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Addiction Services

With the current opioid crisis facing this country, it is likely we all know someone whose life has been tragically affected by addiction — perhaps a loved one, a neighbor or a co-worker. Whether you live in a small farming town or a big city, this epidemic and national emergency has spread far and wide, crossing all socioeconomic divides. Last year, our region experienced 51 overdoses in just a 2-day period, and in 2016 alone, more than 4,800 Pennsylvanians died from a drug overdose.

Geisinger understands the urgency to fight this disease and has had the community's help in doing so. Thanks to generous donors and support from government grants, we have created two medication assisted treatment (MAT) centers in Bloomsburg and Wilkes-Barre to help those who are currently struggling with addiction, as well as programs that focus on prevention, awareness, re-integration assistance and alternative treatments to chronic pain. MAT clinics address the major sources of opioid addiction, including overprescribing, opiate diversion and limited access to addiction treatment. MAT combines the use of medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of substance abuse disorders.

"The clinics' goal is to prevent overdose deaths and have patients succeed with a drug-free recovery, but the first and primary goal is to get folks functional with the help of medication therapy, back to living their lives with their family and happily employed," said Jordan Barbour, MPH, Director of Operations for Addiction Medicine at Geisinger. "With philanthropic support, we have been able to tackle this health crisis devastating our neighborhoods with an aggressive multifaceted system."

One of the opportunities for improvement with many traditional addiction treatment is that it does not address the issues of transitioning back into the community as a sober individual. Geisinger, with support from the Degenstein Foundation, has a welcoming and resourced community of persons in recovery to provide an outlet for patients trying to turn their lives around. We are recruiting and deploying certified recovery specialists — individuals who have been through treatment and are in recovery themselves — as instrumental members of a multidisciplinary team who act as a resource to assist patients in navigating the healthcare system as inpatients, including visiting patients in the emergency room and motivating them to remain engaged with their addiction treatment.

When inpatient treatment is needed, Geisinger Marworth Alcohol & Chemical Dependency Treatment Center is there. Last year, charity care from a multitude of resources, including donors to the Gift of Hope Fund, helped fund more than $640,000 in scholarships to people who would otherwise not be able to afford treatment. That amounts to more than 570 patient days.

Mark Manley is a member of the Marworth Advisory Board and has seen the program and facility grow and change over the last decade. "It's a perfect combination of an intimate, warm setting for recovery backed by the strong institutional support and evidence-based medicine of Geisinger," he said. When Manley gave his most recent gift, instead of giving to a specific program, "I said use it where you need it most, where it can make the most impact. So it will be going towards the expansion of its detox spaces, as well as the Gift of Hope Fund."

The detox rooms are a growing need for Marworth. On average, people entering treatment for heroin and related substance abuse require a two- to four-day longer stay in detox where they can be continually monitored and their withdrawal can be overseen by a physician before they move to inpatient rehab.

Addiction is a disease like any other, and thanks to generous support from a wide array of donors, Geisinger is leading the charge to find treatments and programs that lead to lasting recovery.

Geisinger Life Flight^®

Geisinger Life Flight^® is there when every second counts, providing the best possible patient experience and care for those who are in critical condition, seriously ill or injured. Life Flight, which recently celebrated its 36th anniversary, provides critical care transport — for premature newborns, cardiac and trauma patients, critically ill adult and pediatric patients, high-risk obstetrics patients and organ transplant patients — from local hospitals to specialty care and tertiary care hospitals such as Geisinger when advanced care is necessary.

Geisinger's program has seven helicopters that are equipped for adverse weather conditions and night vision to ensure a safe flight at any time. The experienced in-air crew consists of a pilot, a flight registered nurse and a paramedic trained in the areas of neonatal, pediatric and adult critical care. They are ready and able to handle any emergency, and are furnished with some of the most state-of-the-art equipment because of the generosity of donors, like Kathy Eyer Bandhu and her husband, Marc Bandhu.

