web1_AP_580703038.jpg

Movie ‘The Irishman’ to tell tale of Russell Bufalino and alleged Hoffa hit

web1_AP17058729462302.jpg

911 call: Bar shooting suspect said he’d killed ‘Iranians’

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A $7.1 million renovation at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre has produced a state-of-the-art inpatient recovery unit more akin to a modern hotel floor than the typical hospital space, but it is the people, not the amenities, that make it a place of successful recovery and personalized care.</p><p>The short-stay surgical suite offers patients recovering from a variety of elective surgeries a quiet space, private rooms, a room service menu, an iPad with several entertainment options, flat-screen TVs, reserved underground parking, free WiFi and a concierge staff to assist patients and family throughout a stay.</p><p>GSWB administrative director Dan Landesberg said the facility is on a growth trajectory.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re seeing higher volumes than we&#8217;ve ever seen before,&#8221; Landesberg said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve doubled down on our investments.&#8221;</p><p>The inpatient unit, officially titled Medical Surgical 5 South, contains 14 private rooms, the largest of which was three rooms when the space was Mercy Hospital, Landesberg said.</p><p>&#8220;Our charge was to do something different,&#8221; Landesberg said. &#8220;We&#8217;re trying to revolutionize care.&#8221;</p><p>According to Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys, Medical Surgical 5 South ranks in the 99th percentile among inpatient units in the country since opening in Sept. 2015, Landesberg said.</p><p>Deanna Farrell, of Wyoming, and Diane Chinshiva, of Ashley, chose the inpatient unit for surgery, recovery and rehabilitation.</p><p>Farrell had knee surgery and stayed for 12 days, which included recovery and inpatient rehab in GSWB&#8217;s versatile rehabilitation unit.</p><p>&#8220;It was the best <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/features/634737/west-pittston-wilkes-barre-men-benefit-from-life-changing-heart-operations" target="_blank">surgical experience</a> I ever had,&#8221; Farrell said.</p><p>Chinshiva had hip replacement surgery, stayed over night, and went home the next day.</p><p>&#8220;It was wonderful,&#8221; she said of her stay. &#8220;There was so much communication from pre-op to recovery. They always introduced themselves to you and made sure you were the right patient.&#8221;</p><p>That protocol, said operations manager for the surgical and rehab units Mary Lou Kotch, is standard in a program titled C.I. CARE, which stands for connect, introduce, communicate, ask and anticipate, respond, end with excellence.</p><p>&#8220;The patient is at the center of the care plan,&#8221; Kotch said.</p><p>Rounds, she added, are made hourly from a nursing perspective.</p><p>&#8220;The way the team works together makes it easier to care for people,&#8221; therapy supervisor Robin Rodeghiero said. &#8220;We communicate with the surgical staff and they communicate with us.&#8221;</p><p>Clinical coordinator Colleena Jenceleski said having both inpatient and outpatient facilities under one roof makes the process more convenient for patients.</p><p>Orthopedic surgeon Dr. David J. Kolessar performed surgeries on both Farrell and Chinshiva.</p><p>Farrell said she felt a significant reduction in pain immediately following surgery and was pleased with her stringent rehab program.</p><p>&#8220;The head of rehab was so tough on me I couldn&#8217;t stand her at first,&#8221; Farrell said with a laugh. &#8220;But at the end I loved her for pushing me to achieve my goals.&#8221;</p><p>Both patients said they had a pleasant recovery experience in a comfortable setting with good food.</p><p>&#8220;These are elective patients, healthy patients, who want to come have surgery and get on with their lives,&#8221; Landesberg said. &#8220;They&#8217;re not ICU patients who are unresponsive. They can appreciate the amenities.&#8221;</p><p>Ultimately, said Kolessar, who was moved to tears while talking about how it feels to have a patient appreciate the provided care, surgeons, nurses and therapists work together to create a team environment that each patient is invited into.</p><p>Patients are made aware of their expected recovery times.</p><p>&#8220;Of total hip replacements, 90 percent stay overnight and go home the next day,&#8221; Kolessar said.</p><p>&#8220;We make patients aware of the plan, and they have to buy in and trust you, and they become part of the team. We let patients know they&#8217;re going to walk the day after surgery, and we reiterate that message three and four times. They buy in, and you have to show them you care.&#8221;</p><p><ins>For other Life Section stories, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/category/features" target="_blank">click here</a>.</ins></p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02417surgical-suite1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Registered nurses Colleena Jenceleski, Mary Lou Kotch and Donna Fitzsimmons work in the surgical suite of Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre. The staff members agreed it&#8217;s the team- oriented environment and patient-first care planning that leads to success within the unit and greater facility. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02417surgical-suite1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Registered nurses Colleena Jenceleski, Mary Lou Kotch and Donna Fitzsimmons work in the surgical suite of Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre. The staff members agreed it&#8217;s the team- oriented environment and patient-first care planning that leads to success within the unit and greater facility. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02417surgical-suite2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The inpatient unit at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre offers spacious, private rooms, room service, iPads and flat-screen TVs among other amenities. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02417surgical-suite2.jpg</photo1><caption1>The inpatient unit at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre offers spacious, private rooms, room service, iPads and flat-screen TVs among other amenities. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02417surgical-suite3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Deanna Farrell, of Wyoming, and Diane Chinshiva, of Ashley, discuss the surgery they had at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre and their recovery in Medical Surgical 5 South. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_TTL02417surgical-suite3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Deanna Farrell, of Wyoming, and Diane Chinshiva, of Ashley, discuss the surgery they had at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre and their recovery in Medical Surgical 5 South. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>South Wilkes-Barre unit offers progressive care</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Matt Mattei</p><p>mmattei@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Matt Mattei at 570-991-6651 or on Twitter @TimesLeaderMatt.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre offers elective patients comfortable recovery