The Wright Center Partners with Friendship House The Wright Center for Community Health is partnering with Friendship House to improve access to responsive and inclusive whole-person primary health services, especially for individuals with complex mental health and/or substance use disorder needs. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, The Wright Center will offer primary health services at Friendship House’s new Whole Person Care Center, 200 Wyoming Ave., Suite 250, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The new location will begin by opening from noon to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, providing a range of services such as checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment for common illnesses and injuries. These services will be available to individuals of all ages, regardless of their insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Patients do not need to be clients of Friendship House to receive care at The Wright Center’s new location. “We are grateful and deeply honored to collaborate with Friendship House at its new state-of-the-art Whole Person Care Center,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “We specifically thank Alex Hazzouri, president and CEO, and his team, as well as the governing board, for their vision to promote unprecedented collaboration that led to our welcomed invitation to be part of this wonderful development for our community in the heart of downtown Scranton. “This exciting and important partnership allows The Wright Center to enrich and extend the delivery of our noble mission to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve. By improving access to essential primary health care services for individuals who come to Friendship House, we will continue to enhance the overall health and well-being of our shared community.” Friendship House provides support to children, adolescents, and adults facing developmental disabilities, emotional or behavioral challenges, or the effects of trauma from loss, abuse, or neglect. In March 2022, the nonprofit acquired the two-story, 22,000-square-foot facility, which spans the Davidow Building at 200-216 Wyoming Ave., and the former Murray Building at 413-415 Biden St. The new center’s goal is to integrate mental health, substance use disorder, and physical health services, improving health outcomes while optimizing the use of resources. Along with The Wright Center’s primary health services, Friendship House will offer mental health and substance use disorder services, and The Prescription Center will provide pharmacy services. “This integrated model will enhance care coordination and improve patient care outcomes, especially in terms of chronic medical condition management,” said Kathleen Barry, deputy chief operating officer of The Wright Center for Community Health. “We’re thrilled to be able to work closely with Friendship House, one of our great community partners, and enhance our ability to address the complex health and social needs of patients in our communities.” Hazzouri noted that his organization has been in discussions with The Wright Center for several years about a collaboration. The Wright Center and Friendship House treat patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. “Thousands of people live, work, and study in downtown Scranton every day,” Hazzouri said, noting that 17 of the county’s 22 bus routes pass by the new Whole Person Care Center. “The accessibility will help make the center integral to a healthy Scranton and a healthy Lackawanna County.” At a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the new facility on Friday, Oct. 24, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright presented Hazzouri and Dr. Thomas-Hemak with a certificate of Congressional recognition for opening the Whole Person Care Center. “Every person in the community deserves access to health care,” he said. “Thank you for removing barriers to access. I applaud your collaborative efforts.”
The Wright Center Receives Donation from UNICO UNICO supports The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement’s mission. The UNICO National Scranton Chapter recently donated $200 to The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement’s (TWCPCE) food pantry program. It’s the fifth year UNICO has donated to TWCPCE, which helps many of the most under-resourced individuals and families in Northeast Pennsylvania, including those experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, social isolation, poverty, or other hardships. Participating in the presentation at The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary care community health center in Jermyn, from left, are Kara Seitzinger, The Wright Center’s executive director of public affairs and advisor liaison to the president/CEO; Amy Yando, president of UNICO Ladies Auxiliary; Mary Mararra, co-chair of TWCPCE; and Helayna Szescila, The Wright Center’s deputy chief governance officer.
Wright Center hires Doctor for Patient Care/Medical Education Dr. Stephen S. Long Jr., an internal medicine-pediatrics (Med-Peds) physician, recently joined The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. He is now accepting patients of all ages at two of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary care community health centers. Dr. Long is available for appointments at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Clarks Summit primary care center at 1145 Northern Blvd. in South Abington Township on Mondays and Tuesdays and the Mid Valley primary care center at 5 S. Washington Ave. in Jermyn, from Wednesdays through Fridays. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Long, visit TheWrightCenter.org or specifically call the Clarks Summit location at 570-585-1300 or the Mid Valley location at 570-230-0019. A member of the American College of Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, and National Med-Peds Resident Association, Dr. Long received his medical degree from the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. He returned to Northeast Pennsylvania after completing his Med-Peds residency at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland. A Bethlehem, Pennsylvania native, he earned his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and philosophy from the University of Scranton. Dr. Long has also embraced an institutional academic leadership role in faculty development which will allow him to thoughtfully guide and contribute to the professional growth and development of his physician colleagues, while fostering an environment of continuous lifelong learning and improvement. Dr. Long lives in Moscow with his wife, Juliette Meyers, an Archbald native recently hired by The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education as an art therapist. A Valley View High School graduate, she received a master’s degree in art therapy and a bachelor’s degree in communications and media studies from Marywood University.
