Geisinger College of Health Sciences Launched

Opening a Geisinger blue umbrella and holding it aloft, newly installed president and dean, Julie Byerley, M.D., MPH, announced the formation of Geisinger College of Health Sciences. The college will serve as the “umbrella” institution uniting Geisinger’s School of Medicine, School of Nursing and School of Graduate Education under a single entity. In addition, the new entity will oversee the expansion of the Geisinger School of Nursing from a diploma-granting to a degree-granting institution that will bestow an associate degree in nursing. The new organizational structure also paves the way for future health professions programs needed to serve our region.

“Geisinger Commonwealth Day is a celebration we created to honor our past and embrace our future,” Dr. Byerley said. “There was no better forum than a setting uniting our founders, our community and our health system leadership to celebrate this next step in the life of local medical and health education.”

“The evolution of our current nursing program has been a goal for some time, and we’re thrilled to see it come to life — especially now, when nurses are needed most,” said Janet Tomcavage, executive vice president and chief nursing executive at Geisinger. “This step forward will help even more individuals begin a rewarding career in nursing.”

Dr. Byerley noted that Geisinger Commonwealth remains the name of the School of Medicine — and the school’s commitment to its founding mission hasn’t changed. “Our school will remain focused on serving our community, providing opportunity and advancement for local learners and leveraging the discoveries of our research team to improve health and well-being.”

The new structure, Dr. Byerley said, will create more synergy and opportunities for interprofessional learning experiences and greater collaboration with Geisinger’s Research Institute. “It’s a win for our learners and our scientists,” she said. “Our community will reap the benefits of our integrated, cooperative approach to educating the healthcare teams of the future.”

Geisinger Promotes Cardiologist

Pugazhendhi Vijayaraman, M.D., has been promoted to chief of clinical electrophysiology for Geisinger.

In his new role, Dr. Vijayaraman oversees the integration and growth of services for patients with heart-rhythm disorders across the health system. These arrhythmias include tachycardia (fast heart rate), bradycardia (slow heart rate) and atrial fibrillation (AFib) among others.

A Geisinger provider since 2005, Dr. Vijayaraman specializes in cardiac electrophysiology, cardiac ablation and cardiac device implantation. He is world-renowned for his research and clinical expertise in conduction system pacing, which stimulates the heart’s natural electrical conduction system to correct rhythm disorders and has improved patient outcomes. An authority on innovative methods of implantation, he has educated Geisinger fellows as well as physicians from across the globe.

“For the past 17 years, it’s been my pleasure to serve our communities and help grow electrophysiology services for our patients,” Dr. Vijayaraman said. “I look forward to making better health easier for more of our friends and neighbors as we continue to expand the outstanding electrophysiology care available to them close to home.”

Before accepting his position as chief of clinical electrophysiology, Dr. Vijayaraman served as director of electrophysiology labs for Geisinger’s northeast region and program director of Geisinger’s clinical cardiac electrophysiology fellowship — roles he continues to serve. His presence and leadership at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center were integral to the hospital’s investment in its electrophysiology suite, which has expanded availability to patients in the region and established the medical center as a destination for heart-rhythm care.

Dr. Vijayaraman will work closely with regional chiefs of cardiology and the chair of Geisinger’s Department of Cardiology, George Ruiz, M.D., to coordinate electrophysiology care across the system, create new programs that complement clinical efforts, provide our communities with expanded clinical expertise and review any clinical quality challenges that arise.

“We have a team of experienced and talented electrophysiologists that rivals any in our region of the country,” Dr. Vijayaraman said. “I’m committed to supporting them with the facilities, technology, research and resources they need to care for our communities with excellence.”

Geisinger Offering Drive-through and Walk-in Flu Shots

Geisinger is hosting its second Super Saturday flu vaccine event this upcoming Saturday, Oct. 8, at 42 locations across the system’s footprint.

Flu shots are free and available to all in the community – no appointments are needed. Simply drive up and receive a shot without leaving your vehicle. At locations without drive-in shots, walk-in shots are available.

The Super Saturday flu shot clinics run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The last Super Saturday event this year will be on Nov. 5.

“It’s so important to get vaccinated to not only protect yourself, but to protect those vulnerable of severe illness which include children, the elderly, and those immunocompromised,” said Stanley Martin, M.D., director of Geisinger’s Division of Infectious Diseases. “We could see more cases this year than we have in the past five years, so to keep everyone healthy, we want to vaccinate as many people as possible.”

