SCHUYLKILL HEALTH SYSTEM MEDICAL GROUP INC

LEHIGH VALLEY PHYSICIAN GROUP-SCHUYLKILL (LVPG-S) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1998 AS AN AFFILIATE OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL - SCHUYLKILL (PREVIOUSLY SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER EAST NORWEGIAN STREET AND SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH JACKSON STREET). AS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION WHICH SUPPORTS BOTH THE LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL - SCHUYLKILL (LVH-S) AND LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK, LVPG-S HAS DEVELOPED PHYSICIAN PRACTICES IN FAMILY AND INTERNAL MEDICINE, HEMATOLOGY, AND ONCOLOGY, GENERAL SURGERY, ORTHOPEDICS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PAIN MANAGEMENT, PULMONOLOGY, CARDIOLOGY & VASCULAR, CRITICAL CARE, PHYSIATRY, AND PODIATRY. LVPG-S IS DEDICATED TO SERVING OUR PATIENTS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY AND EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. WITH A CURRENT SIZE OF APPROXIMATELY 40 PHYSICIANS AND 10 ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS, LVPG-S OPERATES AS A SINGLE ENTITY WITH SERVICES PROVIDED AT 7 SITES WITHIN THE SCHUYLKILL COUNTY REGION. CONTINUED RECRUITMENT AND GROWTH ARE A FOCUS, WITH THE PURPOSE OF DELIVERING THE BEST RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. DURING THE MOST RECENT FISCAL LVPG-S PRACTICES PERFORMED OVER 115,000 PATIENT VISITS IN FY 2023.PATIENT CARE PROGRAMS:LVPG-S OFFERS A CONTINUUM OF HEALTH CARE PROMOTION, PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. OUTPATIENT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE REGION AND ARE A PART OF A HEALTHCARE NETWORK ESTABLISHED BY LVPG-S AND LVH-S TO MEET THE MEDICAL AND SURGICAL NEEDS OF THE RESIDENTS OF SCHUYLKILL AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES.INFANTS/CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULTS:THROUGH OUR PATIENT-CENTRIC PHILOSOPHY INCLUDING STATE-OF-THE-ART DIAGNOSTIC AND MEDICAL TECHNIQUES, LVPG-S PROVIDES SUPERIOR OUTPATIENT PEDIATRIC MEDICAL CARE. A TEAM OF FAMILY MEDICINE AND PEDIATRIC PHYSICIANS, SUBSPECIALISTS, AND APCS BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE HOSPITAL, PROVIDES SERVICES. THIS INCLUDES AN EXPRESSCARE SITE IN POTTSVILLE TO PROVIDE EXPANDED PRIMARY CARE ACCESS.PRIMARY CARE:LVPG-S PHYSICIANS AND APCS PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED CARE TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN. WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO CARE AT THE TIME OF NEED, FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND CHRONIC ILLNESS MANAGEMENT AND PROVIDE COORDINATION AMONG SPECIALISTS AND SERVICE LINES. OUR ONGOING RECRUITMENT OF PHYSICIANS AND APCS INCREASES OUR ABILITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PATIENTS IN THE AREA.MEDICAL SPECIALTIES:LVPG-S PROVIDES A BROAD ARRAY OF MEDICAL SPECIALTY CARE ACROSS THE SCHUYLKILL REGION. CARE COORDINATION WITH ACCESS TO SPECIALTY AREAS AND COLLABORATION WITH PRIMARY CARE COLLEAGUES IS ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDE OPTIMAL PATIENT OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.HEART & VASCULAR SERVICES:LVPG-S PHYSICIANS AND APCS PROVIDE GENERAL AND INVASIVE CARDIOLOGY ASSESSMENTS & CARE PLANS, INPATIENT AND OFFICE BASED CLINICAL SERVICES, AND HOSPITAL BASED AND IN OFFICE CARDIAC DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, SUCH AS A STRESS TEST. WOMEN'S HEALTH SERVICES:LVPG-S MAINTAINS COMPREHENSIVE OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY SERVICES, INCLUDING GENERAL OBSTETRIC / GYNECOLOGIC CARE AND MATERNAL FETAL MEDICINE. THESE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS ARE DELIVERED BY TEAMS OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS INCLUDING PHYSICIANS, MIDWIVES, AND ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS ALONG WITH THEIR RELATED CLINICAL STAFF. