S U MME R /FA L L /W I NT E R 2 0 1 7
A NEWSLETTER FOR EMPLOYEES,
RESIDENTS & FRIENDS OF THE WRIGHT CENTER
Behavioral health providers play a vital part in delivering patient-centered, team-based care. Responsive to the shortage of psychiatrists in America, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education developed and introduced its ACGME-accredited, four-year, community-based Psychiatry Residency, welcoming its first class of learners in July 2017.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Great things never came from comfort zones. —Rajat Dogra
This year has presented many challenges. Tension in the worlds of healthcare and medical education is at an all-time high. As a federally funded, non-profit Graduate Medical Education Consortium and safety-net patient care delivery organization, we are at the heart of two critical components of creating a healthier nation. Internally, with many departments at or exceeding capacity, we have felt, firsthand, the pressure brought on by our will to serve and educate with excellence. We have not only endured, but welcomed transformation at all levels of our organization, and notably have remained lean and nimble. I humbly acknowledge our role in helping shape a healthier America through our daily collective work, understanding that transformation starts here, as we deliver our mission within our hometown of Northeast Pennsylvania.
This challenging year has delivered many collective accomplishments that we should celebrate. Over 40 years after it was founded, The Wright Center has become a trusted resource for actualized change and system improvement in the healthcare delivery and medical education industry. As The Wright Center’s President and CEO, I take our responsibility of meeting public trust to heart. The Wright Center serves as a conduit for federal, state and local resources to benefit patients, families and our community. Thanks largely to the ingenuity of our Grants and Strategic Initiatives Department, our increasingly diversified funding sources have allowed us to amplify and channel financial resources of all sizes into our region, impacting our local and national communities.
pop-up vaccine clinics across our community to ensure school-aged children in Northeast Pennsylvania would not miss school due to non-compliance with the Commonwealth’s new vaccine regulations, the dedication of our teams never ceases to amaze me. Individually and as an organization, we are echoing Dogra’s notion that “great things never came from comfort zones.” Earlier this year, The Wright Center signed on as the premier sponsor of the Northeast Pennsylvania Rainbow Alliance, an organization committed to serving the LGBTQ+* population, in hopes that we can advance our position as the comprehensive provider of healthcare services to meet the diverse healthcare needs of all patients we serve and learners we educate. In direct response to community need, we have celebrated the grand openings of two new clinical spaces. Proudly, The Wright Center for Primary Care Together in Health clinic, located within the West Scranton Intermediate School, is open to students, and now the greater community. Our newly renovated, state-of-the-art Oral Health clinic in The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley affords our team the privilege to provide comprehensive oral health services to all who need them. The generosity of our funders, including Moses Taylor Foundation, NEPA Health Care Foundation, AllOne Foundation & Charities and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, paired with the dedication and vision of our staff, helped make these once-dreams realities.
I am enamored with our employees who passionately build teams to spearhead local initiatives. From our Auxiliary, who orchestrated our largest Trunk and Treat to date for community children this October, to our School-Based Health Center team, who hosted *The acronym LGBTQ+ encompasses a diverse community of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Ally and Asexual population. As the public’s understanding of both gender and sexuality grew through psychological and social study, so did the acronym; it continues to expand along with our understanding today.
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Perhaps our organization’s largest step from our perceived comfort zone this year was our bold immersion into the behavioral health and addiction/recovery space. After being selected as a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence (COE) in late 2016, we committed to fulfilling our role by establishing our internal infrastructure, developing our care teams and intensifying crossorganizational partnerships to help our regional community recover from the opioid crisis. In 2017, 180 individuals entered our COE program and 135 have remained in active treatment. The inspiring stories of recovery, resilience and renewed hope continue to energize our teams—and me—through the most challenging days. In our continued pursuit of behavioral health and primary care integration, in July 2017, we welcomed the inaugural class of our pioneering, community-based Psychiatry Residency. Led by Program Director Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, our four Psychiatry residents are helping co-create the program itself, while impacting countless individuals across the region who have benefited from comprehensive psychiatric services.
