Geisinger Northeast Nurse Residency Program Receives National Accreditation

The Geisinger Northeast Nurse Residency Program recently received accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), placing it among only 208 programs worldwide to earn the distinction.

The ANCC’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program (PTAP) sets the global standard for residency and fellowship programs that transition registered nurses and advanced practitioners into new practice settings.

Accreditation is granted for four years and includes the Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre campuses in Luzerne County and the Geisinger Community Medical Center campus in Lackawanna County.

“We offer the only nurse residency program in northeastern Pennsylvania, and we’re proud of this accreditation that puts us on the same level as elite programs around the world,” said Steven Rhone, RN, chief nursing officer for Geisinger’s northeast region.

Achieving PTAP accreditation requires a rigorous application process, submission of a self-study document that showcases the program and a site visit, which was conducted virtually this year. To be recognized with distinction is a testament to the valuable hands-on experience and personal support the program provides new nurses.

“This is a tremendous honor,” said Lindsey Ford, DNP, RN, director of nursing education and Magnet for Geisinger’s northeast region. “It demonstrates our program’s commitment to helping new nurses acclimate to the clinical setting, so they’ll excel in their nursing careers at Geisinger.”

The Geisinger Northeast Nurse Residency Program was established in 2015, and all new graduate nurses are entered into the 12-month residency. It’s designed to transition newly graduated nurses from academia to professional practice in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Geisinger Marworth Tops Newsweek List of “Best Addiction Treatment Centers”

Geisinger Marworth Treatment Center has been named to Newsweek’s 2021 list of America’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers as the top-ranked facility in Pennsylvania.

The America’s Best Addiction Treatment Centers 2021 list highlights the nation’s top facilities based on quality of service, reputation and accreditation relative to in-state competition. Facilities in the 25 states with the highest number of addiction treatment centers, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), were included in the survey. The rankings feature the top 300 inpatient/residential and long-term addiction treatment centers. The evaluation process included quality and accreditation scores as well as recommendations from peers.

“Geisinger Marworth is dedicated to providing quality, evidence-based treatment for people with substance use disorder, and we are honored to be recognized by this survey and by our peers for the care we offer,” said Margaret Jarvis, M.D., chair of addiction medicine at Geisinger. “Marworth provides a safe and supportive environment to help people gain remission from addiction diseases.”

Geisinger Marworth, located near Scranton, offers individualized, holistic inpatient and outpatient treatment to help people overcome alcohol and substance use disorder, including medication-assisted treatment, individual and family therapy, and support groups. Marworth cares for patients from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and New England, and more than 40,000 people have chosen Marworth for treatment since 1982.

For more information about Marworth and addiction medicine care at Geisinger, visit Geisinger.org/NewsweekMarworth.

Geisinger to Host Hiring Events

As Geisinger continues recruitment efforts to help make better health easier for the communities of northeastern and central Pennsylvania, the health system will hold in-person hiring events in Danville, Pittston, Williamsport, and Reedsville from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 25.

Those attending the events will have the opportunity to discuss career opportunities at Geisinger, potential sign-on bonuses and recruitment incentives, and benefits including retirement programs, parental paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and health insurance on the first day of employment. Attendees should bring an updated resume as there will be opportunities for on-site interviews for certain positions.

Geisinger offers a variety of career opportunities within departments that provide direct patient care and those who support operations. Openings throughout Geisinger’s operations in northeastern and central Pennsylvania include registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists, patient care unit assistants, pharmacy technicians, phlebotomists, social workers, environmental services technicians, and food service workers, among others.

The hiring events will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the following locations:

  • Geisinger Office Building, 32 Justin Drive, Danville
  • Geisinger CenterPoint, 300 Keystone Ave., Pittston
  • Holiday Inn Williamsport, 100 Pine St., Williamsport
  • Holiday Inn Express & Suites Reedsville, 30 Happy Valley Dr., Reedsville

“Our staff plays a critical role in bringing important health services close to home for our patients, members and neighbors,” said Jeff Lowry, director of recruitment for Geisinger. “Additionally, we work to provide the area with career growth opportunities with competitive salaries and benefits. We are always looking for talented and dedicated individuals to join our team and work to make better health easier for our communities.”

Registration is encouraged, but not required for the Oct. 25 hiring events. Walk-ins are welcome. Visit jobs.geisinger.org/hiring to register and view all roles that are eligible for sign-on bonuses and hiring incentives. To learn more about job opportunities at Geisinger or to sign up for Geisinger job alerts, visit jobs.geisinger.org.

Geisinger Invests in Dickson City Cancer Center

Geisinger has announced the planned construction of a new, state-of-the-art cancer center designed to make better health easier in Lackawanna County by expanding services, hiring new providers and offering more appointments in the community.

According to market forecasts, the need for cancer care in Lackawanna County is expected to grow by 3.2 percent over the next five years, and Geisinger has outgrown its current cancer center at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton. The planned 55,000-square-foot, $58 million Dickson City facility, located on the north end of Viewmont Drive, will provide a broader spectrum of services closer to home for county residents.

