In University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, health is wealth and health is power. One comes here to gain the lost mental and body power and recoup the original health. The total number of employees has reached the staggering figure of 48,000, a township itself, and the health needs of 4 million people are met. UPMC is recognized for excellence and the clinical outcomes are highly encouraging. The headquarters of this integrated global health enterprise is at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It conducts a non-profit health system.
It is one of the 18, recognized as “America’s Best Hospitals. ”UPMC has 2475 physicians “and nearly $7 billion in revenue, UPMC comprises 20 tertiary, specialty, and community hospitals, 400 outpatient sites and doctors’ offices, and retirement and long-term care facilities. ”(History…. ) There has been an increase of 0+ in revenue from 1987-2007. Excellence in research, excellence in providing the benefits of research to the needy human beings with a philanthropic approach have been the hallmark of the working culture of UPMC. Vision for UPMC
“UPMC is creating a new economic future for western Pennsylvania — a future built on innovative ways of thinking about health care and sparked by leveraging the uniqueness of the integrated health enterprise. By exporting excellence nationally and internationally, and fueling the development of new businesses that emerge from UPMC’s intellectual capital, core capabilities, and management expertise, UPMC is a catalyst for a regional economic renaissance. (History…. ) The aspect of Social Responsibility is given maximum consideration by UPMC.
It gives back to the community more than $260 million each year as charitable contributions, services and uncompensated care. A number of hospital foundations that contribute to the quality of life of the region, get support from UPMC. These are community focused such as chemically addicted, prevention and educational programs, economic reformation and rehabilitation, housing, and opportunities and employment in health care professions. This is the recurring history of the activities of UPMC. The first human liver transplantation by Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, was the ‘foundation stone’ of the history of the stupendous growth of UPMC.
This happened in Colorado, more than 40 years ago. Transplantation of organs was unthinkable and the surgeons did the impossible. A new field of medicine was created in the process. “When Dr. Starzl arrived in Pittsburgh in 1981 he took his work to new levels and helped transform the University into a medical and research powerhouse. His scientific insights and clinical procedures led to the establishment of the largest liver transplantation program in the world, and elevated already existing heart and kidney transplant programs to international stature” (Starzl…..
) Dr. Starzl went on to participate in other medical firsts at the University of Pittsburgh, among them the first multiple organ transplant (intestine, liver, pancreas, and spleen) in 1983, and the first heart and liver transplant in 1984. He introduced the use of anti-rejection drugs, thus helping to increase the survival rates and brought the transplantation into mainstream medicine. He built the world’s largest transplant program. Teams of surgeons were specially trained for the purpose.
The next historical achievement was UPMC’s artificial heart team implanted the Jarvik-7, as a bridge to human organ transplantation. This was the second transplantation of its kind in the world. The first successful transplant of pancreatic islets, the cells that produce insulin, followed. “In 1992, University of Pittsburgh transplant surgeons John Fung, Andreas Tzakis, and Satoru Todo, all of whom later went on to lead transplant programs at other medical centers, performed the world’s first baboon-to-human liver transplant on a 35-year-old man dying from hepatitis B.
”(Starzl…. ) One success led to the other innovations. For the last five years, at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, under the leadership of Steven Webber, researchers are experimenting with clinical trials that deliver donor bone marrow in to the thymus during heart transplantation. When this experiment succeeds, the possibility to completely eliminate the need for immunosuppressant drugs is the distinct possibility. Investigating the role of chimerism, PMC’s transplant teams, under the leadership of Dr.
Starzl, are up to examining the cellular co-existence of both donor and recipient cells. This is to know about the promotion of immune tolerance of transplanted organs. Success in this area would mean hitting the goal—elimination of a patient’s need for lifelong anti-rejection drugs. Everyday, something new is happening, something tangible is taking shape, the ways and means to increase the survival rates are found, and history in medical research is being created at Pittsburgh-saving lives that would otherwise be lost, is addition to the golden pages of achievement in medical research.
The UPMC Empire is growing like the octopus, and within the limited scope of this article, only important areas of its growth can be detailed. The Neuropathology Division merits mention. “Presbyterian University Hospital (PUH) is part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). PUH was established in 1893, and in 1927 was affiliated with and became the primary hospital of the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. ”(Martinez…. )The office and laboratories of this Division are housed on the 5th floor of PUH. This Division was founded in 1965 by John Moossy .
After this initial stint, of two years, he again returned as Director and Chief Of the Division of Neuropathology. The advancement in the field of medicine, had telling g effects in the Clinical Neuro-histology laboratory at the UPMC. Cut and stained tissues from autopsies were processed here. “Eventually the laboratory began to process all neurosurgical specimens (brain biopsies, tumors, skeletal muscle, peripheral nerve biopsies, and pituitary adenomas). Research activities were initiated and grants were obtained from the NIH and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. ” (Martinez….
) Name any area related to human health—perennial research goes on at UPMC. Whenever a new medicine is introduced (again a product of independent research by the pharmaceutical companies), the researchers at the University will be on a fact-finding mission, either by referral or with own initiative, with their concern for public health. For example, fish-oil is known to fight inflammation. Researchers at UPMC found that majority of the patients suffering from chronic neck and back pain did not need anti-inflammatory pain pills after taking fish-oil pills for 20-30 days.
Therefore, the history of UPMC means the ongoing efforts for well-researched medical specialties in the areas of Obstetrics, Gynecology ,General Surgery, Hematology, Oncology Neurology Neurosurgery, Geriatrics Emergency Medicine, Neuro Radiology, Vascular Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Anesthesiology Neonatology Urology, Pharmacology Cardiology, Family Practice, Pediatrics Radiology, Spine Surgery, Pulmonology, Internal Medicine, Pediatric Surgery Colo Rectal Surgery Bar iatric Surgery and what not!
Conclusion: The history of UPMC will not be complete without reference to Mercy Hospital School of Nursing. This is associated with the UPMC Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh. . Over its 110 year history, the school has graduated over 5,600 nurses who continue to bring the “Touch of Mercy” to those whom they serve and will serve into the next millennium. The medical fraternity and employees of the UPMC have a will to grow; and grow they will for the benefit of humanity.
References Cited:
History – UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA The history of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. www. upmc. com/AboutUPMC/AUHome/TheUPMCStory/History. htm – 21k – Cached – Starzl Tribute – History Every day, new procedures are developed at UPMC.. starzltribute. upmc. com/history. aspx – 8k – Cached – Similar pages Martinez, A. JulioArticle:Brief History of the Neuropathology Division at UPMC- neuro. pathology. pitt. edu/webstuff/Neuropath%20History. htm – 40k – Cached –