Lehigh Valley Health Network Archives

Partnership expands mobile stroke units reach

Lehigh Valley Health Network’s (LVHN) mobile stroke unit is expanding its area of service.

Through a partnership with Topton Ambulance Service, Inc., the mobile stroke unit will bring emergency stroke care to the 37-square-mile radius in Berks County the ambulance company serves, bring its total coverage area to more than 400 square miles, LVHN said.

The mobile stroke unit, part of Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute, was the first mobile stroke unit in Pennsylvania when it debuted in 2019 and LVHN said it is currently one of only 20 such units across the country.

The unit is based at Cetronia Ambulance in the Allentown area and has been operated in partnership with Cetronia since its inception.

The new partnership with Topton Ambulance means the stroke unit will respond to stroke calls along with Topton, or rendezvous with Topton crews on their way to a Comprehensive Stroke Center, such as Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, LVHN said.

In Berks County, Topton Ambulance serves about 4,200 residents in all or portions of Topton and Lyons boroughs and Longswamp, Rockland, Maxatawny and District townships.

“Having quicker access to world-class stroke care is a great tool for us to have to support the communities we serve,” said Topton Ambulance Chief and Executive Director Michael Richards. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the stroke unit.”

The mobile stroke unit does not operate everywhere within the LVHN footprint. However, in addition to Topton, it has agreements with and assists on stroke calls with Northern Valley, Cetronia, Macungie and Boyertown ambulance companies.

Ken Reichenbach, mobile stroke unit program director, said the unit is essentially a neurological emergency room on wheels.

The stroke unit is equipped with a camera that doctors at LVHN stroke centers can operate to evaluate what’s happening and direct initial treatment, Reichenbach said. Mobile stroke unit crews could be directed to start clot-busting medication or blood-thickening medication, depending on the type of stroke.

Doctors have direct communication with the stroke unit crew, which also can perform a computed tomography scan so doctors can get a view of what’s happening inside the patient’s brain, LVHN said. Communication with doctors also provides information on which type of stroke center is best for the patient under the circumstances.

Someone has a stroke every 40 seconds in the United States, and LVHN said they are the fifth-leading cause of death in the country.

“The faster a stroke patient gets treatment, the better the outcome,” Reichenbach said. “That’s why time is brain and why these partnerships are so beneficial.”

LVHN and Allentown partner to improve health, lower costs

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and the City of Allentown are launching an initiative they say will build a culture of well-being that will lead to better health, lower costs and a vitalized economy.

Blue Zones Activate is a comprehensive initiative that uses an evidence-based approach to make healthy choices easier in all the places people spend the most time, they said.

“We do this by encouraging sustainable changes in the built environment, building environments and social networks, often suggesting policy changes throughout a community including such places as worksites, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, faith-based communities, convenience stores and neighborhoods,” Blue Zones said in a fact sheet.

“By helping people live longer and better through behavior change, communities can lower healthcare costs, improve productivity, access grants and funding available locally and nationally, and enjoy a higher quality of life as they live, work, learn, worship and grow,” the fact sheet said.

The effort begins with an in-depth assessment of the Allentown area that will help determine how to make it a healthier place to live, work and thrive.

“Lehigh Valley Health Network is committed to providing exceptional care and improving the well-being of the people in the communities we serve,” says Brian A. Nester, president and CEO, LVHN. “By partnering with Blue Zones and the city, we have an opportunity to expand our efforts in Allentown and work together to address the social determinants of health that impact our patients and their families. Together, we believe we can ultimately improve health outcomes for everyone in the community.”

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk said, “Blue Zones Activate marks a step forward in building a healthier and more equitable Allentown, which aligns with our vision to create a more sustainable and vibrant community. I believe that by working together with Blue Zones, LVHN and other local organizations, we can build a brighter, safer and better future for everyone in Allentown.”

Blue Zones work is based on research and principles developed by National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author Dan Buettner, who identified the cultures of the world, or blue zones, with the healthiest, longest-living populations.

The Blue Zones approach focuses on the single largest determinant of health, which is where people live, LVHN and the City of Allentown said.

Instead of focusing on just individual behavior change, Blue Zones helps communities make permanent changes to systems and surroundings so it’s easier for residents to eat wisely, move naturally and connect more with others as they move throughout their day.

By improving the Life Radius, the area close to home where most Americans spend 90% of their lives, Blue Zones transformations have been able to dramatically improve overall population health and well-being, raise employee and student productivity, and boost economic vitality and development, according to Blue Zones.