Though often intimidating, our steps over these past six months have been in deliberate, relentless pursuit of our noble mission to continuously improve education and patient care in a collaborative spirit to enhance outcomes, access and affordability. As a backbone organization for community solutions, we hold ourselves responsible to embody the transformation necessary in healthcare delivery and medical education as we strive for health and educational outcomes we hope to see soon in the broader local, regional and national healthcare landscape. In many ways, this year hasn’t been easy—neither for our organization nor our communities at large—but, despite the challenges it has presented, this year has been awesome. I am privileged to have the chance to lead a high-performing team here at The Wright Center through our growth forward from our comfort zones and I look forward to the exciting year ahead.
Our Oral Health clinic is now a reality within The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley. You can learn more about this important initiative on page 6. 2The Wright Center’s first class of Psychiatry residents, led by Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, is caring for many patients in our region and tailoring the program itself to best meet the unique needs of those within Northeastern Pennsylvania. 3Our partnership with the Scranton School District and Moses Taylor Foundation enabled us to open the doors to our Together in Health clinic, within West Scranton Intermediate School, to the public this fall. 4Through whole-patient care, our COE team works to ensure that each patient has the tools they need to reroute the energy of addiction into behaviors that will help them stay well. 5The Wright Center was the premier sponsor of this year’s Pride on the Mountain, hosted by the Northeast PA Rainbow Alliance. Our team of volunteers, led by our Infectious Disease case managers, conducted health screens and shared health information with attendees of all ages.
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Welcome, New Hires! July 1—November 30, 2017
EVENTS
Dr. Tony Abdelmaseeh, Faculty/Pediatrician Yochabel Antunes, Clinical Administrative Assistant Dr. Michael Arrington, Director of Scholarly Activities Kelly Braun, COE/Behavioral Health Office Coordinator Michael Brown, Project Manager Anna Cook, Faculty Administrative Assistant Colleen Dougherty, Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Marisa Duchnik, Dental Hygienist Suzanne Fletcher, Senior Vice President of Finance Connor Flynn, Human Resources Intern Courtney Gans, HIV Program Assistant Nicole Gitkos, Human Resources Coordinator Justin Hammert, Intern Dennis Hand, Facilities Management Supervisor
Bags of Goodies, Loads of Fun
Brandi Holland, Certified Medical Assistant
The Wright Center Auxiliary, led by Gerri McAndrew, hosted multiple backpack giveaways this summer. The team donated over 200 backpacks to community children, each stuffed with pens, pencils, tablets and other back-to-school items that a young student might need. The Auxiliary also hosted a family-friendly Trunk N Treat in October. Participants decorated their cars and gave candy to attendees, who had a blast admiring the spooky decor. This is the second year of the Trunk N Treat and we look forward to another successful event in 2018.
Dr. Min Jung Kang, Faculty/Pediatrician Megan Kane, Intern Kelly Kotzman, Patient Engagement Specialist Jade Levi, Paralegal Jenna Macejkovic, Dental Hygienist Suzanne McGrath, Licensed Clinical Social Worker Aisha Momoh, Office Assistant (GME) Mary Ann O’Shea, Talent Acquisition Specialist Bethanee Palland, Patient Engagement Specialist Martin Russo, Certified Recovery Specialist Helen Schmid, Patient Engagement Coordinator Krystal Shaw, Certified Medical Assistant Theresa Sheerin, Custodian Charles Zawadzki, Director of Finance
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Dr. Jumee Barooah (pictured, center) was the guest speaker at The Greater Scranton 2017 Interdependence Day celebration on September 12. Her presentation, “Interdependence: A Medical Perspective,” was exceptionally well received.
NAMI PA Scranton and Northeast Region hosted its annual “Evening of Hope” on Wednesday, November 1. Guests learned more about prevalent mental health issues in our area as well as our regional solutions, including The Wright Center’s Psychiatry Residency. This event is just one facet of NAMI’s commitment to eradicating mental illness and improving the quality of life for those impacted by related diseases. This year, Dr. Linda Thomas Hemak served as Honorary Chairperson. To learn more about NAMI, visit namipascranton.org
WHAT’S NEW?
Quality, assured. The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley has once again earned the designation of a Level 3 Patient-Centered Medical Home by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The team scored a 94.62 out of 100 in the overall assessment. A score of this caliber is a testament to the work done each day to further the mission and vision of our organization. Congratulations to the entire Mid Valley care team, and to Tiffany Jaskulski, Dr. Jumee Barooah and Dr. Jignesh Sheth who led the application process.