The following Geisinger community medicine clinics will host drive-through events for anyone age 3 and older. Shots will be available at:

  • Geisinger Healthplex State College (132 Abigail Lane)
  • Geisinger Philipsburg  (210 Medical Center Drive)
  • Geisinger Bellefonte (819 E. Bishop St.)
  • Geisinger Lewistown   (21 Geisinger Lane)
  • Geisinger Medical Clinic Lock Haven (68 Spring St.)
  • Geisinger Medical Center Muncy (255 Route 220 Highway)
  • Geisinger Berwick (2200 W. Front St.)
  • Geisinger Medical Clinic Buckhorn (240 Mall Blvd.)
  • Geisinger Frackville (701 West Oak St.)
  • Geisinger Kulpmont (119 Nevada Drive)
  • Geisinger Lewisburg (250 Reitz Blvd.)
  • Geisinger Orwigsburg (300 Hollywood Blvd.)
  • Geisinger Pottsville (529 Terry Reiley Way)
  • Geisinger Selinsgrove (201 Roosevelt Ave.)
  • Geisinger Woodbine Lane (16 Woodbine Lane)
  • Geisinger Dallas (114 Lt. Michael Cleary Drive)
  • Geisinger Kingston (560 Pierce St.)
  • Geisinger Mountain Top (35 S. Mountain Blvd.)
  • Geisinger Mt. Pocono (126 Market Way)
  • Geisinger Pittston (42 N. Main St.)
  • Geisinger Mt. Pleasant (531 Mt. Pleasant Drive)
  • Geisinger Tunkhannock (10 Trieble Drive)

Those 65 and older can receive shots at Geisinger 65 Forward locations.

Drive-through:

  • Kingston (499 Wyoming Ave.)
  • Scranton (3 W. Olive St., Floor 1, Suite 205)

Walk-in:

  • Buckhorn (240 Mall Blvd., Floor 1)
  • Milton (5170 State Route 405 – South Gate Plaza)
  • Scranton (3 W Olive St., Floor 1, Suite 205)
  • Shamokin Coal Township (9333 State Route 61, Suite 2)
  • Wilkes-Barre (41 South Main St.)

Walk-in flu shots for patients ages 6 months and older will also be available at the following CommunityCare and Geisinger Pediatrics locations:

  • CommunityCare Hazleton (426 Airport Road)
  • CommunityCare Kistler Clinic (175 S. Wilkes-Barre Blvd.)

Pediatrics:

  • Pottsville (529 Terry Reiley Way)
  • Mt. Pocono (126 Market Way)
  • Scranton (5 Morgan Highway, Suite 8)
  • Forty Fort (190 Welles St., Suite 122)
  • Lewisburg (55 Medical Park Drive)
  • Woodbine (16 Woodbine Lane)
  • Lock Haven (68 Spring St.)
  • Muncy (255 Route 220)
  • Healthplex State College (132 Abigail Lane)
  • Lewistown (21 Geisinger Lane)
  • Philipsburg (210 Medical Center Drive)

There’s no need to preregister to get a flu shot. Remember to wear a mask and loose-fitting clothing that allows easy access to the upper arm.

For more information on fighting flu this season, visit geisinger.org/flu.

Geisinger To Host Dinners for Local Veterans

To thank local military veterans for their service, Geisinger will host drive-through Veterans Appreciation dinners at 11 locations across the health system’s service area from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10. Geisinger Healthplex State College will serve meals from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

The dinners for U.S. military veterans and a guest are being provided at no cost to participants. Anyone interested should make a reservation by Tuesday, Nov. 1.

Geisinger will again serve this dinner as a drive-through event for the safety of the community, staff and volunteers. Last year’s event served more than 2,300 meals.

This year marks the 20th anniversary for the event at Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, where it originated before expanding to other Geisinger facilities. This year’s event will grow from nine locations to 11.

Veterans may contact their preferred location to register themselves and one guest for the meal. Servings are limited, and those interested are encouraged to sign up now.

Locations are:

Pittston Township

Scranton

Wilkes-Barre

Bloomsburg

Danville

Jersey Shore

Lewistown

Mifflintown

Muncy

Shamokin

State College

  • Geisinger Healthplex State College, 132 Abigail Lane, Port Matilda
  • To make a reservation, visit go.geisinger.org/vetsdinner/statecollege or call 814-272-5032.
  • Meals will be served at this location from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Geisinger Janet Weis Hospital Receives Reaccreditation

Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital has been granted Level II Trauma Center reaccreditation by the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation (PTSF).

The Level II trauma designation means the children’s hospital provides advanced care and expertise for pediatric trauma patients with specialized equipment, training and a dedicated pediatric emergency zone and pediatric sedation suite. Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital is the only designated pediatric trauma center in central Pennsylvania.

To receive the Level II designation, the children’s hospital underwent a review process by the PTSF that included reviews of its resources, capabilities, and care for patients with traumatic injuries. 

