Allegheny Health Network Joins U.S. Olympic Committee National Medical Network as an Official U.S. Olympic Regional Medical Center

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Feb 05, 2014, 03:35 ET

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Allegheny Health Network has been designated an Official U.S. Olympic Regional Medical Center, joining a national network of six leading medical providers selected by the United States Olympic Committee to provide comprehensive medical services to elite Team USA athletes, including orthopedics and sports medicine, primary care, cardiovascular care, neurosurgery, physical therapy, and more.

The USOC launched the National Medical Network in 2013 to support Team USA by providing convenient, high-quality services for elite athletes and plans to develop and expand the network to best meet the performance objectives of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic competitors.

"We are extremely pleased to have Allegheny Health Network join the National Medical Network as a regional partner," said Alan Ashley, USOC chief of sport performance. "The variety and value of services that this collaborative project will provide is a great resource for Team USA."

Allegheny Health Network, as a Regional Medical Center, will serve in the USOC Medical Network alongside the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, N.Y., the first organization to be designated as a National Medical Center by the USOC, and four other Regional Medical Centers: Memorial Hospital, part of University of Colorado Health and the Colorado Center of Orthopedic Excellence, both in Colorado Springs, Colo.; Adirondack Health of Saranac Lake, N.Y.; and Lake Placid Sports Medicine in Lake Placid, N.Y.

"Allegheny Health Network's Sports Medicine program is committed to helping athletes of all abilities achieve their fullest potential," said Patrick J. DeMeo, MD, Chairman of Allegheny Health Network's Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Director of the Network's Sports Medicine Division. "It's truly an honor to be part of the National Medical Network and contribute to the health and well-being of our nation's premier athletes."

Through Allegheny Health Network's seven hospitals and 17 orthopedic and rehabilitation centers across western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, athletes are able to receive advanced testing, treatment and rehabilitation in close to home settings. For highly specialized and advanced levels of orthopedic care, the Network's hospitals offer innovative surgeries and minimally invasive procedures that help athletes recover faster and with less post-operative pain.

The Network's Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Institute has condition specific centers where teams of highly experienced doctors collaborate to develop treatment plans unique to each patient. These centers collectively focus on every possible injury an athlete may encounter, including ligament damage, arthritis, back pain and spinal disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, bone fractures, rotator cuff tears, sports and dance related injuries and sprains, strains and contusions.

Allegheny Health Network is also home to a leading athletic concussion management program and is one of just a few medical centers in the country using a groundbreaking new concussion evaluation and management system called C3 Logix. The system combines a computerized neurocognitive exam with a novel tablet-based technology that tracks an athlete's dynamic vision reflexes and ability to visually focus on moving objects to determine the existence or severity of a head injury.

About the USOC:
Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., the U.S. Olympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. As such, the USOC is responsible for the training, entering and funding of U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, while serving as a steward of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements throughout the country. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org

About Allegheny Health Network:
Allegheny Health Network is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving Western Pennsylvania and the surrounding tri-state region. The Network is comprised of eight hospitals, including its flagship academic medical center Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Canonsburg Hospital, Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital, Westfield Memorial Hospital and West Penn Hospital; the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute; ambulatory care centers; and a healthcare group purchasing organization. The Network employs approximately 17,000 people, including more than 2,100 physicians on its medical staff. The Network also serves as a clinical campus for both Temple University School of Medicine and Drexel University College of Medicine.

Allegheny Health Network's Sports Medicine Program is widely regarded as a leading source of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative care for professional and amateur athletes. The program is the official medical provider of the Pittsburgh Pirates professional baseball team, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds professional soccer team, Robert Morris University, Gannon University, the Community College of Allegheny County and 18 Pittsburgh area high schools. It also serves as an official medical provider of the Professional Golfers Association.

SOURCE Allegheny Health Network