The Wright Center has officially implemented MiniBars into its workflow! The MiniBars are a refrigeration technology for vaccinations that optimize the usage and ordering processes. They will allow us to cut down on waste and increase efficiencies. Dr. Jignesh Sheth, Kathleen Barry and our clinical teams have worked diligently to make the minibars a reality across our clinics.
IT FEELS GOOD TO BE A CHAMPION The Wright Center for Primary Care Clarks Summit has been named a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2017 Million Hearts Hypertension Control Champion. The designation is a result of our commitment to heart health and proven success in helping patients maintain healthy blood pressure levels. Twenty-four organizations across the country were recognized; The Wright Center is the only organization in Pennsylvania to be selected. Led by Clarks Summit Medical Director Dr. William Dempsey, The Wright Center for Primary Care Clarks Summit’s team of clinicians achieved this milestone as a continuation of their commitment to excellence in patient care. Dempsey states, “This award reflects the hard work of The Wright Center’s team, led by the vision and direction of our President and CEO, Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak.” Dr. Dempsey credits his team, particularly colleague Dr. Susan Baroody, for her dedication to ensuring heart health remains a clinical priority.
Watch the CDC’s congratulatory video at thewrightcenter.org/MillionHearts
Our National Family Medicine Residency held its annual program review at our Community Health Center partner site, El Rio, in Tucson, AZ September 8 and 9. Residents and faculty, as well as administrative team members from across the country, were in attendance. 3
Kudos In collaboration with Wilkes University’s Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, The Wright Center was recognized at the 2017 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Innovations in Teaching Competition in July. On behalf of the team, Dr. Jennifer Malinowski of Wilkes University, presented their case study titled “Value-Driven Pharmacy Student-Led Rapid Cycle Process Engagement in Experiential and Didactic Settings” as one of the three national awardees. Dr. Susan Baroody and The Wright Center recently received a thank you letter from a patient who is celebrating his 5-year anniversary of being colon cancer-free as well as the ability to walk without pain. He said, “I am ever so grateful to The Wright Center for providing me quality primary care throughout the decades. The Wright Center has been a real lifesaver throughout the years.” He mentioned a special thank you should also go out to Internal Medicine resident Dr. Shiraz Saleem for his excellent care. The Wright Center has just entered its second funded year for its HRSA Primary Care Training Enhancement grant. This program, in partnership with A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, is augmenting training across the primary care continuum by integrating authentic, team-based, patientcentered health professions education within nationally distributed community health center (CHC) training sites to ultimately improve access to quality healthcare for highly vulnerable and underserved populations. The organization is running on or ahead of schedule with deliverables. Dr. Meaghan Ruddy has been making great strides with the project, in collaboration with all team members.
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School-Based Health Center Opens to the Community Earlier this fall, construction was completed at our Together in Health SchoolBased Health Center (SBHC) within the West Scranton Intermediate School. Thanks to a generous grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation and our partnership with the Scranton School District, we are now offering primary care services to all members of the community. Key elements of the project include separate entrances for students and the public, three new exam rooms and office space for staff. Our team was able to welcome members of the Moses Taylor Foundation and Scranton School District boards at an open house in August. A formal ribbon cutting was held in November. Scranton School District team members Paul Dougherty, Erin Keating, Dr. Alexis Kirijan, as well as The Wright Center’s team of Kellen Kraky, Dr. Jignesh Sheth, Dr. Maria Montoro-Edwards, Allyson Favuzza, and Maggie Schlude were recognized for their commitment to making Together in Health a true success.
EXPANDING ACCESS AND INTRODUCING NEW SERVICE LINES
Now Welcoming Pediatric Patients in Clarks Summit The Wright Center for Primary Care Clarks Summit has served adult patients since 2010 and began offering pediatric services and extended hours (until 6pm daily) in late October. “As we look to expand access to patients of all ages across the region, it made perfect sense to introduce pediatric services and extend our hours of operation in the Abingtons. Under the leadership of our Clarks Summit Medical Director and Family Medicine Physician, Dr. William Dempsey, we recently renovated our Clarks Summit office to include more patient rooms, and now, with the addition of new team members who will be focused on pediatrics—Dr. Tony AbdelMasseh and Nurse Practitioner Colleen Dougherty—we are ready to care for patients of all ages in Clarks Summit,” said Dr. Jignesh Sheth, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations. Pictured from left: Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner Colleen Dougherty, Medical Director and Family Medicine Physician Dr. William Dempsey and Pediatrician Dr. Tony AbdelMaseeh.
