The Wright Center for Community Health to host special Polar Express Night for families ahead of the holidays The Wright Center for Community Health invites families throughout Northeast Pennsylvania to a free holiday event featuring a special showing of “The Polar Express.” The holiday event will be held on Sunday, Nov. 29, from 2-5 p.m. at The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave. Children who attend will receive a stocking, a candy cane, and a golden ticket to enter a raffle for a chance to win one of several prizes, including a Polar Express train set. Refreshments will be served, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit and be available for free photos. Children can also wear their pajamas and bring a pillow and blanket to enjoy the screening. The event is free and open to the public, but attendance is limited to 130 people. Reservations can be made by contacting Holly Przasnyski, director of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement, at przasnyskih@TheWrightCenter.org.
The Wright Center and Scranton Prep students lead the fight against food insecurity Scranton Preparatory School students, faculty, and alumni are demonstrating the power of community and service through the annual Great Ignatian Challenge, a nationwide food drive benefiting families and individuals in need. The month-long initiative brings together Jesuit high schools across the country, with Scranton Prep continuing its longstanding commitment to fighting food insecurity throughout Northeast Pennsylvania by partnering with The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement. Great Ignatian Challenge 1: The largest student-led drive in Northeast Pennsylvania, Scranton Prep students, faculty, and alumni have donated more than 550,000 pounds of food to local assistance programs, including The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement, over the past five years. This year’s drive continues through Nov. 26. To make a monetary donation, visit www.scrantonprep.org/jesuit/great-ignatian-challenge. Participating Scranton Prep students, front row from left, are Lola Palazzari, Chloe Mancuso, Ella Bianchi, Allie Rosar, and Henry Barrett; second row, Scranton Prep students Eddie James and Ricky Dewey; Matthew Raebel, maintenance worker at The Wright Center; Scranton Prep students Packy James, Packy Abrahamsen, Chase Sciandra, Ava Domiano, and Lizzy Collins; and Kara Seitzinger, executive director of public affairs and advisor to the president and CEO at The Wright Center. Great Ignatian Challenge 2: Scranton Prep students, from left, Ricky Dewey, Packy Abrahamsen, Lola Palazzari, Allie Rosar, Chase Sciandra, Packy James, Ella Bianchi, and Eddie James, proudly display some of the food they collected for the annual Great Ignatian Challenge. The food drive ends Nov. 26.
The Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock earns inaugural Value-Based Care Champions award The Wright Center for Community Health presented its Value-Based Care Champions award to its Tunkhannock location, recognizing clinical excellence, measurable progress, and a commitment to transforming patient care. Presented quarterly by The Wright Center for Community Health executives, the award honors the community health center that demonstrates the greatest growth across key value-based care metrics, recognizing the clinical care team whose dedication, innovation, and collaboration are driving meaningful improvements in patient outcomes, closing care gaps, and advancing the enterprise’s mission of delivering high-quality, whole-person primary and preventive health services. The Wright Center for Community Health Tunkhannock opened in September 2024 on the fourth floor of the Wyoming County Healthcare Center. It received the award for demonstrating meaningful improvement across key quality measures that directly impact the health and well-being of the populations served by The Wright Center. Those measures include hypertension management and breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and retinopathy screenings.
Wayne Bank Announces Theresa M. Hinton, Esq., CTFA as Vice President and Senior Trust Officer James O. Donnelly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wayne Bank, is pleased to announce that Theresa (Terri) M. Hinton, Esq., CTFA has joined the Bank as Vice President and Senior Trust Officer. In her new role, Hinton will be an integral member of Wayne Bank’s Trust team, providing clients with personalized guidance, trusted advice, and exceptional service. Drawing on her extensive legal experience in estates and trusts, she will work directly with individuals, families, and other entities to build lasting relationships and develop and implement comprehensive estate plans and business succession strategies. “Terri brings extensive legal experience and a strong understanding of estates and trusts, along with a commitment to helping clients navigate important financial and family decisions,” said Donnelly. “Her experience and client-focused approach will be a tremendous asset to our Trust team. We are excited to welcome her to Wayne Bank and look forward to the contributions she will make to our clients and the communities we serve.” Hinton began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Francis Barry of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. She subsequently spent more than 20 years practicing law across a variety of areas, including estate and trust matters, banking, health care, contract law, civil litigation, and real estate. Her broad legal background provides a strong foundation for helping clients navigate complex financial, fiduciary, and estate planning matters with confidence. Hinton earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Saint Francis University and a Juris Doctor from Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. She also holds the Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation through the American Bankers Association’s Institute of Certified Bankers. Hinton resides in Dickson City, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Attorney Tim Hinton.
