In a recorded press conference, Shannon Vinciguerra, executive director at Lifecycle WomanCare, 918 County Line Road, said they also held a roundtable discussion with state officials as part of the tour.

“Today’s roundtable discussion is an opportunity to explore ways to improve the birthing experience and outcomes for individuals in our community and, especially, with a focus on the unique challenges for medical recipients and people of color,” Vinciguerra said. “We are excited to collaborate today with our esteemed guest and leverage our collective experience to further enhance maternal health in Pennsylvania.”

According to a press release issued following their news conference, maternal health is a national concern, with the rate of pregnancy-associated deaths and serious medical conditions during delivery on the rise in recent years.

“In 2020, there were 83 pregnancy-associated deaths per 100,000 live births occurred in Pennsylvania. Complications during labor and delivery are also a concern in Pennsylvania, with 89 hospitalizations per 10,000 deliveries taking place between 2016 and 2022. black women are nearly two times more likely to die or experience unexpected complications during pregnancy or in the first year after pregnancy, or have a serious health condition during delivery,” according to their press release.

During the press conference, Bogen said that in his first year in office, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed Act 5 into law, ensuring improved access to information or data on maternal health and maternal mortality.

“As a practicing pediatrician, I saw the interconnectedness of maternal, child, and family health and wellness every day. Every death of a new mother impacts their entire community, and this continues to disproportionately impact black mothers in Pennsylvania and across the country,” Bogen said. “We must do everything we can to ensure that pregnancy and postpartum are as safe and healthy as possible for all women and their families; that’s why the Shapiro-Davis administration is committed to tackling maternal health issues and investing in solutions to help women across the commonwealth.”

According to information provided after the press conference, the state Department of Health uses current funding to support organizations and local coalitions implementing Maternal Mortality Review Committee recommendations, focusing on better coordination of physical and behavioral health care and social services.

The DOH aims to support programs that specifically address black maternal health so that investments are made to eliminate the disparities in maternal health outcomes.

They also cited the 2023-24 budget, crediting Shapiro with securing $2.3 million to implement recommendations for preventing maternal mortality. The 2024-25 proposed budget provides an additional $2.6 million to address and prevent maternal mortality, especially among black mothers.

That budget will be the topic of talks between Republicans and Democrats during June.

The DOH accepted applications through April for $1.8 million in grants for community-based organizations to develop and lead regional coalitions to select and implement recommendations from the 2024 Pennsylvania Maternal Mortality Review Committee report to improve maternal health locally.

“As an obstetric anesthesiologist, I’ve seen first-hand the necessity of holistic care and support networks that help mothers and their newborns through this consequential time. The Shapiro-Davis administration is committed to working with maternal health providers, advocates, and people with lived experience to help ease barriers to care, so all Pennsylvanians can get the care they need,” Arkoosh said. “This is how we shift the unacceptable trends in maternal morbidity and mortality to save lives and give mothers and their newborns the support and optimistic future they deserve.”

Additional maternal health achievements include launching the new Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Division of Maternal Health, which supports the administration of the Maternal Mortality committee.

In October, Shapiro signed state Sen. Judy Schwank’s Senate Bill 262 into law that is designed to give improved access to timely data on maternal health and maternal mortality in Pennsylvania, allowing researchers, doctors, and policymakers to make more informed decisions about medical care for moms and families.

That bill amended the Maternal Mortality Review Act to require the health department to annually publish severe maternal morbidity data using hospital discharge data obtained from the PA Health Care Cost Containment Council to protect women’s health and deliver more transparency into the causes of maternal mortality, especially among black mothers.

“It’s a bold vision of a future where older adults can age with dignity and independence with the supports they need in order to succeed,” said Shapiro.

The fifth oldest state in the country, Pennsylvania has seen a rapid growth in its senior population, expected to reach 3.8 million, or 1 in 3 Pennsylvania residents, by 2030. The trend prompted the state to develop a strategic plan to address the needs of the growing population, said Kevin Hancock, project manager for the program.

“This shift requires significant changes to the commonwealth’s infrastructure and the service system to reflect the needs and preferences of this growing population and to support the older adults’ health and quality of life,” said Hancock.

