Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health

At a recent Town Hall at Lancaster General Hospital, Penn Medicine CEO Kevin Mahoney sat down with the team behind Lancaster General Health's first awake craniotomy, a complex brain surgery that neurosurgeon Eric Hintz, MD, has described as "the right surgery for a very specific patient with tumors in a very specific set of locations." They explored how this groundbreaking procedure—once only available in major academic centers—is now transforming care in Lancaster County. Before and during the surgery, Dr. Hintz analyzed the patient’s brain activity to minimize the functional impact of the craniotomy on speech, movement, vision, cognition, and sensation. Neuropsychologist, Jesse Main, PsyD, was in the operating room with Hintz, assessing and monitoring the patient's motor and language status during the awake portion of the procedure. Anesthesiologist, Ansar Khan, MD, provided local anesthesia and woke the patient at that time. Among other specialists and nurses in the OR, was Nduka M. Amankulor, MD, division head of Neurosurgical Oncology for Penn Medicine and director of the Penn Brain Tumor Center, whom Hintz asked to participate because he does craniotomies routinely. It was great to see how cross-entity collaboration, shared research infrastructure, and bold thinking made it possible to bring this advanced neurosurgical technique to our community. Pictured left to right: Kevin Mahoney, Eric Hintz, MD, Ansar Khan, MD, and Jesse Main, PsyD.

When David Kohler was critically injured in a motorcycle accident this summer, quick action by emergency responders—and a physician on scene—made all the difference. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health's Dr. Zaffer Qasim arrived through our physician response program, launched in 2023 to provide advanced care during emergencies. Kohler’s collapsed lung required an intervention EMS crews aren’t equipped to perform. “It was a life-threatening problem,” Qasim said, noting the importance of teamwork in the positive outcome. Kohler recently reunited with Qasim and the EMTs to express his gratitude. http://spr.ly/60457OiVz

When Amber McComsey (1st photo, 2nd from left) heard about a Highmark Wholecare free farmers' market in a neighboring county, she knew she wanted to bring this to her Columbia community. “Our area has a high percentage of individuals who struggle with food insecurity," said the pediatric care manager at Family Medicine Twin Rose. “As a healthcare system we talk about the importance of proper nutrition, but fresh food is often an expensive choice.” Amber reached out to Highmark Wholecare and the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank to make it happen. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health employee volunteers from primary care, pharmacy, and population health were on hand to help Highmark Wholecare and the Central PA Food Bank distribute the food at a November 13 event at Twin Rose. In total, 530 families received 10,360 pounds of food, marking the largest distribution Highmark Wholecare has ever supported. “We had a little squash and carrots remaining that we donated to local outreach programs at Columbia Dream Center and Historic Salem United Church of Christ, Columbia PA,” said Amber. “The goal of this event was to provide free, fresh produce to community members without any barriers. No ID or income verification was required,” Amber explained. She expressed her gratitude for the support she received from Twin Rose leaders, as well as local school districts who helped spread the word. A grant from the Herr Estate and gift card donation from Weis Markets allowed the team to also purchase and distribute personal care items, laundry detergent, and diapers at the event. We are incredibly grateful for team members like Amber and the Twin Rose staff who go above and beyond to meet the needs of our community.

The expert team at Penn Orthopaedics Queen Street is excited to announce the opening of their new Walk-in Clinic, providing patients with prompt care – no appointment needed! From sprained ankles to unexpected joint pain, the team is ready to offer fast, effective treatment during regular business hours. “We’re here to help people when they need us most,” said Josiah Baker, PA-C. “Whether it's a quick assessment or more detailed care, we’re dedicated to getting patients back on their feet as quickly and safely as possible.”

It was a celebration like no other at Women & Babies Hospital. After 260 days—the longest stay ever in our NICU—Taylor Helm was going home! Born at just 26 weeks, weighing only 1 pound, 2 ounces, we recently said goodbye to a healthy 15-pound Taylor, her amazing parents, Kayla and Cody, and proud sister Peyton. “Taylor and her family will always hold a special place in our hearts and staff were so excited to give them a special send off,” said Andria Heiser, NICU nurse manager. According to Kayla, our staff became like family. “They held us together when we wanted to fall apart and were right there cheering Taylor on along with us. They made the NICU feel more like a home. We are thankful for the relationships we made that will last a lifetime.” From her earliest days on a special high-frequency ventilator for extremely premature infants, to taking her first bottle eight months later, Taylor showed incredible strength. Our nurses, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists, physicians, nurse practitioners, chaplains, and case managers were all honored to play roles in supporting her incredible journey. “I could not rave more about the care in the NICU, said a grateful Kayla, who added: “Taylor is thriving at home! She has blended right into our family. She is a happy baby. She loves playing with her sister and just being with us 24/7. She adjusted well and has been growing. We continue to follow up with all of our doctors, but Taylor is doing exactly what she is supposed to be doing and we are so proud of her.” The Level IIIB NICU at Women & Babies Hospital is the most advanced NICU in Lancaster County. In partnership with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), we provide advanced care to babies born prematurely (as early as 23 weeks) and those needing extra support.