“This renewal of our Level II trauma accreditation means pediatric patients from local communities can continue to receive the most specialized level of care close to home,” said Alfred Kennedy, M.D., Geisinger pediatric trauma director. “This accreditation speaks to the tremendous work our physicians, nurses and staff continue to deliver to our youth.”

Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital joins Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton as the system’s Level II trauma centers while Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center and Geisinger Medical Center in Danville are Level I trauma centers. Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital and Geisinger Lewistown Hospital are Level IV trauma centers.

Geisinger Welcomes Pediatric Cardiologist Into Leadership Role

Shuping Ge, M.D., has joined Geisinger as system chair of the Department of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Cardiology.

A specialist in pediatric cardiology, Dr. Ge cares for babies before and after birth, children and adolescents with congenital heart disease. He has clinical and translational research interest and expertise in non-invasive cardiovascular imaging, fetal cardiology and pediatric preventive cardiology.

Dr. Ge joins pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgeon Gerhard Ziemer, M.D., Ph.D., to lead Geisinger’s congenital heart program, which cares for patients from their prenatal days through adulthood. An avid academic, Dr. Ge will also mentor future providers and scientists as a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Pediatrics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.

He earned his medical degree at Shandong University School of Medicine in Jinan, Shandong, China, and conducted research in cardiovascular ultrasound at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland and Wake Forest University Bowman Grey School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Dr. Ge completed his residency in pediatrics at St. Vincent’s Hospital & Medical Center in New York City and his fellowship training in pediatric cardiology at The Children’s Hospital, University of Colorado School of Medicine, in Denver. 

Before joining Geisinger, Dr. Ge held clinical leadership roles at Children’s Hospital of Iowa, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in Iowa City, Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, and Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey.

He’s also held professorships at University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine and Temple University College of Medicine.

Dr. Ge is certified in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology by the American Board of Pediatrics, and he has a subspecialty certification in pediatric cardiac magnetic resonance imaging from the American College of Radiology.  He has practiced fetal, pediatric, and preventive cardiology for 20 years and has been named a Top Doctor by Castle Connolly, US News and World Report, Philadelphia Magazine and America’s Most Honored Doctors.

His collaborative and translational research in cardiovascular imaging, fetal cardiology and pediatric preventive cardiology has been funded by the American Heart Association and National Institutes of Health, and he’s authored or co-authored about 250 published scholarly works.  

Geisinger’s Northeast Hospitals Certified as Comprehensive Heart Attack Centers

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center (GWV) and Geisinger Community Medical Center (GCMC) recently became the second and third hospitals in the country to earn The Joint Commission/American Heart Association (AHA) Comprehensive Heart Attack Center Certification, joining Geisinger Medical Center (GMC) in Danville in establishing a national precedent for coordination among care teams who treat patients on the heart attack spectrum.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked, depriving the heart of oxygen. Much of the damage to heart muscle takes place in a short period of time after a heart attack, so timely care is critical for preserving heart function.

“No one expects to have a heart attack, but when it happens, we offer extraordinary care close to home for our patients and members,” said Yassir Nawaz, M.D., director of interventional cardiology and co-medical director of the Comprehensive Heart Attack Center Certification program for Geisinger’s northeast region. “With three certified medical centers, we’re taking a full-team approach to diagnosing and treating chest pain patients in northeastern and central Pennsylvania.”

At GWV, GCMC and GMC, chest pain patients can expect the highest level of care delivered as quickly as possible.

Already recognized as Joint Commission/AHA Mission Lifeline® Heart Attack Receiving Centers for their ability to treat the most severe type of heart attack by restoring blood flow to the heart, GWV and GCMC have shown their commitment to making better health easier for patients and members in northeastern Pennsylvania through achieving certification. They stand ready to care for all chest pain patients, including those who:

To accomplish this, hospital leaders, interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, advanced practitioners, nurses, emergency medicine physicians, heart failure specialists, life support specialists, emergency medical services (EMS) providers, pharmacists and care managers must collaborate closely to accommodate a patient’s unique care needs. After a heart attack, cardiac rehab therapists are an integral part of the team as well.

  • Go to the emergency room with chest pain
  • Have heart attacks and need blood flow restored quickly
  • Go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital
  • Need open-heart surgery
  • Need advanced therapies for heart failure or life support

“Whether a patient comes in with mild chest pain or having a serious cardiac event, it’s all hands on deck,” said Cinde Bower-Stout, R.N., M.H.A., cardiovascular quality manager and director of the Comprehensive Heart Attack Center Certification program at Geisinger. “Day-to-day frontline care after a heart attack is just as important. Lab assessment, pain management and preparation for discharge and self-care through education and therapy are all key factors in patients achieving and maintaining good quality of life.”