“We are excited to work with leaders and people in Allentown who are committed to building a community that supports healthy living,” said Blue Zones CEO Ben Leedle. “Allentown leaders are investing in well-being at the community level, which brings exponential returns as research shows improved well-being leads to healthier and happier residents, a more productive and higher-performing workforce for adults, and better student achievement for schools, colleges, and universities.”

LVHN dedicates endowed chair for Multiple Sclerosis

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) recently dedicated an endowed chair that will provide funds to expand Multiple Sclerosis educational programs and clinical research.

LVHN’s newest endowed chair, its 21st, was dedicated May 3 during a ceremony at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, came from a donation from Arnold and Deanne Kaplan in honor of Dr. Lawrence Levitt.

Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Endowed Chair in Multiple Sclerosis is held by Dr. Dmitry Khaitov, LVHN Neurology, for his commitment to patients faced with MS.

The endowed chair will provide funds to expand MS educational programs, health and wellness programs for MS patients and expand clinical research for the Multiple Sclerosis Program at Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute, LVHN said.

Khaitov co-directs the LVHN MS Center with Dr. Gary Clauser, where they and their team of devoted clinicians provide care and support to patients with multiple sclerosis from throughout the region and beyond, LVHN said.

“The MS Program at LVHN is recognized by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as a Center for Comprehensive MS care,” said Dr. Brian Nester, LVHN president and CEO. “Over the last three years, an average of 1,458 individual patients with MS are seen annually at LVHN Neurology. Every week, approximately 3 to 4 new patients with MS seek care at LVHN either as a new diagnosis or as a transfer from another institution.”

Arnold Kaplan, a former member of LVHN’s Board of Trustees, spoke at the dedication ceremony about how his wife, Deanne, has multiple sclerosis and by 1972 needed a wheelchair to get around. At that time, Kaplan worked at Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and had been hired by its founder, Leonard Parker Pool.

The visionary behind what is now LVH–Cedar Crest, Pool connected the couple to Levitt, a neurologist at LVHN, who would “do whatever it took to help Deanne,” said Kaplan.

“Little did we know then the impact Dr. Levitt and Lehigh Valley Health Network would have on our family,” Kaplan said. “It is a great honor to present this endowed chair today and to complete the circle that began 50 years ago.”

Nester said endowed chairs are critical to the mission of LVHN, helping to recruit and retain the best national talent. He said it has become increasingly difficult in the post-COVID world to recruit primary care physicians, specialists and surgeons.

“The endowed chair holders are among the health network’s best physicians who are engaged and focused on patient care, education, and research and lead the way in health care not only here at home but nationally,” Nester said.

New website provides single resource for employers

Allentown-based Populytics has a new website that shows the company’s expanded direction into total well-being for employer groups in the local region and across the country.

Populytics, a population health management company and subsidiary of Lehigh Valley Health Network 9 (LVHN), said it has nearly a decade of experience developing advanced health care data analytics infrastructure and capabilities, more than 30 years of expertise in health plan benefits administration and consulting, and teams devoted to helping coordinate care across the health care continuum.

Leveraging these assets for the benefit of employers and employees has become a natural direction for the organization, the company said.

“Our goal in population health is to emphasize preventive care and improve the health of a group, like a company’s workforce, which ultimately makes a difference in health care quality and cost,” says Bob Knauss, administrator, Business Development, Sales, and Marketing. “It’s important to consider the whole person. Not only physical health, but all aspects of well-being, including emotional, social, and financial in order to truly make an impact. For employers, Populytics is a single resource for all those services.”

The website folds in both physical and emotional well-being through its two divisions BeneFIT Corporate Wellness and Preferred EAP.

The website features Populytics’ newly developed direct contracting service for employers. Providing all the elements typically offered by major insurance companies, Populytics Health Management Solutions (PHMS) bypasses the complexities of a traditional arrangement by enabling employers to go directly to health care providers for employer-sponsored health care.

The company has also streamlined its social media presence by moving BeneFIT and Preferred EAP’s pages into one under Populytics.

LVHN announces leadership changes

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) announced leadership changes for Lehigh Region and Northampton Region,

Bob Begliomini is the president of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest and the Lehigh Region of Lehigh Valley Health Network and. Jim Miller is president of the LVH–Muhlenberg campus and the Northampton Region.

Begliomini, former president of LVH-Muhlenberg, will oversee LVH-Cedar Crest campus and the Lehigh Region, which includes the campuses of LVH–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street, LVHN–Tilghman and LVHN–1503 N. Cedar Crest.

