Lehigh Valley Health Network President and Chief Executive Officer Elliot J. Sussman, M.D. (right), received a ceremonial key to our new hydrogen-powered shuttle bus (background) from U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent during a recent commissioning ceremony at Allentown's Da Vinci Science Center. During only its second week shuttling employees, patients and visitors to and from the parking lots at Lehigh Valley Hospital—Cedar Crest, the bus was number-one in usage of the 26 hydrogen-powered shuttles in operation in North America. This research and education project is federally funded through Da Vinci Science Center, with the goal to educate people about hydrogen's safe, clean, and effective use as a transportation fuel.

More than 200 people enjoyed healthy snacks, a movie, fun activities and took an important first step in early detection of breast cancer during the 24-hour Mammo Marathon. Organized by Breast Health Services at Lehigh Valley Hospital—Cedar Crest, the event saw colleagues like receptionist Mary Ellen Robbins dress in pajamas during the evening and overnight hours to convey a fun spirit.

Guest chef Joaquín Suárez recently delighted the taste buds of hospital visitors and colleagues with some Colombian flavors. As part of the hospital's entry into Sodexo's Global Chef program, Suárez taught the hospital's own chefs how to cook extraordinary foods such as squid ceviche, guava-based barbecue sauce and other Colombian delicacies. The program brings executive chefs from around the world to local communities, sharing authentic international cuisine and traditional cooking techniques.

Emergency department physicians Brian Kane, M.D. (above), and Robert Barraco, M.D., shared experiences about their research of driving distractions at ALERT Partnership's recent conference, Into the Driver's Seat: Policies and Practices to Develop Safer Teen Drivers. The physicians and a research team observed the behaviors of teens and adults driving in school zones of three Pennsylvania and New Jersey high schools. "What we saw was shocking," Kane says. Drivers were not using seat belts, driving without hands and using cell phones. Team members are analyzing and compiling data and hope to share the results soon.

Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network is committed to fighting the flu and hunger. The hospital will accept non-perishable food items on behalf of the Allentown Ecumenical Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank during two upcoming drive-thru flu vaccine sessions. Terry Burger, R.N., right, the network’s director of infection control and prevention, said food donations were suggested as a way to make the hospital’s free flu vaccine campaign even more beneficial to the community. She is joined by Diane McGowan, left, who encourages all people to get the flu shot. Her 15-year-old son died of flu complications in 2005. Food donations are optional and not required to receive a shot.

The Leapfrog Group has named Lehigh Valley Hospital and Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg “Leapfrog Top Hospitals” for 2008. The list includes just 26 hospitals and seven children’s hospitals nationwide out of 1,220 that responded to the Leapfrog Hospital Quality and Safety Survey. LVH and LVH-Muhlenberg are the only local hospitals to make the list and among just three in Pennsylvania. The hospitals recognized are considered by many of the nation’s largest companies and public agencies that buy health benefits for their employees to offer the highest quality and patient safety. This includes practices like ordering medications by computer to avoid errors, like Donald Levick, M.D., left, is doing above, meeting intensive care staffing standards and meeting performance standards for complex, high-risk procedures such as heart bypass surgery.

More than 80 percent of child safety seats inspected by Pennsylvania State Police in September were not installed properly. Knowing how to install child safety seats properly helps protect children from serious injuries. Here, Trevor Gilotti of Lehighton learns how to make sure four-month-old Madison is always safe and secure in her car seat. Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network regularly offers child safety seat inspections at its hospital locations and throughout the community. To find out about upcoming inspection sessions or to get a list of qualified child safety seat inspectors, call 610-402-CARE.

We generate nearly 230,000 pounds of paper waste in six months. We've always recycled paper, but now we're getting even greener. We purchased 1,800 containers to hold paper waste, placed one at every work station and educated our staff to always recycle. "Recycling is the right thing to do for our environment," says Linda Zengen, the hospital's waste reduction specialist. "Plus, we'll use the money we save to invest in health care services for our community."