The plan is a culmination of a year-long collaborative effort by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging, which received input from more than 20,000 seniors, community members and caregivers at more than 200 listening tours as well as a number of stakeholders, including 29 state agencies, Pennsylvania’s network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), the Pennsylvania AARP and local leaders.

“We built this plan with input from older adults, caregivers and a bunch of very smart and frank people who told us what they thought was needed to improve Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and service system,” said Hancock.

“We are talking about people who we know have worked hard to save and retire,” said Kavulich. “Now they need an investment in the infrastructure that will keep them from having to seek more costly service interventions.”

The plan promises to streamline and bolster the senior service system, with priorities of unlocking access, aging in community, gateways to independence, caregiver supports and education and navigation. Included in the publication unveiled Friday are strategies to improve access to long-term care, health care support, financial services, digital literacy, transportation, food and housing.

“In the past, the commonwealth invested some money, but it was all scattered around state government,” said Shapiro. “Now, it’s under one roof, under one plan, and we have a clear direction on how we’re gonna deliver that help.”

Jennifer Haeussler-Barnhart, Montgomery County Office of Senior Services Administrator, said that the plan will provide a crucial lifeline to low-income seniors.

“Poverty is an issue our office grapples with daily,” said Haeussler-Barnhart. “Over 19,000 older adults are struggling to pay for basics like food and housing, let alone transportation, utilities, medical bills and other expenses. They need the safety net that Aging Our Way offers.”

Shapiro’s 2024-2025 budget proposal includes $11.7 million to implement the plan, with a $10 million funding boost for AAAs, increased funding for caregivers and a new Alzheimer’s Disease division in the Department of Aging. Shapiro said that the state’s $14 billion surplus calls for greater investments in senior services.

“Now is the time to invest,” said Shapiro. “As we see one in every three Pennsylvanians at the end of this decade be a senior, we can look them in the eye and say, ‘We did right by you’.’’

State Sen. Maria Collett and state Rep. Steve Malagari touted their firm support for the plan and urged their fellow lawmakers to approve it.

“It’s up to us in the legislature to pass a budget that shows older and disabled Pennsylvanians that they are truly valued,” said Collett. “Let’s put our money where our mouth is and get this across the finish line.”

Rabies is one of the most serious diseases wild mammals can harbor and transmit to humans, and it can be lethal.

“Rabies is a virus of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) that can affect any mammal and is widespread throughout Pennsylvania,” according to the Pennsylvania’s website guide to foodborne and animal-transmitted illnesses. “Rabies is a great public health concern because it can be transmitted to humans by the bite of infected animals and is nearly 100% fatal without post-exposure treatment.”

Rabies only affects mammals: warm-blooded animals, which includes humans. Birds, snakes, and fish are not mammals and therefore cannot get rabies or give it to humans.

Sgt. Shawna M. Burkett, game warden group supervisor for the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s southeast region, says the best plan is not to have any interaction with wildlife if it can be avoided.

That’s not always possible, as Hersheypark opening day attendees recently found out. A raccoon caused a stir when it wandered into the line of people waiting to board a roller coaster on March 29, 2024. It became frightened according to video of the incident posted April 4 by TMZ and then appeared to attack the shoe of a girl.

Two people were taken to a hospital for observation after injuries that were “generally consistent with scratches from an animal” according to Quinn Bryner, director of public relations at Hersheypark.

“There has been no indication that rabies was implicated in the incident at Hersheypark,” Bryner responded when asked if any raccoons had been destroyed since the incident.

The raccoon shown in the video was not captured and was not tested for rabies.

Rabies prevalence

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Bureau of Animal Health & Diagnostic Services statistics, there were 252 confirmed cases of rabies in Pennsylvania in 2023.

“Rabies detections in PA wild mammals have been fairly consistent over the years; I cannot point to any significant trends over the last five years that deviate from expectations,” said Dr. Andrew Di Salvo, a wildlife veterinarian who is the wildlife health division chief for the Pennsylvania Game Commission. “Raccoons consistently have the most rabies detections, followed by skunks, fox, and bats (not always in that order). We occasionally see detections in other wild mammals, like groundhogs/woodchucks, bear, bobcat, and deer.”

The species that tested positive for rabies most often in Pennsylvania in 2023 was raccoons, with 102 cases. The second highest number of cases was detected in bats, with 61, then cats came in at third with 40 cases, foxes in fourth with 19 and skunks in fifth with 14.

