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.
Scranton Chamber Participates in Geisinger Meals in Spring Program supports local restaurants hit hard by pandemic Geisinger partnered with eight local chambers of commerce to launch Meals in Spring and give back to the restaurants in the community hit hard by the pandemic. As part of the program, more than 23,000 Geisinger employees can redeem a $10 meal voucher at more than 250 participating restaurants across 12 counties through June 30. “Our local chambers of commerce were among the first organizations that came to us during the early days of the pandemic offering help,” said John Grabusky, senior director of community relations. “They collected N95 masks and gloves, organized sewing groups for homemade masks and they were behind many donations of pizzas, sandwiches, coffees and snacks that started to flow into our facilities. Now, it’s our turn to help them by supporting our local restaurants with Meals in Spring.” Studies have shown that for every $100 spent at locally owned businesses, $68 stays within the community. By patronizing local restaurants, Geisinger employees are contributing to the local economy, which benefits their friends, neighbors, school districts and nonprofit organizations in their communities. Participating chambers of commerce include Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce, Greater Wyoming Chamber of Commerce, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce, Clinton County Economic Partnership & Visitors Bureau, and Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.
FDA Grants Breakthrough Device Designation to Tempus in Collaboration With Geisinger Tempus, a leader in artificial intelligence and precision medicine, today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company Breakthrough Device Designation for its ECG Analysis Platform. The platform, developed in collaboration with Geisinger, aids clinicians in identifying patients at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) or atrial flutter. Breakthrough Designation entitles the platform to an expedited regulatory process. The platform was designated as a Breakthrough Device for use with patients 40 years of age and older, without pre-existing or concurrent AFib or atrial flutter, and who are at elevated risk of stroke based on a commonly used clinical stroke risk assessment tool (i.e., CHA₂DS₂-VASc score of ≥4). The device analyzes the results of a 12-lead ECG administered as part of routine care to provide clinicians with insight into a patient’s risk of future atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter events. When interpreted in conjunction with other available clinical information this can support clinicians in pursuing early and proactive diagnoses of AFib and atrial flutter with the goal of enabling improved clinical management of these conditions and their associated health risks. AFib, which is a leading cause of stroke, is frequently unrecognized and untreated. Currently, there are no available devices to help physicians identify asymptomatic patients without a known history of cardiac arrhythmia who are at increased risk of future AFib, which carries other health risks including stroke and death. The Tempus ECG Analysis Platform is tackling that challenge by analyzing results of a widely used clinical test, the 12-lead ECG, with software that identifies patients at increased risk of developing AFib or atrial flutter within the next 12 months. A team of Geisinger and Tempus scientists and clinicians recently published a related study in Circulation, which showed that artificial intelligence can predict risk of new AFib and AFib-related stroke. For this research study, the combined team of data scientists and medical researchers used 1.6 million ECGs to train a deep neural network to predict, among people without a previous history of AFib, who would develop it within the next 12 months. In people with no history of AFib that went on to have an AFib-related stroke, nearly two thirds would have been predicted to be at high-risk before the stroke. “In granting our request for Breakthrough Device designation, the FDA is helping bring the power of artificial intelligence to patients, with new, smarter tools that can support clinicians in predicting future clinical events,” said Joel Dudley, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Tempus. “Every year, hundreds of millions of ECGs are performed in the U.S. to detect cardiac abnormalities as part of routine clinical care. We are making ECGs smarter so that they can also identify the risk of future clinical events of interest, such as AFib, thus enabling clinicians to act earlier in the course of disease and improve patient outcomes.” “Much of what we do as clinicians relies on predicting the future. Geisinger and Tempus are working together to make smarter, more accurate predictions about future clinical events,” said Brandon Fornwalt, MD, Ph.D., Chair of Geisinger’s Department of Translational Data Science and Informatics. “This is ultimately about helping patients and fulfilling the promise of precision health by supporting clinical decision making with additional patient-specific information, and we are excited that the FDA recognizes the importance of this work.” The FDA’s Breakthrough Device Program was established to accelerate the availability of transformative medical devices to patients and healthcare providers by speeding up their development, assessment and review, while preserving the statutory standards for premarket review and authorization. Designation is awarded to innovative devices that provide more effective diagnosis or treatment of life-threatening conditions and that offer significant advantages over the existing standard of care, where no approved or cleared alternatives exist, and where early device availability is in patients’ best interests.
