Geisinger College of Health Sciences to host cancer recovery wellness program Geisinger College of Health Sciences will host a community program focused on the role of nutrition, exercise and wellness during and after cancer treatment. Fueling Your Recovery: Nutrition, Exercise and Wellness Through Cancer will be held Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 5:30 p.m. at Geisinger College of Health Sciences (525 Pine St., Scranton, PA). The program will provide practical information on maintaining healthy eating habits during and after cancer treatment, staying active during recovery, managing treatment-related challenges and supporting long-term wellness. Mary B. Klem, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian, will discuss nutrition and healthy eating throughout cancer treatment and recovery. Klem has focused her career on disease prevention and nutrition and helping communities develop healthier habits. Chris Fazzi, an exercise instructor at The Cancer Wellness Center, will discuss the role of physical activity during and after cancer treatment. Fazzi has worked in fitness and personal training for more than 30 years and provides one-on-one personal training at The Cancer Wellness Center. The event is part of Geisinger’s Third Wednesday Community Education Series, which brings trusted health expertise to the Scranton community. The program is in partnership with Northeast Regional Cancer Institute and The Cancer Wellness Center. The event is open to those affected by cancer, their families and caregivers. Registration is encouraged but not required. Register at go.geisinger.edu/recovery.
Geisinger offers flu shots and health resources at the Bloomsburg Fair As the 171st Bloomsburg Fair quickly approaches, Geisinger will show its community support with volunteer teams set up throughout the fair. A Geisinger team will be in place at Gate 5, Monday, Sept. 28, through Friday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., to welcome fairgoers, answer questions and share resources. Fairgoers can protect themselves and their families ahead of the flu season by stopping by the Caleb Barton House to get their free flu shot on Monday, Sept. 28, Wednesday, Sept. 30, and Friday, Oct. 2, weather permitting. Flu vaccination is recommended each year to reduce the risk of illness and hospitalization during the flu season. Geisinger Health Plan’s Geisinger Gold team will also be in the Arts and Crafts building Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you’re 65 or older, stop by to learn more about Geisinger Gold Medicare Advantage. “The Bloomsburg Fair is a longstanding tradition that brings communities together from across our region, and Geisinger is proud to be a part of it,” said Alex Zimmerman, chief administrative officer of Geisinger’s central region. “We look forward to connecting with fairgoers, helping people stay healthy through flu vaccinations and celebrating the community spirit that makes this event so special.”
The Wright Center to host Tinnitus Support Group meeting in September The Wright Center for Community Health will host a Tinnitus Support Group meeting on Friday, September 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Mid Valley Community Health Center at 5 South Washington Avenue in Jermyn. There are options to attend in person or virtually. The meeting is for people who are, or know someone who is, experiencing ringing, buzzing, whooshing or other sounds in their ears or head. Attendees can get support, practical advice and a sense of community at the meeting. The group is open to anyone who experiences tinnitus and those who want to learn more about it. There are meetings on the first Friday of every month at the Mid Valley Community Health Center in Jermyn. No RSVP is necessary for the meeting. For more information or to receive the virtual link, contact Joe Kelly, community health worker at The Wright Center for Community Health, at kellyj@TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center to host September ‘Walk with a Doc’ events in Lackawanna County The Wright Center for Community Health is inviting people of all ages to lace up their sneakers and join a growing movement toward better health and stronger community connections with its monthly Walk with a Doc events. Led by local physicians and healthcare professionals, these community walks offer an easy, fun and social way to get moving while engaging in health-focused conversations. Participants enjoy light exercise, have the opportunity to ask health-related questions and connect with others in a relaxed, informal setting. The September Walk with a Doc in Jermyn will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 9 a.m. at the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Walkers should gather at the Delaware Street Trailhead entrance. The Scranton Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, at 9 a.m., also along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, with walkers meeting at the Olive Street entrance. These events are free and open to the public, welcoming individuals of all fitness levels. No pre-registration is required. For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health’s Walk with a Doc program, please contact Melissa Germano-Ryczak at germanom@TheWrightCenter.org.
