John was two years old when he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor. This killer of children is rising in frequency. Alexander was a strong, happy, intelligent little boy who loved life. We conducted around-the-clock research to find the cancer treatment that offered Alexander the best chance to live. After scrutinizing therapies from throughout the world, we selected the Hershey Medical Center. After two brain surgeries to remove the tumor John required therapy to ensure that the cancer would not return.
Founded in 1963 through a gift from The Milton S. Hershey Foundation, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is one of the leading teaching and research hospitals in the country. Located in Hershey, Pennsylvania 10 miles east of Harrisburg, it is the only medical school and university hospital in Pennsylvania located outside the urban areas of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. It is also one of two Level I trauma centers in central Pennsylvania.
Outside the main entrance to The Milton S Hershey Medical Center there is a small blue and white sign, which details the infamous $50 million phone call that lead to the creation of the hospital and medical school (BBC, 2001). The Medical Center has 479 beds and is well known as a provider of high-level, patient-focused medical care. Annually the Medical Center admits more than 25,000 patients, accepts nearly 738,000 outpatient visits, receives more than 47,000 patients for emergency room visits and performs nearly 22,000 surgical procedures.
Thus the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has emerged as one of the nation’s leading health care facilities, offering a full spectrum of advanced medical and surgical diagnostics and treatments The Medical Center campus also includes Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State University’s medical school and Penn State Children’s Hospital which is also the region’s only children’s hospital. The Medical Center has received numerous national awards including Top Docs, Best Doctors and Solucient’s Top Hospitals designations in a variety of specialty areas.
In 2005, the Medical Center was recognized by Health Imaging and IT Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Connected” healthcare facilities in the nation (Press Release, 2006). Meanwhile, the College of Medicine has turned out thousands of well prepared doctors, nurses, scientists and health care professionals since it opened its doors in 1967. An allied-health training program at Penn State Hershey Medical Center leading to a Penn State certificate in Cardiovascular Perfusion Technology has graduated 74 students through 2001 (HMCPSU, 2007).
The Radiologic Technology Training Program, conducted at Penn State Hershey Medical Center until 1998, is now offered at the Penn State Schuylkill Campus. In 2000-2001 Penn State Hershey Medical Center admitted 20,622 patients and provided care through 524,411 outpatient and 33,705 emergency-service visits. Penn State Hershey Medical Center has 5,028 employees, 500 volunteers, and the College of Medicine enrolls more than 600 students annually. These statistics indicate a high success rate within the medical campus.
The Medical Center is also home to the 120 bed-Children’s Hospital, which is among the best in the US, providing such services as transplant surgery and the treatment of cancers. Penn State Children’s Hospital is the only children’s hospital in central Pennsylvania and maintains the region’s only Level III (highest level), state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit. The pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Penn State Children’s Hospital received the highest rating for its care to medical, surgical, and trauma patients by the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Evaluations.
This ranks the PICU among the top in the United States. The hospital is a leader in several specialties including neonatal care, pediatric oncology, pediatric cardiology, pediatric surgery, and pediatric trauma. The Children’s Hospital houses 120 beds and treats more than 125,000 patients annually. As per new plans, along with the existing emergency department and main hospital entrances, the Children’s Hospital and Cancer Center will form a clinical quadrangle on the east side of the medical center, complete with convenient pick-up and drop off points for patients.