ANNUAL FALL INTO HEALTH FAIR The Wright Center for Primary Care hosted its Annual Fall into Health Fair and 5K Walk/Run on October 1. The event included a morning full of activities and helpful health-related information, including blood pressure screenings, BMI screenings, nutrition information, massage therapy, a children’s obstacle course, pumpkin decorating and face painting, along with the annual 5K race. The first place male finisher was Christopher Hughes and the first place female finisher was Stacy Lyons. In total, $1,141 was raised through a basket raffle, and all proceeds were donated to the Community Health Hub’s Driving Better Health Initiative, which helps patients access affordable transportation to and from their medical care. Therapy dogs from Pleasure of Your Company Therapy Dogs were on site to meet health fair attendees and Athletes Caring Together (ACT), a local non-profit, hosted an obstacle course for kids. Candice Murphy, Manager/Certified Functional
Strength Coach at Core Fitness & Rehab, presented The Wright Center’s team with a $300 donation to ensure patients with transportation challenges can consistently get to and from their behavioral health appointments. The event was made possible through the generosity of sponsors UPMC Health Plan, Community Care Behavioral Health, Health Network Laboratories, AmeriHealth Caritas, Universal Printing and Dr. John Kuna, Psy. D. and Associates. 5
FEATURES
Making Accessible Oral Health Care a Priority When did you last visit the dentist? For too many Americans, the answer is never. WRITTEN BY MEGAN KANE, INTERN
While the healthcare landscape is shifting in America, oral health remains a primary concern. Almost one third of adults in the U.S. have not been to the dentist in the last year, according to the American Dental Association, and a lifetime of neglecting proper oral healthcare can lead to problems including uncontrolled diabetes, respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease. For many, refusing to go to the dentist isn’t a simple matter of choice. Instead, barriers such as cost, transportation and fear block the path to care, particularly for those in lowincome and minority populations. Those with Medicaid 6
benefits cite an additional factor: trouble finding a dentist who will accept their insurance. Fortunately, The Wright Center recognizes these issues and strives to close the gap in oral health in Northeast PA. Popup clinics at Skyview Apartments in Scranton have filled a vital need in the community over the last few months. Now, our newly renovated oral health clinic at The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley provides patients with a permanent dental health home.
A Temporary Fix: Pop-Up Clinics While a typical dentist’s office holds sturdy, padded chairs, stationary equipment and a large waiting area, pop-up clinics redefine the space where quality care can be delivered. In June, The Wright Center held two pop-up dental clinics in the community room of Skyview Park Apartments in Scranton. Our dental professionals set up three portable dental chairs, small carts of instruments, sterilizing equipment and portable x-ray machines. Though nontraditional, these clinics have necessary tools. They also serve a greater purpose: meeting patients where they are. During the first pop-up clinic in June, team members provided cleanings and evaluations. Dr. Darleen Oleski was also on hand to perform more in-depth repairs. Over the course of two days, over 25 patients were treated, and some were referred to a dentist or oral surgeon to receive follow-up care.
Pop-up clinics exist to deliver accessible, affordable care to all patients, regardless of insurance or ability to pay. One such patient was Marie. Before coming to The Wright Center’s clinic, Marie had not been to the dentist in 14 years. She had developed sores from her ill-fitting, 14-year-old dentures. When the dental staff told Marie that she could get new dentures, completely covered by her insurance, she was ecstatic to the point of tears. Marie—like so many others—had no idea that care was available just beyond her doorstep.
The Permanent Solution: An Expanded Oral Health Clinic at The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley Patients like Marie reaffirm the necessity of the pop-up clinics and need for accessible, permanent oral healthcare services in a convenient setting. Our team has responded to this community health need by expanding oral health opportunities beyond the once-a-month clinics and opening an expanded, renovated four-chair office nestled within The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley. By offering high-quality oral health care within a convenient, familiar primary care setting, more people in our community have been able to easily access important preventative and restorative dental services.