The Wright Center hosts ribbon-cutting for Carbondale location The Wright Center for Community Health celebrated the opening of its newest community health center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 12, in Carbondale. The Wright Center for Community Health Friendship House – Carbondale, located inside Friendship House’s new Whole-Person Care Center at 30 N. Main St., Suite 100, began seeing patients Thursday, Aug. 13. Led by Medical Director Bryan Boyle, a longtime board-certified physician assistant, the community health center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new location provides whole-person primary and preventive health services, including checkups, health screenings, and treatment for common illnesses and injuries. Care is available for everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Patients do not need to be a Friendship House client to receive care at the community health center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-591-5298. “For generations, Friendship House has helped children, adults, and families build resilience through an extraordinary continuum of care that includes mental and behavioral health services, autism and developmental disability programs, social services, school-based behavioral health support, and integrated primary care,” Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Center, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “The Wright Center complements that work by providing comprehensive whole-person primary and preventive health services while educating and training the next generation of physicians and interprofessional healthcare teams. Together, we are making it easier for individuals and families to access compassionate, coordinated care in one trusted setting – care that recognizes each person’s inherent dignity, supports recovery and resilience, promotes lifelong wellness, and helps people achieve their fullest potential.” The community health center in Carbondale marks The Wright Center’s second partnership with Friendship House. Since November 2024, The Wright Center’s clinical team has provided primary care at more than 3,500 patient visits at Friendship House’s Whole Person Care Center in Scranton, located at 200 Wyoming Ave. The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement is a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The organization employs nearly 680 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year. In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients across all care settings in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. As a Federally Qualified Health Center and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Learn more at TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center earns Federally Qualified Health Center designation The Wright Center for Community Health has been designated a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This distinction will significantly broaden the organization’s ability to provide access to affordable, high-quality whole-person primary and preventive health services throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Awarded through HRSA’s highly competitive New Access Point (NAP) Program, the designation transitions The Wright Center from a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike to a funded FQHC. The Wright Center currently operates 15 community health center locations across Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne and Wyoming counties, including its Driving Better Health mobile medical and dental unit, serving patients throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. About 70% of the enterprise’s patients live at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, including 46% who live below 100% of the guidelines, underscoring the continued need for affordable, accessible healthcare throughout northeastern Pennsylvania.
The Wright Center for Community Health earns federal recognition for health quality measures The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognized The Wright Center for Community Health for quality and access improvements that enhance patient care. HRSA annually reviews the performance data of health centers across the United States to highlight organizations that meet or exceed its goals in categories of special focus, including quality, access, and health information technology, using data from the Uniform Data System (UDS). During National Health Center Week, HRSA awarded Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges for excellence in clinical quality to more than 1,200 health centers across the country. HRSA first awarded CHQR badges in 2021. Since then, The Wright Center has earned more than a dozen badges. For 2026, HRSA awarded The Wright Center with the following badges: Improving Health Care Access, which recognizes health centers that have increased the total number of patients and the number of patients receiving comprehensive services – including mental health, substance use disorder, dental, and other services – by at least 5% between calendar year 2024 and 2025, the two most recent UDS reporting periods. National Quality Leader – Heart Health, which recognizes health centers that demonstrate outstanding performance in clinical quality measures related to heart health, including screening patients for tobacco use and offering help to quit, preventing heart disease, using the proper medications to improve heart health, and helping patients control high blood pressure. Advancing Health Information Technology, which recognizes health centers that use technology to improve healthcare and make it easier for patients to access care. This includes increasing access to telehealth, helping patients stay involved in their care, sharing information between health systems, and collecting data to better meet patients’ health needs. In January, HRSA awarded The Wright Center for Community Health a 2024 Operational Site Visit Badge, after a virtual Operational Site Visit that determined The Wright Center demonstrated full compliance with all Health Center Program requirements. The Wright Center has also maintained HRSA’s annual Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) badge since 2022, which recognizes health centers that prioritize a commitment to continuous quality improvement and a patient-centered approach to care. HRSA-funded health centers, which include The Wright Center, provide comprehensive, whole-person primary and preventive health services at more than 16,000 service sites nationwide to one in eight children, one in five rural residents, and one in 15 adults 65 and older. Information about badge recipients can be found on an online dashboard at hrsa.gov. The Wright Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. Founded in 1976, The Wright Centers for Community Health, Graduate Medical Education, and Patient & Community Engagement is a physician-led, community-owned nonprofit and a cornerstone of health care in the region. The enterprise employs nearly 680 professionals – including nearly 200 resident and fellow physicians – and trains more than 200 interprofessional health care learners each year. In fiscal year 2025-26, The Wright Center served more than 39,000 unique patients across all care settings in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves all patients, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay.
