Geisinger at Home Receives Grant

Geisinger Health Foundation has been granted $50,000 to support the Geisinger at Home™ program from the Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund of the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania (FCFP).

“We’re grateful to the FCFP’s Ralph and Josephine Smith Fund for this generous grant, which will bolster our Geisinger at Home program as we continue to help patients manage their conditions in the comfort of their own homes,” said Nancy Lawton-Kluck, Geisinger Health Foundation’s chief philanthropy officer.

Geisinger at Home brings health care to eligible Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage members where they need it most — right where they live. The program cares for patients with complex, difficult-to-manage health conditions like kidney disease, heart disease, cancers and dementia, and Geisinger’s team of doctors, registered nurses, dietitians, case managers and medical support staff visit them in their residences.

The program keeps patients healthier, safer and better connected to their care team, so their health needs can be met before they require emergency room visits or hospital stays.

Funding will be used for program costs and to support social and home needs for Geisinger at Home patients in Northumberland County.

FCFP works to improve the quality of life in north-central Pennsylvania through community leadership, the promotion of philanthropy, the strengthening of nonprofit impact and the perpetual stewardship of charitable assets. The Community Foundation strives to create powerful communities through passionate giving. For more information visit, fcfpartnership.org.

Geisinger to Continue Maternity Needs for NEPA

With the recent announcement that Wilkes-Barre General Hospital will close its labor and delivery services, Geisinger wants to assure the communities of northeastern Pennsylvania that Geisinger will work hard to fill that care gap.

Rest assured that labor and delivery services will continue at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre and Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton.

Leaders from both Geisinger facilities are holding recruitment events in hopes of filling staff vacancies and bolstering our OB-GYN services throughout the northeast. Teams are finding ways to create additional space to accommodate a potential volume increase in births. Logistical plans for providing transportation quickly and effectively for a mother and child are also being put in place.

Geisinger accepts all major insurances, including Aetna, Cigna, Highmark, United Healthcare and Medicare.

Geisinger will stay true to its mission to make better health easier for families in the communities we serve. Mothers-to-be who need to make a birthing plan can contact Geisinger to schedule an appointment by calling 570-808-7916.

Geisinger also offers full OB-GYN and Women’s Health services at our outpatient Women’s Health clinics in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. To find a provider near you, visit providers.geisinger.org, type in your zip code and search women’s health or pregnancy.

8 Years of EMPOWERING Women Regionally

Scranton, PA—The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce recently hosted its eighth annual EMPOWER NEPA Women’s Leadership Conference on Thursday, April 13, at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions. A full-day conference, EMPOWER featured nationally recognized keynote speakers, Melissa Gilbert and Robyn Hatcher and 32 regional breakout session speakers. Over 800 attendees participated in the conference.   

Robyn Hatcher, international speaker and communications professional, said in her breakfast keynote, “Fake it till you make it; I hate that phrase; instead, you should Own it While You Hone it.” Hatcher continues, “We were all born with the gifts, the talents, the abilities to make that powerful impact; we just need to own your values.”

Themed “Fearless Together,” EMPOWER is the premier Women’s Leadership Conference in NEPA. It highlights the ability all women have to create positive change in their communities and in their own lives – both professionally and personally – while recognizing the extraordinary power that exists when women come together to support each other.

Presenting Sponsor, Dr. Julie Byerley from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

EMPOWER’s lunch keynote speaker, Melissa Gilbert, known for her iconic role in the classic TV series, “Little House on the Prairie,” shared, “I was very excited to hear about [the conference], and to speak [.] Whatever I can do to empower young and older women. My primary focus is bringing awareness to nurturing and empowering women over 50.”

EMPOWER 2023 included a Wellness Studio that allowed conference attendees to attend yoga, Zumba, stretching, and other fitness experiences throughout the day. In addition, there was a Wellness Marketplace and a Vendor Marketplace where attendees could network or engage with vendors who were selling products or services.

The conference concluded with a networking reception.

