Masking Remains Mandatory at All Geisinger Properties To continue ensuring the health and safety of our employees, patients and visitors, wearing a mask is still required on all Geisinger properties, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. On Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated mask-wearing guidelines for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The CDC outlined certain locations, including hospitals and health care settings, as places where masks should still be worn. In alignment with this guidance, wearing a mask is still required in all Geisinger hospitals, clinics and office buildings. Masking is one of the most effective ways of reducing the spread of COVID-19, and Geisinger has had a mandatory masking policy in effect since early April of 2020. This policy will remain in effect until further notice. The CDC guidelines state fully vaccinated individuals can choose to not wear a mask while outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings. Geisinger continues to offer COVID-19 vaccine appointments for anyone age 12 and over at its four vaccine centers in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. Vaccine appointments can be made through MyGeisinger or by calling 570-284-3657. More information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including information on newly eligible children, is available at geisinger.org/COVIDVax.
ConvenientCare+ Now Open at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre Better health is easier for those in Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding communities now that there’s a new option for care. A first-of-its-kind Geisinger ConvenientCare+ is now open on the Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre campus. Geisinger ConvenientCare+ is a new type of advanced outpatient clinic. The “plus” means there are additional resources and staffing, so you can see a physician who has access to laboratory and imaging services, intravenous treatments, nebulizer therapies and other higher-level services that are not typically offered in a primary care or a walk-in clinic. Patients can be referred to ConvenientCare+ by their family physician or walk in, so it’s ideal for those having difficulty with current treatments or a sudden worsening of a chronic condition. ConvenientCare+ is here when you need urgent care but can’t see your primary care doctor or specialist on the same day. “We’ve designed this space for people to receive outpatient treatments and monitoring in a more comfortable setting,” said Bradley Brocious, D.O., medical director of Geisinger ConvenientCare+. “This location is here for those who need treatment their primary care doctor can’t provide at their office, but don’t require the level of care an emergency room provides. We work together with a patient’s doctor or specialist to address any health needs and take care of possible health problems sooner. We also help to coordinate next steps for follow up care.” The Geisinger ConvenientCare+ replaces the Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre Urgent Care walk-in clinic. It offers the same level of walk-in care previously offered, plus additional services for more serious conditions that aren’t emergencies. You can also visit ConvenientCare+ for common health issues like infections, abdominal pain, migraines, cold and flu symptoms, allergies, earaches, tick removal, sprains, minor cuts, sinus infections and more. “We want to help people receive care in the most appropriate, easily accessible and affordable setting, all of which becomes easier with ConvenientCare+,” said Dan Landesberg, associate vice president of operations, Geisinger Northeast. “This location expands the adult urgent care services previously offered at Geisinger South-Wilkes Barre, and our investment in this type of model fills a gap for patients in accessing the right health care services in the right place.” The Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre ConvenientCare+ is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more about Geisinger ConvenientCare+, visit geisinger.org/plus.
Geisinger Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments to Include Those Age 12 and Over Following recent approvals to expand use of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, Geisinger, which has already administered 285,000 COVID-19 vaccines, is now offering vaccine appointments to anyone ages 12 and over. Beginning today, vaccine appointments can be scheduled for anyone age 12 and over at one of Geisinger’s four community vaccine centers. The vaccine centers are staffed with pediatric teams, including pediatricians, to answer any questions and assist with the vaccinations. Anyone who is under 18 years old must have a parent or legal guardian with them to receive their vaccine doses. Appointments can be made through myGeisinger or by calling 570-284-3657. The vaccine centers are at the Geisinger Health Plan Building near Danville, Geisinger CenterPoint in Jenkins Township, Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital and Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. As a reminder for appointment scheduling, the Pfizer vaccine is a two-dose vaccine given 21 days apart. More information about the COVID-19 vaccine, including information for parents of newly eligible children, is available at geisinger.org/COVIDVax.
Geisinger Offers Virtual Support Group for COVID Survivors Geisinger will offer a free, virtual support group for survivors of COVID-19 beginning May 12. Geisinger psychologist Erin Hall, Psy.D., will facilitate the group each Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. Sessions will cover common experiences in recovery from COVID-19 including issues with sleep, memory or concentration; physical challenges; depression and anxiety; concerns about health, future medical care or COVID re-infection; trauma related to illness or hospitalization; and changes to family roles, relationships and friendships. The group will focus on coping strategies and building resilience. “Recovering from COVID-19 can be a lengthy process, and each person’s experience is different,” said Dr. Hall. “Having a safe space to talk about your experience and challenges, among others with similar struggles, is important in helping people heal and recover. Recovery from COVID-19 is truly both physical and psychological.” To register, visit geisinger.org/events and search “COVID survivor support group.” Participants can register for each week’s session separately.