The Wright Center Hosts Liberty Tree Dedication The Wright Center’s historic Liberty Tree to be planted in Dickson City park for U.S. Semiquincentennial The Wright Center for Community Health will receive a certified Liberty Tree, a living symbol of American independence, from America250PA and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, also called the Pennsylvania Freemasons, that will be planted at VFW Park in Dickson City. In celebration of the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary, this historic tulip poplar will be the only Liberty Tree to take root in Lackawanna County as part of a statewide effort to honor the nation’s founding. These historical documents from May 14, 1827, are from the collection of the Lackawanna Historical Society 2023.14.46 A/B, and detail the 800-acre land grant awarded in 1797 by the state of Connecticut to New England native Deacon William A. Clark, the founder of Clarks Green and Clarks Summit boroughs, in recognition of his heroic service during the Revolutionary War. VFW Park in Dickson City, which sits on part of this original land, has been chosen by The Wright Center for Community Health as the site to plant its certified Liberty Tree from America250PA and the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, also called the Pennsylvania Freemasons, because of the park’s deep historical ties to the American Revolution. The public is invited to attend a dedication ceremony for the Liberty Tree at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, rain or shine, at the park, located at Jermyn and Walker streets in the borough. The tree, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Freemasons, is part of a larger initiative that began in the fall of 2021 to plant 67 Liberty Trees — one in each of Pennsylvania’s counties — by 2026, as part of America250PA, a program coordinating statewide events in observance of the United States Semiquincentennial. Each tree will have a Liberty Tree Project plaque beside it, inscribed with the names of the Liberty Tree recipient, America250PA, and the Pennsylvania Freemasons. The saplings are propagated from a scion of a historic 400-year-old tulip poplar, the last known surviving Liberty Tree, that once stood at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. The original Liberty Tree, an iconic elm in Boston, served as a gathering place for the Sons of Liberty, who convened beneath its branches to plan their resistance to British rule in the years leading up to the American Revolution. In 1775, British soldiers and Loyalists cut down and burned the Boston Liberty Tree, hoping to quell the growing rebellion. Undeterred, patriots across the 13 colonies designated new Liberty Trees, each one symbolizing hope and freedom. The last of these original Liberty Trees, the towering 120-foot tulip poplar at St. John’s College, stood during pivotal moments in American history. Under its branches, revolutionaries gathered during the Stamp Act of 1765 to advocate for independence from Great Britain. Samuel Chase and William Paca, members of the Annapolis chapter of the Sons of Liberty and later, signers of the Declaration of Independence, gathered for meetings under the tree. George Washington’s resignation as commander of the Continental Army on Dec. 23, 1783, occurred near the tree at the Maryland State House. Hurricane Floyd destroyed the tree in 1999, but its legacy lives on through the saplings being planted across Pennsylvania. To receive the Liberty Tree, The Wright Center needed to locate publicly accessible land in Lackawanna County that has historical ties to the American Revolution where the tulip poplar could be planted, explained Gina Lettieri, The Wright Center’s archivist. After extensive research, Lettieri determined that Dickson City’s VFW Park was an ideal location. New England native Deacon William A. Clark, founder of Clarks Green and Clarks Summit boroughs and a hero at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the Revolutionary War, was awarded 800 acres of land in Pennsylvania by Connecticut in 1797 as a token of gratitude for his service. Lettieri’s research uncovered that the VFW Park in Dickson City sits on those original 800 acres. After securing support from Dickson City officials, Lettieri submitted The Wright Center’s application for the Liberty Tree. “By planting our Liberty Tree at VFW Park in Dickson City, we are not only commemorating American history but also reinforcing The Wright Center’s commitment to improving the health and welfare of our communities,” said Lettieri. “This historic tree will stand for the next 250 years and beyond as a symbol of The Wright Center’s noble mission to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve.” The Pennsylvania Freemasons, the oldest and largest fraternal organization in the world with more than 3.5 million members, including 86,000 in the commonwealth, have planted five certified Liberty Trees locally, one each in Carbon, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike, and Wayne counties.
The Wright Center for Community Health welcomes physician assistant to Tunkhannock location A physician assistant with deep ties to the community and extensive experience as a rural health provider is joining The Wright Center for Community Health’s new location at the former Tyler Memorial Hospital in Tunkhannock, which will open Monday, Sept. 9. Mallory Racoski, PA-C, MPAS, will provide responsive and inclusive whole-person primary health services for people of all ages, including checkups, physicals, screenings, and treatment of common illnesses and injuries at The Wright Center’s new community health center at 5950 U.S. Route 6, Suite 401. The office will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering access to integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. To schedule an appointment, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5299. The Tunkhannock resident earned a Master of Science in physician assistant studies from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. She also completed 14 months of clinical training, including six weeks at The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley location in Jermyn under the supervision of Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. Prior to joining The Wright Center, Racoski worked as a physician assistant at The Burke Center, a psychiatry clinic in Tunkhannock. She also worked for Commonwealth Health Services at the former Tyler Memorial Hospital, where she led a COVID-19 clinic, performed all COVID-19 testing for Wyoming County, and offered primary health services. She also has experience treating Lyme disease, as she’s worked with a Lyme disease specialist at Physicians Care P.C. The Wright Center is a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike with a growing network of community health centers throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. It offers 12 community health centers, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, serving patients of all ages, income levels, and insurance statuses. The Wright Center served more than 35,400 unique patients in fiscal year 2023-24.