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LARGER SCHUYLKILL COMMUNITY, WE NOW OFFER SITES OF SERVICE IN ORWIGSBURG AND HOMETOWN.SURGICAL SERVICES:LVPG-S OFFERS A FULL RANGE OF QUALITY INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT/SHORT PROCEDURE SURGICAL SERVICES, INCLUDING GENERAL SURGERY, GYNECOLOGIC SURGERY, AND DA VINCI ROBOTIC-ASSISTED SURGERY WITH THE HIGHLY QUALIFIED ROBOTIC SURGERY CERTIFIED SURGEONS. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES:LVPG-S PROVIDERS AND ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS PROVIDE TELE-PSYCHIATRIC CONSULTATION TO PATIENTS ADMITTED TO MEDICAL/SURGICAL SERVICES TO ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS AND DISCHARGE PLANNING. THEY ALSO ASSIST IN THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.NEUROSCIENCES:NEUROLOGY SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE AT LVPG-S. OUTPATIENT ROUTINE EEG SERVICES ARE NOW BEING PROVIDED CLOSER TO SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AT LVH-CARBON TO HELP LOCALLY DIAGNOSE PATIENTS WITH EPILEPSY AND SLEEP DISORDERS. EMS EDUCATION REGARDING STROKE CARE WAS PROVIDED TO ASHLAND AND SCHUYLKILL EMS.VIRTUAL CARE PROGRAMS (TELEMEDICINE):LVHN HAS REMAINED A LEADER IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE VIRTUAL CARE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE EXPANDED OUR CAPACITY TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES THROUGHOUT OUR GROWING NETWORK AND BEYOND. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE START OF A FIRST-EVER FULLY VIRTUAL PRIMARY CARE PRACTICE, LAUNCHING IN 2023. VIRTUAL CARE PROGRAMS ALLOW OUR TEAM TO OFFER SPECIALTY CARE TO SITES AND PATIENTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES. E-CONSULT PROGRAM:AS PART OF THE E-CONSULT PROGRAM, LVPG-S CLINICIANS CAN POSE NON-URGENT QUESTIONS REGARDING THEIR PATIENTS TO THEIR SPECIALIST COLLEAGUES ACROSS MULTIPLE DISCIPLINES. REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE FORMALLY INCORPORATED INTO THE EMR AND ARE INCLUDED IN THE PATIENT'S MEDICAL RECORD. THE AVAILABILITY OF SPECIALISTS ACROSS THE AMBULATORY LANDSCAPE HAS IMPROVED ACCESS AND ENHANCED CONTINUITY OF CARE.SCHUYLKILL VIRTUAL HUB PROGRAM:RECOGNIZING THE CHALLENGES THAT PATIENTS AND FAMILIES FACE WITH CONNECTING TO OUR HEALTH CARE TEAM VIA VIDEO VISITS FROM HOME, LVPG-S LAUNCHED A VIRTUAL HUB PROGRAM IN MARCH 2023. THE FIRST HUB IS IN THE SCHUYLKILL REGION, WITH ANOTHER SITE SET TO LAUNCH IN THE HAZLETON REGION BY THE END OF 2023. PATIENTS COME TO OUR VIRTUAL HUB LOCATION AND RECEIVE CARE LIKE A REGULAR OFFICE VISIT, COMPLETE WITH REGISTRATION, MEDICATION RECONCILIATION, VITAL SIGNS, ETC. OUR TEAM CONNECTS THE PATIENT VIA A HIGH-DEFINITION CAMERA TO A PHYSICIAN LOCATED OFF SITE. PATIENTS BENEFIT WITH QUICKER ACCESS TO SPECIALISTS IN REMOTE REGIONS, ENHANCED VIRTUAL CARE WITH ON-SITE CLINICAL STAFF TO CHECK VITALS AND ADMINISTER TESTS OR VACCINES, SUPERIOR VIDEO WITH HIGH-DEFINITION CAMERA, AND CONVENIENT CARE LOCATED CLOSE TO HOME, ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES. CURRENTLY, PATIENTS HAVE ACCESS TO INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIANS, WITH ENDOCRINOLOGY, RHEUMATOLOGY, AND HOSPITALIST TRANSITION OF CARE TEAMS SOON TO FOLLOW. COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS ASSESSMENT (CHNA):A CHNA REPORT EXAMINES THE FACTORS IMPACTING PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND WELLNESS IN A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA. THE CHNA REPORT PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATE OF HEALTH IN THE REGION AND IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL AREAS OF CONCERN THAT CAN INFORM THE DESIGN OF CLINICAL PROGRAMS.THESE REPORTS ARE GENERATED ANNUALLY AND ARE REVIEWED BY LVHN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AT EACH CAMPUS. POPULATION HEALTH NEEDS ARE PRIORITIZED BASED ON THE COMMUNITY'S INPUT AND LVHN'S ABILITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON THOSE INITIATIVES. NEXT STEPS INCLUDE DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS PRIORITIZED HEALTH NEEDS WHICH WILL BE PRESENTED IN LVHN'S CHNA IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.