Geisinger Opens Medication-Assisted Treatment Clinic in Scranton

Geisinger has opened a medication-assisted treatment (MAT) clinic for opioid and alcohol use disorders in Scranton today, April 8. The clinic, located at 3 West Olive St., is Geisinger’s fourth MAT clinic in Pennsylvania.

Geisinger’s medication-assisted treatment program was developed in response to Pennsylvania’s opioid addiction crisis: more than 5,400 people died from drug-related overdose in Pennsylvania during 2017. Medication-assisted treatment, used in coordination with therapy, prevents overdose deaths and helps patients live productive lives while avoiding relapse. In addition to the Scranton location, Geisinger offers medication-assisted treatment in Bloomsburg, Wilkes-Barre and Williamsport.

“Pennsylvania continues to be overwhelmed by a supply of opiates, and families are devastated by addiction and overdose deaths,” said Margaret Jarvis, M.D., chief of addiction medicine at Geisinger. “Treatment with one of three medications—buprenorphine, extended-release naltrexone and methadone—has been shown to reduce overdoses and help patients with opiate addiction remain in treatment. We are excited to extend our treatment into Scranton, an area that has seen more than its share of difficulties related to opiates.”

Since 2017, 1,700 patients have been treated at Geisinger’s MAT clinics for an opioid or alcohol use disorder. Within the past year, the MAT program has observed an 89 percent reduction in mortality among those with opioid use disorder.

The new MAT clinic expands Geisinger’s comprehensive addiction medicine services, caring for patients with all substance use disorders.

• The addiction medicine department employs seven board-certified and fellowship-trained addiction medicine physicians and eight specialty-trained advanced practice providers.
• Geisinger offers inpatient hospital consult services for patients with substance use disorders at both Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre and Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton. These services have demonstrated a 50 percent reduction in hospital readmissions among more than 400 consulted patients.
• The department has partnered with Geisinger’s women’s health services to develop a specialty addiction treatment program focused on mothers with opioid use disorders, which now operates at four system locations.
• Geisinger has implemented a systemwide “warm handoff” program in all nine of its emergency departments to ensure that patients with an opioid use disorder have timely access to treatment resources in their communities.

“At Geisinger, we are working with our governmental and community leaders in a multifaceted approach to fighting the opioid addiction epidemic with both prevention and treatment,” said Anthony Aquilina, D.O., regional president for Geisinger Northeast. “Medication-assisted treatment centers are the most effective way to treat individuals already affected. This clinic is an important investment in the Scranton area, offering compassionate health services to those struggling with addiction.”

To reach the MAT clinic in Scranton, call 570-207-6299. For more information on opioid abuse and available resources, visit GeisingerHealthPlan.com/HadEnough.