Geisinger serves nearly 3,500 meals at drive-through veteran appreciation dinners To thank local veterans for their service,Geisinger served nearly 3,500 meals during drive-through veteran appreciation dinners at 12 locations across its service area on Thursday, Nov. 5. The dinners were provided at no cost to U.S. military veterans and their guests. Meals were provided in Bloomsburg, Danville, Jersey Shore, Lewistown, Mifflintown, Mount Pocono, Muncy, Pittston, Scranton, Shamokin, State College and Wilkes-Barre. Members of Geisinger’s executive leadership team, regional leaders and volunteers attended the event to hand out meals to veterans. Members of the leadership team, along with staff, distributed the meals with gratitude for the veterans’ selflessness and sacrifice. Geisinger Volunteer Services also partnered with local elementary schools to provide veterans with homemade cards and notes from students.
Vizient recognizes Geisinger as 2026 Top Performer, Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital for quality patient care Geisinger has been recognized as a 2026 Top Performer in Stewardship by Vizient®. Geisinger was the top-ranked performer in the critical access care cohort and is recognized for leadership in stewardship through measurable sustainability and responsible sourcing impact. The Vizient Stewardship Award recognizes healthcare organizations that demonstrate leadership and measurable achievements in sustainability and responsible sourcing through strong programs, strategic purchasing decisions and executive commitment. This year 1,346 healthcare organizations were divided into seven cohorts for the ranking. The recognition reflects Geisinger’s ongoing efforts to create greater value from purchasing decisions by integrating sustainability and responsible sourcing into their supply chain. These efforts balance cost savings with resilience and community impact while enhancing transparency, improving performance and advancing measurable financial, operational and environmental outcomes. “This year’s Stewardship Top Performers demonstrate the impact healthcare organizations can achieve by embedding sustainability and responsible sourcing into their broader supply chain strategies,” said Cristina Indiveri, vice president of core tenets and spend management at Vizient. “Their leadership shows how purchasing decisions can enhance transparency, strengthen resilience, support local and small businesses, and deliver measurable value for their organizations, communities and the environment.” Vizient also recognized Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, naming it a top performer in Vizient’s 2026 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Ranking. The hospital was 1 of 24 small community hospitals recognized for excellence in delivering high-quality patient care based on performance across six domains: safety, mortality, effectiveness, efficiency, patient centeredness and variation in care. “Delivering consistently high-quality care requires organizations to align clinical expertise, operational discipline and a continuous focus on improvement,” said David Levine, M.D., chief medical officer at Vizient. “The hospitals recognized this year demonstrate what is possible when that commitment is embedded across the organization, resulting in better performance and, most importantly, better care for patients.” “These recognitions reflect Geisinger’s ongoing commitment to excellence in how we deliver care, manage resources and make thoughtful, responsible decisions that strengthen our organization,” said Jason Mitchell, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer at Geisinger. “We’re proud of the teams whose dedication to quality, stewardship and continuous improvement helps create better outcomes for our patients, members and communities, while supporting a more sustainable future. These achievements demonstrate our commitment to delivering quality healthcare for those we serve and the broader communities that depend on us.”
Geisinger recognized for Digital Health Achievement as 2026 Digital Health Most Wired Survey Recipient The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has announced the results of its 2026 Digital Health Most Wired Survey, an internationally recognized benchmarking program that honors excellence in digitally enabled healthcare. Geisinger earned a Level 9 achievement in the ambulatory and acute care categories. Among the more than 44,000 facilities represented in this year’s survey, Geisinger distinguished itself by ranking above peers in key focus areas including clinical quality and safety, analytics and data management, cybersecurity, population health, infrastructure, patient engagement and innovation. The survey evaluates the adoption, maturity, outcomes and value of technology across healthcare organizations at every stage of their digital journey, from early-phase digitization to advanced transformation. “Being recognized by CHIME as a Digital Health Most Wired organization for the seventh consecutive year reflects the dedication of teams across Geisinger who use technology every day to make care safer, simpler and more connected for our patients and members,” said Bill Bellando, executive vice president and chief information officer for Geisinger. “Our Level 9 achievement in acute and ambulatory care, among more than 44,000 facilities, shows real strength in the areas that matter most, from cybersecurity and data to patient engagement and innovation. Through our expanded partnership with CHIME, we’re also investing in our people, connecting our IT professionals with peers across the industry so we continue raising the bar for digitally enabled care.” As healthcare organizations navigate persistent cybersecurity threats, evolving care models, workforce shortages and tightening budgets, the pressure to accelerate digital transformation continues to grow. Artificial intelligence is moving quickly from pilot to practice, and innovations powered by interoperable data, AI and secure digital infrastructure are reshaping how and where care is delivered. Realizing that potential responsibly will require sustained commitment, strong governance and a clear strategic roadmap. The Digital Health Most Wired Survey serves as a comprehensive evaluation and digital maturity report card for healthcare organizations around the world. As digital transformation increasingly shapes the quality and accessibility of care, this recognition reflects the progress of leading healthcare providers as they reshape the future of healthcare. The achievement extends beyond information technology to every area of the enterprise, reflecting a collective commitment to advancing health and care through strategic digital initiatives.
