Family Care Centers Inc

IN THE POCONO REGION, WE PROVIDE HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY BY PREVENTING ILLNESS, PROMOTING WELLNESS, AND ENHANCING HEALTH. WE HEAL, COMFORT AND CARE FOR THE PEOPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING ADVANCED AND COMPASSIONATE HEALTH CARE OF SUPERIOR QUALITY AND VALUE, SUPPORTED BY EDUCATION AND CLINICAL RESEARCH.

FAMILY CARE CENTERS, INC. DBA LEHIGH VALLEY PHYSICIAN GROUP - POCONO (LVPG-P) PROMOTES THE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH CARE IN AND AROUND THE POCONO SERVICE AREA, INCLUDING MONROE COUNTY. LVPG-P ENGAGES IN ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN ITS SERVICE AREA, INCLUDING AMBULATORY, MEDICAL AND RELATED SERVICES FOR DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND CARE WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, CREED, AGE OR GENDER, THROUGH THE EMPLOYMENT AND CONTRACTING OF PHYSICIANS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS.HISTORY AND BACKGROUND:LVPG-P WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1985 AS AN AFFILIATE OF THE POCONO HEALTH SYSTEM. AS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION WHICH SUPPORTS BOTH THE LEHIGH VALLEY HOSPITAL - POCONO (LVH-P) AND LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK, LVPG-P OPERATES SEVERAL PHYSICIANS' PRACTICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FAMILY MEDICINE, HEMATOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY, INTERNAL MEDICINE, PSYCHIATRY, PEDIATRICS, CARDIOLOGY, GENERAL SURGERY AND OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY. LVPG-P ALSO OPERATES 4 EXPRESS CARE LOCATIONS. LVPG-P IS DEDICATED TO SERVING OUR PATIENTS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY AND EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. CONTINUED CLINICIAN RECRUITMENT AND GROWTH ARE A FOCUS, WITH THE PURPOSE OF DELIVERING THE BEST RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY. WITH A CURRENT SIZE OF APPROXIMATELY 70 PHYSICIANS AND APPROXIMATELY 70 ADVANCED PRACTICE CLINICIANS, LVPG-P OPERATES AS A SINGLE ENTITY WITH SERVICES PROVIDED AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS WITHIN THE MONROE COUNTY REGION. DURING THE CURRENT YEAR, LVPG-P PRACTICES HAD MORE THAN 300,000 PATIENT VISITS. THE ORGANIZATION HAS ALSO ENHANCED THE OUTPATIENT SERVICES OFFERED TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE AREA, INCLUDING UNDERINSURED AND INDIGENT PATIENTS. ALSO, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES PHYSICIAN PRACTICE SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING BILLING, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS. PROVIDING EXCELLENT QUALITY CARE TO OUR DIVERSE AND GROWING COMMUNITY WHILE PROVIDING NECESSARY CAPITAL FOR FUTURE GROWTH IS THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL. ALL RESOURCES AND PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES ARE UTILIZED TO OFFER OUR PATIENTS QUALITY CARE THROUGH MULTIPLE SERVICE LINES. FOR THESE SERVICES, LVPG-P CONSISTENTLY EVALUATES AND IMPROVES FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY, QUALITY REVIEW MEASURES, AND SCHEDULING CONSIDERATIONS TO MEET OR EXCEED THE STANDARD OF CARE EXPECTED. SEVERAL OUR PRACTICES OFFER MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND EXTENDED OFFICE HOURS TO MAKE CARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PATIENTS, INCLUDING THOSE LIVING IN UNDERSERVED AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY. COVID-19 (C19) PANDEMIC: IN RESPONSE TO THE C19 PANDEMIC, LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK AND LVPG-P HAVE UNDERTAKEN TRANSFORMATIVE AND IMPACTFUL ACTIONS. THE LVPG CLINICAL FOOTPRINT WAS QUICKLY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL CARE OFFERINGS, INCLUDING VIDEO VISITS, PHONE VISITS, AND E-VISITS. THIS VIRTUAL MODEL HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND IS NOW PART OF BASIC SERVICE OFFERINGS, ALLOWING ANY APPROPRIATE ENCOUNTER TO BE PERFORMED SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.ADDITIONAL C19 SERVICES HAVE INCLUDED SCREENING C19 E-VISITS, ON DEMAND VIDEO SCREENING C19 VISITS AND A TRANSITION OF CARE C19 VIRTUAL CARE CLINIC FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL. THESE TYPES OF ENCOUNTERS PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VISITS TO OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS THROUGHOUT THE C19 CHALLENGES. THIS MODEL ENABLED PATIENTS TO STAY HOME, STAY SAFE AND RECEIVE CARE IN A MANNER THAT WAS CONVENIENT AND VALUE-ADDED. IN ADDITION, THE LVPG WORKFORCE AND PRACTICE TEAMS WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR HOSPITAL SITES TO DELIVER VACCINES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY. THESE EFFORTS SUPPORTED AREAS OF OUR PATIENT POPULATION ACROSS ALL REGIONS WE SERVE. LVPG-P SERVES AS A MULTISPECIALTY PHYSICIAN GROUP WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:CARDIOLOGY SERVICES:AS THE ONLY HOSPITAL-BASED VASCULAR SURGERY TEAM IN THE REGION, LVPG-P OFFERS CARDIAC PROCEDURES ON SITE, A TEAM THAT IS DESIGNATED TO TREAT HIGH-RISK HEART ATTACKS, AND THE ONLY OPEN-HEART SURGERY PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN THE REGION.GASTROENTEROLOGY:GASTROENTEROLOGY SERVICES ARE ALIGNED WITH EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA GASTROENTEROLOGY AND LIVER SPECIALISTS.WOMEN'S SERVICES: LVPG MAINTAINS A SPECIAL FOCUS ON PRENATAL CARE AS A COMPONENT OF ITS COMPREHENSIVE OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY SERVICES, INCLUDING GENERAL OBSTETRIC / GYNECOLOGIC CARE AND UROGYNECOLOGIC SERVICES. CANCER SERVICES:AS PART OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY CANCER INSTITUTE, THE DALE AND FRANCES HUGHES CANCER CENTER AT LVH-P PARTNERS WITH MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER ALLIANCE. FOR PATIENTS, THIS REPRESENTS RECOGNITION OF THE HIGH QUALITY OF CARE AND AVAILABILITY OF INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS AND CLINICAL TRIALS CLOSE TO HOME IN THE POCONO REGION. THE CANCER CARE PROGRAM INCLUDES SEVERAL COMPONENTS, SUCH AS PREVENTION, GENETIC COUNSELING, DETECTION, DIAGNOSIS, THERAPY, CLINICAL TRIALS, REHABILITATION, AND EVALUATION OF CARE RELATED TO CANCER.PRIMARY CARE:A WIDE RANGE OF HIGH QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE, COORDINATED MEDICAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN FROM THE PHYSICIANS AND PROVIDERS OF LVPG. PROVIDING TIMELY ACCESS TO CARE, FOCUSING ON PREVENTION AND CHRONIC ILLNESS MANAGEMENT, AND PROVIDING COORDINATION BETWEEN SPECIALISTS AND SERVICES IS OUR GOAL.BEHAVIORAL HEALTH:THERE IS A CONTINUING FOCUS AT THE POCONO INPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC UNIT ON QUALITY MEASURES, FALL REDUCTION, AND IMPROVED COMPLIANCE WITH TREATMENT PLAN REVIEWS, AS WELL AS ENSURING CONTINUITY OF CARE BETWEEN THE PATIENT AND THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER.INFANTS/CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULTS:THROUGH OUR PATIENT-CENTRIC PHILOSOPHY INCLUDING STATE OF THE ART DIAGNOSTIC AND MEDICAL TECHNIQUES, LVPG PROVIDES SUPERIOR OUTPATIENT PEDIATRIC MEDICAL CARE. A TEAM OF PHYSICIANS AND SUBSPECIALISTS, BOTH FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE HOSPITAL, PROVIDES SERVICES.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. VIRTUAL CARE PROGRAMS ALLOW OUR TEAM TO OFFER SPECIALTY CARE TO SITES AND PATIENTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THESE SERVICES. THROUGH THE C19 PANDEMIC, AS NOTED, OUR VIRTUAL CARE PROGRAMS OFFERINGS HAVE EXPANDED EXPONENTIALLY TO INCLUDE VIDEO, PHONE, AND E-VISITS. THE VIDEO VISITS INCLUDE NOT JUST CLINICIAN AND PATIENT ENCOUNTERS, BUT ALSO INCLUDE MULTIPARTY VIDEO CONFERENCES. ECONSULT PROGRAM:AS PART OF THE ECONSULT PROGRAM, LVPG-P 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 IS THUS ENHANCED.

