West Penn Hospital celebrates 175th anniversary .
March 18 , 2023 , marked the 175th anniversary of West Penn Hospital , a major milestone for accessible care in the community .
“ We ’ re truly a community hospital with a lot of tertiary expertise , and we have some of the highest rankings for a reason . We ’ re standing strong and the community remains loyal because we really care , and we ’ re always looking for ways to improve the patient experience ,” said Donald Wilfong , MD , an AHN primary care physician and Vice Chair of Medicine at West Penn .
“ We ’ re significantly improving patient health outcomes and quality of life .”
In addition to medical advances , a strong sense of community continues to support care delivery .
“ We still have that community feel . We ’ re a close-knit community and we have a great workplace culture . We ’ re all in it together to deliver the best possible care ,” said Dr . Wilfong .
In his nearly 44 years as a primary care physician at West Penn , Dr . Wilfong has seen it all , including exciting advances in medicine . “ We ’ ve seen everything . All the new medical and surgical interventions are impressive , and the next 10 years are sure to bring more .
Humor meets hematology .
Like many people , John Lister , MD , had a non-linear career path . “ I really thought I was going to be a professional hockey player . But I wasn ’ t good enough . And I wasn ’ t good enough to be a rock musician either . Medicine seemed like a good mix of science and connecting with people , so here I am .” As Chief of the Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy at the AHN Cancer Institute , Dr . Lister is a highly experienced transplant physician . He participated in his first bone marrow transplant in 1979 , and has been involved in over 1,000 transplants since then . Dr . Lister has also contributed to a number of clinical studies and medical literature , and serves on several scientific and administrative committees .
John Lister , MD Hematology
In 1997 , Dr . Lister joined the faculty at West Penn Hospital , where he continues to move the field of hematology forward with humor and humility . “ We take what we do very , very seriously . But we try not to take ourselves too seriously . You have to have a bit of humor in this field , and we have a great crew . We ’ re always advancing the profession , focusing on our patients and adapting to what means the most to them .”
For more information , visit ahn . org / cancer .