The Wright Center Promotes Mental Health Hotline for New Mothers As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to highlight the ongoing need to improve access to health services for new mothers and their babies. The issue demands widespread advocacy, making awareness efforts like Maternal Health Awareness Day all the more vital. This annual observance, happening on Thursday, Jan. 23, carries the theme “Know What’s at Stake” for 2025. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the day’s sponsor, is calling on its members, partners, and the public to spotlight the maternal mortality crisis, reproductive health challenges, and other critical maternal health concerns. While these critical issues remain pressing, significant progress is being made – particularly in addressing maternal mental health. For instance, late last year the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) launched a nationwide campaign to promote the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA). This hotline, a key initiative within HRSA’s broader maternal health strategy, aims to reduce maternal mortality and health disparities. According to the CDC, mental health conditions are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, yet more than 80% of these deaths are preventable. Available 24/7 in English and Spanish, the hotline provides free, confidential support from professional counselors. Callers receive a safe space to share their concerns, access to local support groups, referrals to health care providers, and more. As HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson noted in a press release: “The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is a safe space for pregnant women and new moms to get the emotional and mental health support they need. We are excited to partner with grocery stores, pharmacies, and other organizations to help get the word out about this important resource for communities across the country.” Promoting the hotline is essential, but it’s also heartening to recognize the exceptional maternal health care providers in our local communities. Among them is Maternal & Family Health Services, which consistently delivers outstanding care. Here at The Wright Center, we take pride in offering exceptional pediatric services, including newborn check-ups, vaccinations, school physicals, and developmental guidance. We’re committed to supporting families as they navigate their children’s health from infancy to young adulthood. We’re also proud of the incredible work being done by the Healthy MOMS (Maternal Opiate Medical Support) Program. This collaborative effort helps pregnant women and new mothers overcome addiction and embrace recovery. The program combines medication-assisted treatment, behavioral health services, case management, and social services to support mom and baby through the child’s second birthday. Research shows that mothers who engage in recovery services before their due dates are less likely to give birth to babies affected by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) – a painful and costly condition caused by prenatal exposure to opioids. I promise we’ll continue working hard to ensure local mothers and their children have the care and resources they need. Truly, it’s one of the most important things we do as a community health center Manju Mary Thomas, M.D., board-certified in pediatrics and obesity medicine, serves as deputy chief medical officer and medical director of pediatrics and school- and community-based medical home services. A physician faculty member of the Family Medicine Residency Pediatrics Program at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, she provides primary and preventive care for pediatric and adolescent patients at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley.
Community Advocate, Board Member at The Wright Center Receives State Award Pedro L. Anes, a veteran, business owner, longtime community advocate, and volunteer member of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Patient & Community Engagement Boards of Directors, received a 2024 Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania during an awards ceremony at Philadelphia Marriott Old City. The multimedia news organization honored Anes, a Puerto Rico native and Scranton resident, for his decades of work significantly advancing diversity, education, and community engagement across Northeast Pennsylvania and the state. City & State Pennsylvania also recognized how, as a volunteer board member at The Wright Center, he uses his leadership skills and vast community connections to support underserved individuals, particularly those with limited English proficiency and low incomes. Anes played a key role in securing continued federal funding for Community Health Centers by advocating directly with congressional leaders during the National Association of Community Health Centers’ 2024 Community Health Institute (CHI) & Expo in Atlanta. “Pedro exemplifies the true spirit of servant leadership, dedicating his life to empowering others and championing initiatives that break down barriers and foster equity,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education and co-chair of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement Board of Directors. “His unwavering commitment to diversity, education, participatory citizenship, and community engagement, both locally and nationally, inspires all of us at The Wright Center. We are deeply proud to have