Through the expanded clinic, The Wright Center strives to keep the same methodology as used within the pop-up clinics: meeting patients where they are. Our team is sensitive to the fact that many of our patients haven’t seen a dentist in years and aims to create a safe, relaxing environment. Dr. Darleen Oleski, who was recently appointed to the Government Relations Committee for the Pennsylvania Dental Association, leads the friendly and skilled dental team. All insurances are accepted and a sliding fee scale is available if needed. Services offered include not only exams, cleanings, fillings and fluoride, but now x-rays, restorative care and extractions. Appointments are available Monday through Friday. For many, oral health care is an unattainable goal and the pop-up clinics have helped to initially alleviate barriers. The renovation and expansion of a permanent oral health clinic fulfills an even greater community need by providing patients with an easily accessible space for life-long dental care. We are especially grateful to the Moses Taylor Foundation and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation for their infusion of resources into this clinic.
Above: The Oral Health Clinic at the Wright Center for Primary Care in Mid Valley boasts the latest technology. Right: we held a ribbon cutting and Open House in November to celebrate the clinic opening and recognize the efforts of everyone who made this new space a reality.
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FEATURES
THE TEACHING HEALTH CENTER GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION INITIATIVE:
A Federal Investment with a Local Payout In 2010, the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program was established by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In the years since the program’s inception, it has answered the call for physician renewal in the areas that need doctors most. Recognized as the largest Teaching Health Center program in the nation, The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education trains doctors who are committed to making a genuine difference in their communities. THCGME residents and graduates fuel a robust primary care medical home infrastructure to serve vulnerable populations by generating local healthcare solutions with national implications, consistent with the Triple Aim. Thanks to the tireless work of leaders in the Graduate Medical Education space and the support of our elected officials, the Teaching Health Center program and its outcomes are receiving necessary exposure at the national level. A recently published research report titled “Primary Care Residents in Teaching Health Centers: Their Intentions to Practice in Underserved Settings After Residency Training” contains feedback from Teaching Health Center residents from across the
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nation, including contributions from many of our Wright Center residents and alumni. This year’s most recent report showed that 82% of Teaching Health Center graduates remain in primary care practice, as compared to 23% of traditional Graduate Medical Education graduates—and that’s only the beginning.
Here are five fast facts about the Teaching Health Center program: • 742 residents train in 59 HRSAsupported Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education programs • 63% of Teaching Health Center residents specialize in family medicine • 27 states and the District of Columbia have Teaching Health Center programs • More than 100 applications are received for each Teaching Health Center residency position • More than 1 million primary care medical visits in underserved communities were provided by Teaching Health Center residents in 2017
An overwhelming amount of The Wright Center’s graduates choose to practice in underserved areas once they finish training with us. Of our most recent graduating class of Teaching Health Center-funded National Family Medicine residents, 76% chose to practice in a medically underserved area with many signing on in the early stages of their residency.
In fact, four of our second-year National Family Medicine residents in Washington, DC—Dr. Estevan Rivas, Dr. Nickia King, Dr. Rachel Gougian and Dr. Hannah Herman—have already signed contracts with Unity Health Care to continue working within the Community Health Center in which they trained after they graduate in 2019. Many Wright Center residents and team members have lobbied on Capitol Hill, contacted their representatives and continued the conversation on social media to bring light to this important initiative. In just days, more than 1,000 signatures were added to a change.org petition that garnered the attention of federal influencers. We know we are making progress
RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT: DR. HANNAH HERMAN National Family Medicine Resident, Washington, DC
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towards a larger conversation about sustainable solutions and improvements in the Graduate Medical Education space. Although we have made strides, our work is not yet done. In September and December, extensions were granted to sustain the existing THCGME funding levels for the currently established programs. We are hopeful these short term fixes will pave the way for emergence of a sustainable, long term solution with room for expansion that will allow our learners the incredible opportunity to train in the areas that need them most. Our team continues to engage in conversations with our elected officials, and thanks to the lobbying efforts of many, the THCGME initiative is gaining traction where it matters most.
It is our goal to leverage an extension, and possibly an expansion, of sustainable Teaching Health Center funding as a catalyst for change, an inspiring demonstration of a republican and democratic collaboration for continued pursuit of the Quadruple Aim—outcomes, access, affordability and joy in practice—in America.
