Cole Memorial Hospital attacking nation's top killer diseases

At the Patterson Cancer Care Center in Coudersport, (from left) Dr. David Moylan, radiation oncologist; Dr. Jeffrey DeLo, medical oncologist; Todd Smith, radiation therapist; and Jason Metzger, director of radiation therapy, gather at the IMRT. The new technology targets tumors with precise, high-dose radiation. The specialized radiation treatment traditionally associated with major cancer centers is now available at the center, on the campus of Charles Cole Memorial Hospital.

Charles Cole Memorial Hospital has expanded its delivery of services for patients suffering from the nation's two most serious health problems: cancer and heart disease.

Among the major developments is the establishment of Cole as a comprehensive cancer center, through the addition of radiation oncology as well as expanded IMRT capabilities at the Patterson Cancer Care Center.

"This technology, technically known as Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy, is used in the treatment of certain types of cancers to more precisely focus the radiation beam," CEO David Acker explained. "It reduces the possibility of damage to surrounding tissue."

Meanwhile, cardiac care has recently been enhanced through a partnership with Arnot Ogden Hospital in Elmira, N.Y., to bring cardiologists to Coudersport. These specialists are also available for remote reading of cardiology studies any time of the day or night, whether from the emergency room, in-patient floor, or physician offices.

Operating a comprehensive health care facility in a rural area is a challenge, Acker acknowledged. Through expansion, operational adjustments and the recruitment of professionals, the hospital continues to fulfill the mission that was first articulated by its main benefactor, Charles Cole, more than four decades ago.

The hospital recently opened a new Sleep Center to diagnose and treat sleep disorders, and a Wound Care Clinic, where patients r e c e i v e comprehensive care, separate from the regular hospital setting.

Cole has also modernized its electroencephalogram service with new technology, as well as an affiliation with Geisinger Medical Center. Tests are performed in Coudersport and interpreted by neurologists at the Geisinger facility in Danville.

Physician recruitment remains a high priority. Recent staff additions were made in pediatrics, general surgery, anesthesia, physiatry and family practice/sleep medicine. Additionally, Cole has expanded its "hospitalist" program to include two fulltime physicians and two fulltime physician assistants dedicated to inpatient care. Recruitment of nurses has also been stepped-up.

At the Irwin Rehabilitation Center, a wheelchair clinic has been added, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. New audio visual technology allows clinicians at UPMC to remotely observe and assist Cole therapists in treating wheelchair-bound patients.

An outpatient memory clinic was opened in 2006. Services are provided for those who are not candidates for in-patient care, but are in need of diagnosis and treatment for memory-related disorders often found in the older population. The hospital also expanded and remodeled its geriatric psychiatry unit.

Charles Cole was one of 15 hospitals nationwide to be awarded a National Rural Health Initiative Grant to launch a diabetes management program. It's centered in the office of Dr. Jason Tronetti in Port Allegany.

Who was Charles Cole? Charles Cole Memorial Hospital is observing its 35th anniversary later this year.

The origins of today's hospital go back to October 1917, when Miss Margaret Tighe purchased the Dean Sanitarium and opened under the name of the Coudersport Hospital.

In 1944, it became known as the Potter County Memorial Hospital, in honor of Potter County veterans of World War I and II as well as those whose gifts and labors made the hospital possible.

With the death of Charles Cole in 1961, the direction of this small community hospital suddenly changed.

Cole had amassed considerable wealth through wise investments and frugal living. In his will, he provided funds for a new health care facility and a fund to assure that the indigent would have access to health services.

Through the generosity of his widow, the former Edith Pinney, the hospital became a reality on Oct. 1, 1967.

Mrs. Cole later was married to Chicago surgeon, G. Howard Irwin, and both maintained a philanthropic interest in the hospital until their deaths in the 1990s. Many of the new buildings, including the Irwin Rehabilitation Center and the Irwin Medical Arts Center, have been funded by the charitable trusts they established.

Most recently, the Irwin Trusts helped to fund the addition of radiation oncology at the Patterson Cancer Care Center.

These endowments provide an important source of support which enables the hospital to continue to grow and respond to the needs of the community.