him as a valued board member and congratulate him on this well-deserved recognition of his impactful contributions.” His notable initiatives include tackling police brutality in schools, contributing to the development of Pennsylvania’s Every Student Succeeds Act plan, which replaced and updated the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act; leading 2020 Census full count efforts in Northeast Pennsylvania with a special focus on historically undercounted populations; and ensuring the Latinx and other hard-to-reach communities in Scranton received access to COVID-19 vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the City of Scranton’s Climate Action Planning and Sustainability initiative, Anes collaborated with a regional coalition, including the cities of Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, on the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Integrated Heat Health Information System 2024 Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaign. This initiative seeks to identify urban areas with disproportionately high temperatures – called heat islands – that pose significant health risks to vulnerable populations. The resulting detailed report pinpointed the areas most impacted by extreme heat, providing invaluable insights into the local climate challenges. This data was crucial in shaping the Scranton Climate Action Planning and Sustainability plan, guiding strategic actions to mitigate heat risks, protect at-risk communities, and strengthen overall climate resilience. Anes also founded several impactful programs, such as the Latino Community Services Office, the Familias Saludables program, and the Step Up to Leadership program, to support underserved families while fostering multicultural awareness. He spearheaded an international partnership with Playball Puerto Rico, where he serves as treasurer, and the Monterrey Mexico Rotary Club to create a sustainable field renovation and equipment donation campaign aimed at supporting underserved neighborhoods in Monterey, Mexico. The owner of Inpact Learning LLC, an independent consulting firm, Anes has over 30 years of experience developing successful diversity and inclusion strategies, organizational development, and training across nonprofit, educational, corporate, military, and government sectors. He also is a K-5 English/language arts, history, and geography teacher at Notre Dame Academy in Scranton, where he recently launched a private donation campaign to support the school and its students, securing essential items such as uniforms, winter coats, printers, teaching aids, classroom supplies, equipment, books, and funds for educational field trips. Anes has held diverse roles, including as a senior U.S. Army non-commissioned officer, adjunct professor, chief talent officer, and multilingual partnership specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau. He holds a Ph.D. (ABD) in human development from Marywood University in Scranton, a master’s in administration from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, and a bachelor’s in management from Park University in Parkville, Missouri. Raised in East Harlem (Spanish Harlem), New York, he moved to the Poconos in 1998 and Scranton in 2002. Anes is also the Mideast region representative of the National Council of the United Nations Association of the United States of America, vice president of the Lackawanna Interagency Council, and a City of Scranton Human Relations Commission member. Earlier this year, he was an organizer and panelist of the 2024 United Nations International Peace Day Interdependence Hexagon Project “Posters for Peace” art exhibit. He was also selected as a panelist representing the National Council of the United Nations Association of the United States of America for the “Finding Peace Through Action: A Community Conversation,” which was streamed live during the Yoko Ono, World of Peace Concert tour in Europe. As a nonprofit Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike and safety-net provider, The Wright Center serves vulnerable and medically underserved populations, regardless of age, ethnic background, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. It accepts all insurance plans and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on federal poverty guidelines that consider family size and income. No patient is ever turned away due to an inability to pay. Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center’s growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, provides affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services to everyone. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement advances The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education’s mission – to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve – by involving patients and communities in transforming primary health services, fostering workforce development, and addressing public health challenges. Focused on education, advocacy, and reducing socioeconomic barriers, the nonprofit assists vulnerable populations facing poverty, homelessness, food and housing insecurity, limited transportation, and social isolation. Guided by a board of patients and local professionals, it organizes impactful initiatives like health fairs, food drives, and school supply giveaways. Its annual Dr. William Waters Golf Tournament raises critical funds to ensure equitable access to high-quality, whole-person primary health services for everyone.
