Geisinger School of Nursing Receives Support

In conjunction with the sold-out Lewistown Social – an evening of dinner, dancing and stargazing – Geisinger Health Foundation is holding an ornament sale to support the Geisinger School of Nursing.

“I had great experiences with my time at the school, including huge amounts of clinical time and hands-on experience… something that you just can’t replace,” said Kade Myers, 2020 graduate and inpatient registered nurse in the Geisinger Lewistown Hospital intensive care unit. “I think this is a huge piece that contributed to who I am as a nurse today.”

The sale is open to everyone, and anyone interested in purchasing an illuminated ceramic star ornament can do so for $20 at go.geisinger.org/stars. One of three designs will be randomly chosen for each recipient. Ornaments can be picked up any day between April 24 and May 12 at:

  • Geisinger Lewistown Administration Building
  • Geisinger Health Foundation in Danville
  • Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center
  • Geisinger Community Medical Center
  • At the Lewistown Social for those who’ve registered to attend

Purchasers can also choose to have an ornament delivered to a deserving Geisinger nurse during National Nurses Week, May 6 through 12. Geisinger Health Foundation will follow up with those who choose this option to collect delivery information and a personal note.

Email FoundationEvents@geisinger.edu or call 570-214-0400 with questions.

Geisinger to Host Free Events across Pennsylvania

In observance of Earth Day, Geisinger will host free community shred events across northeastern and central Pennsylvania throughout the month of April.

Employees and members of the public are invited to bring any personal or professional confidential documents — such as bank statements, credit card bills and tax forms — to be securely shredded on-site and recycled.

Each person is limited to three boxes. Do not use bins for non-paper waste or garbage.

For more information, call 570-271-6030.

Community shred events:

  • Monday, April 3Geisinger Mt. Pleasant, 531 Mt. Pleasant Drive, Scranton, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 4Geisinger Healthplex State College, 132 Abigail Lane, Port Matilda, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Friday, April 7Geisinger Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, 1175 E. Mountain Blvd., Wilkes-Barre, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 10Geisinger Health Plan, Hughes Center, 9 Stearns Lane, Danville, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Tuesday, April 11Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, 1020 Thompson St., Jersey Shore, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Thursday, April 13Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, 400 Highland Ave., Lewistown, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Friday, April 14Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital, 4200 Hospital Road, Coal Township, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 17Geisinger Medical Center Muncy, 255 Route 220, Muncy, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Friday, April 21Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, 549 Fair St., Bloomsburg, 7 – 11 a.m.
  • Monday, April 24Geisinger Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, 1175 E. Mountain Blvd., Wilkes-Barre, Noon – 4 p.m.
  • Friday, April 28Geisinger Health Plan, Hughes Center, 9 Stearns Lane, Danville, Noon – 4 p.m.

Geisinger to Start Assessment across Pennsylvania

On Wednesday, March 1, Geisinger, in collaboration with other regional hospital systems, will start the triennial Community Health Needs Assessment to identify challenges and solutions to local health-based topics.
As in prior Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs), Geisinger will partner with Evangelical Community Hospital and Allied Services Integrated Health System on the assessment. Partnership among regional organizations allow for a better understanding of health needs across the communities served and encourages collaboration to address the identified needs.
“The CHNA provides us with a snapshot of key health challenges affecting our communities,” said Matt Walsh, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Geisinger. “It leverages information from a variety of reliable resources — Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Anne E. Casey Foundation, U.S. Census, for example — and marries it with information from people in our community. It informs our strategy and helps us identify what we can do to improve our communities. Finally, the CHNA assists other organizations who can provide additional services to our area.”
The assessment will be conducted by Community Research Consulting, a woman-owned business based in Lancaster, Pa. that partners with healthcare providers, social service agencies, foundations, government entities and other community organizations to build vibrant, healthier, and sustainable communities by addressing community health, housing, socioeconomic disparities, capacity building, population health management, and other similar challenges.
Nonprofit hospital organizations are required to conduct a CHNA every three years and develop implementation strategies that address the identified health needs. These reports identify needs through data collection and analysis. The CHNA expands the hospital’s focus to include health issues impacting the greater community and promotes collaboration among local advocates, partners and hospitals.


This upcoming CHNA will be conducted throughout 2023 and will cover Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2026. The region’s current CHNA runs through Dec. 31, 2023.

Geisinger Announces Chief of Structural Heart Disease

Shikhar Agarwal, M.D., M.P.H., has been promoted to chief of structural heart disease at Geisinger.

In his new role, Dr. Agarwal oversees the integration and growth of services across the health system for patients with diseases of the heart valves. Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in the number of patients with heart valve disorders, including aortic valve stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve) and mitral valve regurgitation (leaking of the mitral valve).