s a second-year resident in The Wright Center’s National Family Medicine Residency, Dr. Hannah Herman delivers quality healthcare to patients in Washington, DC. Recently, Dr. Herman signed a contract with Unity Health Care to continue working with the Community Health Center after graduation. She believes that The Wright Center has helped her become not only an experienced physician, but also an advocate for those without a voice in the healthcare system. “Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I am in Washington, DC, but The Wright Center has opened my eyes to advocacy opportunities,” she says. “Through leadership training and lectures on how to be an advocate, I have become much more confident in making my voice be heard.” Hometown: Largo, Florida Family: I live with my husband of two years, Brian Herman. I have one sister and both of my parents are in the medical field. What led you to The Wright Center? My husband and I both went to GWU and loved DC, and we always wanted to get back. When it came time to look for Family Medicine residencies in DC, The Wright Center fit the bill for its focus on medical care for underserved, urban, Spanish speaking populations. What led you to study Family Medicine, specifically in a Community Health Center (CHC) setting? I grew up athletic and was always very aware of anatomy, physiology and the relationship between the two. Being a type-A person, I was sure that I was going to be a female orthopedic surgeon and smash that glass ceiling! Nearing the end of college, I decided that I did not want to go directly into medical school. I applied for and was accepted into a program called Somos Hermanos, a language and cultural immersion program in Guatemala organized through USC, and after graduation jetted off to Guatemala for six months. My time in Guatemala opened my eyes to the fact that healthcare is not available for all when it is needed. We were warned that much of what we were going to see would make us want to change everything, but the biggest change we were going to see was in ourselves as we gained a deeper
understanding of Spanish, other cultures and collaboration. I returned to the US (with new Spanish speaking skills) and began to realize that these health disparities were right here in my own back (and front) yard! As I progressed through medical school, I fell in love with Family Medicine and the Community Health Center/ Patient Centered Medical Home model. From that point forward, I knew that Family Medicine at a Community Health Center was my calling. What is the most rewarding part of your job as a physician in a Community Health Center? Having the opportunity to provide quality healthcare to the people in my community and gaining their trust to do so. What inspired you to accept a position at Unity Health Care following residency? Often in a residency, patients bounce from provider to provider every three years as a new class graduates and I wanted to be able to stay with my patients. I also love the mission of Unity Health Care and I always look forward to a clinic day. If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Advice for new residents in a CHC setting: Learn from your patients and get involved in your community. It enhances your residency experience and allows you to not only learn medicine, but how to be an effective physician. 9
FEATURES
The VISTA Program F
or over 50 years, AmeriCorps has been living their mission of lifting people out of poverty. This past summer The Wright Center was awarded sponsorship of four Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) volunteers annually for a period of three years. VISTAs will contribute to various service lines within the organization, with the goal of improving and expanding our service offerings and access to quality healthcare for our underserved communities. One of the program’s core focus areas is The Wright Center for Primary Care’s Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence (COE) Initiative—a new take on recovery founded in 2016 by Governor Tom Wolf and his administration.
MEET GRACE McGRATH Hometown: Dunmore, PA Education: Bachelors of Science, Kinesiology from Temple University Goal: Become a primary care doctor in Northeast Pennsylvania
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From left, Michael Lilly and Grace McGrath. In their role as VISTAs they will work closely with our Center of Excellence team to broaden our reach through community-centric initiatives.
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Dr. Sanjay Chandragiri, Program Director of our Psychiatry Residency, recently earned the designation of Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (FASAM). As of January 1, 2018, Dr. Chandragiri will also be recognized as a Distinguished Fellow by the American Psychiatric Association (APA). This designation is the highest membership honor the APA bestows upon its members.
Why did you apply to become a VISTA Member? I was raised in Northeast Pennsylvania and I have a great deal of pride to have grown up here. When I found out that The Wright Center had been granted four VISTA positions I decided to research the program to see what it entailed. I was particularly interested in focusing on the opioid epidemic as this has hit my home state really hard. My goal professionally is to become a primary care provider and practice here in NEPA. I’ve learned that, as a provider, you must be conscious of both the emotional and physiological components of addiction. Even if your patients do not personally suffer from addiction, their lives have most likely been affected by addiction through family or friends. Watching my community deal with the effects of opioid addiction has been daunting. I feel privileged to participate in The Wright Center’s VISTA program to help eradicate opioid addiction in our area. This program has given me the opportunity to give back to the community that has given me so much. What were your first few days as a VISTA like? Busy! When I first started the VISTA program, I along with my fellow VISTAs went down to Philadelphia to attend a pre service training. The training opened our eyes to the various socioeconomic factors that so often play a role in the challenges communities face. I met a lot of other VISTAs who are working on a myriad of different projects from building the foundation for a LGBTQ+ healthcare service line to conducting Community Health Needs Assessments in counties across the nation. It was a transformative experience that has reshaped my outlook on the barriers that many members of my community face every day.