The Wright Center CEO and President named One State’s most Powerful and Influential Female Leaders Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, was named one of the 100 most powerful and influential female leaders in Pennsylvania by City & State Pennsylvania. The multimedia organization debuted its third annual Power of Diversity: Women 100 list on Dec. 23. The list highlights the achievements of women in diverse fields – including government, nonprofits, education, business, labor, and advocacy – who are shaping Pennsylvania’s future with their visionary leadership and significant contributions. Honorees included Kim Ward, president pro tempore, Senate of Pennsylvania; Joanna McClinton, speaker, Pennsylvania House of Representatives; Cherelle Parker, mayor of Philadelphia; Debra Todd, chief justice, Pennsylvania Supreme Court; and Leslie C. Davis, president and CEO, UPMC. This is the second time this year that City & State Pennsylvania has recognized Dr. Thomas-Hemak for her exceptional leadership and achievements. In July, the organization selected her as a 2024 Trailblazer in Health Care. Concurrent with her executive responsibilities, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is also quintuple board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, obesity medicine, addiction medicine, and nutrition. She sees generations of patients at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley in her hometown of Jermyn. “Dr. Thomas-Hemak’s well-deserved recognition as one of Pennsylvania’s 100 most powerful and influential female leaders reaffirms what we at The Wright Center already know: she is a brilliant, visionary, and inspirational leader, as well as a compassionate, dedicated, and exceptionally skilled physician,” said The Wright Center for Community Health Board of Directors Chair Deborah Kolsovsky. “She has an infectious passion for helping others and a remarkable ability to inspire a shared vision. She has devoted her entire career to advancing health equity, especially among our region’s most vulnerable populations, improving access to high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services, and training and mentoring the next generation of health care professionals.” Dr. Thomas-Hemak graduated from Scranton Preparatory School and the University of Scranton. After graduating as a Michael DeBakey Scholar from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and completing Harvard’s Combined Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Residency Program in Boston, she returned to Northeast Pennsylvania, joining The Wright Center in 2001, becoming president in 2007, and CEO in 2012. Under her stewardship, The Wright Center has expanded its growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health. She also guided The Wright Center to achieve numerous prestigious distinctions, including its designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike in 2019, which unlocked essential federal resources for the region and significantly expanded health care access. The Wright Center has also been recognized as a Top 30 Site for National Primary Care Innovations by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and, in 2024, was inducted into the esteemed American Medical Association’s ChangeMedEd Consortium. Dr. Thomas-Hemak also led The Wright Center for Community Health’s transformation into one of the first state-designated Opioid Use Disorder Centers of Excellence in 2016, improving access to substance use disorder treatment. Amid rising obesity rates, she guided physicians in obtaining board certification in obesity medicine to better address critical health needs. She also transformed The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education into one of the nation’s largest Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums (GME-SNC). Through inclusive, interprofessional workforce development and targeted initiatives, the GME-SNC model seeks to improve public health by addressing the national primary care physician shortage, misdistribution and related health and health care career access disparities. Dr. Thomas-Hemak also serves as the governor for the Eastern Region of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians, the nation’s largest medical-specialty organization. She sits on numerous local, regional, and national health care and medical education nonprofit governing boards, cross-sector committees, and workgroups, including the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration’s Council on Graduate Medical Education, a federal advisory committee that assesses and recommends actions on physician workforce trends, training issues, and financing policies. She is chair of the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Governing Board and a governing board member of the Keystone Accountable Care Organization, The Institute, and the Center for Health and Human Services Research and Action. She is also a founding member of the consortium that established the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine and a founding board member of the American Association of Teaching Health Centers. Dr. Thomas-Hemak has received several prestigious state and national awards for her leadership, mentorship, and advocacy initiatives, including the 2024 Hometown Scholars Advocacy Award from the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and A.T. Still University for her exemplary leadership in mentoring and inspiring others; the 2024 Wilford Payne Health Center Mentor Award from the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers; NACHC’s 2022 Elizabeth K. Cooke Advocacy MVP Award for her efforts in engaging Congress and expanding grassroots advocacy; and the 2020 Ann Preston Women in Medicine Award from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians for advancing women’s leadership in medicine. She and her husband, Mark, reside in Jermyn and have three children, Mason, Maya, and Antoinette. Dr. Thomas-Hemak is the daughter of the late William Thomas and Johanna Cavalieri Thomas, who lives in Archbald.