Geisinger Awarded $3.6 Mmillion to Study Genetics of Cancer The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded a 5-year, $3.6 million contract to Geisinger to study the role of genetic variation in cancer. Researchers from Geisinger and the NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG) will analyze genetic data from Geisinger’s MyCode Community Health Initiative, a precision medicine project with more than 276,000 consented participants. The work will be led by David J. Carey, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Molecular and Functional Genomics at Geisinger and a MyCode principal investigator, and Douglas Stewart, M.D., a senior investigator at DCEG. The investigative team will use a “genome-first” approach, analyzing data from MyCode participants to identify specific gene variants and then linking that information to the participants’ electronic health records. This approach will allow investigators to determine the effect of these gene variants on cancer risk. The size and scope of the MyCode project provides an opportunity to investigate the relationship between multiple genes and cancers to develop a better understanding of genetic cancer risk in a large clinical population. This will expand the list of genes that can be used to guide genetic cancer screening, improving care for patients and families. This project builds on a history of successful collaboration between Drs. Carey and Stewart to investigate the role of gene variants in specific cancers, including a recent study of DICER1 syndrome, which is linked to lung, thyroid, and other kinds of tumors, published in JAMA Network Open. “This partnership allows Geisinger and NCI investigators to combine our expertise in cancer diagnosis, epidemiology, cancer biology, and genetics,” Dr. Carey said. “The data available through MyCode provides us with a unique opportunity to investigate the genetic risk of cancer in a large regional population.” Since 2007, MyCode has enrolled more than 276,000 participants in Pennsylvania. With DNA sequence and health data currently available on nearly 175,000 of these participants, MyCode is one of the largest studies of its kind in the world. This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. 75N91021C00006. Geisinger has an exciting research environment with more than 50 full-time research faculty and more than 30 clinician scientists. Areas of expertise include precision health, genomics, informatics, data science, implementation science, outcomes research, health services research, bioethics and clinical trials.
Scranton Bank Orders Lunch for Geisinger Frontline Workers Peoples Security Bank & Trust Co. of Scranton ordered lunch from DaVinci Pizza for 125 employees at Geisinger Community Medical Center last week to honor frontline workers. Throughout the month of March, Peoples Security Bank donated more than 1,600 meals from area restaurants to 13 hospitals across the state and in New York. Up to 125 frontline providers from each hospital received a lunch or dinner, along with a special message of encouragement and appreciation for their selflessness and commitment to their patients. “Over the past year, most of us have spent all of our waking hours thinking about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and what it means for us and our families,” said Alicen Backus, marketing representative for Peoples Security Bank. “People who live in our communities have all faced hardships in one way or another, and no one has experienced the impact more than our health care workers, who have been working on the frontline, day in and day out, through it all.“ To honor their continued service and sacrifices, Peoples Security Bank pledged more than $80,000 in the past year to support health care workers and regional food banks within the bank’s Pennsylvania-based footprint grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “On behalf of everyone at Peoples Security Bank & Trust, thank you to everyone at Geisinger for all that you do for our community,” Backus said.
LIFE Geisinger Wilkes-Barre opens May 3 Older adults in Luzerne County can get the help they need to continue living independently at home as LIFE Geisinger, a day program for seniors, opens its newest location Monday in south Wilkes-Barre. Located at 592 S. Main St. in Wilkes-Barre, the new facility provides comprehensive health and medical care to adults age 55 and older who would otherwise be confined to a nursing home. “LIFE Geisinger has served Luzerne County residents for several years at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre and we are excited to be able to expand those services with a brand-new facility,” said Dr. Richard Martin, LIFE Geisinger medical director. “During this pandemic, it’s important that seniors not only get the medical care they need, but also have access to frequent social activity to enhance their quality of life. LIFE Geisinger provides participants with all that and more.” The new 14,200-square-foot facility includes primary care services with full exam rooms, recreational space, a rehabilitation gym, bathing facilities, a laundry room and a serving kitchen. This triples the capacity of the program in Wilkes-Barre to 150 participants. Previously, LIFE Geisinger operated a small, satellite program at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre with 55 participants, who will transfer to the new location. H. Joyce Morano, M.D., will serve as staff physician at the LIFE Geisinger senior center in Wilkes-Barre as well as at the center located at 2300 Adams Ave. in Scranton. At full operation, LIFE Geisinger Wilkes-Barre will have about 50 full-time employees. For more information about LIFE Geisinger, call 570-808-4780 or visit go.geisinger.org/LIFE.
