On Feb. 1, UPMC Somerset marked its five-year affiliation anniversary with UPMC. On a cold, snowy day in 2019, hospital employees, UPMC leaders, and community members gathered together surrounded by several inches of fresh snow. At that ceremony, promises were laid out featuring a significant commitment to improving access to high-quality health care in the Somerset community.
From left to right, Krista Mathias, chair of the UPMC Somerset Board of Directors, Andy Rush, president, UPMC Somerset, Leslie Davis, president and CEO, UPMC
“Reflecting on the last five years, I’m not sure we truly anticipated how positive the impact would be on both our employees and patients,” said Andy Rush, president, UPMC Somerset. “The accomplishments we have made over the past five years would not be possible without each of our more than 800 employees. They dedicate their time and talents to ensure we are able to provide the best care to our community. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”
In 2023 alone, the promise made years earlier shone bright in the form of several advancements:
– Three new facilities in the region opened to bring access to care closer to home. UPMC Western Behavioral Health at Twin Lakes opened a brand-new inpatient substance use disorder treatment facility that has expanded access to this service by 60%.
– UPMC Magee-Womens Specialty Services at UPMC Somerset moved into a larger office to accommodate the increase in demand.
– UPMC Somerset Family Practice-Davidsville finally opened a permanent location for the practice, which is double the size of the initial building.
Additionally, patient satisfaction scores rose, and UPMC Somerset earned consecutive “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades and recognition from the Hospital and Healthcare Association of Pennsylvania for Patient Safety. “We also had an outstanding year of recruitment, both of providers and employees,” Rush said. “This allows us to continue to increase the number of patients that we care for. We saw 39 new employees in the Primary Care service line alone, and seven providers joined our team in multiple specialties.”
The focus at UPMC Somerset and across all UPMC for 2024 and beyond is very clear — to continue to grow services and increase patient access so that people in the region can receive high-quality health care without having to travel. This goes hand in hand with creating the best possible experience for employees. “We will accomplish this by focusing on our 2024 goals, which include improving the patient and employee experience and improving access to care,” Rush said.
Plans at UPMC Somerset for the next year include:
– Recruitment of primary and specialty care providers.
– Looking at every opportunity to get patients served as quickly as possible.
– Enhancing the accommodations for inpatients.
– Technology upgrades.
– Continuing to provide a great employee experience.
“I am looking forward to the next several years of accomplishments as we work together to improve the health of our communities we serve,” Rush said.
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