Geisinger providers honored for high patient-satisfaction scores

DANVILLE, Pa. – Geisinger recently honored 170 caregivers for earning high marks from their patients, according to national surveys. 

Geisinger providers – including physicians, physician assistants and certified registered nurse practitioners – were recognized for ranking in the top 10 percent in patient experience nationally at the health system’s annual Top Patient Experience Clinicians Awards Dinner. Scores were based on Press Ganey survey results, which gives patients an opportunity to grade the service and care they received from a provider.

“Making health easier for our patients starts with the amazing providers who work every day to bring world-class care to the communities we serve,” said Jaewon Ryu, M.D., J.D., Geisinger president and CEO. “To receive such overwhelming feedback from our patients is the highest honor these fantastic providers could receive.”

Among the 170 clinicians honored, three were spotlighted for exemplary work, receiving Geisinger awards for going above and beyond when it comes to compassionate patient care.

Michael Kovalick, D.O., family medicine physician at Geisinger Dallas clinic, and Timothy J. Farrell, M.D., general surgeon at Geisinger Community Medical Center, 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.”

Melissa Laporte, CNRP, endocrinology at Geisinger Scranton, received the Christina Appleman Award. 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 89,000 providers throughout the country that use Press Ganey surveys. 

The 90th percentile Geisinger winners are:

Central region:
Mohammad Akhtar, MD, Gastroenterology
Madiha Alvi, MD, Endocrinology  
Christina Appleman, CRNP, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Thomas Balz, MD, Internal Medicine
Rebecca Beichner, MD, Family Medicine
Maria Bermudez, MD, Nephrology
Anthony Billas, MD, Family Medicine
Ion Dan Bucaloiu, MD, Nephrology
Greg Burke, MD, Internal Medicine
David Connuck, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
Rebecca Costa, PA-C, Gastroenterology
Thomas Davis, MD, Internal Medicine
Joseph Desantis, MD, Plastic Surgery
Jessica Diehl, PA-C, Family Medicine
Sanjay Doddamani, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
Michael Dubartell, MD, Family Medicine
Maurice Earley, OD, Optometry
Amy Everett, DO, Pediatrics
Matthew Facktor, MD, Thoracic Surgery
Henry Fesniak, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
David Fisk, MD, Pulmonary Disease
Brant Fulmer, MD, Urology
Keith Gibson, MD, Family Medicine
Julie Hamilton, PA-C, Family Medicine
Thomas Harrington, MD, Rheumatology
Cassie Harshberger, PA-C, Hematology
James Hartle, MD, Nephrology
Darlene Haupt, DO, Family Medicine
Thea Hess, CRNP, Sleep Medicine
Michael Higgins, OD, Optometry
Eric Hossler, MD, Dermatology
Ashley Hubal, PA-C, Dermatology  
Herbert Ingraham, MD, Ophthalmology
Joel Klena, MD, Orthopedic Surgery
Cynthia Kline, CRNP, Cardiovascular Disease
Benjamin Kuhn, DO, Pediatric Gastroenterology
Rosemary Leeming, MD, General Surgery
Timothy Lindemann, MD, Otolaryngology
Joseph Lynch, MD, Medical Oncology
Brianna Maciejewski, PA-C, General Surgery
Michael Marino, DO, Sleep Medicine
Victor Marks, MD, Dermatology
Michele Maroon, MD, Dermatology
Matthew Mcelroy, DO, Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine
Shannon Mcshea, PA-C, Gastroenterology
Robert Meloy, MD, Internal Medicine
Karen Mettler, CRNP, Ortho Surg, Sports Med
Fred Miller, MD, Dermatology
Brian Monroe, MD, Anesthesiology, Pain Management
Anne Marie Morse, DO, Neurology
Christen Mowad, MD, Dermatology
Jess Oren, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
Mayur Patel, MD, Oncology, Medical
Amy Patynski, PA-C, Orthopaedic Surgery, Spine Injury
Mary Petrick, MD, Dermatology
Howard Pride, MD, Dermatology
Richard Prisuta, DO, Family Medicine
John Ramey, MD, Urology
Heather Rocha, MS, Genetics
David Rolston, MD, Internal Medicine
Elizabeth Scott, CRNP, Cardiovascular Disease
Mark Seeley, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery
Keith Shalongo, OD, Optometry
Matthew Shellenberger, DO, Gastroenterology
Ashlee Smith, DO, Gynecological Oncology
Robert Smith, MD, Gastroenterology
Randle Storm, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
Allen Strickler, MD, Dermatology
Alexis Svokos, MD, Obstetrics/Gynecology

