Communities Benefit from
Growth of Metropolitan ENT Associates

By Vanessa Orr

For more than 50 years, Metropolitan ENT Associates has been providing relief for people with ear, nose and throat problems. The practice’s success, and its growth throughout the years, can be attributed to the belief that taking care of the patient is just as important as treating his or her disease.

“Dr. Boyd Miller, who started the practice, believed in treating people well and practicing good medicine, and that is still our mission today,” said Dr. Steven R. Jones. “We treat our patients as human beings—not as scientific issues that need to be solved. Taking care of patients and meeting their needs is our first priority, and this value is instilled in all of our employees.”

Metropolitan ENT Associates offers a full range of sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic care to treat diseases of the ear, nose and throat; other services include allergy testing, hearing testing, dispensing of hearing aids, and voice evaluations. The practice’s physicians manage specialty-specific disorders in both children and adults.

“One of the things that makes us unique is that we have Fellowship-trained physicians capable of treating a broad spectrum of ear, nose and throat disease,” said Philip A. Pollice, M.D., F.A.C.S. “For example, if a patient comes in with a complex sinus or thyroid problem, they may see one of our practice’s doctors with subspecialty training and experience in this area.”

This emphasis on quality care and putting the patient first has enabled Metropolitan ENT Associates to grow from a small North Hills practice to an organization with five main patient care offices and four satellite offices. The practice now serves patients at Mercy Hospital, Allegheny General Hospital, UPMC Passavant, UPMC Passavant Cranberry and Western Pennsylvania Surgery Center. Satellite offices are located in Brentwood, Greentree, Norwin Hills and Robinson Township.

“It’s truly amazing how this practice has grown,” said Dr. Jones, who has been practicing medicine for 21 years. “I’m seeing patients two generations older than I am; they were coming to Metropolitan ENT Associates before I was born.”

As the practice has grown, so has its commitment to making patients’ visits as pleasurable as possible. “We don’t believe that patients should spend hours in a waiting room, and make every effort to see patients in a timely fashion, while at the same time providing the highest level of care,” said Dr. Pollice.

In addition to Dr. Jones and Dr. Pollice, Metropolitan ENT Associates includes Scott E. Celin, M.D., F.A.C.S., James E. Blaugrund, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Michael S. Srodes, M.D.
“We’ve been able to attract top-level physicians as our practice has expanded,” said Dr. Jones. “Our doctors have an established track record for providing very good, careful, artful medicine, and for being able to relate to patients. We are very proud of what we do, and it shows in the care we provide.”

This caring spirit can also be found outside the office doors, where Metropolitan ENT Associates helps to support a number of local charities, including North Hills Community Outreach. Just like the practice, this non-profit agency started small, but has grown over the past two decades to become a much-respected, and much-needed, part of the North Hills’ community.

“North Hills Community Outreach was started in 1986, when flooding destroyed parts of Shaler and Etna,” explained Wendy Gordon, director of communications. “After helping these families get back on their feet, community and religious leaders realized that there were many more people in need beyond those affected by the flood.”

The organization, now celebrating its 20th year, helps families in a number of ways, including providing utility bill payment assistance and operating two food pantries. The agency and its 1,400 volunteers also offer employment help, legal consultations, disaster relief, transportation, support groups, volunteer care for seniors and adults with physical disabilities, and more. In 2006, North Hills Community Outreach helped 6,300 local families, which was a 25 percent increase over the previous year.

In May, the agency kicked off its “Back to School” project, which collects and distributes new backpacks and school supplies to North Hills’ children in need. “Through this program, we are able to give these children the dignity of returning to school with a new backpack and school supplies,” said Judy Murchak, Sharing Project Coordinator. “It is so important for kids’ well-being to have new items when they return to school, and their parents are really appreciative that we’ve given them such a good start.”

Backpacks and school supplies are donated by businesses, church groups, individuals and more. Last year, 592 children benefited from the community’s generosity, and this year, the agency expects to help even more.

“We can’t say enough about how much we appreciate all of the help that community members provide,” said Gordon. “Because of the generosity of individuals and businesses like Metropolitan ENT Associates, we can provide for many less fortunate members of the community.”

To help with the Back to School program, call 412-487-6316 or visit www.nhco.org. To schedule an appointment with Metropolitan ENT Associates, call toll-free 1-866-827-0173 or visit www.metroent.org.