Kathy was not only born at Geisinger, but also graduated from its School of Nursing and Nurse Anesthesia Program, and grew up close to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. She had an amazing career as a nurse anesthetist in New Orleans for the past 37 years, and while she hasn't lived in Pennsylvania for many years, she always remembered the helicopters flying above her home and chose to donate to Life Flight. "From my work as a nurse and nurse anesthetist, I know how vital transport is and how difficult it can be," she said. "Philanthropy is a wonderful way to share life's good fortunes," Kathy noted. She established the Eyer Bandhu Life Flight Fund to meet the specific equipment needs of the program. "I want to give back for all the good things I've been given, and Life Flight is about as worthy a cause as you can get. You have no idea what a gift it is to have a medical facility like this right here, so close to home." Kathy is very proud of Geisinger and is glad to help in establishing this fund.

Gerald Splitt, program director for Life Flight, has seen donor support at work through Life Flight for years. "We're so thankful for all donor support. It makes a difference for every patient we transport. To have the kind of life-saving equipment and capable aircraft that we have makes a tremendous difference for the millions of people throughout our service area."

This new fund aided corporate donors like Epic and Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. in helping advance the technology and equipment that Geisinger Life Flight has at its disposal. Donations supported the purchase of a neonatal transport isolette, which is lifesaving equipment that tracks vital signs, provides respiratory support and stabilizes newborns before they make the journey by helicopter to the hospital, as well as pediatric laryngoscopy batons that use video and optical technology for intubations in its youngest critical patients. As well, a critical care Life Flight ground transport unit was recently introduced through programmatic support and the generosity of donors to Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger. This vehicle is staffed by a paramedic and flight nurse team who can provide the same high level of care our air crews provide when the helicopter cannot fly, or for advanced neonatal transports and other transports that need the team, but not necessarily the speed of a helicopter.

Having access to this new equipment and transportation elates John Mullen, RN — not only in his work as a Life Flight nurse for the past 16 years, but because he knows just how vital these services are. John was driving to teach a class at Luzerne County Community College when he felt a shiver come over him. Something told him he'd better stop at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. He doesn't remember much else after that. Thankfully, a colleague found John passed out and realized that he was suffering from sepsis, a life-threatening illness caused by the body's response to an infection. Immediately, his Life Flight coworkers were summoned into action to provide an air transport for him to Danville.

John underwent seven surgeries in three days. All the while he remained in a coma, and doctors struggled to determine the cause of his illness. Finally, an infectious diseases physician determined that a spider bite was to blame — but not before John's organs started failing. Miraculously, over time, his vital signs started returning to standard levels and his kidneys and liver began to function as usual. Less than three months after falling ill, he was back to work on the very Life Flight helicopter that was integral in saving his life.

John said, "If Life Flight had not been available, my outcome may have been very different. I went from not speaking coherently to not breathing in less than 24 minutes, making quick air transport essential to my treatment and recovery. This experience has invigorated me to be an even better nurse."

For more than three decades, Life Flight has been on the move, providing life-saving care in times of our patients' greatest need. Thanks to support from donors and the community, Life Flight will continue to be in the air and on the ground for decades to come.

Fresh Food Farmacy^™

Geisinger is radicalizing the "food-as-medicine" approach to preventing and treating Type 2 diabetes with the Fresh Food Farmacy™ (FFF). The FFF is an innovative, sustainable program designed to address the adversity and challenges faced by individuals with diabetes and food insecurity. Geisinger intends to address the problem that 1 out of every 7 or 8 people faces — having difficulty obtaining fresh, nutritious food — mainly due to socioeconomic reasons. For those with diabetes, this is particularly important because a well-managed diet can reduce the need for medication and improve overall health.

Adult individuals with a blood glucose level (A1c) of 8.0 or above receive a "prescription" for enrollment in the program and enough fresh food for themselves and their household for at least two meals per day, five days a week, including breakfast staples. Patients are also provided with evidence-based diabetes management, education, outreach services, nutritional consultations, case management, medication management, cooking demonstrations and recipes. We can provide this service thanks to partnerships formed with local food banks such as the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and donors from across the country, including Weis Markets.

Houssam Abdul-Al, MD, the primary care physician for the program, said, "If we really want to control diabetes, we need to remove obstacles for our patients. Providing free, healthy food costs a lot less than treating complications from diabetes, including cardiovascular disease, nerve and foot damage, eye problems [and] kidney disease."served each weekFresh Food Farmacy

Brendalee Plamondon had to use a motorized scooter to do her grocery shopping. The complications from diabetes, including being overweight and having high glucose levels, made getting around a challenge. Those challenges led her to decide to enroll in the FFF in February 2017. Since joining, she's lost 30 pounds and her A1c dropped from 8.3 to 6.4. Brendalee and her husband enjoy cooking now, and with the food and recommendations she receives from the FFF, they also enjoy spending time in the kitchen teaching their young great-niece and -nephew the importance of eating healthy food and proper portion sizes. Brendalee no longer needs a scooter to go shopping and enjoys mini-golfing with her family.