For Adam Schnupp, PA-C, with LG Health Urgent Care Ephrata, it was a typical Sunday, cheering on his daughter’s soccer team with his other two children. But what happened next was far from typical and turned into a lifesaving moment. "After the game, while the kids and I were packing up our car, we noticed a lot of commotion back over at the park. I could see that a person was lying on the ground and people began to crowd around him,” Adam recalled. “I ran back to render aid and realized that a gentleman was in cardiac arrest. He had no pulse.” Without hesitation, Adam sprang into action, starting CPR while others called 911. He performed CPR for about five minutes until law enforcement and EMS arrived to take over. Thanks to Adam’s quick thinking and expertise, the gentleman regained a pulse and eventually started talking. He was stabilized and transferred to Lancaster General Hospital. After a week in the hospital, he was able to return home. "His family has reached out to me and offered their deepest thanks," said Adam, who also expressed his own gratitude. "I am very grateful I was in the right place at the right time and understood that CPR was his only chance at life. Fortunately, his outcome was positive and uplifting for all involved." We are incredibly thankful for team members like Adam, who go above and beyond to serve our community whenever and wherever needs arise.

On this Veterans Day, we pause to honor the brave individuals who have served—and continue to serve—our country. We extend our deepest gratitude to the veterans among our patients, employees, and community members. Their courage, discipline, and commitment to service enrich our organization and inspire us all. As part of Penn Medicine, Lancaster General Health is proud to be the region’s largest healthcare provider for veterans. Through initiatives like the Veterans Care Excellence Program, we address barriers to access, focus on personalized, patient-centered care, and reimagine how we support veterans’ physical and mental health. We are grateful to continue our Veterans Honor Walk, a tradition that began in 2022 and has since honored more than 240 veterans at the time of their passing. The ceremonial procession gives family members, staff, and visitors the opportunity to show their gratitude for veterans' service.

When Ashleigh Heller was recently diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, her 7-year-old niece Alexa was by her side during treatment at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute. Inspired by her aunt's strength and the compassionate care she witnessed, Alexa felt moved to do something meaningful. With the help of her Girl Scout Troop 743 from Mount Joy, led by her mom Jess Kautz and Scout Master Erica Rambish, Alexa helped bring a beautiful idea to life: a handmade “Stay Strong” banner to offer encouragement to other patients on their own cancer journeys. The banner, created by 14 girls in the troop, features red for women facing breast cancer and blue to honor men affected by the disease. Along with the banner, the girls also made thoughtful bookmarks and encouragement notes, now being shared with our patients. We are so touched by the kindness and creativity of these young girls and incredibly proud to display their banner in our clinic as a symbol of strength, support, and community.

During recovery from surgery, a Lancaster General Hospital patient had the privilege of being cared for by Deborah Alamo, PtCA, a patient care assistant whose kindness and joy were as healing as her expertise. Deborah’s infectious spirit truly stood out. At one point, she even broke into a cha-cha and sang a tune to lift the patient’s spirits. "Who would expect that while recovering? It was wonderful," the patient recalled. From the start, Deborah made the patient feel at ease. “She took the time to make it clear I was her serious and happy concern." Her unique combination of skill, connection, and joy make it clear why Deborah is a Daffodil Award recipient, recognizing her exceptional patient care. As the patient who nominated her said, “Deborah responded to my requests for help as though nothing could have been more important. She seemed to smile as she completed all her duties."

We’re celebrating some of the incredible talent and dedication on our nursing team! Each year, the Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania highlights the best in nursing, and this year, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health is proud to have two remarkable honorees: ▪️ Our Trauma/Neuro Intensive Care Team was winner of the Patient Choice Team Award. This was a repeat honor for this team that was also honored in 2023. ▪️ Tim Zellers, MBA, MSN, CRNP, our chief nursing officer, was the finalist in the Nursing Administration Senior Level/Executive Award category. Huge congratulations to these outstanding nurses whose daily commitment to excellence truly makes a difference for our patients and community. Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania is a statewide, non-profit organization, focused on recognizing exemplary nursing practice, and granting scholarships to students pursuing degrees in nursing at all levels.