University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - UPMC

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) is a leading American healthcare provider and institution for medical research. It consistently ranks in US News and World Report's "Honor Roll" of the approximately 15 best hospitals in America. On that annual list, it appeared seven times from 1999 through 2006 [2].

Based in Pittsburgh, it is best known as the home to Jonas Salk while he developed the polio vaccine, where Thomas Starzl perfected transplant surgeries, and for the breakthroughs of isolating and identifying the benefits of Vitamin C in the 1930's.

The medical center has also served as the primary care facility for Pennsylvania two-term governor and Presidential candidate Robert P. Casey when he battled cancer, 10,000 Maniacs guitarist and founder Robert Buck from liver disease and Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O'Connor from lymphoma.

UPMC is affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences.

Since its establishment in 1893 as Presbyterian Hospital, UPMC has grown, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "to a 29-county system with 40,000 employees, $5.1 billion in revenue, a for-profit health insurance subsidiary with half a million members and a network of 19 hospitals; 17 nursing, retirement and long-term care homes; and more than 4,000 affiliated physicians." It is western Pennsylvania's largest employer, and second in the state only to Wal-Mart. Beyond western Pennsylvania, UPMC operates ISMETT, a transplantation hospital in Palermo, Italy.

Some of UPMC's 19 hospitals include UPMC Shadyside, UPMC Presbyterian, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, and as announced September 20, 2006 UPMC will acquire Pittsburgh's Mercy Hospital and rename it "UPMC Mercy." UPMC Presbyterian is an accredited Level I Trauma Center and in conjunction with The Center for Emergency Medicine and Stat Medevac, handles a large portion of western Pennsylvania's traumas. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is one of only 2 Pediatric Level I Trauma Centers in the state.