The University of Scranton Earns National Recognition for Civic Engagement Efforts The University of Scranton has received ALL IN’s Highly Established Action Plan Seal for the 2026 election cycle. This recognizes the University’s commitment to nonpartisan civic engagement through the longstanding Royals Vote initiative. Through the initiative, the University continues to promote student participation in the democratic process by providing opportunities for nonpartisan civic education and engagement. Throughout this election season, Royals Vote, a campus-wide collaboration of campus offices, academic departments and student clubs, coordinated various voter engagement opportunities. These efforts aimed to increase awareness of the election, provide voting resources, and help members of the University community overcome barriers to participating in the electoral process. Among the initiatives were weekly voter registration table-sits in the DeNaples Center and other campus locations, class presentations to share how students could register to vote and how to vote, and Election Day transportation to Scranton High School, the University’s local polling location. These resources ensured that students were able to participate fully in the electoral process. The University also hosted a Royals Vote Celebration on Election Day, providing students with an opportunity to celebrate their participation and their vote. Additional efforts included open office hours to answer students’ voting-related questions, informational emails and social media outreach. A digital resource card was also added to the MyScranton portal, leading users to the ALL-IN voter registration experience for more information. “We are honored to receive this national recognition as it is a testament to our strong commitment to voter engagement. One important way to live out the Jesuit and Catholic mission to be active in the world around us is through participating in the electoral process, sharing our voices and casting our votes for a brighter future — for us, our communities, and our country. I am deeply inspired by the great student turnout and energy on Election Day and look forward to building on this success through future Royals Vote initiatives,” said Daysi Carreto ’14, assistant director of community and civic engagement. The University aims to continue engaging students beyond this election cycle through various civic programming, including the longstanding Political Dialogues initiative. A new civic engagement component of the University’s Ignatian Core Curriculum is another way that students will be exposed to civic engagement opportunities going forward.
MFHS honors the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus a 2026 Annual Community Luncheon Maternal and Family Health Services hosted its annual Community Luncheon on Oct. 27 at The Banks in Pittston. This year’s event was a celebration of state leaders’ passion for women’s health and commitment to improving maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania. The signature event brought together community leaders, health care providers, partners and supporters in northeastern Pennsylvania to celebrate shared achievements, highlight the work of MFHS, recognize outstanding contributions and raise vital support for ongoing programs. The 2026 Outstanding Public Service Award was presented to the PA Black Maternal Health Caucus, co-chaired by state Reps. Morgan Cephas, D-Philadelphia; Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware; and La’Tasha D. Mayes, D-Allegheny. The caucus was recognized for its exemplary advocacy and impact in women’s health across the Commonwealth. The Outstanding Public Service Award is presented annually by MFHS to a champion for women, children and families who works in public service to advocate for programs that are proven to make a positive difference, and who demonstrates exceptional leadership in advancing health equity and positive outcomes for people in the communities MFHS serves.
Commonwealth Health to celebrate milestone investment in heart care Commonwealth Health is hosting an event on Friday, Nov. 20 at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate a milestone investment in northeastern Pennsylvania heart care. The event will be in the McGowan Conference Room at Regional Hospital of Scranton. Commonwealth Health and Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation will announce a multi-million dollar investment in advancing heart care for the community, as well as its fifth consecutive year of recognition by the American College of Cardiology for excellence in cardiovascular care. The event will also recognize the physicians and care teams behind the achievement.