The Wright Center for Community Health to host August ‘Walk with a Doc’ events in Scranton and Jermyn The Wright Center for Community Health is encouraging people of all ages to attend its August “‘Walk with a Doc” wellness events. These community walks are led by local physicians and healthcare professionals. They offer an easy, fun and social way to get moving while engaging in health-focused conversations. Participants enjoy light exercise, have the opportunity to ask health-related questions and connect with others in a relaxed, informal setting. The July Walk with a Doc in Jermyn will be held on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 9 a.m. at the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Walkers should gather at the Delaware Street Trailhead entrance. The Scranton walk is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, at 9 a.m., also along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, with walkers meeting at the Olive Street entrance. The events are free and open to the public. People of all fitness levels are welcome, and no registration is required. For more information about The Wright Center for Community Health’s Walk with a Doc program, please contact Melissa Germano-Ryczak at germanom@TheWrightCenter.org.
Tinnitus Support Group meeting at Mid Valley Wright Center location on August 7 The Wright Center for Community Health’s Mid Valley location on South Washington Avenue in Jermyn will host the Tinnitus Support Group of Northeast Pennsylvania on Friday, August 7 for a meeting. There is also a virtual option for those unable to attend in person. The support group welcomes people living with tinnitus, as well as their family members and friends. Anyone interested in learning more about the complex audiological and neurological condition is also invited to attend. Participants can connect with others who share similar experiences, exchange practical coping strategies, and find encouragement in a compassionate, confidential setting. At the August meeting, featured presenter Erin Walborn Sterantino, Au.D., CH-TM, will discuss how to move beyond just “managing symptoms” through the principles of Polyvagal Theory and Mind-Body Medicine, to retrain your system to move from “survival mode” back into “rest and digest.” As the director and certified MBSR teacher at the Mindfulness Center of the Capital Region and an audiologist at Audiologic Solutions Hearing Center, she provides treatment for hearing loss, tinnitus, sound sensitivity, and mindfulness-based stress reduction to her patients. For more information or to request the virtual meeting link, contact Joe Kelly, community health worker at The Wright Center for Community Health, at kellyj@TheWrightCenter.org or 570-903-0492.
Regional Hospital of Scranton receives nationwide recognition Commonwealth Health Regional Hospital of Scranton has been named one of only 100 hospitals nationwide to receive the American College of Cardiology (ACC) HeartCARE Center designation. This is ACC’s highest recognition for hospitals and health systems that provide cardiovascular care. The HeartCARE Center designation was established in 2018 and recognizes hospitals that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centered cardiovascular care. “This recognition is a testament to the expertise and commitment of our entire cardiovascular team,” said Michael B. Clark, President and CEO of Commonwealth Health. “Their dedication to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care continues to make a meaningful difference for patients and families throughout our region.” Regional Hospital of Scranton’s inclusion on this national list reflects its ongoing dedication to advancing cardiovascular care through evidence-based practices, coordinated treatment and continuous performance improvement.