The southeast region of PGC, which is comprised of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties had the highest concentration of rabies cases.

Philadelphia County had the most cases with 17, followed by Lancaster with 16,  Montgomery with 12, Chester with 12, Berks with 10, Delaware with nine, Dauphin with nine, Bucks with six, Lehigh and Northampton counites with five. Lebanon county had two confirmed cases, while Schuylkill had just one.

It is important to note that animals are not tested for rabies unless there has been human contact. There is no way to test a live animal for rabies. It must be euthanized and a sample of its brain tissue must be tested the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnositic Laboratory System states.

“People try to help and they end up not helping the outcome they would like,” Burkett, who has been a game warden for 12 years, said.

When humans interact with wildlife, it can end up in the death of the animal, even if it does not have rabies.

“I found that of the 86,676 calls that were logged by officers across the state last year, there were 1,147 dealing with a potential human contact rabies case, and an additional 181 with domestic animals,” Burkett wrote in an email. “We handled 1,621 other calls dealing with small animals that were not listed as a human exposure. Basically some of those 1,621 could have been injured by a car, or sick but not tested, etc.”

The state says the last case of rabies diagnosed in a human was in 1984.

According to a March 8, 2023 article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medicine Association, Texas (with 456), Virginia (297), Pennsylvania (287), North Carolina (248), New York (237), California (220) and New Jersey (201) accounted for more than 50% of all rabies cases reported in 2021 in the United States.

That report also says there were five human rabies deaths in 2021 in the U.S.

The World Health Organization says dogs are the main source of rabies deaths worldwide.

A 2018 photograph of a young gray fox. (JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Signs of rabies in animals

Knowing what signs may indicate an animal is infected with rabies is key to avoiding contracting it.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, signs of rabies in animals include: fearfulness, aggression, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, paralysis and seizures.

“In my professional experience — I have not encountered a rabid animal off duty — professionally usually what happens is the citizen will call and say that an animal is acting sickly or it doesn’t look right, is not responsive maybe,” Burkett, a Bethlehem resident, said. “So game wardens will report to that area and they will assess the situation. Rabies can’t be detected unless we submit the brain of an animal to a lab. We have a pretty good idea if the animal is sick and needs to be euthanized.”

She noted there are two different presentations of rabies: furious and paralytic. The paralytic form is also referred to as “dumb” rabies.

The furious form of rabies is what people may think of most often: aggression, excessive salivation because the swallowing muscles are affected (can create the appearance of foaming at the mouth), fear of water, fear of air being blown in the face, fever and losing fear of humans according to The Cleveland Clinic. In the paralytic form, animals and humans will have a fever, neck stiffness, weakness, paralysis and coma.

“I would say most of the animals we encounter as wardens are going to be the paralytic variety,” Burkett said. “Very rarely have I seen a situation where it is furious rabies. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve experienced that and I can tell you that it is incredibly scary for the people that have experienced that.”

Seeing an animal out during the day that is normally seen at night, such as a coyote or fox, is not necessarily a sign of rabies, but if it approaches a human or another animal, that is when to be alarmed.

A July 25, 2022, attack of a woman by a rabid gray fox in Caroline, New York, was caught on video and the small mammal was relentless. The video and an interview with the victim, Sherri Russo, appeared on “Inside Edition.”

Seeing a bat on the ground or inside a home may be an indication of rabies or if one is very active during daylight hours.

A 2010 study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s National Library of Medicine indicated aggression was the top symptom observed by people in coyotes that were found positive for rabies.

How do you get rabies?

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offered the most concise list of methods humans contract rabies.

• A direct bite from a contagious rabid mammal.

•  A scratch from a rabid mammal that breaks the skin.

•  Saliva or neural tissue from a contagious rabid animal contacting an open wound or break in the skin.

•  Saliva or neural tissue from a contagious rabid animal contacting mucus membranes such as the eyes, nose or mouth.

What to do if you suspect an animal has rabies

If you have been bitten by an animal you believe may have been rabid, call the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-PA HEALTH. Responses are provided seven days a week. Wash the bite area immediately with soap and water.

If a sick animal is encountered, as Burkett suggested, stay away from it and keep pets away from it.

