The Wright Center for Community Health Offers ‘OARS’ App The Wright Center for Community Health announces it has introduced a new software tool intended to help individuals who are coping with substance use disorder to better maintain their treatment plans and avoid relapse. The Opioid Addiction Recovery Support app, known as OARS, can be installed on a patient’s smartphone. Patients use the app to securely message their healthcare team, chart daily progress and receive support from professionals and/or peers. The Wright Center’s healthcare providers, meanwhile, are able to view the patient’s real-time reporting and feedback, then use that information to quickly address any emerging challenges and make treatment decisions to promote a more successful recovery journey. The app was developed by Q2i, a Boston-area digital health company, in partnership with UCLA. Their work is aimed at mitigating the nation’s ongoing opioid crisis, which reached a historic new level in 2020 – reportedly the deadliest year ever in the U.S. for drug overdoses. Federal estimates released this month show a nearly 30% rise in fatal overdoses over the prior year, an increase that health officials attributed partly to the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. OARS can improve the success of medication-assisted treatment programs. The Wright Center’s primary care practices offer medication-assisted treatment – a whole-person approach to addiction that combines counseling and behavioral therapies with the use of approved medications such as buprenorphine. “Tools like OARS, which extend our behavioral health team’s ability to connect with and support individuals in recovery, are especially useful and potentially can improve outcomes,” said Scott Constantini, The Wright Center’s Director of Behavioral Health. “We’re proud to be on the forefront of studying and introducing these kinds of technologies.” In response to community needs, The Wright Center became an early proponent and provider of medication-assisted treatment and related services across a multicounty area in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 2016, the state Department of Human Services designated The Wright Center as an Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence. Today the organization serves about 540 active Center of Excellence patients. The Wright Center also co-founded the Healthy MOMS program, which assists pregnant and postpartum women who are coping with substance use disorder. The program currently has 121 active mothers. The OARS app will be offered to The Wright Center’s Center of Excellence patients and the women enrolled in the region’s Healthy MOMS program. About two dozen patients have already adopted use of the app. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) had granted approval earlier this year for the OARS software to proceed to a Phase II clinical trial. The Wright Center, which operates primary care practices in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne counties, served as a study site during Phase I and is also a study site for Phase II. For more information about The Wright Center’s healthcare services, visit thewrightcenter.org.
Wright Center Establishes New Post, Director of Health Humanities The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education have appointed Allison LaRussa, Scranton, as Director of Health Humanities. In this newly introduced position, LaRussa will promote emotional wellness by engaging the organizations’ physician trainees, employees, patients and community members in artistic activities. For patients and the general public, there will be art therapy initiatives addressing trauma and addiction as well as community art projects to help alleviate social isolation and foster connections. For health professionals, activities also will be designed to support their professional identity development and growth by providing opportunities for shared experiences, awareness, reflection and expression. “As a valued member of our team, Allison will nurture positivity and resiliency within individuals and at the organizational level, which is particularly relevant as we collectively emerge from the pandemic experience,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, President and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. A special focus of LaRussa’s work will be The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s resident physicians and fellows. These trainees, like their counterparts in programs across the country, deal with the dual pressures of delivering top-notch care to patients and simultaneously completing rigorous graduate medical education requirements. “Our art activities at The Wright Center will be designed to decrease a lot of stress and burnout,” said LaRussa. “The projects will allow people to be more mindful, to process more, so that they are better able to handle their work.” A 2010 Marywood University graduate, LaRussa, 34, has long been active in the region’s arts scene, including First Friday Scranton.
The Wright Center for Community Health Names Two New Practice Managers The Wright Center for Community Health recently promoted two longtime clinical employees to the leadership roles of Practice Managers. Kimeth Robinson will lead The Wright Center’s Kingston Practice at 2 Sharpe Street. A graduate of McCann School of Business, Robinson joined The Wright Center in 2016 as a medical assistant. She most recently served as medical scribe for Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, President/CEO of The Wright Center, and as Co-Manager of Medical Assistants, responsible for monitoring patient care quality and coordination as well as daily oversight of all medical assistants on staff. Robinson resides in Peckville. Mary Georgetti will lead The Wright Center’s Wilkes-Barre Practice located inside the Children’s Service Center building at 335 South Franklin Street. A Wyoming Valley West High School graduate, Georgetti joined The Wright Center in 2011 as an administrative assistant. She most recently served as a practice coordinator for The Wright Center’s Luzerne County offices, maintaining physician schedules, electronic health records and community outreach. Georgetti resides in Plains Twp. As Practice Managers, both Robinson and Georgetti will be responsible for the daily operations of their respective locations, including oversight of patient flow, staff and services. The Wilkes-Barre and Kingston practices are home to physicians and clinical staff who provide primary and preventive care for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients, including routine check-ups, sick visits, behavioral/mental health, and addiction and recovery services. “Kimeth and Mary have proven themselves as reliable leaders who each represent the very best of The Wright Center’s core values, as they are exceptional team players who strive for excellence in service to our communities every day,” said Kathleen Barry, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of The Wright Center.
