By RANDY GRIFFITH
WINDBER — Pennsylvania’s fledgling Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Systems network is ready to spread its wings, fueled by energy created this week at World Health Organization Winter School.
“We have grown with members joining the network,” local organizer Dr. Matthew Masiello of Windber Research Institute said. “We are in a position to draw attention of our local and national health-care leaders and, hopefully, participate actively in an international arena.
The special winter school was organized to support the organization’s first network in the United States, said Dr. Hanne Tonnesen of Bispebjerg Hospital in Denmark and chief executive officer of the WHO International Health Promoting Hospital Secretariat.
Members of the Pennsylvania network include Windber Research Institute, Windber Medical Center, Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center, Windber Hospice and Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown.
“We will be going out and talking to universities, other health-care services and other health systems,” Masiello said.
More than 40 professionals from health care and related fields participated in the three-day Winter School, hosted by Windber Research Institute. The information galvanizes graduates to spread the health-promotion message, Tonnesen said.
“The participants in this school were very active,” she said.
“I expect they will use the HPH approach as a bridge between their institution and the community.”
Tonnesen lauded the new network member’s progress in addressing health promotion and disease-prevention issues. She also was impressed by the the community and the new WindberPlace conference facility at Windber Medical Center.
“Windber is beautiful,” Tonnesen said. “Everything was perfect here. The break-out session rooms worked well, and it was so well-prepared.”
The initial Winter School’s success has prompted talk of a second conference in Windber. While this week’s event drew an audience primarily from western Pennsylvania, Tonnesen said, it will help establish the Pennsylvania network’s reputation and bring a more international group.
On the Net
The World Health Organization health-promoting hospitals project: www.euro.who.int/healthpromohosp