Rigorous onsite review at both medical centers included evaluation of records for patients who were currently admitted or had been cared for since the beginning of the year and assessment of quality measures including leadership engagement, collaboration with EMS, medical decision making, systemwide approach to quality improvement, performance improvement projects and engagement with pharmacy at the bedside.

“Comprehensive Heart Attack Center Certification recognizes health care organizations committed to fostering continuous quality improvement in patient safety and quality of care,” said Mark Pelletier, R.N., M.S., chief operating officer, Accreditation and Certification Operations, and chief nursing executive, The Joint Commission. “We commend Geisinger for having the first three hospitals to reduce variation in clinical processes and strengthen program structure and management framework for cardiac patients.”

Geisinger Health Foundation Launches Beyond the Bricks Campaign

Geisinger has provided unwavering care to the community for more than 100 years, including for mothers and families. With the launch of the “Beyond the Bricks”fundraising campaign, Geisinger Health Foundation plans to “go beyond” by providing more impactful, innovative and patient-centered care that addresses many of the most pressing needs faced by young people and families from our region.

“Throughout its first quarter-century, Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital has been synonymous with excellent care,” said Gary and Sandy Sojka, campaign co-chairs for Beyond the Bricks. “With philanthropic support, we will empower care providers as they address emerging concerns in pediatric medicine and work in our communities to combat growing problems. We hope you will recognize the importance of these and other pressing issues — and join with the pediatric and women’s health teams at Geisinger to make a difference for your friends and neighbors.”  

The campaign aims to continue Janet and Sigfried Weis’ mission to provide the best care to children and families across the Geisinger footprint through the creation or expansion of programs and services that align with the campaign’s five guiding commitments:

  • Protecting our children
  • Enhancing care across our footprint through access and innovation
  • Improving access to behavioral healthcare
  • Caring for mothers and babies
  • Promoting education and scientific inquiry 

Geisinger to Host Free, Virtual Lung Cancer Screening Information Session

Geisinger will host a free, virtual lung cancer screening information session from 2 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27.

For at-risk patients, lung cancer screening is quick, easy and painless and just as important to the early detection and treatment of cancer as regular mammograms and colonoscopies.

Patients may be eligible for lung cancer screening if they are:

  • Between the ages of 50 and 80
  • Have a 20-pack-year smoking history
  • Currently smoke or quit within the last 15 years

The event will be hosted by Matthew Facktor, M.D., director of the lung cancer screening program and chair of Geisinger’s Department of Thoracic Surgery, and George Ruiz, M.D., chair of Geisinger’s Department of Cardiology.

The session will cover:

  • An overview of lung cancer screening
  • Who is a good candidate for regular screening
  • How to calculate pack-year history
  • A question-and-answer session

Anyone interested in learning about lung cancer screening can register for the information session by visiting go.geisinger.org/LCSevent. During registration, participants can submit questions they’d like addressed during the session.

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center named among best major teaching hospitals

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center was ranked No. 9 on Fortune/Merative’s 2022 “25 Top Teaching Hospitals” list. The rankings are based on public data sets including Medicare cost reports, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review data, and core measures and patient satisfaction data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Compare website. 

Michelle Thompson, MD, chief education officer and vice dean for graduate medical education and designated institutional official, said, “It’s public affirmation recognizing the clinical leadership team and all Geisinger Wyoming Valley employees for their contributions and efforts leading to a top-quality hospital that allows for an exceptional educational experience for the many residents and students who work and learn here.”

According to Erika Fry, a senior writer at Fortune, Merative’s researchers found that hospitals achieving a ranking tend to share seven key characteristics, including:

  • a mature culture (and a commitment to maintaining it)
  • nursing excellence
  • deeply committed leadership
  • quality-focused hospital boards
  • an embrace of data
  • innovative technology (used in a practical manner), and
  • local autonomy within health systems

These characteristics come as no surprise to Daniel Landesberg, Geisinger’s associate vice president for clinical operations. “At Geisinger Wyoming Valley, we are fortunate to have everything on Merative’s list – particularly excellent nurses and committed leadership that emphasizes innovation and technology,” he said. “Their energy and focus make our hospital the ideal place for residents and fellows to work and learn.”

Fortune also writes that the list, “represents those hospitals that held up best against the pandemic’s ongoing stress test. They achieved better results than peer institutions on performance indicators intended to measure clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, patient experience, and financial health. The study, which for this year evaluated 2,650 U.S. hospitals, relies on publicly available Medicare data for its analysis. The Top Hospitals list also considers an organization’s contributions to its community and equity of care.”

The list is a debut for Fortune/Merative because Fortune’s long-time research partner, IBM Watson Health, became a standalone company named Merative when it was purchased in 2022.