On the right is Melissa Gilbert, Lunch Keynote Speaker, and on the left is Robyn Hatcher, Breakfast Keynote Speaker

The 32 regional speakers included Kate Sholonski, Guzal Mustafina, Dr. Christine Kiesinger, Elizabeth Keiper, Deborah Kolsovsky, Susan Unvarsky, Jasmine Willois, Laura Ducceschi, Karolyn Demarco, Mandie Hendricks, Kimberlee Greenleaf, Megan Stone, Noelle Krempasky, Holly Pilcavage, Alex Grover, Dr. Damary Bonilla-Rodriguez, Maria Traino, Danielle Weinschenk, Kim Drumgo, Dr. Katie Leonard, Nicole Strauser, Jill Valentini, Susan Kelly, June Webre, Elizabeth Nagy, and Marlyn Kissner. While Wellness Instructors included Chelsea Manganaro, Talia Walsh, Jackie Kerekes, Edna Cementina, Christie Estadt, and Michael Normandia.

Empower 2024 will be held on April 25, 2024.

The featured image is the EMPOWER Lunch Sponsor, PNC Bank, local team: from the left, Jennifer Stull, Joyce Petrenchak, Lauren Allen, Angela Mariotti, Melissa Gilbert, Kathy Dunsmuir, Debbie Kolsovsky, Nicole Costanzo, Elise Hill.

Check out the EMPOWER 2023 Photo Album

Watch EMPOWER 2023 Keynote, Breakout, and Panel Sessions Videos

About The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve the area’s economic environment and quality of life by offering programs and services which stimulate economic growth, promote business prosperity and nurture educational opportunities. For more information about the Chamber, visit www.scrantonchamber.com.

Geisinger School of Nursing Receives Support

In conjunction with the sold-out Lewistown Social – an evening of dinner, dancing and stargazing – Geisinger Health Foundation is holding an ornament sale to support the Geisinger School of Nursing.

“I had great experiences with my time at the school, including huge amounts of clinical time and hands-on experience… something that you just can’t replace,” said Kade Myers, 2020 graduate and inpatient registered nurse in the Geisinger Lewistown Hospital intensive care unit. “I think this is a huge piece that contributed to who I am as a nurse today.”

The sale is open to everyone, and anyone interested in purchasing an illuminated ceramic star ornament can do so for $20 at go.geisinger.org/stars. One of three designs will be randomly chosen for each recipient. Ornaments can be picked up any day between April 24 and May 12 at:

  • Geisinger Lewistown Administration Building
  • Geisinger Health Foundation in Danville
  • Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
  • Geisinger Community Medical Center
  • At the Lewistown Social for those who’ve registered to attend

Purchasers can also choose to have an ornament delivered to a deserving Geisinger nurse during National Nurses Week, May 6 through 12. Geisinger Health Foundation will follow up with those who choose this option to collect delivery information and a personal note.

Email FoundationEvents@geisinger.edu or call 570-214-0400 with questions.

Geisinger to Host Free Events across Pennsylvania

In observance of Earth Day, Geisinger will host free community shred events across northeastern and central Pennsylvania throughout the month of April.

Employees and members of the public are invited to bring any personal or professional confidential documents — such as bank statements, credit card bills and tax forms — to be securely shredded on-site and recycled.

Each person is limited to three boxes. Do not use bins for non-paper waste or garbage.

For more information, call 570-271-6030.

Community shred events:

  • Monday, April 3 – Geisinger Mt. Pleasant, 531 Mt. Pleasant Drive, Scranton, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 4 – Geisinger Healthplex State College, 132 Abigail Lane, Port Matilda, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Friday, April 7 – Geisinger Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, 1175 E. Mountain Blvd., Wilkes-Barre, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 10 – Geisinger Health Plan, Hughes Center, 9 Stearns Lane, Danville, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 11 – Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, 1020 Thompson St., Jersey Shore, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Thursday, April 13 – Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, 400 Highland Ave., Lewistown, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Friday, April 14 – Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital, 4200 Hospital Road, Coal Township, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 17 – Geisinger Medical Center Muncy, 255 Route 220, Muncy, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Friday, April 21 – Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, 549 Fair St., Bloomsburg, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 24 – Geisinger Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, 1175 E. Mountain Blvd., Wilkes-Barre, Noon – 4 p.m.
  • Friday, April 28 – Geisinger Health Plan, Hughes Center, 9 Stearns Lane, Danville, Noon – 4 p.m.