“If you must touch it, you must wear gloves,” Burkett said. “Call us first or a wildlife rehabber so we can give proper guidance. Any mammal is a potential threat to a person.”

Even if a person does not have direct contact with a suspected rabid animal, a human could potentially contract it from a vaccinated pet who tangled with a rabid animal. As an example, Burkett said if a dog got saliva from a rabid animal on its coat and the owner pets or checks the dog and gets the saliva on a hand and then touches their eye, the disease could be transmitted.

“We can’t make a determination if a person has been exposed or not, but in my experience, I err on the side of caution,” she said and advised anyone with a concern to seek advice of a health professional on receiving post-exposure rabies vaccines.

Resources

Pennsylvania Game Commission centralized dispatch center: 833-PGC-HUNT (833-742-4868) or 833-PGC-WILD (833-742-9453)

Pennsylvania Association of Wildlife Rehabilitators website: www.pawr.com

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture: 610-489-1003 x118

Pennsylvania Department of Health: 877-PAHEALTH

Bucks County Health Department: 215-345-3336

Chester County Health Department: 610-344-6452

Delaware County Health Department Wellness Line: 484-276-2100

Montgomery County Office of Public Health: 610-278-5117

LVHN and Jefferson said they signed a definitive agreement to combine, making official a December nonbinding letter of intent to create an integrated care delivery system. Under the terms of the agreement, the systems will integrate clinical care, operations and their respective identities.

The resulting new system would result in a network with a national research university, an expanded not-for-profit health plan, 30 hospitals, more than 700 outpatient sites and more than 62,000 employees across eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Annual revenue would be estimated between $12 billion and $14 billion.

The deal is expected to be completed this summer, pending final reviews and execution of closing conditions, according to a news release from LVHN.

“We are delighted to take this next step toward combining with Lehigh Valley Health Network — it is the future, not only for our organizations but also for care in our region,” said Dr. Joseph G. Cacchione, CEO of Jefferson. “Through our integrated operating model, the combined organization will provide the communities we serve access to the highest quality care, the benefits of continuous research and innovation, a network of specialists, clinical trials and so much more, while also building an organization that prioritizes health through value-based care.”

Upon the closing of the transaction, Cacchione will continue to serve as CEO of the Jefferson enterprise. Dr. Brian A. Nester, president and CEO of LVHN, will serve as executive vice president under Cacchione and as president and chief operating officer of “the legacy Lehigh Valley Health Network.” Jefferson’s Dr. Baligh R. Yehia will also serve as an executive vice president under Cacchione but will hold the roles of chief transformation officer and president of “the legacy Jefferson Health.”

The newly integrated board of trustees and leadership team will be comprised of members from both systems. Both Jefferson and LVHN will continue to operate as independent entities until the combination process ends, the health networks said.

“We at LVHN are really excited about this. It’s a manifestation of about a year’s worth of work,” Nester said Wednesday. “It started with simple conversations around managed care and what we can do to better serve Medicare and Medicaid population in our region and it evolved into this a true merger of two great organizations. We will be just as dedicated to our hometown as we always were but have even greater capabilities to serve our communities.”

LVHN and Jefferson have said that one of the biggest changes for the Lehigh Valley that will come out of the merger will be the introduction of Jefferson Health Plans, Jefferson’s noncommercial insurance marketplace. Jefferson Health plans offers Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Affordable Care Act Marketplace and CHIP plans. The CEOs of both networks said the program would improve care for underserved populations and reduce the cost of care.

LVHN traces its start to 1899 when Allentown Hospital opened at 17th and Chew streets. The health network’s flagship location on Cedar Crest Boulevard in Salisbury Township opened in 1974 as a joint venture between Allentown and Sacred Heart hospitals. Sacred Heart later pulled out of the venture, and the medical center eventually became known as Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

The ensuing decades saw massive growth for the health network, which acquired hospitals in the Poconos, Hazleton and in Schuylkill County as well as Coordinated Health, which was integrated into Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute. In recent years, LVHN has opened hospitals in Northampton and Carbon counties. It broke ground Wednesday afternoon on a behavioral health hospital in Hanover Township, Northampton County.

In recent years, Jefferson has acquired multiple hospitals and networks, including Abington Health in Montgomery County, Kennedy Health System in New Jersey and Einstein Healthcare Network, along with others.

