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Tag: Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health

C&N Bank encouraged by business climate, continues expansion into Lancaster, York

Citizens & North (C&N) Bank believes big things are happening business-wise in the Midstate, and they’re excited to be a part of it. 

In April 2019, C&N opened its first full-service branch in the Midstate in York. January 2022 saw C&N open a second full-service branch in South Central Pennsylvania with a Lancaster location. 

“We’re vested in these communities,” said J. Bradley Scovill, C&N’s President and CEO, “and these offices will be ideal for us to continue to serve and create value for our Lancaster and York customers for many years to come.” 

Having lived in Lancaster for decades, Scovill’s roots in the Midstate run deep. A graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in finance, he’s served as president of Lancaster’s Fulton Opera House Foundation and chairman of the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of York County. Prior to joining C&N in 2015, he was president and COO of Kish Bancorp, Inc. and Kish Bank in Belleville, PA. 

C&N’s Lancaster location at 2098 Spring Valley Road is situated at the corner of Rohrerstown and Spring Valley Roads, across from the Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health campus. Considered by C&N an important enhancement to its expansion in South Central Pennsylvania, the Lancaster branch complements its York neighbor’s site at 2951 Whiteford Road Suite #102. The latter opened as a lending center and became a full-service institution in October 2021. 

“Many of us have had the pleasure of serving this region for years and these two, full-service offices will provide a great environment for us to care for our customers,” C&N Senior Vice President and Regional Executive Jeff Snyder said in a statement. “We believe big things will continue to happen here in Lancaster and York and we are excited to be a part of it.” 

In a statement on its site, C&N states that the Lancaster and York locations “offer a personal, customer-focused experience complete with the convenience of on-site parking, a drive-up and dedicated space for business and consumer banking and lending.” 

C&N has a long history, being established in 1864. Since then, it has grown into what the company said is “the leading financial services company in New York and Pennsylvania.” 

Said Scovill, “We’ve built a very strong franchise and a capacity to be a growing organization.” 

C&N’s growth is reflected in its 31 branches. The company prides itself on relationship-based banking and is intent on bringing to Lancaster and York its mission of creating value for customers and communities via technologies like those of larger, national banks. 

“Relationships matter,” said Scovill. “We’re there in good times and bad. Everybody has ups and downs. We’re there in the good times and we won’t disappear when things get a little rough. This is how we do business.” 

C&N’s expansion is based in part on the unique location which sees Lancaster and York near major markets in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Delaware, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and New York City. “There is a lot of proximity,” Scovill said, “and a lot of infrastructure to get you there.” 

The proximity has led to an influx of residents and businesses. “This is an attractive place to move to,” Scovill said. 

C&N takes pride in having local personnel like Scovill who are dedicated to their community. Along with Scovill, the leadership team includes Snyder, the Region President in York; Stephen Sherman, Regional Commercial Lending Executive (Lancaster); Peter Johnson, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (York); Shane Moser, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (York); Robert Bradfield, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (York); Michael Kilgour, Senior Commercial Lending Relationship Manager (Lancaster); and Gwen Plaskin, Regional Treasury management Specialist (Lancaster). 

Terry Lehman, C&N’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, lives in York and the company has a network of local business leaders/influencers it refers to as its Regional Advisory Board. 

“These leaders help our team stay connected to the needs and goals of the local business community and economy, further demonstrating our commitment and ties to the region,” said Senior Vice President and Director of Marketing Charity Frantz. 

In addition, C&N announced in November 2022 the addition of Christopher Kirman, a product of Mechanicsburg and graduate of Cumberland Valley High School who studied at Penn State University, to its team in Lancaster as a Mortgage Loan Operator. 

Scovill said the company’s focus is on serving customers, clients, and communities. He called the Lancaster branch “an ideal extension to the team in our York office as we continue to create value for this area’s customers for many years to come.” 

Snyder said C&N has a definite approach to how the company serves its clients. 

“We provide easy access, a personal touch, and a team of professionals with extensive experience in value-based relationship banking, lending and wealth management,” said Snyder. “The Lancaster-York region is home to thousands of hard-working people and small- and medium-sized companies that will value a local team of experts who tailor solutions to meet their specialized needs.” 

Scovill believes that C&N’s branches in Lancaster and York are important projects for both the company and the region. 

“Our local team has grown substantially over the last few years, and built strong, long-standing relationships,” he said. “We’re engaged as customers chase goals over time. We’re there through all seasons.” 

Further expansion by C&N in the Midstate is possible, said Scovill. “We would expect to expand with some offices in key places. What you won’t see is a quick push to put three or four offices in one area. 

