Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce News Newswire

St. Luke's University Health Network Honored with Richard L. Doyle Award for Innovative Care Planning

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:22:24 GMT

St. Luke's University Health Network has been named a recipient of the 2025 Richard L. Doyle Award for Innovation and Leadership in Healthcare by MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network and the industry’s source of truth for trusted clinical guidance.

The Doyle Award recognizes exceptional use of evidence-based guidance and transformative care models that advance quality, improve outcomes, and reduce unnecessary costs.

St. Luke's was honored for its High Utilizer Care Program (HUCP), an innovative, systemwide initiative developed to improve care coordination for patients who frequently use emergency and inpatient services without improved outcomes. The program integrates individualized care plans into the electronic health record and applies MCG Chronic Care guidelines (via the MCG Coordinate solution) to align multidisciplinary teams across emergency, inpatient, outpatient, behavioral health, and community settings—resulting in measurable improvements in care and cost.

Since implementation, patients enrolled in the HUCP for at least six months have experienced a 39% decrease in emergency department visits, a 50% reduction in inpatient admissions, a nearly 48% reduction in high-end inpatient radiology studies, and a 42% drop in hospital charges, while outpatient engagement increased—confirming success in redirecting care to appropriate settings. This has resulted in over $400 million in cost savings over the past three years.

“Our High Utilizer Care Program reflects our commitment to compassionate, coordinated, and value-driven care,” said Rebecca Miller, Network Director of Outpatient Care Management at St. Luke’s. “Receiving the Doyle Award underscores the dedication of teams across our Network who work every day to improve continuity, address social and clinical needs, and achieve outcomes that matter to patients and communities.”

“We congratulate St. Luke’s University Health Network for their unwavering commitment to improving the lives of patients through thoughtful, coordinated care,” said Jon Shreve, President and CEO of MCG Health. “Their High Utilizer Care Program exemplifies how patient-centered innovation - grounded in evidence-based guidance - can meaningfully enhance outcomes and ensure patients receive the right care at the right time. This work is a powerful example of what’s possible when compassion and clinical excellence come together.”

Doyle Award recipients are selected annually by an independent panel of healthcare experts who are not affiliated with MCG. Members of the SLUHN team will be recognized at the MCG Client Forum, June 1–3, 2026, in Aventura, Florida, where they will share insights from the award-winning initiative.

St. Luke's Penn Foundation Sponsors Adult Mental Health First Aid Training

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 15:47:07 GMT

Inside Match Day 2026: The Envelopes, Emotions, and Next Steps for Future Physicians

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:11:45 GMT

Match Day marks one of the most emotional and defining milestones in a physician’s journey. At exactly noon today, medical students across the country opened envelopes that revealed where they will spend the next several years training as resident physicians. For students, families, mentors and colleagues, it is a moment years in the making, featuring equal parts anticipation, relief, pride and joy.

That energy filled the Iacocca Conference Center at Lehigh University on Friday as 38 fourth-year students from the Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine gathered with loved ones for the 2026 Match Day celebration. This year, 13 Temple/St. Luke’s students matched into residency programs at St. Luke’s, continuing the Network’s strong tradition of training and retaining exceptional physicians.

Among them was Michael Cardiges of Fogelsville, PA, whose Match Day moment carried special meaning. Michael matched into the St. Luke’s Internal Medicine Residency at the Anderson Campus, following in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Nicholas Cardiges, who has served as a radiation oncologist at St. Luke’s for more than 30 years. In fact, Michael was born at St. Luke’s. His Match Day story reflects the deep sense of community and continuity that defines St. Luke’s.

Two students featured in the Network’s pre-Match social media countdown also celebrated exciting news. Brian Smoots, who credits the strong mentorship at Temple/St. Luke’s for shaping his medical education, matched into the St. Luke’s Urology Residency. Natalie Sliwowski, who says the hands-on learning environment at Temple/St. Luke’s inspired her to pursue a career in pediatrics, matched into the St. Luke’s Pediatric Residency. The couple, who are engaged and preparing for a fall wedding, will now continue their training together within the Network.

