Heritage Valley E-Connections

Heritage Valley Health System E-Connections aims to increase community awareness of our services and locations. You can also stay connected by visiting our Website or downloading the HVHS App.

July 22, 2022

Heritage Valley Health System's E-Connections newsletter is published bi-weekly.

Our next issue will be Friday, August 5, 2022.

Feeling Dizzy? A Tilt Table Test Could Help

If you have been experiencing repeated, unexplained bouts of dizziness, lightheadedness or even fainting, your healthcare provider may recommend a Tilt Table Test. Electrophysiologists Dr. Maninder Bedi, Dr. Glen Miske and Dr. Christopher Kolibash of HVMG Heart & Vascular Center perform these tests in the Cardiac Cath Lab at Heritage Valley Beaver to determine if the cause is related to heart rate or blood pressure.

A Tilt Table Test attempts to determine the cause of dizziness or syncope (fainting) by creating changes in posture from lying to standing. Patients lie flat on a special bed or table, equipped with safety belts and a footrest, while connected to Electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood pressure monitors. The bed or table is then elevated to an almost upright position, to simulate standing up from a lying position, and the patient’s blood pressure and ECG are monitored to evaluate changes. (If the patient faints, the table is quickly returned to a flat position so the patient regains consciousness.) The information collected is then used to help your healthcare provider prescribe treatment.

Some causes of syncope, or fainting, may include:

Vasovagal Syndrome or Neurocardiogenic Syncope: This is a sudden drop in blood pressure, with or without a decrease in heart rate, which is caused by an exaggerated response of the nerves that control the heart and blood vessels.

Arrhythmia: This occurs when a heart rate is too slow, too fast or is irregular. When this happens, the heart does not get enough blood flow to the body.

Structural Heart Disease: This includes problems of the heart muscle or valves. Enlargement of the heart muscle, or malfunction of one or more of the heart valves, may block blood flow within the heart.

Heart Attack or Myocardial Infarction (MI): This is damage to the heart muscle due to insufficient blood supply.

Cardiomyopathy Ventricular Dysfunction: This is a weakness or failure of the pumping function of the ventricles, which are the heart’s major pumping chambers.

If you believe that you would benefit from a Tilt Table Test, please speak to your physician today. To schedule an appointment with HVMG Heart & Vascular Center, please call

724-773-4502.

Shining a Spotlight on WoundCare Services

Most wounds, minor cuts and scratches heal on their own within two weeks. However, there are times when a wound stays open longer due to swelling, diabetes, poor circulation, infection, radiation, pressure and nutrition issues. When this occurs, specialized care is needed to treat the wound.

Heritage Valley WoundCare provides patients with advanced, outpatient treatment for difficult, non-healing wounds. Our specially trained team offers coordinated care, advanced wound technologies and treatments, and excellent outcomes. Some of the most common types of wounds treated are diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, skin tears, post-surgical incisions, radiation wounds, burns, traumatic injuries, and any wound that has not healed in one month.

WoundCare helps heal chronic wounds faster by treating the cause of the non-healing wound and applying evidence-based, medical and surgical techniques that are both outcome-focused and cost-effective. Treatment methods include advanced wound dressings, negative pressure wound therapy, bioengineered tissue, debridement, ultrasonic debridement, compression wraps to decrease lower leg swelling, and skin grafting. For patients who do not respond to treatments as expected, WoundCare offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) at its locations in Beaver, Kennedy Township and the North Hills.

WoundCare has all the specialists you need working together in one location to help you heal. In addition, patients and their families or caregivers learn how to care for their wounds at home to facilitate faster and more permanent healing.

To make an appointment at one of our WoundCare centers, please call 724-770-7998 (Beaver); 412-250-2600 (Kennedy Township) or 412-847-7500 (North Hills).

Get Connected with the Heritage Valley App

There is so much that iHVHS/aHVHS can do for you! Once you download the HVHS app, you will be able to:

See a complete listing of all Heritage Valley physicians.

Click on “Activity” to see real-time patient activity at Heritage Valley’s Emergency Departments, ConvenientCare Walk-in Clinic locations and outpatient diagnostic facilities. By viewing how busy each location is, you can head to the facility with the fewest patients.

Create a Health Link account to securely view all of your health information and results.

See a complete listing of all Heritage Valley Services.

Create a “My Care Link.” Here you can self-schedule a Covid-19 test and create a SMART® Health Card, if you received your vaccines and boosters through Heritage Valley.

Store your Heritage Valley Care Card to register quickly at our kiosks.

If you need assistance, please contact us at iHVHS@hvhs.org.

COVID Corner

Doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are available for children ages 6 months through 11 years by appointment at Heritage Valley Pediatrics in Chippewa/Beaver Falls. Vaccine and booster appointment days and times vary, and walk-in times are not available. A consent form, signed by a parent or guardian, is required and will be provided at the time of the appointment. Please note that a separate appointment is needed for each child in a family.

Heritage Valley Pediatrics – Chippewa/Beaver Falls

2580 Constitution Boulevard

Chippewa, PA 15010

Certain immunocompromised individuals, as well as people ages 50 and over, who had an initial booster dose at least four months ago are able to receive a second mRNA booster to increase protection against severe diseases caused by COVID-19. Heritage Valley is offering second boosters at its ConvenientCare Walk-In Clinics in Center Township on Tuesdays and in Robinson Township on Thursdays. Boosters are available by appointment only.

Center Township ConvenientCare Walk-In Clinic

(Behind the Beaver Valley Mall)

Suite 200

79 Wagner Road

Monaca, PA 15061

Robinson Township ConvenientCare Walk-In Clinic

(Next to PNC Bank & DSW Shoes)

Suite 200

2201 Park Manor Blvd.

Pittsburgh, PA 15205

For information about scheduling a COVID test, please CLICK HERE.

For information about scheduling a COVID vaccine or booster, please CLICK HERE.