“There are a lot of banks here, and we didn’t come to Lancaster and York with the arrogance that this area needs another bank or it’s not going to succeed. Customers here are blessed with options. We’re another option.” 

Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital welcomes new CEO

Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital appointed its newest CEO on Friday, an executive with years of experience leading health care facilities, to guide the 126-bed behavioral health hospital.

Daniel Zarecky was offered the position after the hospital initiated a search for a replacement for former CEO, Jayne Van Bramer, after she left the position in May.

Zarecky was previously the group CEO at Strategic Behavioral Health, an organization that oversees two psychiatric hospitals in Colorado.

“Dan’s extensive experience leading complex behavioral-health operations makes him uniquely qualified to guide Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital,” said Jan Bergen, president and CEO of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. “He is committed to enhancing the hospital’s clinical quality and patient experience, while continuing its expansion of essential services offered to our region.”

Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital is an inpatient unit for adolescents and adults. The facility also has a dedicated women’s trauma unit and an adult intensive treatment suite.

The facility is a joint venture between Universal Health Services, a hospital management company in Montgomery County, and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health that opened in 2018.

Zarecky has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Gannon University and served as board president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Colorado Springs from 2013 to 2016.

“He brings an established track record of positive patient outcomes, leadership, and operational capabilities to the team,” said Gary Gilberti, senior vice president of behavioral health for Universal Health Services.  “Dan has a strong commitment to work with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health and the greater Lancaster community to provide high-quality resources, services and support to those seeking mental health services.”

Lancaster General Hospital opens new pediatric unit

Lancaster General Health opened a new pediatric unit on the fourth floor of its Frederick Building on Wednesday. PHOTO/SUBMITTED

With funds from a $9.5 million fundraising campaign, Lancaster General Hospital opened its newest pediatric unit, an inpatient center focused on easing the stress of patients and their families.

Lancaster General Hospital’s Seraph-McSparren Pediatric Inpatient Center opened on Wednesday on the fourth floor of the hospital’s LGH Frederick Building.

The center has 17 private rooms, an activity zone for children and teens and a family lounge with 24-hour access to shower and laundry facilities, beds, personal work spaces and a kitchenette.

“We look forward to providing the most optimal health care experience possible for the children of our community,” said Jan Bergen, president and CEO of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. “The new state-of-art Pediatric Inpatient Center will help provide a comforting space for children and their families as they go through a difficult time.”

The 20,000-square-foot facility spans the entirety of the Frederick Building’s fourth floor and offers private patient rooms ranging from 310 to 320-square-feet in size– twice as large as the previous unit’s rooms.

In November, the hospital began offering its pediatric patients a dedicated Child Life specialist through its new Child Life Program. The specialist works with children’s to help them cope with stress associated with being hospitalized. The hospital has since grown the program to its emergency department and plans to continue to expand it in the new pediatric unit.

“Child Life Specialists focus on reducing stress for children and families during a hospital stay,” said Michelle Schori, executive director of Pediatrics at Lancaster General Health. “The program provides opportunities to engage children in normal day-to-day activities, support their development and improve their ability to cope with the hospital experience.”

Lancaster General Hospital’s previous pediatric unit is expected to become a medical-surgical unit, but a timetable has not yet been set. The unit’s staff have all transferred to the new center.

 

Penn State Health plans Lancaster-area hospital

Penn State Health will be proposing the location for its new East Hempfield Township hospital at the intersection of State Road and Harrisburg Pike. PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Penn State Health is planning to build a new acute care hospital in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County next year, adding new competition to the market.

The Hershey-based health system has announced it will be seeking approval from East Hempfield Township as it moves forward on a plan to build a new 30-acre hospital campus at the intersection of State Road and Harrisburg Pike.

The hospital would feature private inpatient beds, an emergency department, physician offices, various specialty inpatient services, an imaging lab and complete medical and surgical capabilities, the hospital system wrote in a press release on Monday.

It is the second new hospital for Penn State Health. It also is building a new hospital in Hampden Township, Cumberland County.

“We are committed to building a regional health network across Central Pennsylvania that gives our patients a full range of care right in their neighborhoods,” said Steve Massini, CEO of Penn State Health. “This new acute care facility is another step toward delivering on our promise to ensure the communities we serve are within 10 minutes of our primary care providers, 20 minutes of our specialty care and 30 minutes of our acute care.”

The system wrote in its release that the new hospital will provide care to residents of Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties at a location closer to them than the system’s anchor hospital, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Derry Township, Dauphin County.