During his time at LVH–Muhlenberg, the health network opened the Family Health Pavilion, which includes the Family Birth and Newborn Center, a Level II NICU and Inpatient Rehabilitation Center, LVHN said. The hospital also earned accreditation as a Level II Trauma Center and celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Begliomini joined LVHN in 2001 as administrator of Pharmacy Services, a position he held for 13 years. In 2014, he was named vice president of Operations at LVH–Muhlenberg before being named hospital president and senior vice president of Operations for LVHN in 2018.

He earned a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at The University of the Sciences, Philadelphia. He received a Master of Business Administration at DeSales University and completed a fellowship at the Health Management Academy.

In his new role, Miller will oversee LVH–Muhlenberg campus and the Northampton Region, which includes the campuses of LVH–Muhlenberg, LVH–Hecktown Oaks and LVHN–Highland Avenue.

Miller joined LVHN in 2002 as a cardiac nurse anesthetist and became director of Lehigh Valley Anesthesia Services in 2005. He also served as vice president of Operations and Perioperative Services before being named president of LVH–Hecktown Oaks, providing leadership in the design and construction of the new hospital in Lower Nazareth Township prior to and at the time of its opening.

Most recently, Miller served as COO of LVH–Cedar Crest. He will continue to serve as senior vice president of Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence.

Miller holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Holy Family University, Philadelphia, a Master of Science from Saint Joseph’s University and a Master of Business Administration from DeSales University. He is a graduate of the Academy GE Fellows program for administrative executives and LVHN’s Institute for Health Care Leadership program.

Both Begliomini and Miller will report to John Pierro, executive vice president and COO of LVHN.

Lehigh Valley hospitals earn top grades; pandemic-related infections spike

Thirteen Lehigh Valley hospitals received the top rating from The Leapfrog Group in a report incorporating performance data from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH), said the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit that grades hospital safety, this spring showed the average risk of harmful health care-associated infections spiked to a five-year high during the pandemic.

LVBCH, the regional leader for The Leapfrog Group in Pennsylvania, said Lehigh Valley hospitals that received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade are Geisinger’s Danville, Lewistown, and St. Luke’s campuses; Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Cedar Crest, Hazleton, and Muhlenberg campuses; and St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Allentown, Anderson, Bethlehem, Easton, Monroe, Sacred Heart, and Upper Bucks campuses.

“The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade enables unprecedented transparency, driving improvements and empowering patients,” said Carl Seitz, LVBCH president. “We are proud to represent hospitals in our community who are prioritizing the safety of their patients. Our hospitals should continue to uphold high standards of patient care and safety to protect and save lives.”

Hospitals earn an “A”,“B”, “C”, “D”, or “F” Hospital Safety Grade reflecting how well they protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. These preventable errors kill an estimated 250,000 Americans every year and harm millions more, LVBCH said.

The 2023 Hospital Safety Grades incorporate hospital performance during the height of the pandemic, 2020-2022, and it suggests the average risk of three of the most harmful healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)—including Methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI)— spiked to a 5-year high in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Pennsylvania, 127 hospitals were graded, and 59 earned an “A,” 33 earned a “B,” 32 earned a “C,” 3 earned a “D,” and none earned an “F.” Overall, Pennsylvania has 46.5% “A” Hospitals and ranks 4th in the nation, improving from 40.9% and 9th in fall 2022, LVBCH said.

“Hospital safety is now more important than ever. With the increase in hospital infections during COVID-19, we know Pennsylvania hospitals are recommitting to patient safety, and we all need to reinforce the critical importance of the work,” said Amanda Greene, director of operations, LVBCH and Leapfrog Regional Leader. “The Hospital Safety Grades are an important tool that patients and families can use to make informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones when seeking care.”

Leapfrog President and CEO Leah Binder said, “In light of the alarming findings on the increase in healthcare-associated infections, we need the full commitment of hospital leadership to ensure patient safety is a priority. The COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly strained hospitals and their resources, and we now have the data to show the damage it caused.”

Despite the pandemic, Binder said, these 13 hospitals remained steadfast in their commitment to patient safety.

The Leapfrog Group has a more than 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the U.S., based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients.

Hand surgeon to professional athletes joins Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute

A hand surgeon for professional sports teams has joined Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute.

Dr. Thomas Graham has been named the first Physician in Chief of Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, one of the five health institutes of Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN).

Graham is an orthopedic hand surgeon, health care executive, author, inventor and entrepreneur who is regarded as an international thought leader in medical innovation. He has served as the hand surgery consultant, team physician or medical director for the PGA Tour and numerous professional teams in the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA. He has cared for more than 2,000 professional athletes.