The Wright Center Welcomes Medical Students The Wright Center welcomed four medical students from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), who will complete rotations at The Wright Center’s community health centers and other locations throughout the region. This year marks the launch of the partnership between The Wright Center and LECOM, which is open to third- and fourth-year medical students. “The goal is to train these medical students in underserved communities, and hopefully, they will stay in Northeast Pennsylvania to complete their medical residencies after graduation,” said Carla Blakeslee, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s clerkships coordinator. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine students, from left, are Sulav Shrestha, Tazeen Malik, Katherine Weir, and Elena Myalo.
The Wright Center Welcomes New Workers The Wright Center for Community Health and residents of Northeast Pennsylvania are offering two new community health workers (CHWs) with specialized services to patients, thanks to a unique program through the National Health Corps (NHC). Harry Yanoshak of Plains Township to work with The Wright Center’s geriatric care teams and Kristin Zaorski of Covington Township will collaborate with The Wright Center’s behavioral health teams. Both CHWs are funded through the NHC’s Community Health Fellowship, a grassroots community health service program that trains local community residents as CHWs. The new employees are committed to addressing the unmet needs of underserved populations and honing their skills as community health leaders. The Wright Center employs CHWs to help connect patients and community members to various resources. In addition to connecting them to food pantries and helping them find safe, affordable housing, CHWs can also help patients address utility bills, transportation to and from doctor’s appointments, health insurance applications, and a variety of other needs. “They bridge the gap,” said Kathleen Doyle, director of patient-centered services at The Wright Center. “They help address basic needs so patients can focus on their health and medical needs. This ties in directly to The Wright Center’s mission to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services.” The NHC program funds CHWs to work in specialized areas to facilitate integration with The Wright Center for Community Health’s whole-person primary health services. “This is one more step in offering whole-person, integrated care,” said Lou Strazzeri, community and agency referrals coordinator for The Wright Center. “We can now offer a CHW who can focus specifically on what a patient being seen by our geriatric care team might need or what one of our behavioral health patients may need.” Nicole Lipinski, director of The Wright Center’s Geriatric Service Line, looks forward to the unique resources and support Yanoshak will be able to offer to patients and their families. “We are able to help this vulnerable population navigate through the care continuum as they age in place or require additional assistance with care in facilities,” she said. “Having a CHW will only enhance what we can offer.” CHWs are one of the fastest-growing occupations in today’s health care field, with a projected 12% increase in jobs between 2021 and 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Participants in the AmeriCorps-funded NHC program must complete 1,700 hours of service within a term spanning 42-46 weeks. They also must complete a CHW training course offered by the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center. They receive a living stipend and are eligible for food and child care assistance, tuition reimbursement, and access to health insurance, including medical, vision, and dental. The Wright Center, headquartered in Scranton, operates 10 primary and preventive care practices in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental vehicle called Driving Better Health. Its locations offer integrated whole-person primary health services, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center Encourages Men to be Proactive The Wright Center believes stereotypes aside, it’s safe to say that men often tend to be less proactive about their health than women. That’s why public health campaigns like Men’s Health Month in June play an admirable role. The annual monthlong observance raises awareness on the many ways in which males – boys and adults – need to take charge of their health care. June is also home to International Men’s Health Week, which took place last week, and June 14’s Wear Blue Day, which is sponsored by the Men’s Health Network and encourages individuals, organizations, and employers to wear blue and host awareness and/or fundraising events on behalf of the cause. If we’re being honest, society hasn’t done the greatest job of promoting proactive health care among males, no matter the age group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average life expectancy for men in the United States is 5.4 years less than it is for women. Meanwhile, males are at a higher risk for a number of serious diseases, among them heart disease, lung cancer, and HIV, and experience illnesses completely unique to the gender, such as prostate cancer. And for men from underrepresented groups, the numbers are even worse. So, it’s a good thing that for this year’s Men’s Health Month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is focused on bettering health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) men through its theme, “Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections.” The initiative aims to understand better how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances – the social determinants of health or SDOH – of minority men impact their overall health. OMH has committed to working with public health and community-based partners to provide racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN men and boys with high-quality medical care and services that are “responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, economic and environmental circumstances, and health literacy levels.” The thinking is that when patients are provided with culturally and linguistically appropriate information, they’ll ultimately have healthier outcomes for themselves, their families, and their communities as a whole. And by communities, we can certainly include our own right here in Northeast Pennsylvania. With encouragement from health care professionals, as well as family members and friends, there’s no reason why men can’t adopt more healthful practices, whether it’s improving their diet and getting a gym membership or better managing their stress levels through yoga, meditation, or therapy. That also includes making a long-term investment in their medical care, from annual visits to their primary care physician to receiving regular prostate testing and colonoscopies, or Cologuard stool testing, to reduce the chance of metastatic prostate or colorectal cancer. Health education should also start at a very young age so families can instill the importance of lifelong healthy habits in their boys. Most people do not seem to appreciate exercise’s profound impact on reducing the risk of most diseases and even slowing the aging process. Thirty minutes of exercise can prevent decline and decay for both men and women. Let’s all do our part to promote better men’s health by encouraging the important men in our lives – fathers, husbands, sons, friends, coworkers, etc. – to take their long-term health seriously. Douglas Klamp, M.D., is a board-certified internal medicine physician who serves as senior vice president, chief medical education officer, and physician chair of resident and fellow talent acquisition of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, as well as program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program. Dr. Klamp is accepting adult patients at The Wright Center for Community Health – Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave.