Earlier this week, their reflections captured the spirit of the day:

Smoots shared that the culture at St. Luke’s shaped his entire medical school experience: “My decision to study at the St. Luke's campus has been reinforced and validated less by a single moment than by the consistency of the attitude and culture which I have found here… That kind of continuity builds trust and strength in mentorship that has made my clinical training to this point second to none.”

Sliwowski echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the value of being welcomed as an active member of the care team: “Throughout my pediatric rotations, I have been fortunate to work with faculty and residents whose excellent teaching and mentorship has shaped me into the kind of physician I hope to become. I look forward to continuing to be a part of this culture and to helping bring up the medical students who come after me.”

The Temple/St. Luke’s celebration in Bethlehem was held simultaneously with Match Day festivities at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine’s North Philadelphia campus. Dean Amy J. Goldberg, MD, and Senior Associate Dean, Shaden T. Eldakar-Hein, MD, addressed students at both locations via live feed before the countdown to the envelope opening.

Just prior to handing each student their Match envelope, Dr. Eldakar-Hein praised their dedication.

“You’ve worked hard for this moment. You’ve inspired us along the way with your motivation to heal others and your commitment to our community,” she told the class. “In that envelope is a program that chose you, just like four years ago when you chose us, and we chose you. Those programs saw the value and potential in you that we had, and the support that you will receive in programs that see your value are opportunities for growth and an amazing training environment. My message to those programs is, ‘you are lucky’.”

The Temple/St. Luke’s School of Medicine campus in Fountain Hill, the Lehigh Valley’s first and only four-year medical school, continues to offer students a uniquely personal, community-centered training environment. St. Luke’s University Health Network’s #1 nationwide ranking in quality, safety, and patient experience underscores the exceptional clinical setting in which these future physicians learn and grow.

As the newly matched students celebrated with family and friends, the day served as a reminder of what makes Match Day so powerful: the culmination of years of hard work, the beginning of a new chapter, and the enduring connections that shape a physician’s path.

Caption: Michael Cardiges of Fogelsville, PA, with his parents. Michael’s Match Day moment carried special meaning. Michael matched into the St. Luke’s Internal Medicine Residency at the Anderson Campus, following in the footsteps of his father, Dr. Nicholas Cardiges, who has served as a radiation oncologist at St. Luke’s for more than 30 years.

Below are the residency programs to which St. Luke’s students matched:

Anesthesiology

Penn State Hershey Medical Center, PA

Temple University Hospital, PA

West Virginia University School of Medicine, WV

Emergency Medicine

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Anderson Campus, PA (2)

Loma Linda University, CA

St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, PA

Family Medicine

Creighton University East Valley, AZ

Stamford Hospital/Columbia, CT

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside, PA (2)

General Surgery

Mohawk Valley Health System, NY

NYP Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center, NY

Internal Medicine

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Bethlehem Campus, PA

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CA (2)

Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, PA

Rutgers-R.W. Johnson Medical School, NJ

Thomas Jefferson University, PA

Zucker School of Medicine-Northwell NS/LIJ, NY

Interventional Radiology

Brown University

Neurology

Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, PA

Temple University Hospital, PA

Obstetrics-Gynecology

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Bethlehem Campus, PA

Maimonides Medical Center, NY

Orthopedics

Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, MD

Otolaryngology

West Virginia University School of Medicine, WV

Pathology

University of Virginia Medical Center, VA

Pediatrics

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Anderson Campus, PA

Duke University Medical Center, NC

Madigan Army Medical Center, WA

University of Rochester Medical Center, NY

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Rutgers- New Jersey Medical School, NJ