Lida Kiefer Named Practice Manager of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Hawley Location The Wright Center for Community Health recently promoted longtime clinical employee Lida Kiefer to the leadership role of Practice Manager. Kiefer will lead The Wright Center’s Hawley Practice at 103 Spruce Street, where she will be responsible for daily operations including oversight of patient flow, staff and services. The Wayne County office is home to clinical staff who provide primary and preventive care for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients, including routine check-ups, sick visits, behavioral/mental health, and addiction and recovery services. A graduate of McCann School of Business and Technology, Kiefer joined The Wright Center in 2012 as an administrative assistant and worked her way up to the role of certified medical assistant II. She most recently served as Co-Manager of Medical Assistants, responsible for monitoring patient care quality and coordination as well as daily oversight of all medical assistants on staff. In addition to her leadership responsibilities at Hawley as Practice Manager, Kiefer will also serve as a medical assistant there. “Throughout her career at The Wright Center, Lida has demonstrated her dedication to our mission of improving the health and welfare of our community. This promotion is a great fit for her proven skills and experience,” said Kathleen Barry, Deputy Chief Operating Officer. Kiefer resides in Honesdale.
The Wright Center for Community Health Names New Director of Geriatric Services Program Nicole Lipinski, a registered nurse with 25 years of experience working with elderly patients and caregivers, has been named the new Director of The Wright Center for Community Health’s geriatric services program. Since its debut in July, the program has been recognized by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement as an Age-Friendly Health System Partner for providing a full spectrum of comprehensive, safety-net primary health and support services for seniors. Through individualized care plans developed by a team of providers, The Wright Center serves as a trusted primary health advisor for seniors and their families to support independent living. A key component of the geriatric program is the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinic, which provides comprehensive evaluation and testing and is accessible no matter who the patient’s primary care doctor is. The Wright Center is one of only eight health systems across the country selected as an adopter of the innovative Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program created at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). “Our geriatric program was created to meet the need for specialized services that address the physical, mental and behavioral health challenges specific to seniors, especially as we experience an unprecedented growth rate in Pennsylvania’s aging population,” Lipinski said. “Countless families in Northeast Pennsylvania have benefited from this expert care already, which became even more critical as we navigated the challenges the pandemic presented for at-risk older adults, including isolation.” Lipinski joined The Wright Center in July as the geriatric care manager, bringing decades of experience caring for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases to the role. She earned her nursing degree from Luzerne County Community College, and her bachelor’s degree in business and master’s degree in healthcare informatics from Misericordia University. She resides in Throop. For information about The Wright Center’s geriatric services or to make an appointment, call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center for Community Health Receives Grant From Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Wright Center for Community Health has received an $8,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation to enable its Community Health Workers to assist patients who are coping with a variety of hardships that can impact their healthcare. Grant funding will be used to help individuals overcome economic barriers, such as lack of nutritious food or transportation to medical appointments, so patients can focus on addressing health issues. The Wright Center’s Community Health Workers will also connect patients with a variety of community resources, such as GED programs and job training. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports initiatives and programs serving the residents of Northeastern Pennsylvania, is administered by the Scranton Area Community Foundation. Robert H. Spitz was born in Scranton and was a 1955 graduate of Scranton Central High School and the University of Miami. Before retirement, Mr. Spitz had been employed by the U.S. Department of Labor and owned several local restaurants. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation was established from his estate in 2015. The Wright Center was one of 42 nonprofit organizations in Northeast Pennsylvania selected to receive grants during the Spitz Foundation’s 2020 funding cycle, which collectively distributed $771,000. Pictured, from left, are care team members from The Wright Center for Community Health: Sydney Rentsch, Community Health Worker; Keri Macknosky, Certified Community Health Worker; Kari Machelli, R.N., Director of Case and Care Management Services; Kayla Kincel, Community Health Worker; and Whitney Cooper, Community Health Worker.