The Wright Center and NE PA AHEC Workshop Collaboration Nevena Barjaktarovic, M.D., a dually board-certified physician in internal medicine and rheumatology at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, will present a free educational session on lupus for Northeast Pennsylvania primary care and emergency room doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. The Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NE PA AHEC) is sponsoring the internal medicine didactic session, which will be held from 8-10 a.m., Wednesday, July 31, in The Wright Center for Community Health – Scranton Auditorium, 501 S. Washington Ave. Participation is limited and registration is required by Friday, July 19. To register, visit bit.ly/3QRJqTf. Participants may join in person or virtually through Webex video conferencing. The video conferencing link will be provided after registration. The session is a part of the American College of Rheumatology Rural Health Outreach Project, aimed at improving lupus referral, diagnosis, and treatment in underserved communities. It also will help raise awareness among health care providers of lupus signs and symptoms, what to do if lupus is suspected, and when to consider lupus in the differential diagnosis for individuals at high risk. About 1.5 million Americans have a form of lupus, 90% of whom are women, with about 16,000 new cases annually, according to the Lupus Foundation of America. Lupus is two to three times more prevalent among Black, Hispanic/Latina, Asian American, Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander women than white women. Those with lupus can experience significant symptoms, including pain, extreme fatigue, hair loss, cognitive issues, and physical impairments that affect every facet of their lives. Many suffer from cardiovascular disease, strokes, disfiguring rashes, and painful joints. For others, there may be no visible symptoms. Dr. Barjaktarovic specializes in diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of rheumatic and inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, connective tissue disease, fibromyalgia, gout, joint pain, osteoporosis, psoriasis, and lupus. She also serves as a physician-faculty member at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, where she mentors residents and fellows. A Clarks Summit resident, Dr. Barjaktarovic joined The Wright Centers in 2020 and earned her medical degree from the Medical School of Belgrade University, Serbia. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at James J. Peters VA Medical Center, affiliated with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in the Bronx, New York, and her rheumatology fellowship training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine-Montefiore Medical Center, also in the Bronx.
The Wright Center Announces Fellowship Dr. Kristina Tanovic, a board-certified internal medicine hospitalist at The Wright Center for Community Health, has been elected a fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP), the society of internists. The distinction recognizes achievements in internal medicine, the specialty of adult medical care. Dr. Tanovic was elected upon the recommendation of peers and the review of ACP’s Credentials Subcommittee. She may now use the letters “FACP” after her name in recognition of this honor. Dr. Tanovic see patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health – Scranton Counseling Center, 329 Cherry St., where she is accepting new patients. Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Obesity Medicine, Dr. Tanovic is also a core faculty member of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Internal Medicine Residency, where she trains the physicians of tomorrow. The Wright Center’s residency and fellowship programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. A graduate of the University of Belgrade School of Medicine in Serbia, Dr. Tanovic completed her internal medicine residency at Icahn School of Medicine at James J. Peters VA Medical Center, a Mount Sinai School of Medicine-affiliated facility in the Bronx, New York. Dr. Tanovic and her husband, Dr. Ivan Cvorovic, live in Scranton, with their daughter Iskra Cvorovic. The Wright Center, headquartered in Scranton, operates 10 community health centers in Northeast Pennsylvania, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health. Its locations offer affordable, high-quality, indiscriminate whole-person primary health services, meaning patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. ACP is the largest medical specialty organization and the second physician group in the United States. ACP members include 143,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physician are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. For more information about ACP, go to acponline.org.
