To Your Health

Hospital Honored for Nursing Excellence

Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network has again earned the nation’s highest seal of approval for nursing care. Fewer than 4 percent of American hospitals earn Magnet status. “Magnet recognizes that our nurses have the resources they need for top-quality caregiving, and it is an indicator for patients of the level of care they can expect to receive,” says Terry Capuano, R.N., senior vice president of clinical services. Lehigh Valley Hospital—one of only eight Magnet hospitals in Pennsylvania—first earned Magnet status in 2002. Hospitals must repeat the rigorous inspection process every four years.

New Radiation Technology

Cancer patients at Lehigh Valley Hospital (both Muhlenberg and Cedar Crest) are benefiting from image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). IGRT allows for very precise treatment of tumors—for example, lung cancers—that change position with normal actions like digestion and breathing. Specialists can use the technology to verify the tumor location before each treatment. IGRT is the latest addition to the region’s most sophisticated and powerful radiation oncology program.

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