FILE – A nurse prepares a syringe of a COVID-19 vaccine at an inoculation station in Jackson, Miss., July 19, 2022. U.S. health officials are proposing a simplified approach to COVID-19 vaccinations, which would allow most adults and children to get a once-a-year shot to protect against the mutating virus. The new system unveiled Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 would make COVID-19 inoculations more like the annual flu shot. Americans would no longer have to keep track of how many shots they’ve received or how many months it’s been since their last booster. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials want to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the annual flu shot. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed a simplified approach so that most adults and children would get a once-a-year shot. Americans would no longer have to keep track of how many shots they’ve received or when. The proposal comes as boosters have become a hard sell. The FDA is asking a panel of outside vaccine experts to weigh in on the new approach at a meeting Thursday. The agency will present data suggesting most Americans have enough protection to move to a once-a-year shots.

FILE – Text, in yellow, announcing cryptocurrency lender BlockFi’s bankruptcy filing, appears on the company’s website on a smartphone, Nov. 28, 2022, in New York. Over the past few years, a number of companies have attempted to act as the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank, promising lucrative returns to customers who deposited their bitcoin or other digital assets. In a span of less than 12 months, nearly all of the biggest of those companies have failed spectacularly. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Over the past few years, a number of companies have attempted to act as the cryptocurrency equivalent of a bank, promising lucrative returns to customers who deposited their bitcoin or other digital assets. In a span of less than 12 months, nearly all of the biggest of those companies have failed spectacularly. Last week, Genesis filed Chapter 11, joining Voyager Digital, Celsius and BlockFi in the list of companies that have either filed for bankruptcy protection or gone out of business. They failed because of a lack of safeguards and a rapid drop in crypto prices. Customers wonder if they’ll recover any of their deposits.

From left, Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. President and Chief Financial Officer Joe Berchtold, SeatGeek, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jack Groetzinger, Jam Productions LLC Chief Executive Officer and President Jerry Mickelson, The James Madison Institute Senior Vice President Sal Nuzzo, American Antitrust Institute Vice President For Legal Advocacy Kathleen Bradish, and singer-songwriter Clyde Lawrence appear before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to examine promoting competition and protecting consumers in live entertainment on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Senators grilled Ticketmaster Tuesday about its spectacular breakdown last year during a sale of Taylor Swift concert tickets. Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee debated possible action, including making tickets non-transferable to cut down on scalping and requiring more transparency in ticket fees. Some suggested it may also be necessary to split Ticketmaster and concert promoter Live Nation, which merged in 2010. Ticketmaster is the world’s largest ticket seller, processing 500 million tickets each year. In mid-November, Ticketmaster’s site crashed during a presale event for Swift’s upcoming stadium tour. The Justice Department has also opened an investigation into the breakdown.

FILE – Former Vice President Mike Pence sits for an interview with the Associated Press, Nov. 16, 2022, in New York. Documents with classified markings were discovered in former Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana Home last week, according to his attorney. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Documents with classified markings were discovered in former Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana Home last week, according to his attorney. The documents had been “inadvertently boxed” and transported to Pence’s home at the end of the last administration,” Pence’s lawyer, Greg Jacob, told the National Archives in a letter last week. He said that “Pence was unaware of the existence of sensitive or classified documents at his personal residence” and that he “understands the high importance of protecting sensitive and classified information and stands ready and willing to cooperate fully with the National Archives and any appropriate inquiry. ”

FILE – A sign is shown on a Google building at their campus in Mountain View, Calif., on Sept. 24, 2019. The Justice Department and several states sued Google on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, alleging that its dominance in digital advertising harms competition. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department and eight states have sued Google, alleging that its dominance in digital advertising harms competition as well as consumers and advertisers. The government alleges that Google’s plan to assert dominance has been to “neutralize or eliminate” rivals through acquisitions and to force advertisers to use its products by making it difficult to use competitors’ products. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Google’s dominance in the ad market means fewer publishers are able to offer their products without charging subscription or other fees. Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, says the suit “doubles down on a flawed argument that would slow innovation, raise advertising fees, and make it harder for thousands of small businesses and publishers to grow.”