Construction is scheduled to begin in Spring 2022, and when the center opens in late 2023, it will house a hematology/oncology clinic with 17 exam rooms, 22 infusion bays and 3 multidisciplinary spaces and will also provide radiation oncology – a first for Geisinger in Lackawanna County – palliative medicine, pharmacy and laboratory services. Patient amenities will include food service and a coffee bar, a specialty boutique and courtyards and gardens with natural views and vistas.

“As more of our friends and neighbors trust us with their care, we need to provide more world-class cancer services to contribute to healthier, more vibrant communities in Lackawanna County,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer of Geisinger’s northeast region. “Geisinger has served northeastern Pennsylvania for 40 years, and this investment is further proof that we intend to care for and grow with our communities for many years to come.”

This new, full-spectrum cancer center will complement the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, which is currently undergoing its own extensive expansion and renovation that includes the addition of an inpatient unit for treatment of complex blood cancers. Together, the centers anchor a regional cancer program that provides everything patients can find in major hub cities right here in northeastern Pennsylvania.

“The cancer program at Geisinger already features top-tier providers, comprehensive care teams, leading-edge treatment, advanced technologies and clinical trials,” said Rajiv Panikkar, M.D., chair of the Geisinger Cancer Institute. “By allowing the program to flourish, this new facility is another step toward making sure patients never have to leave the region for outstanding care.”

Located near the intersection of Interstate 81 and the Scranton-Carbondale Highway, the center will be within a short drive for most county residents. Chosen for its ability to serve as many patients as possible within a 20-minute drive time, the site is conveniently situated in the same hub as the Viewmont Mall and Dickson City Crossings. It will bolster the community not only by providing a destination for exceptional cancer care but also through the creation of dozens of new jobs.

The new facility will also free up much-needed space at Geisinger Community Medical Center to expand private room availability, improve the overall patient experience, and continue developing the city’s hospital as the region’s gold standard for critical care, cardiovascular care, trauma and more.

Additionally, Geisinger continues to explore all opportunities for growth at the Geisinger Community Medical Center that will provide even more investments for a healthier, more vibrant city.

Geisinger Health Plan announces Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage plans for 2022

Geisinger Health Plan (GHP) announced its Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage plans for 2022 with benefits designed to make better health easier for its members and premiums starting as low as $0 per month.

Medicare’s annual enrollment period begins Oct. 15 and ends Dec. 7, 2021. During this time, Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their current coverage for 2022.

Geisinger Gold plans are available in 44 counties in Pennsylvania and include cost-saving features and wellness programs not available with original Medicare, such as prescription drug coverage, fitness, dental, hearing and vision benefits.

“Geisinger Gold members have access to the extra services and programs that make managing their health easier and more affordable,” said Kurt Wrobel, Geisinger Health Plan president and executive vice president of insurance operations. “Whether it’s by managing high blood pressure and arthritis pain, getting preventive cancer screenings, saving thousands of dollars a year on insulin or getting your prescriptions delivered right to your door, Geisinger Gold helps our members get the most out of their Medicare Advantage plan to live healthier lives.”

GHP members have access to more than 29,000 doctors and 100 hospitals across Pennsylvania, as well as virtual visits with their primary care physician, urgent care, mental health and substance abuse services, with copays starting at $0.

By enrolling in Geisinger’s mail-order pharmacy, members can save up to 50% on prescription copays and have their medications mailed directly to their home. Geisinger Gold members can use this service to order a three-month supply of select insulin for $52.50.

Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans also include:

  • Vaccines covered at $0
  • Prescription drug copays as low as $0
  • Monthly allowance on over-the-counter healthcare products
  • Global emergency and urgent coverage up to $100,000
  • Up to $650 annual allowance for dental care
  • Additional $500 flexible spending card to supplement dental, vision and hearing coverage

Additionally, only Geisinger Gold members have access to Geisinger 65 Forward, a program designed exclusively for people 65 and older with everything they need under one roof. Geisinger at Home, which brings healthcare directly to people in their own homes, is also only available to eligible Geisinger Gold members.

Supported by a locally based customer care team, GHP was ranked first in member satisfaction among commercial health plans in Pennsylvania for the second year in a row in the J.D. Power 2021 Commercial Health Plan Study.

Geisinger’s trusted Medicare advisors are available to answer questions, compare plans and costs and help navigate the enrollment process virtually, by phone or in person. For more information, visit geisinger.org/enroll or call 855-904-0153, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Geisinger Physician Helps Afghan Evacuees

When Afghani Roshan, M.D. learned that planes carrying evacuees from Afghanistan were headed to Philadelphia, she instantly knew she had to help. The Geisinger Wyoming Valley emergency medicine physician was raised in a Pashto-speaking household. Her parents and older siblings escaped Afghanistan in the early 1980s under circumstances much like today’s evacuees. Having grown up hearing their stories, Dr. Roshan felt the least she could do was welcome frightened and weary people to the U.S. in their own language.

Dr. Roshan reached out to the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Medical Reserve Corps to offer her linguistic services, but once they learned she was a physician, they quickly asked her to help organize and run the medical operation at the Philadelphia International Airport. For the last few weeks, Dr. Roshan was often one of the first faces countless evacuees saw upon landing in the U.S.