It looks like an ordinary shuttle, but beneath the new green-and-white van at Lehigh Valley Hospital—Cedar Crest breathes the heart of a clean, green transport machine. It runs on hydrogen, an efficient, potentially renewable, clean-burning fuel. The new van, which shuttles patients and visitors to and from the hospital's parking lots, is the result of teamwork among local organizations, including DaVinci Science Center, Air Products and the hospital. Shuttle drivers James Wieder, left, and Vincent Herbert, right, say the van drives and fuels just like a diesel-powered van.

One in six women experiences an attempted or actual rape during their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's why a group of female Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network colleagues recently participated in a self defense course at the Cedar Crest campus. It was sponsored by the hospital's security department. The course, known as the Rape Aggression Defense System or R.A.D., is a national program that teaches women about awareness, prevention, risk reduction, risk avoidance and progresses to the basics of hands-on defense.

Surrounded by family, friends and caregivers, Fran Miller smiled as she watched her daughter's wedding from a hospital bed at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. She hoped to attend in person, but couldn’t after a setback in her recovery from several surgeries to correct an intestinal obstruction. Her husband, Ron, and several nurses worked feverishly during the days before the wedding so Fran could feel a part of the ceremony. Dressed in a sparkly top, her hair and nails expertly coiffed and painted by a hospital caregiver, Fran was able to witness the affair via streaming video in a hospital conference room.

Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network’s 13th annual Nite Lites gala featured the theme “Some Like it Hot.” Nearly 1,400 guests attended the black tie event beneath several tents fashioned to represent New Orleans’s famous French Quarter. The generous support of donors and attendees totaled nearly $1.3 million for the benefit of the community through LVHHN. Those on hand for the hot, hot, hot dining and dancing included (seated left to right) Lauren Hart, Caroll Neubauer and Ellen Neubauer; standing (left to right) Todd Carmichael, Elliot J. Sussman, M.D., Nancy Cromer Grayson and U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent.

Residents from central and northeastern Pennsylvania were honored for acts of heroism or commitment to burn education at the third Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Award Celebration, held at Lehigh Valley Hospital—Muhlenberg. One of the most touching moments of the night came during the presentation of the Fallen Hero Award to Captain James Robeson of the Scranton Fire Department. He died in the line of duty trying to prevent a fire from spreading to adjoining buildings. His wife, Linda, and son, Ryan, above, accepted the award from Pennsylvania fire commissioner Ed Mann, right.

If you’re wondering where to go for the best heart attack care in the nation, look no further than Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH). According to data from Hospital Compare, a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, LVH’s heart attack care survival rates are the best in the country. Highlighting LVH and citing the Regional MI Alert program as a secret to our success, USA Today spotlighted the case of Richard Silverman of South Whitehall Township who suffered a heart attack in October 2007 while at work. Through quick action by a local ambulance crew and LVH’s emergency department and cardiac cath lab teams, Silverman, 63, survived a life-threatening, completely blocked coronary artery.

Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (LVHHN) and Proton Therapy, Inc. of Marlton, N.J., have signed a memorandum of understanding under which LVHHN would provide proton beam therapy for cancer treatment to the region. Proton beam therapy delivers protons instead of photons, which are used in conventional radiation therapy. A proton beam can be better controlled to limit the energy that affects the body's healthy tissue while maximizing the dose at the tumor site. Currently proton beam therapy is being offered at just six sites in the United States, including Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston (pictured).

The da Vinci^® S HD™ Surgical System takes innovations developed by NASA and applies them to the operating room. Guided by high-definition images, surgeons work a console to control four robotic arms that mimic the precise movement of a surgeon's hand. This technology is helping surgeons at Lehigh Valley Hospital perform laparoscopic hysterectomies, fertility-sparing cervical cancer surgery and surgeries for prostate cancer and other urologic procedures. "The system improves our visualization and dexterity and allows for a full range of motion within a confined area," says urologic oncology surgeon Joseph Trapasso, M.D., second from right.

Despite the rain, more than 12,000 adults and children lined up in their cars to receive freeinfluenza vaccinations at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem and at Dorney Park in Allentown. Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network has offered free flu shots for three years in a row. This year's flu shot campaign set a record. We delivered 4,000 more flu shots to community members this year than we've delivered in previous drive-through flu shot campaigns.

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