The Wright Center to Host Tinnitus Support Group The newly-formed Tinnitus Support Group of Northeast Pennsylvania will meet on Friday, Jan. 3, at 2 p.m. at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn. Virtual meeting options are available for those unable to attend in person. The support group welcomes individuals living with tinnitus, their loved ones, and anyone interested in understanding this complex audiological and neurological condition. Participants will have the opportunity to connect, share their experiences, and explore coping strategies in a compassionate and supportive environment. At the January meeting, guest speaker Dr. Erin Walborn-Sterantino will discuss the neurophysiological model of tinnitus, the role and proper use of sound therapy, and more. Dr. Walborn-Sterantino is an audiology doctor specializing in treating tinnitus and sound sensitivity disorders. Over the course of her nearly 30-year career, she has dedicated herself to helping patients reclaim their quality of life through innovative, compassionate care and evidence-based practices. She has studied under many of the field’s leading researchers, including Dr. Pawel Jastreboff, the pioneer of Tinnitus Retraining Therapy. She integrates this evidence-based approach with a holistic, mind-body perspective, tailoring treatment to each individual’s needs. Dr. Walborn-Sterantino is also a qualified teacher of mindfulness-based stress reduction. Her practice emphasizes empowering patients through education, mindfulness techniques, and comprehensive sound therapy, reflecting her belief that effective tinnitus care addresses both the auditory and emotional dimensions of the condition. For more information or to obtain the virtual meeting link, contact Nicole Flynn, director of the geriatrics service line at The Wright Center for Community Health, at flynnn@TheWrightCenter.org or 570-230-0019.
Use New Year’s resolutions to pursue attainable health goals The holiday season might be in full swing, but I have no doubt many of you are already looking forward to setting some fresh life goals for 2025. There’s nothing wrong with making New Year’s resolutions, as they allow us to strive for genuine self-improvement, often in the areas of overall health and well-being. That’s all for the better, although we should resist the temptation to aim too high – at least at first. My advice is to set small goals that, over time, can lead to bigger, more sustainable successes that ultimately result in a healthier you. So, with that in mind, here are some potential health-related resolutions you might want to pursue in the coming year: Adjust your diet to include more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while reducing red meat, sweets, and overly processed foods. Moderate your alcohol consumption, as research continually reveals its detrimental effects on long-term health. Pursue regular exercise, whether through a gym membership, regular runs, walks around your neighborhood, or whatever fits your schedule best. Prioritize better sleep. The quality of our sleep regimen profoundly affects our overall quality of our life. Practice self-care: resist self-criticism, invest in therapy, find time for hobbies and activities that make you happy, adopt a mindfulness or meditation routine, or treat yourself to a massage or manicure. Make time each day to focus on your needs. Volunteer with a local organization or nonprofit – doing good for others can significantly boost your sense of fulfillment. Limit social media and overall screen time, something many of us can benefit from reducing. Make more time for family and friends. While material things are nice, investing in deeper relationships ultimately leads to a more fulfilling life. While offering these suggestions, I should also point out that The Wright Center is fully committed to improving people’s long-term health through our lifestyle medicine initiative, which is based on the concept that poor lifestyle choices drive most modern chronic illnesses in America. Lifestyle medicine is focused on helping patients and their families improve their health and overall quality of life by adopting a host of long-term lifestyle behaviors, including eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, practicing stress relief techniques, increasing physical activity, strengthening personal relationships and connections, and adjusting sleep habits for better, more restorative rest. Our team is trained in both conventional medicine and lifestyle medicine, and we work closely with patients to create a personalized lifestyle self-care plan that’s not only easily implementable but sustainable. These modifications can go a long way toward preventing or managing chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes (type 2), high blood pressure, high cholesterol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, cancers that are lifestyle-associated (e.g., prostate and breast), osteoarthritis, chronic pain, chronic autoimmune diseases, and chronic psychological stress. The science is clear on this – a healthier lifestyle leads to a healthier, longer, happier life. And if that’s at the core of your 2025 New Year’s resolutions, I’m happy to report you’re on the right track. On that note, happy holidays and happy New Year! Ajit Pannu, M.D., a board-certified family medicine physician, is accepting patients of all ages at our Dickson City Community Health Center. Dr. Pannu is also the associate program director of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s Regional Family Medicine Residency Program, where he completed his residency.
