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Honorees rank in the top 10 percent in patient experience nationally

DANVILLE, Pa. – More than 130 Geisinger caregivers were honored for being named “the best” by the patients they serve. 

Geisinger recognized providers –  including physicians, physician assistants and certified registered nurse practitioners –  for ranking in the top 10 percent in patient experience nationally at the health system’s annual Top Patient Experience Clinicians Awards Dinner. 

“Our business is the business of caring for people,” said Geisinger President and CEO David T. Feinberg, M.D., MBA. “The providers we honored are those who come to work every day and deliver the highest quality, the most compassionate, the most culturally sensitive care. Their focus, their true north, is on our patients.” 

Among the 139 clinicians honored, three were spotlighted for exemplary work – receiving established Geisinger awards for going above and beyond when it comes to compassionate patient care.

Michael A. Kovalick, D.O., family medicine physician, Geisinger Dallas, and Kathleen Marie Noss, D.O., pediatrician, Geisinger Partners in Pediatrics Pittston, received the Victor J. Marks Award for best Primary Care and Outpatient Specialty physician, respectively. The award was established in 2002 to honor Dr. Victor Marks, who served as Geisinger’s interim CEO from 2000 to 2001, and his commitment to making patients the primary focus of the health system. Recipients of the award are identified by patients as “the best of our best.”

Amy J. Patynski, certified physician assistant, Geisinger Medical Center, received the Christina Appleman Award, given to Geisinger’s advanced practitioner achieving the highest overall care provider score on the patient satisfaction survey. The award is named in honor of Christina Appleman, certified registered nurse practitioner, and is given to the advanced practitioner for achieving the highest overall care provider section score for the system.

Providers were identified for the honor by results of patient satisfaction surveys. Clinicians were compared to more than 80,000 providers throughout the country that use Press Ganey surveys. 

Locally, the 90th percentile Geisinger winners are as follows:

Central:
Houssam Abdul Al, M.D., Internal Medicine
Christina Appleman, CRNP, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Thomas Balz, M.D., Internal Medicine
Bertrand Behm, M.D., Internal Med-Hospice & Palliative
Thomas Bowen, M.D., Surgery, Orthopedic
Judith Bianchi Bowser, O.D., Ophthalmology
Greg Burke, M.D., Internal Medicine
Stacy Conway, O.D., Ophthalmology
Elisabeth Culver, CMN, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Kathryn Dehart, M.D., Pediatrics
Michael Dubartell, M.D., Family Medicine
Birgit Dugan, CMN, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Tammie Ferringer, M.D., Dermatology
Henry Fesniak, M.D., Cardiovascular Disease
Gary Fisher, D.O., Radiation Oncology
David Fisk, M.D., Pulmonary Disease
Dean Focht, M.D., Pediatric Gastroenterology
Michael Garcia, CRNP, Urgent Care
Janine Gerringer, CRNP, Cardiovascular Disease
Radhika Gogoi, M.D., Gynecological Oncology
Christopher Good, D.O., Cardiovascular Disease
Thomas Harrington, M.D., Rheumatology
Kevin Ho, M.D., Nephrology
Allison Buza Holmes, D.O., Family Medicine
Dawn Hornberger, CRNP, Endocrinology
Eric Hossler, M.D., Dermatology
Jennifer Hosterman, D.O., Gastroenterology
Lynn Hunter, CRNP, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Herbert Ingraham, M.D., Ophthalmology
James Joseph, M.D., Family Medicine
Patricia Kane, D.O., Pediatrics
Terrah Keck Kester, M.D., Pediatrics
Angela Klock, CMN, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Jennifer Koehler, PA-C, Surgery, Plastic
Erin Kohrherr, PA-C, Urgent Care
James Langon, M.D., Family Medicine
Rosemary Leeming, M.D., Surgery, General
Katelin Malishchak, PA-C, Urgent Care
Robert Mangano, M.D., Pediatric Cardiology
Victor Marks, M.D., Dermatology
Victor Marks, M.D., Dermatology
Michele Maroon, M.D., Dermatology
Shannon Mcshea, PA-C, Gastroenterology
Robert Meloy, M.D., Internal Medicine
O. Fred Miller, M.D., Dermatology
William Mirenda, M.D., Orthopedic Surgery, Ped
Brian Monroe, M.D., Anesthesiology, Pain Management
Christen Mowad, M.D., Dermatology
Scott Myers, M.D., Neurology, Child
Eric Newman, M.D., Rheumatology
Matthew Palmer, M.D., Dermatology
Lori Parke, CRNP, Maternal & Fetal Medicine
Amy Patynski, PA-C, Orthopedic Surgery, Spine Injury
Carlos Perez, M.D., Pediatric Pulmonology
Patricia Porter, CRNP, Endocrinology
Jennifer Potter, D.O., Pediatrics
John Quick, M.D., Anesthesiology
Marylou Rainone, D.O., Surgery, General
Wells Reinheimer, D.O., Ophthalmology
Amie Renninger Nowlin, PA-C, Neurology, Child
David Rolston, M.D., Internal Medicine
Dana Rubin, PA-C, Surgery, Plastic
Mark Seeley, M.D., Surgery, Orthopedic
Keith Shalongo, O.D., Ophthalmology
Matthew Shellenberger, D.O., Gastroenterology
Dennis Smith, M.D., Cardiovascular Disease
Natalie Stinton, DMD, Dental
Emily Szmal, D.O., Pediatrics
Dennis Torretti, M.D., Rheumatology
Stacy Trovitch, CRNP, Pediatric Endocrinology
Monisa Wagner, PA-C, Neurology, Child
Bonnie Young, CRNP, Cardiology (Interventional)
Kathya Zinszer, D.P.M., Podiatry