EXPRESS CARE:NUMEROUS EXPRESSCARE LOCATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT LVPG-POCONO, PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH IMMEDIATE WALK-IN CARE. A WALK-IN APPOINTMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR COMMON ILLNESSES AND MINOR INJURIES SUCH AS SPRAINS, CUTS, RASHES, SEASONAL ALLERGIES, FLU SYMPTOMS, BRONCHITIS, EAR INFECTIONS, SORE THROATS, FEVERS, AND MORE. FURTHERMORE, THEY OFFER COVERAGE FOR ROUTINE SCHOOL PHYSICALS AND FOLLOW-UP VACCINATIONS TO PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH CONVENIENCE. AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, THIS CLINICAL CARE MODEL OFFERS A LOWER COST, EASIER ACCESS OPTION FOR PATIENTS OF LOWER ACUITY.DURING THE C19 PANDEMIC, EXPRESSCARE LOCATIONS WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING REGIONAL ASSESS AND TEST CENTERS, A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY. PROVIDING PATIENTS WITH EASY ACCESS TO EVALUATION AND TESTING FOR C19 WAS VITAL TO ENSURING VIRAL MITIGATION. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC, OUR EXPRESSCARE COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ENSURING DEDICATED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT.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 WERE REVIEWED BY LVHN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AT EACH CAMPUS. POPULATION HEALTH NEEDS WERE 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.