Geisinger to Start Assessment across Pennsylvania

On Wednesday, March 1, Geisinger, in collaboration with other regional hospital systems, will start the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment to identify challenges and solutions to local health-based topics.
As in prior Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), Geisinger will partner with Evangelical Community Hospital and Allied Services Integrated Health System on the assessment. Partnership among regional organizations allow for a better understanding of health needs across the communities served and encourages collaboration to address the identified needs.
“The CHNA provides us with a snapshot of key health challenges affecting our communities,” said Matt Walsh, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Geisinger. “It leverages information from a variety of reliable resources — Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Anne E. Casey Foundation, U.S. Census, for example — and marries it with information from people in our community. It informs our strategy and helps us identify what we can do to improve our communities. Finally, the CHNA assists other organizations who can provide additional services to our area.”
The assessment will be conducted by Community Research Consulting, a woman-owned business based in Lancaster, Pa. that partners with healthcare providers, social service agencies, foundations, government entities and other community organizations to build vibrant, healthier, and sustainable communities by addressing community health, housing, socioeconomic disparities, capacity building, population health management, and other similar challenges.
Nonprofit hospital organizations are required to conduct a CHNA every three years and develop implementation strategies that address the identified health needs. These reports identify needs through data collection and analysis. The CHNA expands the hospital’s focus to include health issues impacting the greater community and promotes collaboration among local advocates, partners and hospitals.


This upcoming CHNA will be conducted throughout 2023 and will cover Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2026. The region’s current CHNA runs through Dec. 31, 2023.

Geisinger Announces Chief of Structural Heart Disease

Shikhar Agarwal, M.D., M.P.H., has been promoted to chief of structural heart disease at Geisinger.

In his new role, Dr. Agarwal oversees the integration and growth of services across the health system for patients with diseases of the heart valves. Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in the number of patients with heart valve disorders, including aortic valve stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) and mitral valve regurgitation (leaking of the mitral valve).

A Geisinger provider since 2016, Dr. Agarwal specializes in valve-related interventions and complex coronary interventions. He leads the structural heart disease program at Geisinger Medical Center (GMC), performing minimally invasive procedures, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, paravalvular leak closure and coronary interventions that require only a skin puncture.

In 2020, Dr. Agarwal was recognized as one of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Top Physicians Under 40 for significant successes early in his career. To date, he has performed more than 100 mitral valve repairs and more than 550 TAVR procedures and led the GMC structural heart team’s implantation of more than 1,000 replacement valves via TAVR. 

Dr. Agarwal’s leadership at GMC was integral to the hospital’s investment in its interventional hybrid suite, which has expanded availability to patients in the region and established the medical center as a destination for structural heart care.

“As a system, we have witnessed tremendous growth in structural heart disease care in recent years,” Dr. Agarwal said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery to offer our patients in every community a full team of experts to consult on the best approach to their care.”

As system chief of structural heart disease, Dr. Agarwal will work closely with regional chiefs of cardiology and the chair of the Department of Cardiology, George Ruiz, M.D., to coordinate care across the system, create new programs that complement clinical efforts, provide the communities Geisinger serves with expanded clinical expertise and review any clinical quality challenges that arise.

“Our vision is to make better health easier for our patients and members regardless of where they live,” Dr. Ruiz said. “With Dr. Agarwal’s leadership, we’re bringing outstanding care for structural heart disease to every region in our service area.”

WVIA & Geisinger Launch Podcast

WVIA and Geisinger have launched The Mind Over Matter Podcast.  Hosted by Tracey Matisak and produced by Jim Donnelly, The Mind Over Matter Podcast is a continuation of the award-winning mental health initiative produced by WVIA in partnership with Geisinger. Over the next 24 weeks, hear from leading experts who will provide helpful information on a variety of mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, grief, and substance abuse.


On the first episode which premieres on Thursday, January 12th, Monica Mongiello, who has been living with psychosis for more than 20 years, turns to her mother and others within her support network for strength and perseverance. Hear her story of living with her illness and how it led her to become an advocate for others going through similar struggles.