With a successful FFF location in Shamokin under Geisinger's belt — there is no stopping the potential and growth of this program. Construction is underway at a new location in Lewistown that will also feature services offered by Primary Health Network, a multi-site Federally Qualified Health Center that provides primary, behavioral and oral health services in Lewistown and across western and central Pennsylvania.

Another opportunity for growth has sprung from community conversations surrounding healthy food access as part of Springboard Health, which brings together a group of more than 20 nonprofits, businesses and industry professionals from across the country. These important discussions are being led by Brian Ebersole, the senior director of Springboard Health, supported by the ground-level generosity of donors like the Ross Family Foundation and individual donors, including Geisinger board members. Throughout 2018, we will work with local healthcare providers and food banks to develop the core programming and infrastructure for a FFF in downtown Scranton. Additionally, the results of these community collaborations will lead to a longer-term vision for Scranton to improve access to healthy foods and align resources to better meet the needs of the community.

Mr. Ebersole noted, "The opportunity to create a Fresh Food Farmacy in Scranton will create an exciting demonstration of food as medicine and the alignment of key partners across the city and region to provide food, education and support to those impacted by diabetes and other chronic conditions. The FFF, along with other food access efforts, is just the first step to move the mark on health in Scranton under the Springboard Health umbrella."

*A campus of Geisinger Medical Center

Employee Giving

What makes Geisinger the best is our people: the employees at patients' bedsides, serving meals, answering phones, dispensing medications, scheduling appointments, researching treatments, and doing so much more every day. They are so patient-centered that they give even more than their time — they support a robust employee giving program that provides nearly $1 million annually to support patient programs throughout the system.

One such employee donor is Pam Humphrey, senior coordinator for Geisinger Education and Medical Simulation, who saw firsthand the important work of healing and the depth of compassion that Geisinger caregivers provide day in and day out. When her twin daughters were born prematurely in 1994, sadly only one survived. Pam and her husband, Chuck, faced a very long road ahead for Alycia, who weighed only 1 pound, 13 ounces and was in need of a respirator and several surgeries.

"She was given only a 5 percent chance of survival," Pam said. "My husband and I were told if she survived — and that was a big ‘if' — we shouldn't expect her to walk, talk or be a normally functioning person." As her health improved, the Humphreys were able to bring Alycia home two months after she was born, but with a critical care plan. "We were given a portable heart monitor that detected whether she stopped breathing or her heart stopped beating. Having that made such a big difference. Alycia continued to get better every day. At 12 months old, she defied the odds and was walking on her own."

Pam and Chuck choose to give back to Geisinger because through the wonderful care of the NICU nurses and physicians, Alycia not only survived, but thrived. "Alycia has grown into such a fine young woman. She's attending graduate school now at Villanova, and Geisinger helped make that happen. I give so babies and families in similar situations have the same chance as my Alycia. If my gift can help patients the way I was helped even in some small way, I know my money was well spent."

Pediatrics

Say the name Geisinger, and to many people, the first thing that comes to mind is Janet Weis Children's Hospital. As a premier facility for caring for sick and injured children, Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital and its staff are continuously improving, learning and enhancing services to best serve Geisinger's littlest and youngest patients.

In March 2017, the newly refurbished Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) opened to patients, thanks in part to generous donations from donors like the late Robert and Evelyn Van Emmerik, who left a charitable bequest to Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital in her will. "Evelyn and Bob were grateful for the care they received from Geisinger throughout their lives and very impressed with the care provided to pediatric patients," said Lois Dickey, a family friend and executrix of the Van Emmerik estate. "They would be thrilled with the impact their giving is making for children in the area."