Including the cities of Kittanning, Aliquippa, Murrysville,
Monaca, Weirton, Pittsburgh Metro Area, Carrollton, Steubenville,
Ambridge, Lower Burrell, Butler, Monessen, Indiana, Cadiz,
Cambridge, Coshocton, East Liverpool, Greensburg, Columbiana,
Salem, Latrobe, Malvern, Zanesville, Dover, Beaver Falls, Ellwood
City, New Kensington, Ford City, New Castle, and New Philadelphia
139 PM EST Tue Jan 24 2023

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 1 PM EST
WEDNESDAY...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 1 and 4
  inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

* WHERE...Portions of east central Ohio. Portions of southwest and
  western Pennsylvania. Portions of northern West Virginia.

* WHEN...From 3 AM to 1 PM EST Wednesday.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous
  conditions could impact the Wednesday morning commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road
conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by
calling 5 1 1.

PITTSBURGH, PA (Jan. 24, 2023)— Highmark Health announced today the appointment of Whitney Perkins Witt, PhD, MPH, as vice president of social determinants of health (SDoH), operations and strategy. In this pivotal leadership role for Highmark, Dr. Witt will direct SDoH interventions, research and evaluation, advanced data analytics, provider collaboration, health innovation and technology, and thought leadership.

Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people live, work, learn, and play that can impact up to 80 percent of an individual’s health before the healthcare system can intervene. By digging deeper into ‘non-health’ related questions, Highmark is leading the way in helping members and patients move past health care to focus solely on health.

“We’re pleased to welcome Dr. Witt and her long-standing history of success to Highmark,” said Nebeyou Abebe, senior vice president of social determinants of health at Highmark. “The importance of understanding social determinants and minimizing the barriers that stand before our communities and members is at the core of our work. I’m confident that Dr. Witt’s unique skill set and robust experience will lead to positive advancements in the health and well-being of our members while reducing health disparities.”

Dr. Witt brings nearly 30 years of experience to Highmark and has led multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement strategic health initiatives, conduct research, launch innovative technical assistance programs, and develop and create digital clinical tools using advanced data analytics. In addition, she has expertise, particularly with SDoH, to improve cost, quality, and patient-related outcomes.

Before joining Highmark, Dr. Witt served as the vice president of AmeriSpeak, which is NORC at the University of Chicago’s premier multi-client, panel-based research platform, where she oversaw the development and growth of AmeriSpeak-centered business among Federal sponsors.

Prior to her experience at NORC, she served as a professor and Inaugural Dean of the College of Health at Lehigh University. As Dean, she established the first undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs in population health and increased the diversity of university faculty by recruiting, hiring, and promoting talent from different racial, cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.

“I could not be prouder to join the Highmark team at this exciting time,” said Dr. Witt. “I am very impressed with and support Highmark’s ‘Living Health’ focus on social health, along with physical and behavioral health. The organization is at the forefront of implementing and evaluating interventions to address the SDOH and whole-person care. I look forward to collaborating with my new colleagues to address the social determinants of health and improve health equity.”

Before joining Lehigh, Dr. Witt served as the Director of the Center for Maternal and Child Health Research at IBM Watson Health. She led multimillion-dollar Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) research projects and technical assistance programs, among other critical initiatives. While at IBM, Dr. Witt also led teams to develop award-winning, innovative healthcare delivery solutions using advanced data analytics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. In recognition of this work, Dr. Witt won several Watson Health and IBM-wide prestigious honors. In addition, she is an IBM Certified Practitioner of Cognitive Solutions.

Dr. Witt is a 26-year American Public Health Association (APHA) member and recently the Chair of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Section. As an industry leader, she provides thought leadership to over 2,500 maternal and child health professionals. Additionally, Dr. Witt has extensive experience with teaching, mentorship, and service at the graduate level and has held full-time academic appointments at Harvard Medical School, Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.

She earned her Doctorate and Master’s degrees in Health Policy and Management and Public Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Pediatric Health Services Research at the Harvard University School of Medicine, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law and Women’s Studies at Hampshire College.

Photo L-R: Mary Ann Raible, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Magnet Program Director, AHN West Penn Hospital; Brian Johnson, MD, President of AHN West Penn Hospital; Angela Costa, MPM, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer of AHN West Penn Hospital. Courtesy of Allegheny Health Network

PITTSBURGH, Pa. (January 23, 2023) – Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) West Penn Hospital is celebrating the formal announcement of its fourth consecutive Magnet® designation for nursing excellence, including delivery of the superior quality care and dedication of nursing practice. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program® recognizes health care organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence and is the highest international honor for professional nursing practice.