“With Dr. Graham on our team, Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute will be the premier destination for care of professional athletes’ hands and wrists,” said Dr. Michael Rossi, executive vice president and chief clinical officer, LVHN. “For the people of our community, Dr. Graham’s arrival means we have a new physician at LVHN with the expertise and experience to take orthopedic care to new heights.”

Graham said, “I know what it takes to be a championship organization. LVHN and Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute have the culture to care with compassion, the sophistication to elevate outcomes, and the commitment to provide the experience patients deserve. That’s the formula for delivering destination-level care.”

As Physician in Chief, Graham will lead the development of new programs, services and technology within the Orthopedic Institute while continuing to provide patient care.

A master surgeon, Graham has extensive clinical expertise in surgery of the hand, wrist and elbow, with special concentration on complicated reconstruction after trauma, complex elbow disorders and congenital hand surgery, LVHN said.

Graham has more than three decades of experience as a physician executive at some of the nation’s largest health care systems. He was a member of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone Health, the nation’s largest collection of academic orthopedists, where he served as the director of innovation and strategy. He also was associate dean for enterprise innovation and co-directed NYU Langone Sports Health. Graham served as Cleveland Clinic’s first chief innovation officer, as well as vice chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.

Graham has more than 60 patents worldwide, including commonly used joint replacements and fracture-treatment implants for the upper extremity. His journey as an inventor is chronicled in his best-selling book “Innovation the Cleveland Clinic Way.”

Lehigh Valley Health Network makes face masks optional

Lehigh Valley Health Network has made face masks optional in all of its hospitals and health care facilities as of today.

Masks continue to be optional in non-patient care areas such as cafeterias, pharmacies, chapels and gift shops.
“For several weeks, COVID-19 cases have trended downward in the communities LVHN serves, which makes this change appropriate given the current conditions,” said Dr. Alex Benjamin, chief infection control and prevention officer, LVHN. “We will continue to monitor the number of COVID-19 cases in our community and adjust our masking policy accordingly if cases increase to protect our patients, visitors and colleagues.”
Masks will still be required for anyone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis; anyone with respiratory viral symptoms, transplant donors and recipients; patients and visitors in Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute locations, patients receiving infusion therapy, NICU visitors; and inpatient psychiatric units, LVHN said.

Anyone with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case should not be visiting LVHN sites.

LVHN’s transitional skilled unit (TSU) at Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–17th Street must follow the rules and regulations established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Therefore, masking requirements will be clearly indicated on site and will be dependent upon the presence of active COVID-19 cases on the unit.

“In these circumstances and locations, masking continues to be important because it provides an extra layer of protection from COVID–19 for our most vulnerable patients,” Benjamin said. “People who are immunocompromised or at high risk for complications from COVID-19 are always strongly encouraged to wear a mask in public.”
Benjamin said LVHN continues to urge everyone to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, meaning a person who received their primary COVID-19 vaccination series and any recommended boosters.

Partnership nets lower cost wellness services

An extended partnership with BeneFIT Corporate Wellness (BeneFIT) will provide lower cost services to members of the Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH).

LVBCH has extended its partnership with BeneFIT, a service line of Lehigh Valley Health Networks’ Populytics as Preferred Partner for Health Education.

Kristin Behler

To earn the Coalition’s Preferred Partner status, BeneFIT had to demonstrate better plan performance, pricing, or enhanced service capabilities, giving employers benefits and benefit administration options that best meet their needs.

Using a market-based approach, the coalition negotiates rates that are exclusive to its members and better than individual employers could obtain on their own, LVBCH said.

“We know that healthier employees are critical to an organization’s success, and we are pleased to be able to bring our wellness services to LVBCH members with a preferred pricing incentive,” said Kristin Behler, director, BeneFIT Health Promotion and Wellness.

“The continued relationship with BeneFIT Corporate Wellness supports our commitment to providing programs that address the needs and interests of our employer members,” said Carl Seitz, president, LVBCH. “This partnership brings exclusive health education and wellness services and discounts to LVBCH employer members.”

BeneFIT will provide LVBCH members with a free strategic wellness consultation, including a needs and interest survey, a 1-hour consultation based on the results, and an exclusive discount on additional BeneFIT services.

Some of the health promotion and wellness services BeneFIT can provide include:

Strategic wellness consultation
Health coaching
Wellness portal
Wellness challenges
Health fairs & screenings
Expert presentations

Coalition purchasing programs are available directly to employer members and through members’ consultant and broker representatives, which is an integral part of LVBCH’s membership recruitment.