On the second episode Geisinger’s Operations Manager for Virtual Care Ben Gonzales discusses his road to long-term recovery, what led him to seek help, the support he received from loved ones, and how it can serve as a model for others who need help.

On January 26th, host Tracey Matisak speaks with Amber Viola. Amber grew up in NEPA and graduated from North Pocono High School. She left the area to join the United States Navy. Amber was a Gunners Mate and Naval Military Training Instructor. While in the Navy, Amber worked as a Department of Defense Sexual Assault Victim Advocate.

Future podcast guests include Isabella DiBileo, Dr. Samantha Fitzgerald, Dr. Jessica Sevecke, Darren Weber, Dr. Joshua Blum, and many more.

Listeners can find the show at wvia.org/mindovermatterpod or subscribe through any major podcast provider, including Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon Alexa, Stitcher, and Pandora.

Geisinger’s “Paws to Reflect” program selected for national funding

Geisinger was selected to receive grant funding for Paws to Reflect, an innovative program aimed at combating burnout and trauma in the nursing field, during the first ever NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon.

Geisinger was one of three health organizations to be awarded the funding provided by #FirstRespondersFirst to implement new, innovative programs for employees.

Geisinger nurses, in collaboration with members from Geisinger’s Center for Professionalism and Well-Being and the Volunteer Services Division, presented the program to the panel. Paws to Reflect will connect nurses with therapy dogs and their handlers, as well as a peer support team, to provide real time relief and comfort in a safe environment. When needed, the program can also direct staff to appropriate additional resources.  

“This program was initiated because we asked caregivers what would help them feel better and get through a difficult day,” said team leader Dawn Snyder, a clinical nurse specialist at Geisinger. “This was their response — we just responded to their needs.” 

The initiative was one of just three pitches selected by judges to receive full funding, out of dozens of entries from organizations across the country.

“The Paws to Reflect program was designed to be a sustainable solution to two very clear needs for our caregivers: more emotional support and more puppies!” said Brittany Drumm, program director of Geisinger’s Center for Professionalism and Well-Being. “By scaling and partnering our RISE peer support program and our employee-facing pet therapy program, we have the chance to deliver comfort, resources, safe spaces and moments of respite to our incredible teams.” 

Geisinger elected for American Society for Clinical Pathology’s Choosing Wisely Champions

Geisinger Adult Gastroenterology and Laboratory Medicine were elected by The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as one of their 2022 Choosing Wisely® Champions for advancing appropriate test utilization at the health system and demonstrating leadership of a local Choosing Wisely® effort.

ASCP’s Choosing Wisely® Champions program is part of ASCP’s broader Choosing Wisely® campaign, an initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation, which seeks to advance a national dialogue on avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. The program recognizes the efforts of dedicated pathologists and laboratory professionals for making informed decisions about laboratory testing. Recommendations improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs, and the Choosing Wisely® Champions encourage their colleagues to use the right test at the right time for the right cost.

“This award recognizes the work that our Geisinger adult gastroenterology and laboratory medicine teams do each and every day to stand out as a leader in the field,” said Amanda Haynes, DO, FASCP, Division Chief of Clinical Pathology Professional Services, Quality, and Operations, Laboratory Medicine at Geisinger. “This honor would not have been achieved without the dedication of all our team members. We strive to be innovative and effective in everything that we do, making better health easier for our patients.”

Geisinger Adult Gastroenterology and Laboratory Medicine launched a successful Choosing Wisely® campaign across the Geisinger system to address inappropriate use of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT). Using education and electronic tools, provider decision-making was guided toward ordering FOBT for its intended use of colorectal cancer screening in ambulatory patients.

“Identifying Champions and sharing their successes allows all of us to learn from their efforts to improve healthcare delivery,” said Lee H. Hilborne, MD, MPH, DLM(ASCP)CM, FASCP, chair of the ASCP Effective Test Utilization Steering Committee. “The Geisinger team is an exemplar of Choosing Wisely® values and the application of this effective test utilization initiative.”