Receiving Magnet designation is a remarkable achievement for AHN West Penn, especially for a fourth time, as it places the hospital among a select group of health care organizations and hospitals in the U.S. West Penn was the first hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania to earn the Magnet designation in 2006.

“A fourth Magnet designation is a tremendous honor and reflects the commitment to nursing excellence of all the nurses of West Penn Hospital and the interdisciplinary team in their quest to consistently deliver high quality, compassionate care,” said Claire Zangerle, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, FAAN, Chief Nursing Executive for AHN. “By ensuring patients remain the focus of nursing practice, the nurses of West Penn Hospital are creating the best possible patient experiences and outcomes and serving as pillars of the Living Health model and culture that we are advancing to transform health care in our community.”

Research demonstrates that Magnet designation offers specific benefits to health care organizations and their communities, including:

• A better patient experience relative to nurse communication and transitions of care.
• Lower risk of 30-day mortality and lower failure to rescue rates.
• Significantly higher job satisfaction among nurses and decreased incidents of nurses reporting intent to leave their positions.

Magnet designation is the gold standard for nursing excellence.  It is a contributing factor when the public assesses the quality of health care organizations in Specific U.S. News & World Report’s annual showcase of “America’s Best Hospitals.” AHN West Penn is one of 39 Magnet organizations in Pennsylvania.

“As a Magnet designated organization, nurse leaders and staff consistently focus on executing best practices that outperform national benchmarks, demonstrating transformational leadership, and promoting a culture of safety and collaboration,” shared Angela Costa, MPM, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer of West Penn Hospital. “This fourth consecutive recognition underscores the foundation of excellence and values upheld each day by West Penn nurses while they constantly strive to create a remarkable healthcare experience for our patients.”

To remain current, health care organizations are required to reapply for Magnet designation every four years ensuring adherence to Magnet concepts and demonstrated improvements in patient care and quality.

“The nurses at West Penn Hospital are an extraordinary group of skilled, caring individuals who have maintained the highest level of professionalism even during extremely challenging times over the past few years,” said Brian Johnson, MD, President of West Penn Hospital. “We are proud of their leadership and this outstanding accomplishment, and we are immensely grateful for the difference they make in the lives of our patients and their families.”

AHN West Penn Hospital is a 356 all private bed facility that has served Bloomfield and its surrounding communities since 1848, approaching its 175^th birthday in March of 2023. The hospital offers a wide range of specialized services that draw patients throughout the tri-state area and is home base for AHN’s Women’s Institute, Bariatric Institute, Autoimmunity Institute, Esophageal and Lung Institute, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center, Bone Marrow and Cell Transplantation Program and Burn Treatment Center, among other services.

AHN Saint Vincent hospital in Erie was also named a Magnet hospital in 2022, along with AHN Jefferson hospital in 2021.

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About ANCC’s Magnet Recognition Program

The Magnet Recognition Program — administered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the largest and most prominent nurses credentialing organization in the world — identifies health care organizations that provide the very best in nursing care and professionalism in nursing practice.

The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality of care. For more information about the Magnet Recognition Program and current statistics, visit www.nursingworld.org/magnet.

PITTSBURGH, PA – Dr. Don Green, President of Point Park University, since July 2021, has advised its Board of Trustees that he is resigning for private, personal and family reasons.

“Of course, we support his decision and wish Don the very best,” said Joe Greco, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “The board thanks Don for his boundless energy toward advancing the mission of the University and, in particular, his service to students during his time here.”

Dr. Green took over as president of Point Park in July 2021, following the retirement of Dr. Paul Hennigan.

According to University By-Laws, Dr. Michael Soto, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, will assume the responsibilities of the presidency until further notice. Members of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees are reviewing options for presidential succession and will be meeting with leaders of the various campus constituencies to discuss these options.

“As we work through this unexpected transition, I have full confidence that our entire leadership team, faculty and staff will remain focused on the excellent work they do in delivering on the mission of providing an outstanding higher education to our students,” Greco said.