Plastic Surgery

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Bethlehem Campus, PA

Psychiatry

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Anderson Campus, PA

Lehigh Valley Hospital, PA

Radiology

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Anderson Campus, PA

Radiation Oncology

Ohio State University Medical Center, OH

Urology

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Bethlehem Campus, PA

Transitional Year

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Bethlehem Campus, PA (2)

St. Luke’s University Health Network, Anderson Campus, PA

Capital Health Regional Medical Center, NJ

LifeSpan School & Day Care Are Now Accepting Enrollment For The Pre-K Counts Program

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 18:14:52 GMT

LifeSpan School and Day Care are not accepting students for the Pre-K Counts Program. This is a great free program for families with eligible 3-4 yr old children. Please see flyer for more details.

Career & Technical Education Graduate Talent Expo 4/28/26 - Come Meet Your Next New Hire!

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:36:13 GMT

On April 28, 2026 from 1PM-2PM, the Montgomery County Workforce Development Board and Montgomery County's Career Technical Centers invite you to The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Avenue , Oaks for an inaugural Reverse Job Fair. This event will follow our STEM and Agriculture Career Expo from 9AM-12PM (if you would like information about this event, email jennifer.butler@montgomerycountypa.gov).

A Reverse Job Fair takes a different approach — students host the tables. Instead of setting up a booth, you’ll walk the room as hundreds of seniors showcase their career pathways, skills, and projects. The space will be arranged by career clusters, making it easy for you to connect with candidates aligned to the roles and industries you are seeking. You’ll meet motivated students, talk with them about entry-level opportunities, internships, apprenticeships, in-demand skills, and even possibilities for on-the-spot hiring. It’s an efficient way to spot talent, make connections, and explore future workforce possibilities.

This event is open to all employers. Registration is requested but not required at https://forms.office.com/r/RDMw2pzfEx.

The registration link also lists the Career Clusters and affiliated CTE programs to help you plan your visit and registering helps us plan for a successful event.

See the flyer for more details and reach out to Jenni Butler - jennifer.butler@montgomerycountypa.gov - with any questions.

St. Luke’s Older Adult Meal Program Is a Big Hit Among Seniors

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:28:47 GMT

Even a frigid cold day in January after a near-record snow couldn’t stop area senior citizens from heading to St. Luke’s Anderson Campus in Northampton County for their evening meal. “The food is delicious, but the main reason we come is the people,” said retired physician Ralph Shields of Bethlehem. “The friends. We have friends we get to see here all the time.” His wife, Jean Soloi, was a bit more focused on the food. “Do they have a good dessert,” she asked. “I have to get it first.” Dozens of senior citizens turn out every weekday night to the cafeterias at 10 St. Luke’s campuses to take advantage of the Older Adult Meal Program.

Over at Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County, 85-year-old Clem Utara from nearby Deer Lake goes 4-5 times a week depending on the menu, and gets there early to save seats for five friends so they can all sit together. “The food is good,” he said. “The ambiance here, the people, the staff, it just feels nice. I look forward to it, and to seeing everyone.”

For just $3.99, adults 65-and-over receive a nutritious and healthy meal that includes an entree, a soup or salad, a side dish, vegetable, dessert and a 12-ounce drink. All the meals are prepared fresh daily, and many of the ingredients are grown at the St. Luke’s Rodale Institute Organic Farm, a 14-acre area that grows more than 70 varieties of about 30 types of produce.

St. Luke’s began the Older Adult Meal Program in 2017 one component of a broader Senior Health Program committed to helping older adults stay as healthy and independent as long as possible.

According to a study in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, about one-third of older adults reported feeling lonely or a felt a lack of companionship, with that percentage raising the lower their income. Loneliness and social isolation increased the mortality rate by more than 25%.

