Expanding access to pediatric care

We advocate and care for vulnerable children who are in harm’s way, or who need additional support to secure their safety.

• Combating abuse, neglect and self-harm: Our Child Advocacy Center serves approximately 600 children each year, providing compassionate medical exams, forensic interviews, crisis intervention counseling, trauma therapy and advocacy. We’re seeking visionary partners to help sustain and strengthen this vital work.
• Supporting young victims of sexual violence: Geisinger’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) program provides developmentally appropriate and sensitive care to victims of sexual violence, and it trains nurses and caregivers in identifying signs of abuse or trafficking in adults and children. We also collect and store forensic evidence properly to aid in prosecution. Donated funds will help us expand this program.
• Providing specialized pediatric emergency care: We provide specialty pediatric emergency care at Geisinger Medical Center. Philanthropy can help us invest in specialized pediatric emergency room equipment and provide advanced training to nurses and physicians.
• Improving outcomes and awareness for children with autism and developmental disabilities: Our Autism & Developmental Medicine Institute (ADMI) improves access to specialty care, accurate diagnosis and testing, discovery of underlying causes and the development of targeted treatments. Philanthropic support will help us build on all aspects of ADMI’s work.

We embrace new strategies and technologies that help us provide every child with rapid access to essential, convenient, high-quality care.

• Breaking down geographical barriers with telemedicine: Video technology gives children in remote communities virtual access to the full complement of pediatric specialists at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital without leaving home. Philanthropy will help us expand to other emergency locations, including State College, Lewistown, Jersey Shore and Scranton.
• Expanding access to pediatric subspecialties in northeast Pennsylvania: For in-person visits, more pediatric specialists in northeastern Pennsylvania are essential — including cardiologists, oncologists and neurologists. Philanthropy will help us provide children in our communities with access to experienced and well-trained specialists close to home.
• Enhancing care with play: Child Life specialists help children cope with pain, discomfort and anxiety through play and education that’s tailored specifically to them, communicating about complex procedures, medical conditions and equipment in a way that children and their families can understand. We are seeking long-term funding for this vital service.

Children in our region have a growing need for child and adolescent behavioral services — so Geisinger must be at the forefront with compassionate, family-centered behavioral healthcare.

• Expanding our scope of pediatric behavioral health services: The Susan W. McDowell Pediatric Behavioral Health Catalyst Fund, made possible by a transformational $1 million donation from Lewisburg resident Susan McDowell, funds programs and services that make pediatric behavioral healthcare easier for children and their families to access.
• Bringing behavioral healthcare into our communities: Our Primary Care Behavioral Health program provides specialty behavioral care to patients and families at all pediatrician clinics. With philanthropic support, we will continue to provide this integrated care.
• Meeting the challenge of postpartum depression: While postpartum depression screenings are a standard part of our follow-up care, more can be done. Philanthropy will help us provide more comprehensive care, such as frequent screenings and home visits.

Mothers are often the hub of healthcare decision-making and the foundation for a child’s start in life. Along with further reducing maternal mortality, we’re promoting health and well-being for our newborns.

• Caring for mothers in substance abuse recovery: Geisinger’s Free2BMom program provides connection to medical care, counseling, community-wide social support and medication-assisted treatment to women in Columbia, Luzerne, Montour and Northumberland counties. Continued financial support will help us expand this program, helping more mothers and babies thrive.
• Caring for new mothers and infants in the northeast: The Tambur Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center offers care for infants as premature as 29 gestational weeks — a tremendous resource in the region. While hospitals across the nation are scaling back or eliminating labor and delivery, we continue to strengthen our services. Philanthropy supports our equipment and training needs so our team can provide complex care for our smallest patients.
• Genetic testing in the NICU: Knowing a specific genetic diagnosis can dramatically impact the clinical care of NICU babies. These early results also help families by reducing stress, saving money and providing necessary information to begin preparing earlier for their child’s future care. Philanthropy will help us provide more patients with a stronger start in life.
• In-home hypertension monitoring for high-risk mothers: Remote monitoring keeps our care teams in frequent contact with new and expectant mothers who have health conditions that put them at greater risk for serious birth complications. Philanthropy will help us expand this program, forging better outcomes and stronger communication bonds with mothers.
• Breastfeeding support and education: Geisinger is participating in the statewide Keystone 10 Initiative, which educates and aids new mothers in positive breastfeeding practices. With your support, we can increase the availability of lactation stations in our service area.
• Caring for expecting mothers with a helping hand: Our new Maternal-Child Health Patient Care Fund gives at-risk expectant mothers travel vouchers for appointments, and housing vouchers. Those at increased risk for complications can stay close to our Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in case they need complex surgery or rapid care.

Research and education empower our providers, families and future pediatric caregivers; impact complex pediatric disorders; and improve population health.

• Education at all levels of caregiving: We’re always looking for more efficient, effective ways to provide care, including by researching new treatments and embracing new technologies and protocols that improve outcomes. Educating families about their child’s diagnosis, treatment and care plan improves their health literacy, which can influence outcomes. Philanthropic partnerships will help us further identify and implement new or improved approaches to care.
• Pursuing innovation: As one of the first healthcare organizations to adopt electronic health records more than 25 years ago, we continue exploring new ways to optimize healthcare, such as using telemedicine, creating the largest healthcare system biobank in the country and conducting leading-edge clinical research. Continued donor support will help us expand in these areas.