Thanks to Internal Medicine resident Dr. Thekriat Afaneh for her outstanding care of a patient at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. The patient wrote in to thank her, crediting her knowledge and people skills which led to, “a strong sense of caring and dedication to her well-chosen career.” He also expressed, “the medical school she attended can be proud of producing a physician of her caliber.”
A manuscript co-authored by Dr. Samir Pancholy, Dr. Gaurav Patel, Maitri Pancholy, Dr. Sukrut Nanavaty, Dr. John Coppola, Dr. Tak Kwan and Dr. Tejas Patel was accepted for publication in American Journal of Cardiology. Titled “Association Between Health Insurance Status and In-Hospital Outcomes After ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction,” the manuscript was the analysis from National Inpatient Sample, spearheaded by Dr. Patel with help from all co-authors.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: DR. MANOJ DAS Nephrologist, Geisinger Wyoming Valley What does a typical day as a VISTA look like? Typical is hard to define—because The Wright Center is a patient need-responsive organization. I have learned that there is no ‘typical’ patient, especially with the opioid epidemic, which for us, translates to days with very unique schedules and challenges. Tell us about a memorable experience: In a primary care setting—and especially at The Wright Center— we truly value the importance of warm handoffs, where a patient knows what their next steps are, knows who to reach out to before they leave their current care environment, and feels supported and engaged in their care plan. I was able to experience this first-hand with one of our Psychiatry residents, Dr. Hema Venigalla, while she was doing her rounds at Geisinger Community Medical Center. Dr. Venigalla identified a patient who she believed would greatly benefit from The Wright Center’s Opioid Center of Excellence. She made the call to our Center of Excellence team and I took the case. Early the next morning, I traveled to the hospital to meet with Dr. Venigalla. She let me in on what the patient was up against; she had received Narcan two nights earlier to save her from a heroin overdose and was going to be kept in the hospital overnight for continued observation. Together, Dr. Venigalla and I completed the necessary steps to get our patient into The Wright Center’s Center of Excellence program and connected her to a primary care doctor at The Wright Center for Primary Care Mid Valley. When the patient was discharged the next day, she went directly to her primary care appointment with our office and also met with our Center of Excellence team to discuss her treatment plan. Throughout the process and the days following, Dr. Venigalla would regularly follow up with our team to ensure that the patient’s needs were being met and that she was complying with treatment. To be part of that process was really humbling. Without that experience, I could not have had the same understanding of the warm handoff process and how incredibly effective it can be for our patients.
Members of our Behavioral Health team, Sarah Pettinato and Gina Constantini, recently completed the 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga West in Scranton, becoming certified as Ayurvedic Yoga Specialists. This allows them to integrate Yoga and Ayurveda into their therapy practice making it accessible to patients and staff. To study Ayurveda is to study how our mind, body and spirit are interconnected to nature and the world around us. Gina and Sarah led two free sessions of Yoga in Recovery this fall and are looking forward to expanding their classes in 2018. Gina also completed a Yoga4Sobriety 15-Hour Certification in November and will be offering Yoga4Sobriety classes, in collaboration with The Wright Center for Primary Care, Zen Shop at the Yoga Fix and Yoga West to the community in the New Year.