Wright Center Board Member Receives State Award Michael P. Curran, CEO of Commonwealth Health System’s Regional Hospital of Scranton and Moses Taylor Hospital and volunteer member of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education Board of Directors, received a 2024 Impact Award from City & State Pennsylvania during an awards ceremony in Philadelphia. The multimedia news organization recognized Curran for nearly 25 years of transformative leadership in health services and his strategic emphasis on fostering strong public-private partnerships to build a pipeline of health care professionals within Northeast Pennsylvania communities. A standout initiative is Commonwealth Health System’s partnership with Jersey College to establish a School of Nursing on the Moses Taylor campus in Scranton. This project tackles Pennsylvania’s looming nursing shortage, which is expected to reach a deficit of 20,345 nurses by 2026, according to the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. City & State Pennsylvania also highlighted how, as a volunteer board member at The Wright Center, Curran uses his expertise in workforce strategy to enhance partnerships between health care organizations and academic institutions. His efforts ensure that physician residency and fellowship programs are aligned with the region’s evolving health and social needs, helping to cultivate a sustainable, interprofessional health care workforce that is deeply connected to the communities they serve. “Michael’s leadership exemplifies the power of collaboration and strategic vision,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “His leadership work has strengthened health care delivery and medical education in Northeast Pennsylvania and paved the way for future generations of health care professionals. We are proud and honored to have him as a board member of The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, where his expertise in workforce development continues to make a positive and lasting impact on our region.” Since becoming CEO in 2022, Curran led the successful merger of Regional and Moses Taylor hospitals, navigating complex regulations, fostering collaboration among physicians, staff, board members, and community partners, and uniting the hospitals’ 233 years of combined service under a single license. Moses Taylor is the region’s leader in obstetrics, gynecology, neonatal care, and senior mental health services, featuring Lackawanna County’s only Level III neonatal intensive care unit and state-of-the-art family birthing suites. Regional Hospital stands as a comprehensive acute care hub, excelling in medical, surgical, and cardiovascular specialties, with a nationally recognized Heart and Vascular Institute and the first in Pennsylvania to earn all four orthopedic certifications for hip fracture, and knee, hip, and shoulder replacement from The Joint Commission. Before joining Commonwealth Health, Curran served as system chief operating officer at Crozer Health, where he was key in developing an innovative neurosciences program that brought comprehensive stroke and brain surgery interventions to Delaware County for the first time. He also guided the integration of Prospect Medical Holdings into the Crozer-Keystone Health System, ensuring a smooth transition for the nonprofit, four-hospital system. He also served as president of Crozer-Chester Medical Center, a premier tertiary care teaching hospital in Delaware County, where he played a pivotal role in the hospital’s transformation, expanding specialty services like burn treatment, trauma services, and kidney transplant care. He received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s in health administration from Cornell University. Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center’s growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, provides affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory, whole-person primary health services to everyone, regardless of age, ethnic background, ZIP code, insurance status, or ability to pay. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education was established in 1976 as the Scranton-Temple Residency Program, a community-based internal medicine residency. Today, The Wright Center is one of the largest U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration-funded Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Safety-Net Consortiums in the nation. Together with consortium stakeholders, The Wright Center trains residents and fellows in a community-based, community-needs-responsive workforce development model to advance their shared mission to improve the health and welfare of communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve. The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education’s residency and fellowship programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-866-3017.