A Geisinger provider since 2016, Dr. Agarwal specializes in valve-related interventions and complex coronary interventions. He leads the structural heart disease program at Geisinger Medical Center (GMC), performing minimally invasive procedures, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement, paravalvular leak closure and coronary interventions that require only a skin puncture.

In 2020, Dr. Agarwal was recognized as one of the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s Top Physicians Under 40 for significant successes early in his career. To date, he has performed more than 100 mitral valve repairs and more than 550 TAVR procedures and led the GMC structural heart team’s implantation of more than 1,000 replacement valves via TAVR. 

Dr. Agarwal’s leadership at GMC was integral to the hospital’s investment in its interventional hybrid suite, which has expanded availability to patients in the region and established the medical center as a destination for structural heart care.

“As a system, we have witnessed tremendous growth in structural heart disease care in recent years,” Dr. Agarwal said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in interventional cardiology and cardiac surgery to offer our patients in every community a full team of experts to consult on the best approach to their care.”

As system chief of structural heart disease, Dr. Agarwal will work closely with regional chiefs of cardiology and the chair of the Department of Cardiology, George Ruiz, M.D., to coordinate care across the system, create new programs that complement clinical efforts, provide the communities Geisinger serves with expanded clinical expertise and review any clinical quality challenges that arise.

“Our vision is to make better health easier for our patients and members regardless of where they live,” Dr. Ruiz said. “With Dr. Agarwal’s leadership, we’re bringing outstanding care for structural heart disease to every region in our service area.”

WVIA & Geisinger Launch Podcast

WVIA and Geisinger have launched The Mind Over Matter Podcast.  Hosted by Tracey Matisak and produced by Jim Donnelly, The Mind Over Matter Podcast is a continuation of the award-winning mental health initiative produced by WVIA in partnership with Geisinger. Over the next 24 weeks, hear from leading experts who will provide helpful information on a variety of mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, grief, and substance abuse.


On the first episode which premieres on Thursday, January 12th, Monica Mongiello, who has been living with psychosis for more than 20 years, turns to her mother and others within her support network for strength and perseverance. Hear her story of living with her illness and how it led her to become an advocate for others going through similar struggles.

On the second episode Geisinger’s Operations Manager for Virtual Care Ben Gonzales discusses his road to long-term recovery, what led him to seek help, the support he received from loved ones, and how it can serve as a model for others who need help.

On January 26th, host Tracey Matisak speaks with Amber Viola. Amber grew up in NEPA and graduated from North Pocono High School. She left the area to join the United States Navy. Amber was a Gunners Mate and Naval Military Training Instructor. While in the Navy, Amber worked as a Department of Defense Sexual Assault Victim Advocate.

Future podcast guests include Isabella DiBileo, Dr. Samantha Fitzgerald, Dr. Jessica Sevecke, Darren Weber, Dr. Joshua Blum, and many more.

Listeners can find the show at wvia.org/mindovermatterpod or subscribe through any major podcast provider, including Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon Alexa, Stitcher, and Pandora.

Geisinger’s “Paws to Reflect” program selected for national funding

Geisinger was selected to receive grant funding for Paws to Reflect, an innovative program aimed at combating burnout and trauma in the nursing field, during the first ever NurseHack4Health Pitch-A-Thon.

Geisinger was one of three health organizations to be awarded the funding provided by #FirstRespondersFirst to implement new, innovative programs for employees.

Geisinger nurses, in collaboration with members from Geisinger’s Center for Professionalism and Well-Being and the Volunteer Services Division, presented the program to the panel. Paws to Reflect will connect nurses with therapy dogs and their handlers, as well as a peer support team, to provide real time relief and comfort in a safe environment. When needed, the program can also direct staff to appropriate additional resources.  

“This program was initiated because we asked caregivers what would help them feel better and get through a difficult day,” said team leader Dawn Snyder, a clinical nurse specialist at Geisinger. “This was their response — we just responded to their needs.” 

The initiative was one of just three pitches selected by judges to receive full funding, out of dozens of entries from organizations across the country.

“The Paws to Reflect program was designed to be a sustainable solution to two very clear needs for our caregivers: more emotional support and more puppies!” said Brittany Drumm, program director of Geisinger’s Center for Professionalism and Well-Being. “By scaling and partnering our RISE peer support program and our employee-facing pet therapy program, we have the chance to deliver comfort, resources, safe spaces and moments of respite to our incredible teams.” 

Geisinger elected for American Society for Clinical Pathology’s Choosing Wisely Champions

Geisinger Adult Gastroenterology and Laboratory Medicine were elected by The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as one of their 2022 Choosing Wisely® Champions for advancing appropriate test utilization at the health system and demonstrating leadership of a local Choosing Wisely® effort.