Dr. Chae Sweet, vice president of academic affairs and provost, welcomed the families and guests who filled the newly renovated theater in the Montco Cultural Center where the ceremony was held. She congratulated the students who successfully completed the Dr. Stuart H. & Sandra K. Fine Nursing Program and were ready to start their careers.

“Nursing is, indeed, a critical and high-priority occupation. Hospitals, medical offices and clinics are facing a shortage of qualified, well-trained nurses,” Dr. Sweet said. “I am proud that you are poised to step into these roles and make meaningful contributions. Nursing is not merely a career; it is a calling to make a positive difference in the many patients who will be in your care.”

The ceremony’s keynote speaker, Assistant Professor of Nursing Milissa Pelonero shared her words of wisdom with the graduates.

“Your nursing education will unlock many opportunities,” Pelonero said. “Keep an open mind, an adventurous spirit, focus on your patients and their care, and the sky will be the limit. As you receive your nursing pins today, you will embark on a noble path, one that is dedicated to leading a very positive impact on all.

“Let empathy guide your every action. Let compassion fuel your resolve and let the pursuit of excellence drive your ambition. Leave your mark on the world, one patient at a time. Continue to inspire, hope and heal wherever you go.”

Following Pelonero’s speech, Dr. Tammi Britt, assistant director of nursing, described the history of the pinning ceremony, and then the students lined up to walk on stage to receive their pins and lamps from faculty members Lindsey Doran, Karen Karaban, Elizabeth Keene, and Kelly Lyles. Together on the stage holding their lit lamps, they recited International Council of Nurses Pledge.

After the students returned to their seats, student speaker Leslie Pezzano spoke to her peers about their experience as nursing students and the strength and perseverance it took to complete the rigorous program.

“Being a nurse is not just about grades. Nursing requires initiative and dedication, a passion for caring for people, empathy, connection to individuals and critical thinking,” she said. “No book can teach you how to tell a family their loved one is dying. No one teach you how to find dignity in bathing someone. Nursing is about being able to love a person at their weakest moment. We are here because we have a passion for nursing that stems from some moment or experience in our lives.”

The spring 2024 graduates include Heather Battavio, Katherine Bratspis, David Brown, Beza Deneke, Kathia Elhocine, Julissa Facey, Kevin Farrell, Amina Garcia, Shannon Glicken, Melissa Graber, Zehor Irkakene, Celina Irizarry, Christina Jung, Anna Kanolash, Tiffaney Keeler, Jessica Kiefer, Noah Kwasniuk, William Manley, Rosemary Manna, Ryan Martin, Kelly McCormick, Sarah McNaughton, Michael Mikalonis, Trinity Miller, Ashley Palmer, Sunket Patel, Leslie Pezzano, Trinity Pizzo, Sally Sainto, Madison Scheuren, Zahara Shapiro, Brittina Sinclair, Henry Slack, Sierrah Slaughter, Sharon Stirling, Cachae Smith, Ewa Szewczyk, Madison Turvey, Crystal Vinogradov, Cierra Weathersby, Michael Wellock and Jennifer Yim.

Following the ceremony, graduates, families and friends enjoyed refreshments by MCCC’s Culinary Arts students.

For more information about MCCC’s Nursing Program, visit mc3.edu/nursing and register for one of the upcoming information sessions.

Mosquito-borne disease can spread to animals and people through the bite of an infected mosquito. The most common mosquito-borne disease in Montgomery County is West Nile Virus (WNV), usually transmitted between infected birds and mosquitoes. Zika virus is another emerging mosquito-borne illness.

Residents who want to receive 48-hour advanced notifications from the Office of Public Health directly to their phone or email can create a ReadyMontco account at http://readymontco.org. The ReadyMontco notification system delivers alerts about severe weather and other important events, including mosquito sprays in Montgomery County. Be sure to select the jurisdiction of residence or others of interest for targeted notifications.

