Responding to Animal Bites and Preventing Rabies in Allegheny County
Contributed by: Leah Pope, MPH – Allegheny County Health Department Each year, around two thousand people in Allegheny County are bitten by an animal, with more bites occurring during the summer months. While rabies infections in humans are rare, they are a serious public health concern. Before 1960, hundreds of people in the U.S. died […]
Pickle Juice: Health Hack or Just Hype? A Pittsburgh Doctor Weighs In
Emily Scott, DO, CAQSM, is a board-certified family and sports medicine physician and primary care provider at Direct Care Physicians of Pittsburgh. A proud Pittsburgh native with plenty of Yinzer pride, Dr. Scott knows that when it is Picklesburgh weekend, pickles are more than just a snack—they’re practically a food group. As pickle-flavored everything takes […]
AMA House of Delegates Recap: What Allegheny County Physicians Need to Know
By: Sara Hussey, MBA, CAE – ACMS Executive Director I recently returned from the AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago, where I represented ACMS alongside ACMS members Holly Appleberry, DO and Donald Bourne, MD, PhD, for several days of policy debate, elections, and advocacy strategy. Here’s the fast version – what happened, and why it matters […]
2026 Science Fair: From the Laboratory to the Barn
By: Anthony Kovatch, MD “Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’ ‘Cause I’ve built my life around you But time makes you bolder Even children get older And I’m getting older too Oh, I’m getting older too” – From the song “Landslide,” written by Stevie Nicks The haunting refrain of the 1975 song by Fleetwood Mac […]
Allegheny County Medical Society Issues Statement on Allegheny County’s Proposed 18-Week Paid Parental Leave Policy
The recently proposed 18-week paid parental leave policy in Allegheny County has received much attention, with many recognizing the direct connection between parental leave and healthier families, stronger workplaces, and better long-term public health outcomes. In its statement, ACMS highlighted that adequate parental leave improves maternal and infant health, strengthens family bonding, and supports workforce […]
Have an Idea for Change in Medicine? Write a PAMED Resolution.
Every year, physicians across Pennsylvania have the opportunity to directly shape organized medicine and healthcare policy through the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) House of Delegates. And often, it starts with one physician asking: “Why are we doing it this way?” Or: “Could this be improved?” One of the most impactful ways ACMS members can help […]
At a Crossroads: Why Physician Unionization is Gaining Momentum
By: Vint Blackburn, MD – Chair of the ACMS Delegation to PAMED & Member of the ACMS Advocacy Task Force To unionize or not to unionize? This seems to be a significant question among doctors these days, especially those working in large corporate medical centers. At the Allegheny County Medical Society, as part of the […]
From Caregiver to Cancer Specialist: Dr. Prerna Mewawalla’s Mission to Advance Blood Cancer Care
Prerna Mewawalla, MD, serves as Director of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy within the Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy at Allegheny Health Network, specializing in hematology and cellular therapy and making a profound impact on patients facing complex blood disorders such as multiple myeloma and amyloidosis. When she began medical school, she intended […]
National Healthcare Decisions Day: What Patients Should Know About Advance Directives
April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day physicians dedicate to encouraging people to create an advance directive, a document that outlines medical procedure preferences in scenarios where a patient is incapable of making the decision. Several years ago, the Allegheny County Medical Society (ACMS) and the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) collaborated to […]
Mpox Cases Rising in Allegheny County: What Physicians and Patients Should Know
By: Jen Fiddner, MPH, CIC, Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Jillian Irwin, MD, MPH, Medical Director The Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) has identified an increase in locally acquired clade II mpox infections among county residents. Nine infections have been reported in Allegheny County between January 1 and March 30, 2026. Only six infections were reported […]