Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health

11/21/2025

Over the last 25 years, our Nurse-Family Partnership program has touched the lives of more than 1,400 families, providing compassionate and expert support from prenatal care to early childhood development. The team's holistic approach empowers families during some of life’s most critical stages.

They consistently meet families where they are, respecting diverse backgrounds, honoring individual goals, and advocating for informed choices that reflect each unique journey. Not only does their work strengthen the clients they serve, but also the broader health of our community.

Nurse-Family Partnership was recently recognized with a Penn Medicine Experience Award for making a meaningful difference in the way we connect, care, and collaborate to serve our patients. Congratulations to this amazing team!

Nurse-Family Partnership, along with Lancaster General Health's Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute and Lancaster County Children's Alliance, are part of today's (Nov. 21) ExtraGive, a community-wide celebration of generosity that supports hundreds of community benefit organizations serving our region. ExtraGive.org

11/20/2025

There is no doubt that Taysia Eckinger, PtCA, a patient care assistant at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital, is beloved by the patients and families she serves. Check out some recent comments they shared.

◾ “She made me feel important by going above and beyond, leaving motivational notes like ‘you’ve got this’ on my drink and checking in on me regularly.”
◾ “She answered all my questions, was quick to respond, and always respectful."
◾ A joy to be around with a great work ethic and tons of empathy!”
◾ “She took my vitals and explained everything to me. Her cheerful personality made my day better!”
◾ “Her smile and energy are a burst of sunshine. She went above and beyond to make sure my husband was comfortable and cared for.”
◾ “Taysia brightened my mom’s day and spirit. She’s an asset to any team!”

We are thrilled to honor Taysia with the Daffodil Award for her exceptional care and positivity! Thank you, Taysia, for being a shining light in our hospital!

11/19/2025

Dr. Ada-Nkem Emuwa’s passion for health equity began long before she became a family physician at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. Inspired during childhood by witnessing preventable deaths when visiting rural Nigeria where her parents grew up, her work extends beyond the clinic to supporting underserved communities locally and internationally.

She currently serves on multiple boards, including the Community Health Council of Lebanon County, and co-leads the Wheel of Hope Initiative.

“Everyone deserves to have access to good healthcare,” she said.

We're proud to share that Dr. Emuwa (middle) was recently honored with the 2025 Community Voluntary Service Award from the Pennsylvania Medical Society. She is pictured with PA Med Society President Dr. Lynn Lucas-Fehm (left) and CEO Martin Raniowski (right) as she received this much-deserved recognition.

11/18/2025

After 21 years of teaching, Karla Gibson left education last year to find her calling as a house support technician at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. A beloved mentor known for her "mom hugs," Karla helps unit clerks master complex responsibilities and uses her background to teach crisis intervention training to our staff members. One colleague notes Karla is "irreplaceable" and "the most-loved role model" who has made an "indelible difference" in countless lives.

In her unique role in a team of 13, Karla is cross trained as a unit clerk, sitter, and patient care assistant and has worked as all three. Her primary responsibility is to respond to mass transfusion protocol codes.

"We are the ones who carry the coolers of blood products from the Blood Bank to wherever it is needed in the hospital. We also respond to other codes to support with chest compressions, patient transport, or whatever the staff might need so they can stay with the patient."

We are beyond grateful to be the beneficiaries of Karla's transition from education to healthcare. Thank you, Karla, for making a difference every day!

11/17/2025

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.

11/16/2025

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.

This past August, the unthinkable happened to Berks County man David Koehler. Koehler, 58 at the time, was leaving the Knight & Day Diner on his motorcycle. On Oregon Road,

11/15/2025

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 help meet the needs of our community.

11/14/2025

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.”

11/13/2025

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.

11/12/2025

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.

11/11/2025

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.

11/10/2025

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.