To reduce the likelihood of being bitten by a disease-carrying mosquito, MCOPH recommends that residents take the following steps to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes:

• Check and repair windows and screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.
• Survey your property and eliminate standing water, dispose of containers that can collect standing water such as old tires, cans, bottles, buckets, and toys. Anything that can hold water for five days can breed thousands of mosquitoes. Eliminating standing water has proven effective in controlling WNV.
• After it rains, empty plant containers, bird baths, flowerpots, kiddie pools, and pool covers to keep water from collecting in these items.
• Make sure roof gutters drain properly and rooftops are free of standing water.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas, and hot tubs. Keep them empty and covered if not in use; drain water that collects in pool covers.
• Drill several holes in the bottom of recycling buckets so water can drain from them. Cover trash containers so rain cannot accumulate in them.
• Since clothing can help reduce mosquito bites, wear long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors to help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
• Use an approved mosquito repellent when outdoors in areas where mosquitoes are active. Apply insect repellent sparingly to exposed skin. Follow the label directions carefully. Do NOT apply repellent to the face.

MCOPH will soon begin routine mosquito surveillance and control throughout Montgomery County to monitor trends in mosquito patterns in the region. If disease-carrying mosquitoes are found in a specific area that could pose a threat to human health, pesticide spraying may be necessary in the targeted area.

Information about mosquito-borne diseases can be found on the CDC website.

Regional stakeholders and policymakers came together on Tuesday to discuss best practices and policies to reduce disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity.

The daylong conference took place at Montgomery County Community College’s Blue Bell campus and was hosted in partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Public Health, Montgomery County Maternal and Early Childhood Consortium and the Maternity Care Coalition.

“Maternal and infant mortality rates continue to rise to crisis levels nationwide, especially for Black moms,” said Montgomery County Commissioners’ Chairwoman Jamila Winder in a statement. “I am proud that the county is working in partnership with the community, stakeholders, and policymakers to improve outcomes for our moms.”

Speakers included Dr. Ndidiamaka Amuta-Onukagha, of the M.O.T.H.E.R. Lab and the Tufts Center; Sara Goulet, special advisor to Pennsylvania’s human services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh; Dr. Aasta Mehta, medical officer of reproductive health for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health; and Dr. Tamra Williams, director of Montgomery county’s health and human services department.

“At the Department of Human Services, we are committed to improving health outcomes for all birthing people in the Commonwealth,” Goulet said in a statement. “Together with maternal health care providers and advocates across the Commonwealth, the Shapiro Administration is working to ensure that all women and birthing people get the care and support they need and deserve – both for themselves and their children; to address disparities, to listen, to learn, and to take action.”

The conference featured morning and afternoon panel sessions covering policy and practices. Panelists included medical professionals, advocates and government representatives.

“The conference provided a trusted, evidence-driven and community-centered space for maternal health professionals and stakeholders invested in the advancement of maternal health equity in Montgomery County,” said a Montgomery County spokesperson in a statement. “Attendees were able to deepen their understanding of current issues in maternal health, learn about initiatives to improve maternal health, and to get information needed to create change.”

According to the Pennsylvania Healthcare Cost Containment Council, millions of dollars are spent each year in Pennsylvania for Medicare and Medicaid patients who are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of their hospital stay. Hospital readmissions are also associated with unfavorable patient outcomes.

Responding to this, the Community Paramedicine Partnership will follow consenting patients with chronic medical conditions including congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are at high-risk for readmission to the hospital.

Jefferson Lansdale Hospital will provide a referral to VMSC for consenting patients who score high on the EPIC Readmission Risk Score, an electronic health record-based readmission risk model. A specially trained, board-certified Community Paramedic will visit the patient within 24 hours of discharge and will make up to three additional home visits to these patients within the first 30 days after discharge.

The Community Paramedic will provide a health and home assessment, confirm patients are complying with discharge instructions, and consult with a physician about any changes in patient status as needed, utilizing the advanced patient tracking/charting software “HealthCall.” They may also reach out to local providers to schedule follow-up appointments and clarify medication orders.

“We know that many patients at high-risk for readmission, do not qualify for home health services after discharge, and other outpatient chronic care management programs are limited,” said Katie Farrell, vice president, Jefferson Lansdale Hospital. “We believe the Community Paramedicine Partnership program will help reduce unnecessary trips to the emergency department, reduce readmission to the hospital, and improve our patients’ quality of life.”

Studies have shown that mobile integrated health service programs like the newly formed Community Paramedicine Partnership, have been successful at preventing a deterioration of health and reducing preventable hospital readmissions for high-risk patients.