“This initiative addresses many of the needs outlined in our 2025 Community Health Need Assessment comprehensively – from access, healthy fresh food, to building companionship for community development,” said Rajika E. Reed, Ph.D., MPH, M.Ed., Vice President of Community Health for St. Luke’s. “Along with the adults participating in the meal program, our partners in the community have been overwhelming positive about the benefits of this program, as it serves our senior population – a group frequently missed.”

The Older Adult Meal Program, providing affordable nutritious meals along with social contact, exemplifies the unique culture that has made St. Luke’s the top-ranked health care system in the country. In 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ranked St. Luke’s #1 ahead of Houston Methodist and Mayo Clinic as the nation’s top health system for quality, safety and patient experience—an objective recognition reaffirming St. Luke’s preeminent position as a leader among the largest and most respected health care providers in the country.

“The food is good and it’s good company, but it’s a great value,” said Butch Cutrona of Plainfield Township, who was there with his partner, Theresa. While often it’s the relatively low price of the meals that initially draws people, it’s the quality and camaraderie that keeps them coming back.

“My daughter-in-law told me about this a long time ago,” Theresa Rothrock said. “I never really thought about coming until one of the friends I have breakfast with said she was coming, so we came. That was two years ago, and we’ve been coming ever since.”

Theresa said that the friends they meet make the evening meals special. She and Butch attend almost every weeknight.

“We sit with our friends and we laugh so much,” she said. “People say they want to sit at our table because we’re having so much fun.”

Ralph and Jean said they attend two or three nights a week. He is a retired St. Luke’s family practice internal medicine doctor, the middle of a three-generation chain of St. Luke’s doctors starting with his father and now his son.

Ian Russell, the general manager for Dietary Administration at the Anderson Campus, said they serve 60-100 Older Adult meals every day, averaging 63 meals per weekday over the last year. The Warren (NJ) Campus led the way by averaging 80 meals per weekday.

“We get a big crowd, about 20-30 who are regulars every day,” he said. “Some of them get here well before we are ready to serve at 4 o’clock.”

Sally Boyer, a Nutrition Services aide, is the shining star for the seniors on Wednesday nights. She knows everyone’s name and everyone asks her what's being served before they get to the dinner line.

Hours vary a bit from campus to campus for the Older Adult meals, but they are served on weekdays Monday through Friday.

Many of the campuses also offer an expert speaker during the meals one night a month who speaks on physical or mental health topics.

Anderson Campus – 4-6:30 pm
Bethlehem Campus – 4-6 pm
Carbon Campus – 4-6 pm
GSL Campus – 4-6 pm
Lehighton Campus – 4-6 pm
Miners Campus – 4-6 pm
Monroe Campus – 4-6 pm
Sacred Heart Campus – 4-6
Upper Bucks Campus – 4-6 pm
Warren Campus – 4-6 pm

Photo caption: Al Gerra, left, with Michel Lloyd, enjoy a meal at St. Luke’s Anderson Campus.

QNB Bank Seeking Student Art for 2027 Collector Calendar

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:01:48 GMT

Quakertown, PA (March 11, 2026) QNB Bank is seeking artwork for its 2027 Student Art Calendar Contest from high school students (grades 9-12) of all schools in QNB’s market area. This will be the 31^st installment of the QNB Student Art Collector Calendar.

QNB will be celebrating its 150^th anniversary in 2027, so the theme for this year is “Celebrating 150 Years of QNB Bank” and the art format is a pen and ink drawing. Fourteen drawings will be selected by the Bank to be featured in the calendar. Entry forms with a full list of rules and regulations for the contest can be picked up at any QNB Bank location, participating schools’ art departments, or on QNB’s website at QNBbank.com/contest. Artwork may be mailed to:

QNB Bank

Attn: Marketing Department

PO Box 9005

Quakertown, PA 18951-9005

Winners of the contest will be chosen and notified in June. Questions may be directed to the QNB Bank Marketing Department at 215-538-5600 ext. 5756.

The Residence of Boyertown Invites You to Their Grand Opening Celebration

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:24:06 GMT