Northeastern:
Christian Adonizio, M.D., Oncology, Medical
Joseph Bannon, M.D., Surgery, General
Christine Cabell, M.D., Dermatology
Stephanie Cabello, M.D., Internal Medicine
Fernando Carlos, M.D., Pediatrics
Jose Castillo, M.D., Oncology, Medical
Angela Deantonio, M.D., Internal Med, Sleep Med
Jean Torello Denion, PA-C, Urgent Care
Timothy Farrell, M.D., Surgery, General
Marcel Favetta, M.D., Obstetrics/Gynecology
John Gardner, M.D., Family Medicine
Caroline Derichemond, CRNP, Cardiovascular Disease
Megan Harris, PA-C, Dermatology
Loraine Heller, D.O., Urgent Care
Christopher Holtz, D.O., Pediatrics
Megan Kelly, PA-C, Urgent Care
James Klena, M.D., Surgery, Thoracic
David Kolessar, M.D., Orthopedic Surgery, Adult Reconst
Michael Kovalick, D.O., Family Medicine
Kara Levandoski, PA-C, Cardiovascular Disease
Paul Long, M.D., Dermatology
Laura Lunger, CRNP, Urgent Care
Karen Lurito, M.D., Pediatric Cardiology
Richard Martin, M.D., Family Medicine
William Mclaughlin, D.O., Ophthalmology
Justine Metcho, D.P.M., Podiatry
Kathleen Noss, D.O., Pediatrics
Frank Olshemski, M.D., Family Medicine
Charlea Pedro, CRNP, Urgent Care
Sandra Pensieri, D.P.M., Podiatry
Dwaraki Penugonda, M.D., Pediatrics
Lori Pietrowski, CRNP, Urgent Care
Gloria Pombo, PA-C, Urgent Care
Bogdan Protyniak, M.D., Surgery, Colon & Rectal
Kimberly Reed, PA-C, Gastroenterology
Katlyn Rushing, PA-C, Urgent Care
Jamian Ryan, D.O., Pediatrics
Jennifer Salvo, PA-C, Urgent Care
Maria Alexies Samonte, M.D., Pediatrics
Joseph Schulz, D.O., Surgery, General
Cassandra Tunis, D.O., Family Medicine
Daniel Upton, M.D., Ophthalmology
Sarah Vidumsky, PA-C, Urgent Care
Anthony Villarosa, M.D., Cardiovascular Disease
Gehred Wetzel, D.O., Obstetrics/Gynecology
Sarah Worsnick, PA-C, Cardiovascular Disease

Southcentral:
Jeneal Guise, CRNP, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Kelli Scurfield, PA-C, Surgery, General
John Snoke, D.O., Family Medicine
Jennifer Still, M.D., Pediatrics
Melissa Wolfe, PA-C, Neurology

Western:
Stacey Blazina, D.O., Pediatrics
Mary Callahan, M.D., Family Medicine
David Coggins, M.D., Pediatrics
Irphan Gaslightwala, M.D, .Gastroenterology
John Getz, PA-C, Family Medicine
Sheldon Henry, M.D., Cardiovascular Disease
Stacy Klepeiss, M.D., Dermatology
Laura Kopinski, D.O., Family Medicine
Kimberly Manganaro, M.D., Family Medicine
Deanna Martin, PA-C, Pediatrics
Desiree Mingear, PA-C, Family Medicine
Brett Oesterling, M.D., Family Medicine
Jennifer Penland, PA-C, Urgent Care
Lorraine Rosamilia M.D., Dermatology
Michelle Thal, PA-C, Allergy & Immunology

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation’s leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the nonprofit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 126 care sites — including 10 hospital campuses — and Geisinger Health Plan, with more than half a million members in commercial and government plans. Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 5,000 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,700 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania’s largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $15 billion to the state’s economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

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Dr. Michael A. Kovalick
Dr. Michael A. Kovalick, family medicine physician at Geisinger Dallas, receives the Victor J. Marks Award for best primary care physician.
Dr. Kathleen Marie Noss
Dr. Kathleen Marie Noss, pediatrician at Geisinger Partners in Pediatrics Pittston, receives the Victor J. Marks Award for best outpatient specialty physician.
Dr. Amy J. Patynski
Amy J. Patynski, certified physician assistant at Geisinger Medical Center, receives the Christina Appleman Award.

For media inquiries :

Joseph Stender
Senior Marketing Strategist

570-271-6968
jhstender@geisinger.edu
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