The updated space now features 14 patient beds, 2 more than before, as well as a private family lounge and restroom facilities. "It may seem like a small detail," said Richard Lambert, MD, medical director for pediatric critical care, "but before the renovation, parents had to leave the floor, go around the corner and down the hall just to use the restroom, then have to walk all the way back and get buzzed back into the department. Having a restroom right here on the floor is just one way we're improving the experience not just for patients, but for their families." New patient rooms feature enhanced electrical and oxygen bays for more equipment hookups, new TVs and computers, and in-room beds for family members.

For the families of those children, the Ronald McDonald Family Room also opened in summer 2017. Located right next to the PICU, the Family Room offers two private sleeping rooms, a private bath and shower, a living area, a kitchenette and a quiet room for families to handle crises privately. "We make sure they have a place to rest, even if only for an hour or two," Ronald McDonald House Executive Director Mike Turlis noted. "It seems a small comfort to provide, but the impact is unimaginable."

Danielle Frazetta of Bloomsburg was one of the first people to benefit from the Family Room after it opened. She went into labor with her daughter a few weeks early and baby Eleanor had to stay in the hospital for some extra care after Danielle was discharged. "I am extremely grateful for the Family Room being so close," she said. "It allowed me to be right there, close enough to breastfeed and care for Ellie as often as I needed to, but still letting me rest and look after myself — have something to eat, take a shower. I don't know what I would have done without it."

Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger

Angel Gillott of Lock Haven may look like a typical teenaged girl — she loves to dance — but she had some obstacles to overcome before she made it to "typical."

The oldest of seven children, Angel was born with pulmonary atresia and underdeveloped right heart, a heart defect in which the right side of the heart and the valve leading from the right side of the heart to the lungs does not form properly. Her first of three necessary surgeries took place only a few days after her birth in a Washington, D.C. hospital. Following the first surgery in D.C., Angel went home to Lock Haven, but still needed to return to D.C. for the second surgery. In the meantime, she was seen by her family doctor Henry Dietrich, MD, at Geisinger's physician office in Lock Haven.

"It was Dr. Dietrich who told us that the Geisinger doctors could continue Angel's treatment here and felt confident in their ability to complete the third part of her surgery," Angel's mother Holly said. Robert Mangano, MD, director of Pediatric Cardiology, examined Angel and ran additional tests. He told the Gillotts that it would be no problem to finish her treatment at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital. It was a huge relief to the family, saving them from additional trips to Washington, D.C.

"When Angel was about 3 years old, we performed the third surgery here at Geisinger, which completed the surgical treatment for her heart defect," Dr. Mangano said. "Her heart cannot be made into a normal heart, but the operations she underwent are designed to allow her to live a healthy and long life."

Angel spent a few weeks after the surgery in the hospital recovering. Her mom stayed in the room with her while her father Tony stayed at the Ronald McDonald House® in Danville. After the surgery, the family could see immediate results in Angel's appearance and vital signs. "You could see her coloring was a lot better. We didn't realize what she should have looked like until she was out of surgery," Tony said.

Since the surgery, "her cardiac status has been terrific. I have been watching her, and she has excelled along the way as far as her heart goes," Dr. Mangano said. "I couldn't ask for anyone with her condition to be better than she has been."

Her heart was not the only thing that was treated at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital. Angel also developed issues with her kidney function. She was born with only one, and for unknown reasons she developed a serious condition in that one kidney. Collaboration between Dr. Mangano and the pediatric nephrology team led to state-of-the-art treatment and stabilization of the kidney function. Fortunately, one of her heart medications actually helped the kidney condition.

Angel graduated in 2017 from Central Mountain High School, and is enjoying life as an adult. "I just opened a savings account! I feel like a real grown up!" She's dancing with Haven Performing Arts, and working at McDonalds to earn money to get her first apartment. Who knows what the future holds for her? Thanks to the exemplary care provided by her physicians and caregivers at Geisinger Janet Weis Children's Hospital, and donors to Children's Miracle Network at Geisinger, Angel has a very bright one ahead.

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

When The Commonwealth Medical College integrated with Geisinger on Jan. 1, 2017, becoming Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, it joined together two exceptional organizations founded on transformational philanthropy. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine educates aspiring physicians and scientists to serve society and is committed to inclusion, promotes discovery and utilizes innovative teaching techniques.