3 Benefits of Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine By: Dr. Amit Mehta, Geisinger primary care physician With several COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the U.S., we have a powerful tool to help us overcome the coronavirus pandemic. But some people have concerns about being vaccinated against COVID-19. That’s where we come in. Common concerns around the COVID-19 vaccine include safety, speed of vaccine development and potential long-term side effects. The FDA has certain criteria for vaccine development in place to make sure all vaccines are as safe as possible. They didn’t compromise those criteria here. Experts also continue to study the long-term effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, but early research hasn’t shown cause for concern. Whether you’re at low or high risk of serious illness from COVID, getting vaccinated is the best way to avoid a severe or even fatal infection. Why getting the COVID-19 vaccine is smart Still not sure about getting the vaccine — or need help convincing a loved one? Here are the main benefits that come with it: 1. It’s your best defense against COVID-19 Illness from COVID-19 can be serious and life-threatening for some people. And there’s no way to know for sure how it may affect you. Even if you have a mild case of COVID, you can still spread it to a loved one who may get really sick. All COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. have been shown to be highly effective at preventing illness from COVID-19. And based on early data, getting a vaccine helps keep you from getting seriously ill if you do get COVID-19. While it’s normal to experience some side effects right after receiving the vaccine — like a fever, headache or body aches — these are all signs that your body is building immunity to the virus. None of the vaccines can give you COVID-19. 2. It’s a safer way to achieve immunity from COVID-19 Even if you’ve already had COVID-19, you should still get vaccinated — but be sure to wait at least 10 days after your symptoms started and 20 days if you were hospitalized from COVID-19. While having COVID will leave you with naturally produced antibodies, we still don’t know the level of or how long this immunity lasts. We do know that it varies and decreases over time, and that getting a COVID-19 vaccine will likely give you additional immunity. And again, it’s just not worth risking a serious or fatal COVID-19 infection. 3. It can help us end the pandemic Now over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are ready to leave our homes without masks, spend time with friends and loved ones and maybe even travel. The COVID-19 vaccine can help us get there. While masking, handwashing and physical distancing are proven to help reduce exposure to and the spread of COVID-19, they aren’t enough to end the pandemic. Vaccines will help us build up immunity to COVID-19, so our bodies can fight off the virus if we’re exposed. And per CDC guidelines, those who are fully vaccinated, meaning it’s been at least 2 weeks since the last required dose, can even return to some pre-pandemic activities. We’re still learning how the current vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. Until we know more, everyone — vaccinated or not — should continue masking, handwashing and physical distancing in public places. Eventually, as more people are vaccinated, we can loosen preventive measures as federal and state guidelines allow. Get reliable information on COVID-19 vaccines There’s a lot of information out there about the COVID-19 vaccines — and some of it may be misleading. If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, your doctor is your best resource. They can give you advice that’s tailored to you and your medical history. If you’d like to do some research on your own, the CDC is a trusted source for vaccine information that’s based on facts. Based on the data we have from Phase 3 clinical trials and the millions of Americans now vaccinated, we feel confident that the available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. I have personally received the COVID-19 vaccine and advise my patients and members of the community to do the same.
Geisinger Data Shows COVID-19 Vaccine Proving Effective With more than a quarter million doses administered, and eligibility expanded to everyone 16 and older, Geisinger’s data indicates the COVID-19 vaccine is proving effective among those vaccinated in earlier phases. To date, Geisinger has administered 266,000 vaccine doses. Based on Pennsylvania Department of Health guidelines in December 2020, Geisinger employees were among the first groups to be vaccinated. As a result, the weekly average of new positive COVID-19 tests among employees has remained in the single digits since early February, down from the mid-30s in early December. Since employee vaccinations began in mid-December, we saw positive testing rates among employees plummet through January and stay consistently low as more employees received the vaccine (see figure 1). The trended COVID-19 vaccinations of Geisinger employees versus the seven-day average of COVID-19 positive employee tests. Similarly, the average number of COVID-19 admissions for those age 65 and older has also decreased significantly as vaccines have been rolled out to that age group starting in mid- January. “The science — and our data — clearly demonstrates these vaccines are proving effective in helping prevent illness, hospitalizations and death,” said Jaewon Ryu, JD, MD, Geisinger president and chief executive officer. “If we are looking to put this pandemic behind us and return to a sense of normalcy, the vaccine is a great way to get there.” While the vaccine is proving effective for many who have received it, a worrying trend is emerging across Geisinger’s communities. For the second week in a row, the majority of those being hospitalized for COVID-19 are younger than 65, with a growing number between age 25 and 49. “What we don’t want is this increase of hospital admissions among younger people to accelerate. The vaccine can keep that from happening,” Ryu said. “Masking, social distancing and other mitigation efforts have helped us as well so far, but the best way we can win this fight is with the vaccine. It will help us get out in front of this virus and its potential mutations that threaten our ability to get our communities back to normal.” Vaccine appointments remain available at Geisinger’s four vaccine centers in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. You can self-schedule a vaccine appointment through myGeisinger or by calling 570-284-3657. It still remains critical for everyone – vaccinated or not – to keep wearing a mask, physical distancing, and practicing good hand hygiene to stop the virus’ spread. For the latest information on the COVID vaccine, visit geisinger.org/COVIDVax.
Geisinger Hosts Free Community Shred Day Events In observance of Earth Day, Geisinger is hosting free Community Shred Day events at several locations. Community members can bring their confidential personal and financial documents, such as bank statements, credit card bills and tax forms, to be securely shredded on-site and recycled. Limit of three boxes of paper per person. Paper only please — do not put other waste into bins. Join us for a Shred Day event near you: Thursday, April 22, 7 – 11 a.m. at Geisinger Mt. Pleasant, 531 Mt. Pleasant Drive, ScrantonFriday, April 30, 7 – 11 a.m.; Monday, May 3, noon – 4 p.m. at Geisinger Orthopaedics Institute parking lot, 1175 East Mountain Blvd., Wilkes-Barre For more information, call 570-271-6030.