The news comes a few months after UPMC Pinnacle closed its UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster hospital. The UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster campus is 5.5 miles away from the proposed site of the new Penn State Health facility.

In April, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health announced it was considering an expansion to its Duke Street hospital in order to keep up with the increase in patients stemming from the closure of UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster.

Expansions to Lancaster General considered

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health is looking into a number of expansions for Lancaster General Health. (Photo: Submitted)

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health is looking at three possible expansions to Lancaster General Hospital that together would be the largest expansion in the Duke Street hospital’s history.

The hospital system’s Board of Trustees expects to make a decision next month if it will pursue the preliminary plans to double the hospital’s emergency department, update its food services and create a tower with private patient rooms.

The hospital is facing increasing rates of patient visits. In 2018, the Lancaster City hospital’s emergency department saw nearly 118,000 visits – 28,000 people over its capacity of 90,000. Lancaster General is now the last acute care hospital in the city with the closing of UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster this year, so the system expects those number to continue to increase.

“We’ve made great strides over the past five years enhancing access to our care while guiding people to the optimal settings for their medical needs, such as our urgent care center or outpatient facilities,” Jan Bergen, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health President and CEO said in a press release. “Increasing demand, population growth and changes in the local provider landscape require a thoughtful expansion of Lancaster General Hospital.”

The project is still in its early phases and could change drastically as it moves through municipal review and the Board of Trustees. If the project is approved in its current form, construction could begin as early as winter 2020.

The first phase of the project would move the current food service department from the ground floor of the hospital to an announced new location. The new dining room and kitchen area is expected to offer a wider selection of foods with more of an emphasis on spaces in the dining area to sit and relax.

With the food service department moved from its location on the ground floor, the project calls for an additional 41 treatment bays in the emergency department. The expansion into the emergency department would add a permanent addition of 32,550 square feet to the existing 38,660-square-foot department for a total of 71,200 square feet.

To hold over until a permanent fix is found, the hospital is preparing a nine-treatment-bay temporary addition to its emergency department to be ready this June. The temporary fix will give the 54-bay emergency room a boost in beds as it deals with increasing trauma cases in a department that was last renovated in 2003.

After the expansion would be completed, the hospital would then renovate the original emergency department bays to the specifications of the new ones.

According to Penn Medicine, the cost of the expansions to both the dining area and the emergency department is estimated at around $115 million.

The final expansion is an inpatient tower that would increase the hospital’s current bed count of 537, while also allowing it to get rid of its oldest and smallest rooms which don’t hold up to current standards of larger single-patient rooms with space for family and added privacy.

“With so many resources devoted to building the new emergency department, kitchen and dining areas, it’s prudent to think about the efficiency of also replacing nursing units that have served us well for decades,” Bergen said. “By acting today, we could avoid returning in future years with another major and disruptive construction project.”

The patient tower at Duke Street does not yet have an expected cost, according to Penn Medicine. The entire project is expected to take up to three years to complete if it is approved.

 

Lancaster General Health receives $100,000 award for its community service initiatives

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health has been awarded the 2018 Foster G. McGaw Prize for Excellence in Community Service for its leadership in improving care for individuals and families in its community. The award provides $100,000 to help support LG Health’s programs to further its community service work.

The Foster G. McGaw Prize is sponsored by the Baxter International Foundation, the American Hospital Association and its non-profit affiliate Health Research & Educational Trust. Every year, the prize is presented to a health care organization that has shown exemplary commitment to establishing and facilitating programs that improve the overall health and well-being of its community.

LG Health, a not-for-profit health care system governed by a community-based Board of Trustees, is the largest health system and safety net in Lancaster County. LG Health coordinates all community health improvement work with a wide range of partner organizations to develop a collection of programs and initiatives that help the overall well-being of the Lancaster County community.

“The impact and effects of [LG Health’s] initiatives [are] a model for all hospitals and local organizations when going above and beyond to respond to its community’s identified health priorities and address access to care,”  said Robert O. Valdez, Ph.D., Chairman of the Foster G. McGaw Prize Committee, in a prepared statement.

LG Health utilizes a community health improvement model and strategic approach to identify and address health priorities and to focus not only on programs and services, but also on policies, systems and government changes that have an impact on health. By partnering with local organizations, LG Health helps individuals and families achieve an optimal level of health by ensuring they receive care at a location that is convenient and culturally competent. Additionally, it has served as a catalyst for mental well-being by implementing The Let’s Talk, Lancaster Coalition to evaluate strategies that improve the mental well-being of the Lancaster County community.