Sometimes, however, the most promising students face obstacles to a Geisinger Commonwealth education. Attending medical school will always be a costly endeavor, and there will always be smart, caring students who need help to achieve their dreams. One such student is Kathy Snyder '21. After completing the master of biomedical sciences program at Geisinger Commonwealth, Kathy knew she wanted to go farther and accomplish her goal of becoming a practicing physician.

"Geisinger Commonwealth always felt like home to me, having grown up in northeast Pennsylvania, and the mission of the school — being patient-centered and community-focused — aligns closely with my own," Kathy said. No stranger to hard work, she has held several part-time jobs, sometimes simultaneously, since the age of 15. But to bridge the gap between having a strong work ethic and making it through medical school, Kathy relies on scholarships provided by support from generous donors. That support is already paying great dividends in the community, as Kathy works with Meals on Wheels with medical and graduate students providing meals to the lonely and aged. Looking toward the future, she hopes to contribute to the mental health field, improving awareness and perhaps creating programs for students and the community at large.

"This school has given me so much and Northeastern Pennsylvania Health Care Foundation's scholarship has brought my dream of being a doctor even closer," she said. "I wouldn't be sitting here in class today if they didn't help to shape me into who I am. The scholarship that I've been so fortunate to receive allows me to do what I want to do."

Prayernet

Many at Geisinger understand that healing the body can take more than just medicine. Geisinger's nondenominational PrayerNet program, in existence for more than 10 years, recently underwent an online facelift to better serve the spiritual needs of patients and their families.

The improved and more interactive web-based program can be found at prayernet.geisinger.org, where people can request prayers, share their requests with loved ones around the world and pray for others. The online community of comfort and support was the focus of a generous anonymous donor with close ties to Geisinger for many years.

"Over the years, I have seen Geisinger do a marvelous job of growing in terms of facilities, medical care programs and the like," the donor said. "But it's important to care for the complete person: body, mind and spirit. Through PrayerNet, the whole world can be praying for and with you."

Mary Tiffin, the program's founder and administrator, notes that "PrayerNet really helps Geisinger to care for the whole patient. The medical treatment patients receive are excellent, yes, but supporting their spiritual health is an integral part of the healing process as well."

Dr. Mowad's Legacy

Joseph J. Mowad, MD, a graduate of The University of Scranton and Creighton Medical School, first joined the Geisinger family in 1968 following a urological and surgical residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He began his tenure at Geisinger Medical Center (GMC) as a urology associate. Throughout his time at Geisinger, Dr. Mowad held many positions, including director of Urology, assistant medical director of GMC, assistant to the president for Geisinger Clinic, and senior vice president for Geisinger Health System.

In addition to being a talented urologist and medical practitioner, Dr. Mowad also had a knack for people, being able to "work any room" and become friends with strangers in record time. Many would agree that wherever you went with Dr. Mowad, he would always see someone he knew! In March 2004, Dr. Mowad lent his people skills to Geisinger Health Foundation and joined the Centennial Campaign committee, later serving as the co-chair of the Physician Campaign.

"Members of the Geisinger Health Foundation are honored to have had the privilege of working with Dr. Mowad to raise funds in support of many of Geisinger's programs and services," Nancy Lawton-Kluck, Chief Philanthropy Officer for Geisinger, noted. "Always willing to make an introduction or share a contact, he dedicated much of his life to connecting community members to Geisinger, ensuring they had an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those cared for here. He also showed true leadership by establishing the Mowad Endowment for New Discoveries, or the MEND fund."

Dr. Mowad's long-time friend and colleague H.W. "Skip" Weider used one word to describe his legacy: "Trust. Everyone who worked with Joe or was cared for by him ultimately came to trust him implicitly. I've heard many people say, ‘If Joe thinks it's a good idea, then I can support it.' He was a man of faith who adored his family, and took great pride in his profession. He was my friend, and is sorely missed."

While Dr. Mowad was devoted to his work with Geisinger, both clinically and with the Foundation office, he also remained dedicated to helping the community through serving on several advisory boards over the years, like Maria Joseph Manor, Bloomsburg University Council of Trustees, Montour County Child Welfare Services, Montour County Recreation Authority and Montour County Advisory Board on Drug and Alcohol Problems.

Dr. Mowad was an enthusiastic servant to Geisinger and its patients, and a dedicated family man. His imprint on Geisinger remains deep and everlasting.