You never know when a sudden illness or accident will have you or a member of your family seeking emergency care. Fortunately, people who live in Tyrone and neighboring areas can access 24-hour emergency care close to home, at Tyrone Hospital.
Al Godissart, RN, Director of Outpatient Services said if there are people who used Tyrone Hospital’s emergency room in the past but have not used it recently they will probably notice some changes on their next visit.
“Some things have developed over the past year. We have welcomed some new doctors and additional nursing staff to the ER. We want to make sure people in the community are aware of these changes. ”
Pradip Swain, M.D. came to Tyrone from the Altoona Regional Health System, Bon Secour Campus about a year ago. Dr. Swain is board certified in Emergency Medicine.
He served as Director and Chairman of the Emergency and Outpatient Department at the Bon Secour campus for 25 years before he opted for the small hospital experience and joined Tyrone.
Board certified family medicine physician, Anthony Zinobile, M.D., formerly of the Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania recently joined the emergency room.
Dr. Zinobile, said he chose to come to Tyrone because he was ready for a change.
“I like the personalized attention provided at small hospitals. The pace of a small facility allows me to spend more time with my patients.”
Dr. Zinobile said the emergency room’s nursing staff is also a plus. “The nurses are familiar with many of the patients that visit our ER and I think that adds value to their ER experience.”
Another change in the emergency room is added nursing staff on the day and evening shifts, the emergency room’s busiest hours.
Linda Morrison, RN who has been with Tyrone Hospital for 26 years, 19 of which have been in the emergency room said having additional nurses in the ER allows staff to provide more timely service.
“Patients who have a frame of reference for our ER tell us they have noticed the difference. We are able to move them through their ER experience in less time, and people seem to appreciate that service.”
With the added nursing staff, those who visit the ER can count on seeing some familiar faces, and some new ones as well.
Among the new faces is Joe Zelem, RN, one of the newest ER nurses. Zelem, a native of Huntingdon said when evaluating nursing opportunities, he was looking for a facility like Tyrone.
“It is a good fit for me since I grew up in a small town using a small hospital. I have a real appreciation for the kind of personalized care Tyrone Hospital provides.”
Godissart said the nurses who staff the ER have decades of experience among them and collectively bring skills in emergency medicine, intensive care, surgical care and more.
“We feel fortunate to have such a seasoned group of professionals to staff our ER.”
Current emergency room physicians at Tyrone Hospital include: Basil Selden M.D., Medical Director, Thomas Baumgarten, M.D., Pradip Swain, M.D., Anthony Zinobile, M.D., and Praskash Phulwani, M.D.
For more information about Tyrone Hospital’s emergency room services, contact Al Godissart, RN, Director of Outpatient Services 684- 6323.