Planned hospital will meet growing need for behavioral health

Lehigh Valley Health Network plans to open a new behavioral health hospital in 2025. Dr. Edward Norris, chief medical executive for behavioral and community health and chair of the department of psychiatry at LVHN told Lehigh Valley Business about the plans.

LVB: Why did LVHN decide creating a new behavioral health hospital was needed?

Norris: As the demand for behavioral health care continues to grow in our region, we are adding services to meet our community’s needs. The new facility is expected to open in 2025, and we plan to operate all of our inpatient behavioral health care departments to meet the demand for care. This new facility across the street from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg will nearly triple the number of inpatient beds available to the Lehigh Valley.

LVB: What are the needs in the behavioral health arena?

Norris: The pandemic has caused an increase in patients with behavioral health issues and also decreased the availability of community resources. According to the latest CDC pulse survey, it is estimated that 21.7% of Americans currently have depression symptoms. In Pennsylvania over that same time, the percentage was 22.8. There is a significant need for convenient access to treatment. This new behavioral health hospital will allow us to treat more patients, here at home in the Lehigh Valley.

LVB: How will this hospital complement the services LVHN already provides?

Norris: For over 50 years, the Department of Psychiatry at LVHN has cared for, comforted and healed persons in our community afflicted with mental illness. Over that time, an explosion of research has improved our delivery of service. We are able to offer children, adolescents, adults and older adults a wide array of proven therapies to soften the burden of their illness and to help them regain their joy in living. Mental health services include emergency, inpatient, partial hospital, outpatient, residential, substance use, consultation liaison and integrated behavioral health psychiatry. This new facility in Hanover Township will nearly triple the number of inpatient beds available to the Lehigh Valley.

LVB: What are some of the considerations the health network is looking at to best serve the community’s behavioral health needs?

Norris: Our annual Community Health Needs Assessments consistently reveal that access to leading-edge, convenient and compassionate behavioral health care is a top priority. Even as the largest behavioral health care provider in the Lehigh Valley, every year over 1,600 patients need to be transferred to behavioral health hospitals outside of the Lehigh Valley due to a lack of inpatient behavioral health beds. We will now be able to have patients receive the care they need here at home.

LVHN victim of ransomware attack; cancer patients photos posted

Some Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) cancer patients’ photos were posted on the dark web after the health network refused to pay a ransom to ALPHV, also known as BlackCat.

LVHN President and CEO Brian Nester said on Feb. 20 that the network found unauthorized activity on its IT system Feb. 6 and notified law enforcement.

In a statement, LVHN said it understands that BlackCat, a ransomware gang associated with Russia, has posted limited patient information on the dark web.

This stolen information includes three screenshots, which are “clinically appropriate” photographs of cancer patients receiving radiation oncology treatment at LVPG Delta Medix, as well as seven documents containing patient information.

“This unconscionable criminal act takes advantage of patients receiving cancer treatment, and LVHN condemns this despicable behavior,” the statement said.

“As we have previously shared, LVHN detected unauthorized activity within our IT system on February 6 and immediately launched an investigation, engaged leading cybersecurity firms and experts, and notified law enforcement. Our Technology team identified the unauthorized activity, which has not disrupted LVHN’s operations.”

The network is continuing its investigation and is in the process of identifying information involved in the incident.

“Based on our analysis to date, the attack was focused on the Delta Medix IT system and has had very limited impact on other LVHN IT systems. We will provide notices as required to those whose information was involved,” the statement said.

Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital expands

A ribbon cutting celebrates the addition of 20 pediatric inpatient beds at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. PHOTO/COURTESY LVHN –

Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital held a ribbon cutting celebration on Tuesday to mark the addition of 20 pediatric inpatient beds, expanding the children’s hospital’s medical-surgical inpatient capacity to 50.

The expansion reflects the growing demand for specialized pediatric care.

“The need for this expansion was emphasized during the recent surge with the increased number of patients who were admitted to our hospital with respiratory illnesses,” said J. Nathan Hagstrom, MD, physician-in-chief of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. “There is a real need for additional pediatric beds in our community and we are thrilled to expand access to families in our region.”

The 50 inpatient pediatric beds are complemented by other pediatric services at Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital including 12 observation beds situated next to the 25-bed children’s emergency room, a 12-bed pediatric intensive care unit and a 40-bed neonatal intensive care unit. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by pediatric specialists and hospitalists who have expert training to care for the unique needs of sick and injured children.

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