Care where it’s needed: Geisinger’s northeast region

There’s no place quite like NEPA. The region’s history of coal mining still influences a powerful work ethic. Community is everything. And cultural traditions endure, reflected in festivals, language and food.

Geisinger, created just outside this special spot, has worked to respect northeastern Pennsylvania’s unique aspects while becoming a trusted health partner in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, across the Poconos and within the area’s patchwork of rural townships and small communities.

The counties’ diversity, with 2 urban centers and vast rural areas, presents opportunities and challenges. Hospitals in the cities put great care close to home for many, but Geisinger also takes seriously its responsibility to serve everyone. That means making sure clinics, outreach and the latest technology for telehealth and information-sharing are up to date and widely available.

The area’s population is aging, and some health issues, such as diabetes and certain cancers, are persistent. Physician and nursing shortages are problems Geisinger and local leaders are working to address. And we have a special mission to provide sensitive, accessible care for pockets of non-English speakers.

Caring for a place as special as NEPA requires careful consideration, thoughtful use of resources and people who look ahead to address looming problems before they grow. Fortunately, Geisinger is here for the long haul and committed to listening and collaborating with everyone who calls this place home.

Two cities, two top-notch hospitals

Those outside the region might conflate Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. But the cities are independent, different and each deserving of a great hospital that meets local needs.

In the early 1980s, Geisinger joined with other Luzerne County hospitals to form a more efficient, stronger healthcare hub: Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre. Recently, the hospital earned 5 stars on Forbes’ ranking of U.S. general acute care hospitals, and a $900 million investment will nearly double its size and improve its services.

The merger of Geisinger and Scranton’s Community Medical Center in 2012, creating Geisinger Community Medical Center, brought a new investment in neurosciences, cardiovascular care and other specialties to the city and surrounding communities.

The hospital has been recognized by Healthgrades^® as 1 of America’s 250 Best Hospitals^™ for overall care, ranking it among the top 5% of hospitals nationally in hospital-wide performance. Geisinger Community Medical Center also received Clinical Excellence Awards in 4 specialties:

• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Pulmonary care
• Critical care

In recent years, Geisinger has invested nearly $50 million in Lackawanna County, expanding emergency care, diagnostic capabilities and patient transport.

School’s in session here

Geisinger embraces NEPA’s homegrown, can-do spirit regarding education. The region is home base for Geisinger College of Health Sciences, which includes Geisinger School of Medicine, created by local leaders and folded into the system to strengthen its curriculum and reputation.

The Medical Sciences Building is a gorgeous showpiece in downtown Scranton, but what takes place inside is most important. The curriculum is heavily focused on training primary care doctors who will stay and practice locally to address a physician shortage, just as the school’s founders intended.

Recently, the school reached a milestone, 1,000 alumni, including graduates of the Abigail Geisinger Scholars program who commit to returning to practice here in exchange for financial support.

Powerful cancer treatment, tender care

In 1992, a transformative gift allowed the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center at Geisinger Wyoming Valley to start providing comprehensive care to NEPA patients. And it’s still going strong.

Geisinger has built upon that initial investment with an $80 million expansion in 2021 and a 2023 update of the facility’s comprehensive breast center, again undertaken with strong donor support. Updates include a larger, more comfortable infusion center, more space for oncology services and an 18-bed inpatient unit for treatment of complex blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. Another 2025 expansion in Dickson City makes cancer care even easier to reach.