Catena Paints Positive Outlook for Wilkes-Barre General Hospital
6/17/2015
EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. (June 18, 2015) – Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital continues to expand services, add equipment, recruit physicians and play an integral role in the community, according to a report presented June 18 by CEO Cor Catena.
Catena, CEO of Commonwealth Health and Wilkes-Barre General, made the presentation to the Board of Trustees at the annual public meeting held at the Thomas P. Saxton Medical Pavilion.
Statistics, Catena said, show the hospital has excellent rates on quality measures including hand hygiene compliance, safety and medication dosage.
The hospital, which employs 1,784 people, paid $4.32 million in local and state payroll taxes in 2014 and $1.44 in property taxes to local, county and school governing bodies. Capital improvements totaled nearly $15 million last year for a total of $150 million since 2009.
Other statistics for 2014 are: admissions, 14,385; emergency room visits, 59,452; surgeries, 13, 611; outpatient visits, 506,582.
Catena cited these examples of growth:
- Expansion of the neurosurgery program with Penn State Hershey
- Opening of the Commonwealth Health Emergency Medical Services substation in Wilkes-Barre
- Launch of the TeleStroke program with Penn State Hershey
- Opening of the Electrophysiology Lab
- Opening of Nanticoke Medical Center and walk-in clinics in Shavertown and Mountain Top with extended hours
- Opening of CHOICES at the Manor, a 20-bed inpatient substance rehabilitation unit
- Opening of The Joint Center with an improved orthopedic surgical program
Examples of the hospital’s community outreach efforts include: informational sessions on health insurance options; physician health talks; Senior Circle, a benefit club for people who are 50 and older; Medical Explorers, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America which focuses on careers in health care; the annual Mammothon which encourages women to schedule mammograms. Catena also noted that General Hospital has led all organizations in fundraising at the annual American Heart Association Heart Walk for the last 10 years.
In the past year, the hospital has been recognized in these categories: bariatric program, Aetna Institutes of Quality; Chest Pain Center Accreditation by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care; HealthStream Excellence Through Insight Award for Most Improved in Overall Emergency Department Experience; hip, knee and shoulder certification from the Joint Commission; and as a Top Performer by The Joint Commission in the areas of heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care.
Cor Catena, CEO of Commonwealth Health and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, makes a presentation at the annual public board meeting