North-Central region:
John Burns, MD, Gastroenterology    
Robert Donato, DO, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Daniel Freshour, PA-C, Careworks
Duran Macnamara, PA-C, Family Medicine
John Pellegrino, DO, Family Medicine
Jessica Zozos-Stehman, PA-C, Obstetrics/Gynecology

Northeast region:
Mouhammed Abuattieh, MD, PhD, Ophthalmology
Paul Arkless, MD, Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine
Nicole Balchune, DO, Family Medicine
Joseph Bannon, MD, Surgery, General
Barry Bernstein, DPM, Podiatry
Pranjal Boruah, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
James Brady, MD, Hematology
Laurie Campfield, DO, Pediatrics
Karen Carbaugh, CNM, Maternal & Fetal Medicine
Fernando Carlos, MD, Pediatrics
Brooke Casey, PA-C, Surgery, Plastic
Jose Castillo, MD, Oncology, Medical
Aliasgar Chittalia, MD, Internal Medicine
Stacy Conway, OD, Ophthalmology
Lia Crispell, CRNP, Careworks
Karla Dalious, PA-C, Careworks
Kelly Dalton, OD, Optometry
Timothy Farrell, MD, Surgery, General
Jennifer Gell, MD, Reproductive Endo/Infertility
Megan Harris, PA-C, Dermatology
Christopher Holtz, DO, Pediatrics
Nicholas Ierovante, DO, Cardiology/Interventional
Kimberly Kaminsky, PA-C, Careworks
Katrina Kincel, PA-C, General Surgery
Michael Kovalick, DO, Family Medicine
Matthew Kozma, DO, Family Medicine
Gerald Lacey, PA-C, Cardiovascular Disease
Melissa Laporte, CRNP, Endocrinology
Salvatore Lawrence, MD, Internal Medicine
Gary Lawrence, MD, Pediatrics
Paul Long, MD, Dermatology
Karen Lurito, MD, Pediatric Cardiology
Jessica Manzolillo, PA-C, Careworks
Richard Martin, MD, Family Medicine
Vernon Mascarenhas, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
Sandeep Mehrok, MD, Family Medicine
Angela Munley, CRNP, Careworks
Ryan Ness, MD, Anesthesiology, Pain Management
Hans Olsen, MD, Ortho Surg, Sports Med
Charlea Pedro, CRNP, Careworks
Sandra Pensieri, DPM, Podiatry
Joanne Petro, PA-C, Careworks
John Prater, MD, Family Medicine
Guillermo Rodriguez, MD, Family Medicine
Christopher Sanders, MD, Surgery, Plastic
Alessandro Smeraldi, MD, Surgery, Vascular
Meghan Susek, DPM, Podiatry
Justin Tunis, MD, Ortho Surg, Sports Med
Daniel Upton, MD, Ophthalmology
Gregory Weiner, MD, Surgery, Neurological
Mary Wolf, PA-C, Oncology, Medical
Jason Woloski, MD, Family Medicine
Sarah Worsnick, PA-C, Cardiovascular Disease

Schuylkill County:
Benjamin Darhun, MD, Family Medicine
Pamela Gressens, CRNP, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Elyssa Johnson, PA-C, Family Medicine  
Marylou Rainone, DO, General Surgery

South-Central region:
Salina Bari, DO, Careworks
Christina Basonic, CRNP, Cardiovascular Disease
Julia Deputy, PA-C, Pulmonary Disease
Safwat Gassis, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
Christine Cimo-Hemphill, MD, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Alexandar Jerev, MD, Family Medicine
Robert Matsko, DO, Family Medicine
Christine Myers, CRNP, Endocrinology
Kelli Scurfield, PA-C, General Surgery
Jennifer Still, MD, Pediatrics
Melissa Wolfe, PA-C, Neurology
Roderick Zickler, MD, Plastic Surgery

Western region:
James Bradbury, DO, Cardiovascular Disease
Mary Callahan, MD, Family Medicine
Laurie Cox, MD, Family Medicine
Joanna Gunnett, CRNP, Pulmonary Disease
Sheldon Henry, MD, Cardiovascular Disease
Stacy Klepeiss, MD, Dermatology
Chelsi Kremser, PA-C, Family Medicine
Jody Mchail, CRNP, Obstetrics/Gynecology
Desiree Mingear, PA-C, Family Medicine
Jessie Mosley, DO, Family Medicine
Shane Newhouser, DO, Family Medicine
Adam Norfolk, PA-C, Orthopaedic Surgery
Lorraine Rosamilia, MD, Dermatology
Abbey Solt, PA-C, Family Medicine
Michelle Thal, PA-C, Allergy & Immunology
Kimberly Williams, PA-C, Family Medicine

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.