ASCP’s Choosing Wisely® Champions program is part of ASCP’s broader Choosing Wisely® campaign, an initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation, which seeks to advance a national dialogue on avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments, and procedures. The program recognizes the efforts of dedicated pathologists and laboratory professionals for making informed decisions about laboratory testing. Recommendations improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs, and the Choosing Wisely® Champions encourage their colleagues to use the right test at the right time for the right cost.

“This award recognizes the work that our Geisinger adult gastroenterology and laboratory medicine teams do each and every day to stand out as a leader in the field,” said Amanda Haynes, DO, FASCP, Division Chief of Clinical Pathology Professional Services, Quality, and Operations, Laboratory Medicine at Geisinger. “This honor would not have been achieved without the dedication of all our team members. We strive to be innovative and effective in everything that we do, making better health easier for our patients.”

Geisinger Adult Gastroenterology and Laboratory Medicine launched a successful Choosing Wisely® campaign across the Geisinger system to address inappropriate use of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT). Using education and electronic tools, provider decision-making was guided toward ordering FOBT for its intended use of colorectal cancer screening in ambulatory patients.

“Identifying Champions and sharing their successes allows all of us to learn from their efforts to improve healthcare delivery,” said Lee H. Hilborne, MD, MPH, DLM(ASCP)CM, FASCP, chair of the ASCP Effective Test Utilization Steering Committee. “The Geisinger team is an exemplar of Choosing Wisely® values and the application of this effective test utilization initiative.”

Geisinger Honors 237 Providers for High Patient Satisfaction Ratings

Geisinger recently honored 237 caregivers for ranking in the top 10% nationally for patient experience at the health system’s annual Top Patient Experience Clinicians Awards on Thursday, Dec. 1, in Danville, Pa. 

Geisinger providers — including physicians, physician assistants and certified registered nurse practitioners — were ranked among the best in the country by their patients, according to Press Ganey’s 2022 medical practice survey results. This survey gives patients an opportunity to grade the service and care they received from a provider.

“There’s no better indicator of being an exceptional provider than to hear it directly from your patients,” said J. Edward Hartle, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer for Geisinger. “Year after year, we have more Geisinger providers ranking in the top 10% nationally for patient experience, all while the standards keep getting tougher. We’re very proud to see our care providers continuing to excel in making better health easier for our patients.”

Among the 237 clinicians honored, three were spotlighted for exemplary work, receiving Geisinger awards for going above and beyond when it comes to compassionate patient care.

  • Kara Anne Levandoski, PA-C, in cardiology at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, received the Christina Appleman Award. The award is named in honor of Christina Appleman, certified registered nurse practitioner, and is given to the advanced practitioner at Geisinger with the highest overall score on the care provider section of the patient satisfaction survey.
  • Greg Francis Burke, MD, Geisinger’s chief patient experience officer and internal medicine physician at Geisinger Medical Center, and Jason R. Woloski, MD, family medicine physician at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre, received the Victor J. Marks Award for best Outpatient Specialty Physician and Primary Care Physician, respectively. The award was established in 2002 to honor Victor Marks, MD, who served as Geisinger’s interim CEO from 2000 to 2001, and his commitment to making patients the primary focus of the health system. It’s given to the outpatient specialty physician and primary care physician at Geisinger who have the highest overall scores on the care provider section of the patient satisfaction survey.

The 90th percentile Geisinger winners in the Northeast Region are:

Amanda Maria Ketusky, PA-C

Alyson E. Evans, LGC

Alyssa Marie Callela, PA-C

Atul Bali, MD

Barry G. Bernstein, DPM

Bianca Maria Cerminaro, PA-C

Birju Bhatt, MD

Bogdan Protyniak, MD

Brianna Maglio, PA-C

Bryan E. Martin, DO

Cassandra Lynn Tunis, DO

Charles David Peters Jr., MD

Christian Stephen Adonizio, MD

Christina Lynn Feldmann, PA-C

Christopher Giddings Connolly, MD

Collin Douglas Hair, MD

Courtney Shingler, CRNP

Daniel William Upton, MD

David J. Kolessar, MD

Debra A. Lehr, OD

Dennis Michael Fisher, MD

Eileen Marie Rattigan, MD

Eric J. Kemmerer, MD

Erin Alexandra Colarusso, PA-C

Evan Lee McClennen, DO

Falan Eileen Glynn, PA-C

Fernando S. Carlos, MD

Gehred D. Wetzel, DO

George Ruiz, MD

Halime Ibrahim El-Hajmoussa, MD

Holly Maria Drutarovsky, PA-C

Jacob Adam Baber, MD

James A. Tricarico, DO

Jan M. Golden, DPM

Jason Raymond Woloski, MD

Jennifer Lynn Riccardo, PA-C

Jennifer Lynn Balinas, PA-C

Jillian M. Roush, PA-C

John Francis Danella, MD

John Joseph Sobuto III, DO

John Mark Prater, MD

John Robert Ramey, MD

Kaitlyn Elizabeth McDonough, PA-C

Kara Anne Levandoski, PA-C

Kathleen Quigley Whitney, PA-C

Karina Geronilla Phang, MD

Katrina Laura Kincel, PA-C

Kelly Jo Dalton, OD

Kenneth Louis Koury, MD

Kimberly A. Kovalick, DO

Kimberly Kaminsky, PA-C

Lakshmi Neeharika Saladi, MD

Laurie Campfield, DO

Leopoldo Legaspi, MD

Mary Catherine Brady, MD

Mary Rachel Wolf, PA-C

Matthew Gerard Mullen, MD

Megan Ward Harris, PA-C

Melissa Laporte, CRNP

Michael Andrew Kovalick, DO

Norma Michelle Boechat, PA-C

Ogechukwu Ndum, MD

Paul Anthony Arkless, MD

Paul R. Long, MD

Peter Joseph Cawley, MD

Renae Ann Keiper, PA-C

Sandeep Mehrok, MD

Sandra L. Pensieri, DPM

Shane Steven Young, MD

Shreya Sinha, MD

Stacy J. Conway, OD

Stanley John Yanik, PA-C

Steven Andrew Sluck, DO

Theodore James Tomaszewski, MD

Thomas I. Miller, PA-C

Timothy Jude Farrell, MD

Vernon H. Mascarenhas, MD

Geisinger Offering Free In-person and Virtual Culinary Medicine Classes

Geisinger is excited to offer in-person and virtual culinary medicine classes at their new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen in Selinsgrove.

Culinary medicine is a new program offered by Geisinger, consisting of hands-on classes that combine the art and skill of cooking with the science of nutrition. The curriculum is evidence-based and emphasizes the role of food in the treatment and prevention of disease based on the Mediterranean diet.

Free of charge and open to everyone, the series of four classes are led by a culinary-trained registered dietitian. They’re typically held on consecutive weeks or months throughout the year. And you don’t need any cooking experience or knowledge to attend.

The first class introduces you to the Mediterranean diet and cooking basics. The remaining three each focus on one of a typical day’s meals and healthy eating habits. You must be 18 or older to participate.

Classes begin Tuesday, Dec. 6, and are being offered through May 2023. Participants joining virtually can be located anywhere in Pennsylvania. Register today or learn more at geisinger.org/cooking.

Participants use the same entrance as Geisinger’s Multispecialty Clinic in Selinsgrove at 157 Roosevelt Ave. Classes are held in the Family Practice Center community room.

Geisinger thanks the Degenstein Foundation for their generous gift that made this teaching kitchen possible for the health and education of the community, as well as the Family Practice Center for partnering with us to use their community room for the classes.

Geisinger Recognized as Top Employer by Military Organizations

Geisinger has been recognized as a top employer for its continued support of military veterans and active service members with two recent designations. The Pennsylvania-based health system was recognized by Military Times on its 2022 Best for Vets: Employers rankings and earned the 2023 Military Friendly® Employer with Gold distinction designation by VIQTORY.

This is the fourth consecutive year Geisinger has been recognized with a Military Friendly® Employer designation, however, this is the first time the system has received the gold distinction.

Both honors recognize Geisinger’s commitment and efforts to building programs and opportunities for military veterans. 

The Military Friendly® Employer with Gold distinction signifies that an employer is setting the example for veteran and service member inclusivity with their programs and initiatives.

Companies earning the Military Friendly® Employer designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,000 organizations participated in the 2023 Military Friendly® survey.

Final ratings were determined by combining an organization’s survey score with an assessment of the organization’s ability to meet thresholds for applicants, new hire retention, employee turnover and promotion and advancement of veterans and military employees.

For the Best for Vets recognition, Military Times evaluates the areas of greatest importance to transitioning service members, veterans and their families when looking for an employer. Recruitment and employment practices, along with retention and support programs were given the most weight in scoring and final rankings.

“Our military veterans have done so much for us. That’s why we’re committed to providing care options and career opportunities to them in their local communities,” said Kim Drumgo, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Geisinger. “We know that employing talented and dedicated people, like those from our veteran community, helps us make better health easier for our members and patients — including more than 48,000 veteran patients.”

Geisinger employs more than 800 veterans and active-duty service members throughout the system. As part of its commitment to the military and its veterans, Geisinger offers a paid military leave benefit, which allows service members employed by Geisinger to be paid for time at annual trainings, encampments and drills. It also is part of a military fellowship program that eases the transition of active-duty service members looking to move into a civilian career.

To learn more about Geisinger’s veteran programs and career opportunities, visit jobs.geisinger.org/veterans.