“My parents and siblings are delighted and proud that I am able to help. They have always looked for ways they can pay it forward,” she said, adding that she has found it to be personally rewarding even through small acts such as greeting the evacuees, “I greet them in a Pashto phrase which translates to ‘Welcome, I hope you arrived safely.’ This takes them by surprise but allows them to open up and smile. It brings me joy to see the little ones running around the airport and to know that they have more opportunities here. I hope that by seeing an Afghan American female physician, they recognize that they also have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams and aspirations.”

Booster doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine available at Geisinger

Following recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Geisinger is offering booster doses of the Pfizer (Comirnaty) COVID-19 vaccine for people who are eligible.

Those eligible for a booster include people who have received their two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, and:

  • Are age 65 and older
  • Are a long-term care resident
  • Are age 18 to 64 with an underlying medical condition that puts them at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19
  • Are age 18 to 64 and have a job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19

People can get their booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine beginning six months after receiving their second dose.

If you’re unsure if you qualify for the booster or have any specific questions, contact your doctor.

The booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is the same dosage (0.3 milliliters) as the first and second vaccine doses. The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine received full FDA approval in late August. 

Anyone who has received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is not eligible for a booster vaccine at this time, according to the CDC.

You can make an appointment for a booster COVID-19 vaccine at Geisinger through MyGeisinger or by calling 570-284-3657. Appointments are available at the vaccine centers at the Geisinger Health Plan Building near Danville, Geisinger CenterPoint in Jenkins Township, Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital and Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. Appointments are also available at Geisinger Philipsburg and Geisinger Pharmacy locations in Dallas, Danville, Lewistown, Lock Haven, Mount Pocono, Pottsville, State College and Scranton.

Remember to bring your COVID-19 vaccine card or proof of having received the vaccine to your appointment. More information about the COVID-19 vaccine is available at Geisinger.org/COVIDVax.

As a reminder, no visitors are permitted for outpatient appointments, unless medically necessary, and masks must be worn by everyone in all Geisinger buildings and facilities.

Geisinger Hospitals Going Pink This October

A study funded by the American Cancer Society found that annual mammograms substantially reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer. The study, published in the journal Radiology, comes at a critical time, as a staggering number of women have missed their regular mammogram over the past 18 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This October, in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Geisinger is doing its part to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection. Geisinger hospitals across Central Pennsylvania will be lit pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the millions of people and families who have battled and are battling the disease.

All Geisinger Health Plan members will receive a pair of pink socks in the mail to remind them and their loved ones to schedule their annual mammograms. Geisinger is also sending automated phone messages that connect members with its customer care team for easy mammogram scheduling.

“Mammography detects breast cancer early, before symptoms become obvious. Mammograms can also detect benign (non-cancerous) breast disease such as cysts and fibroadenomas. The American College of Radiology and other leading health groups have determined that the most lives are saved with annual mammograms beginning at age 40. Your doctor may recommend starting earlier if you have a family history or other risk factors.” said Dr. Rosemary Leeming, director of the Breast Program, Geisinger.

In 2019, Geisinger unveiled its mobile mammography unit, and the pink bus will continue to help patients in underserved areas this year – a convenient way to schedule mammogram appointments.

“This October, let us all remember the loved ones we have lost to breast cancer, support those in treatment, and reaffirm our commitment to raising awareness on the importance of early detection of breast cancer in our communities,” added Dr. Leeming.

For more information on mammograms and breast cancer care, visit geisinger.org/breastcare to schedule your mammogram. 

Geisinger Opens Kidney Care Clinic in Northeast PA

  • Atul Bali, M.D.
  • Manoj Das, M.D.

People in northeastern Pennsylvania can get kidney care closer to home with the opening of Geisinger Nephrology Wilkes-Barre. Atul Bali, M.D., and Manoj Das, M.D., are now providing nephrology services at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center near Wilkes-Barre.

With the new Geisinger Nephrology Wilkes-Barre facility nearby, NEPA residents no longer need to travel to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville for their care. Drs. Bali and Das provide a wide range of kidney care services to adults, including inpatient and outpatient consultations, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disorders. They monitor patients with advanced-stage kidney disease and provide consultation, care and management for conditions including chronic kidney disease, renal diseases and more.

To schedule an appointment at Geisinger Nephrology Wilkes-Barre, call 570-808-4047 or visit geisinger.org/KidneyCare.

Geisinger Life Flight reaches 40 years of life-saving service

This year, Geisinger is honoring 40 years of providing life-saving critical care. What started as a single-aircraft operation at Geisinger Medical Center in 1981 has grown to a nine-aircraft operation, with six bases, two critical care grounds trucks, a crew of 150, and more than 75,000 transports completed across northeastern and central Pennsylvania. Since 2001, Life Flight 3, based at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, has been a crucial part of the Life Flight program.  

This month, we invite you to consider covering this milestone in local medical history. Current and former Geisinger Life Flight leaders, current crews, and patients are willing to share their stories of how the Life Flight program has impacted medical care locally and helped to save lives. Geisinger also continues investing in the program, with the addition of its latest helicopter, which recently went into service this summer.