Member News- July 7, 2021
Geisinger Medical Center, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center recognized for use of technology
Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center made Newsweek’s 2021 list of World’s Best Smart Hospitals for their commitment to innovation and advancement in health care. Only 250 hospitals worldwide were recognized, and Geisinger Wyoming Valley and Geisinger Medical Center ranked 119th and 149th, respectively. They are among only seven hospitals recognized in Pennsylvania and just 89 hospitals selected in the United States. Both medical centers are the only hospitals in their service areas to make the list, and they’re the only two Pennsylvania hospitals recognized outside of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.
Ranked hospitals were evaluated on five criteria: digital surgery, digital imaging, artificial intelligence (AI), telehealth and electronic medical records.
More than 13,000 votes from hospital managers and health care professionals with backgrounds in health care technology were considered, and every nominated hospital was thoroughly researched and validated by a team of analysts at Newsweek.
Geisinger has long embraced utilization of technology to improve quality of care, catalyze research, and make communication with providers and use of services easier for the patients and members it serves.
Robotic-assisted surgeries allow a higher degree of precision, smaller incisions, less scarring, less pain and discomfort, and the ability to treat areas difficult to reach with the human hand. At Geisinger, the da Vinci Surgical System® is used for less-invasive general surgery, colorectal surgery, thoracic surgery, surgical oncology procedures, OBGYN procedures and urology surgery. Mako® robotic arm-assisted surgery is used to perform partial and total knee replacements and total hip replacements, and Geisinger is the sole provider of Mako joint-replacement surgery in the region it serves.
“We value the use of digital systems in our surgical procedures because we know more precise, less invasive surgery leads to better outcomes and shorter recovery times for our patients,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer for Geisinger’s northeast region. “We’re honored to be among Newsweek’s World’s Best Smart Hospitals, because it’s a reflection of our continued effort to provide the best possible care, closer to home, for our patients and members.”
Advanced imaging is used in a variety of diagnostic and surgical procedures at Geisinger. These include the cardiac catheterization labs where severe heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues are identified and treated swiftly, and the Comprehensive Stroke Centers — namely Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley — that care for patients with complex strokes and neurovascular conditions.
A robust electronic medical record and advancements in AI and machine learning are at the heart of research initiatives to detect risk of conditions like atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and even death. An innovative ECG Analysis Platform to detect A-fib risk, developed by Tempus in collaboration with Geisinger, was granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. Geisinger is also using AI to improve imaging accuracy, diagnosis and follow-up care. A collaboration between Geisinger and Medial EarlySign to predict hospital admissions and complications was recently named runner-up out of more than 300 entries in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services AI Health Outcomes Challenge.
Telemedicine has been a critical tool in some areas of care delivery for years at Geisinger, but the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic accelerated use of the technology across the system. Since March 2020, Geisinger has enhanced its capability to conduct telemedicine visits and now offers telehealth consultation in 72 specialties.
“When the pandemic began, we expanded our telemedicine capacity to keep our patients safe by making sure they were able to keep their primary care and regular specialty appointments without exposure to COVID-19 infection,” said Megan Brosious, chief administrative officer in Geisinger’s central region. “We already knew telemedicine works, but we’ve learned it has more applications than we thought, has vast potential to reveal new and innovative ways of caring for our patients and members, and aligns with our vision of making better health easier for the communities we serve.”
Adrienne Mael, Current President & CEO of United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, Appointed as Interim President & CEO of Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way
Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way’s Board of Directors has named an interim President & CEO and concurrently has announced merger discussions and a national search for a permanent replacement following the resignation of its current leader.
Adrienne Mael, current President & CEO of United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, has been appointed Interim President & CEO of Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way in addition to her responsibilities leading United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, a position she has held for more than six years. Prior to leading United Way, Mael was the Downtown Manager for Bloomsburg. A native of Columbia County, Mael graduated from Bloomsburg University and holds a master’s degree in applied anthropology from the University of South Florida.
Mael’s appointment and the search announcement follows the resignation of GSV United Way’s current President & CEO Joanne Troutman, who will step down in the coming days from the position she has also held for the last six years.
“I am thrilled to be joining the hardworking team at Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way,” Mael said. “Joanne Troutman has had an impressive career at United Way. She will be missed for many reasons, but possibly most importantly for her creativity and collaborative spirit. For many years Joanne and I have worked closely together co-creating programs, sharing staff, and building a strong bond between our nonprofits. It feels very natural to step in at this time as Interim President & CEO. I am excited to continue Joanne’s work as we build stronger communities together.”
Kristen Moyer, board president of GSV United Way, said, “While the GSVUW board and I will miss Joanne and her outstanding leadership, we are confident that Adrienne can step up to the challenge of serving as Interim President & CEO. Our United Ways have collaborated on many programs, and we just see that this is a natural fit for us. We are excited to see where Adrienne will guide us as we move through this transition period. Finally, we wish Joanne the best as she starts a new journey in her career.”
As the transition transpires, the two organizations will also begin an exploratory discussion of a merger. The goal of a merger would be to maximize back-office operations and create more impact across the region.
Liz Masich, board chair of the United Way of Columbia and Montour Counties, said, “Our organizations have been partnering together on community impact initiatives and exploring shared staffing for many years. We are excited to have Adrienne Mael take on the Interim President/CEO role at GSVUW and deepen the connection between our two United Ways. Now more than ever, social service organizations must unite for the common good. Some mergers make sense, and this is one of those mergers. We strongly believe that our five-county area and our partner agencies will benefit from this endeavor.”
Masich added that a merger could help streamline workflow and create collaborations that strengthen programs and grant opportunities.
Joanne Troutman said, “Adrienne and I, as well as our organizations, have worked closely together on many major projects and priorities since we each joined United Way. Our personal and organizational values are well-aligned, so it feels natural that she would step into this role immediately. She is an amazing leader, and I feel confident that I’m leaving the organization in great hands.”
GSV United Way’s board of directors will release details about the search process for a permanent replacement in the coming days. For more information about the search, visit GSV United Way’s website at www.gsvuw.org.
Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center to Hold Job Fair
Join the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Center on August 28, 2021 – in person – for the 1st Annual NPBC Job Fair in the Industrial Building at the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds. Over 30 employers will be present!