Other LG Health community service actions include establishing Lighten Up Lancaster County, a cross-sector coalition dedicated to combating obesity and promoting healthy lifestyles; implementing Care Connections to provide medical and behavioral health, along with additional services, to chronically ill and complex patients who consume disproportionate amounts of care; and creating the South Central PA Opioid Awareness Coalition and Lancaster Joining Forces to help combat the opioid crisis.

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, a member of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (Penn Medicine), is a 786-licensed bed not-for-profit health system with a comprehensive network of care encompassing Lancaster General Hospital (LGH), Women & Babies Hospital, Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital (in partnership with Kindred Healthcare) and the Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital (in partnership with Universal Health Services). Its membership in Penn Medicine brings together the strengths of a world-renowned, not-for-profit academic medical center and a nationally recognized, not-for-profit community healthcare system.

 

Midwives more popular than ever for laboring moms in Lancaster County

If you live in Lancaster County, you’re probably familiar with Women & Babies Hospital. The  facility — Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s 97-bed specialty hospital and adjoining outpatient center focused completely on the healthcare needs of women and their newborn babies – opened in 2000.  Physicians and midwives at Women & Babies deliver more than 4,000 babies each year, more than any other hospital in the county.

We reached out to two representatives from Women & Babies — Michelle Schori, executive director of Women & Pediatrics Service Line, and Alyssa Livengood Waite, director of nursing — to see what’s new for laboring moms, as well as what remains tried-and-true.  Among the findings: midwives are very popular and the dozen who practice at Women & Babies deliver the majority of the babies born there.

CPP: What changes or trends have you seen in pain management during labor in recent years?

Alyssa Livengood Waite: Overall, moms-to-be at Women & Babies Hospital have shifted to delivery methods that rely less on epidural medication for pain management. Doulas are welcome as part of a mother’s birth plan, and more patients are choosing this option to support their labor and birth.  Additionally, Jacuzzi and whirlpools are available for labor pain and postnatal comfort massage.

We’re currently considering nitrous oxide and other alternative methods for pain management. Massage therapy, which has been a standard comfort for all mothers after their baby’s birth, now may be requested for labor pain management.

CPP:  How popular are midwives at your hospital? And how does Women & Babies support women using them?

Waite: Midwives are an integral part of the care team, joining the nursing staff in supporting the birth for mothers who choose this option. Since Women & Babies Hospital opened as a women’s specialty hospital, more expectant mothers have chosen midwives, due to their emphasis on natural birth methods. Twelve Certified Nurse Midwives deliver a majority of the vaginal births at Women & Babies. Obstetricians can manage high-risk and cesarean section births, in addition to vaginal births, and work with mothers to meet their preferred birth plan.

CPP:  What are the benefits of having siblings at the hospital? Can you address your creation of Carter’s Corner?

Michelle Schori: Women & Babies Hospital values and supports family-centered care, and the entire family is encouraged to visit mother and baby. We encourage families to include siblings in the first days of their new brother’s or sister’s life.

It is easier for children to process the new addition to their family in short visits, so we provide age-appropriate play activities for siblings. Indoor and outdoor play space is available in Carter’s Corner. We also offer quiet play options, including puzzles, books and art supplies. These active and quiet activities enable siblings to be included in the new mom and baby’s day periodically, while also enjoying playtime with friends or family in Carter’s Corner.

CPP: What about maternal-baby bonding in the hours and days after birth? How has this evolved in recent years?

 Waite: Women & Babies Hospital has long recognized the importance of bonding between new parents and their babies. We support skin-to-skin cuddle time after birth, newborn rooming-in with Mom in our couplet care rooms, and successful early feeding for baby. As the first hospital in Pennsylvania to gain the international Baby-Friendly designation [it was awarded the designation by Baby-Friendly USA in July 2014], we enhanced support for those important first days of mother-baby time.

CPP: What is the most surprising trend or development you’ve seen in the field of labor and delivery in recent years?

 

Schori: One trend we’ve seen recently is expectant parents’ increased knowledge of options related to the type of birth experience they prefer. The Women & Babies care team is happy to accommodate special situations and does so with regularity.  We partner with each expectant family to understand what is important to them and ensure a unique and safe birth for mother and baby.

We regularly work with separated military families, births that involve a gestational carrier or surrogate mother, and traveling families who experience a pregnancy complication and require unplanned prenatal care and delivery.  And we also accommodate situational preferences to personalize the expectant mother’s birth experience—such as personal music, aromatherapy, pillows and comfortable clothing.