disorder

Problem drinking that becomes severe is given the medical diagnosis of “alcohol use disorder” or AUD. Would you know how to recognize AUD in a family member or friend? Would you know what to do if you suspect someone has AUD?

Ask Us Anything About… Family Health History

Do you know how important it is to know and understand your family health history? What family risk factors should concern you and what preventative steps should you take?

Ask Us Anything About… Toy Safety

Adults look forward to seeing a child’s face light up at the sight of a new toy during the holidays. But as we begin to shop this season, safety should play a critical role when selecting that special gift.

Ask Us Anything About… Family Nutrition

As parents, we know it’s a lot easier to grab takeout that we know our kids like than to cook something new. But easiest is not always best – as poor dietary habits can lead to obesity and all the health problems that come with it. In this interview with Kara Bowers, a dietitian with Penn State PRO Wellness, you'll learn how to create a supportive nutrition environment in your home.

A nurse is seated across from a man in a muscle shirt. She his hold up his left shirt sleeve, apparently in preparation to give him a shot.