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ormerly a resident in The Wright Center’s Allopathic Internal Medicine program, Dr. Manoj Das returned to Northeast PA this summer as a Nephrologist with Geisinger Wyoming Valley. He credits The Wright Center for teaching him valuable skills in his current practice. “I am indebted to Dr. Linda ThomasHemak because I have learned a lot from her in the clinic, including how to be more empathetic and how to create a comfortable environment and interact with patients,” Dr. Das says, “I have used this in my practice when trying to create an environment of ease so patients can open up to me.” What inspired you to study medicine? Medicine was something which came about naturally for me. As I child, I always wanted to care for people who were sick or suffering. I even used to visit hospitals to see patients and became inspired by this. I believe medicine is a noble profession, and I want to do what I can to bring a smile to patients’ faces. How did your time with The Wright Center shape the way you currently practice medicine? The Wright Center was the best thing to happen to me since I arrived in the US. It gave me the first opportunity to get a foot into the US healthcare system and to learn ways to establish trustworthy relationships with patients. My time with The Wright Center also provided me with a broader outlook on patient care. During my time in training, I learned to not only ask about a patient’s current problem but to dig in a little more and look at past issues to provide whole-person care. What led you to take a position in Northeast PA? Northeast PA is the first place I settled when I came to in the US and where I’ve stayed for a long time. I like the people and basically everything about this place. It was sort of natural to come back, as I have lots of friends here. I didn’t have to think too hard when I was offered the position at Geisinger, as the area was familiar and gave me a sense of reassurance that I would do well. What led you to specialize in nephrology? Nephrology provides a holistic view of the patient and it’s all about optimizing the body’s electrolytes, acid balance and water levels. As a nephrologist, I can see patients up to three times a week, so I’m able to become their advocate for health. I get to learn so much about them, guide them and provide suggestions on things they can do to stay healthy. I’ve also always liked primary care and this is very close. Advice for aspiring physicians: My advice would be that hard work always pays off. I think everyone is God-gifted to do something special and everyone has to realize their own potential. You don’t have to do big things in life—even the small things go a long way in helping others. 11
Graduation 2017
The Wright Center’s 2017 graduating class of 65 physicians was recognized on Saturday, June 24. This class was our largest to date and consisted of 34 Internal Medicine physicians, 29 Family Medicine physicians and two Cardiologists. Of the 65 graduates, 47 completed their residency training in Northeast Pennsylvania and 18 trained within The Wright Center’s National Family Medicine Residency program at one of six affiliated sites throughout the U.S. “Our Wright Center graduates are a testimonial of our mission delivery and we are most proud of their compassion and competence. Watching their professional development as they’ve honed their patient care, lifelong learning and leadership skills over the past three years has been absolutely inspiring. The Wright Center is a well-recognized force, local and nationally, for fueling physician renewal and this class of 65 residents and fellows is further proof that we are completely dedicated to meeting our communities’ and national health needs in a changing healthcare landscape,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak.
To view all photos of the night’s festivities please visit thewrightcenter.org/graduation-2017
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Alliance Board Susan Duckworth Joseph Ferrario James Gavin Gerard Geoffroy John Kearney Mary Marrara
Jeff Metz Carlon Preate Judith Price Dr. Jignesh Sheth Ed Staback Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak
Graduate Medical Education Board Harold Baillie Dr. Randall Brundage Dr. Douglas Coslett Dr. Vithal Dhaduk Joseph Ferrario James Gavin Gerard Geoffroy Sr. Mary Alice Jacquinot
John Kearney Mary Marrara Carlon Preate Dr. Julio Ramos Lia Richards-Palmiter Dr. Jignesh Sheth Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak Dr. Robert Wright
Community Health Hub Board Bryan Adkins Jim Allan Carol Chaykosky Mary Ann Chindemi Gail Cicerini Patricia DeSouza LeAnn Eshbach Gerard Geoffroy Charles Hemak Kellen Kraky
Lorraine Lupini Mary Marrara Sally Quinlin-Sheridan Bette Saxton Elaine Shepard Cara Sherman Dr. Jignesh Sheth Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak Ellen Walko William Waters
Thank You to our Board Members who Unselfishly Dedicate their Time to The Wright Center’s Mission and Vision
The Wright Center Boards of Directors
WELCOME! This summer, our Graduate Medical Education department worked together to make sure orientation was seamless as we welcomed 65 learners into our programs. Interns from all of The Wright Center’s residency programs—Internal Medicine, Family Medicine (Regional and National) and Psychiatry—as well as incoming Cardiology fellows, spent time learning about our systems and training environments; met our faculty, staff and administrative team members; and enjoyed opportunities for socializing and bowling, too.
Patient Engagement Council Board LeeAnn Eshbach Gerard Geoffroy Kellen Kraky Mary Marrara
Carol Rubel Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak Jack Walsh
Medical Group Board Dr. Jumee Barooah Dr. Timothy Burke Alycia Coar Dr. William Dempsey Allyson Favuzza
Dr. Mladen Jecmenica Dr. Bojana Milekic Dr. Julio Ramos Dr. Jignesh Sheth Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak
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The Wright Loop is published four times per year for employees, residents and friends of The Wright Center. If you have a suggestion for an article or would like to submit photos, please email news@thewrightcenter.org.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grants T91HP25793, T91HP25794, and T91HP21546 of the Affordable Care Act Teaching Health Center (THC) Graduate Medical Education (GME) Payment Program. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.