The Wright Center Launches Program for Developing Type 2 Diabetes Patients The Wright Center for Community Health is launching a free, 26-session lifestyle modification program in January to help people prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes. The Wright Center, in partnership with the Northeast Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center (NE PA AHEC) and Quality Insights, is offering the National Diabetes Prevention Program. The evidence-based program helps individuals with prediabetes lower their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The first session is on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 5:30 p.m. at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn. The program will meet weekly for the first six months, followed by bi-weekly or monthly sessions for the remaining six months. Participation is open to everyone, with an option to participate virtually. An estimated 88 million – more than 1 in 3 – American adults have prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 80% of people with prediabetes do not know they have it. “Type 2 diabetes is a serious, chronic condition that can lead to health issues such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure,” said Melissa Germano, a registered dietician, licensed dietician nutritionist, and the director of lifestyle and preventive medicine at The Wright Center. “Our program will teach participants the skills they need to get healthier and reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.” Research has shown the National Diabetes Prevention Program, which the CDC developed, can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58% for people 18-59 and by 71% for those 60 and older. A specially trained lifestyle coach leads the program, teaching participants how to make lasting lifestyle changes by changing eating habits, increasing physical activity, developing skills to cope with stress, and more. “The program gives participants personalized support that empowers them to implement healthy behavior changes,” Germano said. “We thought the New Year would be a great time to launch the program to help people focus on their overall health and make changes for a healthier lifestyle throughout the year.” NE PA AHEC Health Educator Valerie Williams said her organization has offered the National Diabetes Prevention Program for years and decided to partner with The Wright Center to reach more people. “We have a high number of people with prediabetes and diabetes in our area,” Williams said. “We need to educate our community because many people don’t realize they have prediabetes and that they can postpone the onset of Type 2 diabetes.” To qualify for the program, participants must be 18 or older; have a body mass index, commonly known as BMI, of 25 or higher (23 or higher for Asian-American patients); have no prior diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes or end-stage kidney disease; and cannot be pregnant. Participants must also meet at least one of the following: Had a blood test result in the prediabetes range within the past year (includes any of these tests and results): Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7%–6.4% Fasting plasma glucose: 100–125 mg/dL Two-hour plasma glucose (after a 75g glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL Be previously diagnosed with gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) Received a high-risk result (score of 5 or higher) on a prediabetes risk test at www.cdc.gov/prediabetes/risktest/index.html Anyone who qualifies for the program and is interested in enrolling in the in-person classes or a virtual component can contact Germano at germanom@TheWrightCenter.org or 570-892-8598. The Wright Center, headquartered in Scranton, has a growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, to ensure everyone has access to affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory whole-person primary health services. To make an appointment or for more information, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-342-5353.
The Wright Center Recieves Grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement, a nonprofit subsidiary of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, administered by Scranton Area Community Foundation. This funding will support the expansion of The Wright Center’s Patient and Community Needs Program, helping to address critical barriers faced by the region’s most vulnerable populations. This additional funding will enable The Wright Center to provide nutritious meals to hundreds more individuals and families, ensuring no one goes hungry. It will also support affordable, reliable transportation to medical appointments and expand access to valuable nutritional education. These efforts build upon the progress made possible by previous grants from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation and Scranton Area Community Foundation. “This philanthropic gift beautifully exemplifies the unwavering dedication of the Robert H. Spitz Foundation and Scranton Area Community Foundation to our cherished community partnership and steadfast commitment to improving the health and well-being of our communities,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education and co-chair of The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement Board of Directors. “As the needs of our communities continue to grow, we are deeply grateful for this support, which provides a lifeline to individuals and families struggling with necessities and empowers them to focus on improving their health without being burdened by the barriers that often prevent access to care.” The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement advances The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education’s mission — to improve the health and welfare of our communities through inclusive and responsive health services and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve – by involving patients and communities in transforming primary health services, fostering workforce development, and addressing public health challenges. Focused on education, advocacy, and reducing socioeconomic barriers, the nonprofit assists vulnerable populations facing poverty, homelessness, food and housing insecurity, limited transportation, and social isolation. Guided by a board of patients and local professionals, it organizes impactful initiatives like health fairs, food drives, and school supply giveaways. Its