“We’re excited to partner with Jefferson Lansdale Hospital to help address the issue of hospital readmission,” said Shane Wheeler, CEO of VMSC, “The Community Paramedicine Partnership program is just one more way VMSC is making a positive impact on the communities we serve.”

Drs. Jon Sutter, Director of the Jefferson Lansdale Hospital Hospitalist Program, and Ryan Overberger, VMSC Medical Director, will provide medical oversight for the Community Paramedicine Partnership program.The pilot program is being funded for one-year by a Jefferson Abington Hospital Innovator’s Circle Grant.

The event gathered Gift of Life leaders as well as state and county representatives to celebrate their collaboration and encourage organ and tissue donation in the county. Coinciding with Donate Life Month, a national observance in support of organ donation awareness, the ceremony also spotlighted the stories of organ recipients whose lives were saved by donation.

“We are happy to partner with the Gift of Life program to help change lives while offering dignity and respect to our deceased and their loved ones,” said Dr. Janine Darby, Montgomery County coroner. “As we work to bring closure to their loved ones, they also have the chance to honor and remember their departed family members by giving back. They are providing someone with a second chance at life.”

In addition to the coroner, ceremony attendees heard from state Rep. Joe Webster; Gift of Life President and Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Hasz Jr.; and heart and liver recipient Patrick Brett, among others.

“We thank the Montgomery County coroner’s office for honoring donor heroes and for working with Gift of Life to support families who face a tragic loss,” said Hasz. “Working together, our vital collaboration ensures donor families can find comfort and hope in knowing their loved ones can save lives and the coroner’s investigation will be fully supported.”

In 2021, more than 170 Montgomery County residents donated organs or tissue, resulting in 79 organ transplants and many more tissue transplants. Gift of Life Donor Program, celebrating its 50th year of service in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, coordinated more than 1,700 organ transplants across the region last year.

Gift of Life Donor Program, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Philadelphia, is the federally designated organ procurement organization for the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. It works with 126 acute care hospitals and 12 transplant centers in its region, as well as hundreds of transplant centers throughout the country, to provide the most comprehensive array of services available in the U.S. to the donation and transplantation community.

Gift of Life has coordinated 14,196 donors and 39,469 organs for transplant, the most of any OPO in the country since the inception of our national donation system in 1988. Overall, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 59,000 organs and more than two million tissue transplants since its founding. One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and a tissue donor can improve the lives of about 100 others. For more information or to register, visit donors1.org.

The event gathered Gift of Life leaders as well as state and county representatives to celebrate their collaboration and encourage organ and tissue donation in the county. Coinciding with Donate Life Month, a national observance in support of organ donation awareness, the ceremony also spotlighted the stories of organ recipients whose lives were saved by donation.

“We are happy to partner with the Gift of Life program to help change lives while offering dignity and respect to our deceased and their loved ones,” said Dr. Janine Darby, Montgomery County coroner. “As we work to bring closure to their loved ones, they also have the chance to honor and remember their departed family members by giving back. They are providing someone with a second chance at life.”

In addition to the coroner, ceremony attendees heard from state Rep. Joe Webster; Gift of Life President and Chief Executive Officer Richard D. Hasz Jr.; and heart and liver recipient Patrick Brett, among others.

“We thank the Montgomery County coroner’s office for honoring donor heroes and for working with Gift of Life to support families who face a tragic loss,” said Hasz. “Working together, our vital collaboration ensures donor families can find comfort and hope in knowing their loved ones can save lives and the coroner’s investigation will be fully supported.”

In 2021, more than 170 Montgomery County residents donated organs or tissue, resulting in 79 organ transplants and many more tissue transplants. Gift of Life Donor Program, celebrating its 50th year of service in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, coordinated more than 1,700 organ transplants across the region last year.

Gift of Life Donor Program, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Philadelphia, is the federally designated organ procurement organization for the eastern half of Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware. It works with 126 acute care hospitals and 12 transplant centers in its region, as well as hundreds of transplant centers throughout the country, to provide the most comprehensive array of services available in the U.S. to the donation and transplantation community.

Gift of Life has coordinated 14,196 donors and 39,469 organs for transplant, the most of any OPO in the country since the inception of our national donation system in 1988. Overall, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 59,000 organs and more than two million tissue transplants since its founding. One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people, and a tissue donor can improve the lives of about 100 others. For more information or to register, visit donors1.org.