annual Dr. William Waters Golf Tournament raises critical funds to ensure equitable access to high-quality, whole-person primary health services for everyone. The Robert H. Spitz Foundation provides grants to registered nonprofit organizations that support impactful programs benefiting Lackawanna County and Northeast Pennsylvania residents. Among its four key focus areas are “programs that aim to break the cycle of poverty, remove economic barriers, and encourage independence in adults and children through access to safe, affordable housing, transportation, education, and other important issues.” Since its inception, the Robert H. Spitz Foundation has awarded nearly $6 million in community grants. Scranton Area Community Foundation has served as its administrator since 2016. For more information, visit safdn.org. Headquartered in Scranton, The Wright Center’s growing network of community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wayne, and Wyoming counties, including a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health, provides affordable, high-quality, nondiscriminatory whole-person primary health services to everyone, regardless of insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
The Wright Center – “Prioritize Vaccine as Peak Flu Season Approaches” William Dempsey, M.D., serves as chief population health value-based care officer for The Wright Center. He provides comprehensive whole-person primary health services as a board-certified family medicine physician and serves as medical director at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit. It’s great that we’re now fully into the holiday season. Not so great – ‘tis also the season for highly contagious respiratory illnesses. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I can’t implore you enough to go out and get up to speed on your flu vaccination. It’s safe, it works, and it will keep you and your loved ones from getting sick. As it happens, this week is National Influenza Vaccination Week (Dec. 2-6). Coordinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the annual observance serves as a helpful reminder to people that there’s still time to get your flu shot this season. Flu season usually begins around late September or early October, which is actually the ideal time to get vaccinated. From there, it increasingly accelerates until it peaks between December and February. In some years, infections can even occur as late as May. Flu symptoms typically surface within a couple of days, and the virus shares many of the same effects as COVID, including fever, chills, dry cough, body aches, headaches, stuffy/runny nose, shortness of breath, and fatigue. The best thing you can do to protect yourself from the flu – and minimize its symptoms if you do contract it – is to get the annual flu shot, which allows protective antibodies to develop in your body within two weeks or so of vaccination. The flu vaccine is available to anyone ages 6 months and older, and CDC studies have shown that vaccination reduces the risk of contracting the illness by about 40% to 60% among the general public. For the 2024-2025 flu season, all vaccines in the United States are “trivalent” vaccines, meaning they protect against three different influenza viruses: an influenza A(H1N1) virus, an influenza A(H3N2) virus, and an influenza B/Victoria virus. For certain vulnerable populations, vaccination is especially critical given the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. Among those people are pregnant women, young children, adults ages 65 and older, and those with serious health conditions like cancer, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, asthma, and kidney disease. Every year, thousands of children are hospitalized with severe flu, according to the CDC. We at The Wright Center for Community Health take flu vaccinations very seriously. We’re now providing flu shots at all of our locations throughout Northeast Pennsylvania. To schedule an office visit that includes vaccination, call 570-230-0019 or go online to use the express scheduling system at TheWrightCenter.org. I should also mention that many local pharmacies offer free flu shots to insured customers, and numerous local employers provide flu vaccinations as a free service to their workers. The holidays are a wonderful time, and you certainly don’t want a case of the flu to upend your fun plans. So, get your flu shot – it’s safe, effective, readily available, and one of the best gifts you can give yourself and others this season.
The Wright Center’s Scranton Practice Gets National Recognition Two of The Wright Center for Community Health’s primary and preventive care community health centers again received national commendations from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. The Wright Center for Community Health Scranton, 501 S. Washington Ave., and The Wright Center for Community Health Wilkes-Barre, at 169 N. Pennsylvania Ave., have successfully maintained their NCQA’s Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition, a prestigious certification that affirms the two community health centers’ ability to provide the right care at the right time through innovative tools, systems, and resources. Both community health centers initially earned the NCQA voluntary accreditation in 2021 and undergo a formal review to ensure they comply with the Washington, D.C.-based organization’s high standards. For patients, this accreditation serves as a trusted mark of quality, signifying The Wright Center’s dedication to continuous improvement and prioritizing the needs of patients under the PCMH model of care, which fosters stronger patient-provider relationships, enhances the management of chronic conditions, and elevates the overall patient experience. The PCMH model has also increased staff satisfaction and reduced health care costs. “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional dedication and expertise of our care teams, who harness technology, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and prioritize delivering the highest standard of care,” said Dr. Jignesh Y. Sheth, senior vice president and chief medical and information officer at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “The National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Centered Medical Home seal underscores the unwavering commitment at The Wright Center to our patients’ well-being, ensuring accessible, coordinated, and patient-centered care that always puts their needs first.”
