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The Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit (PICU) at Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital is the only Pennsylvania hospital to earn a 2025 gold-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. The Beacon Award program recognizes hospital units that provide excellent patient care and a positive workplace for nursing staff. The gold level is the program's top honor. The unit also earned gold-level recognition in 2021. The team earned exceptionally high scores for patient outcomes and high marks for leadership, communication and support for professional growth. The team's nurses regularly sharpen their skills and receive support as they transition into leadership roles. “What makes this unit special is our commitment to teamwork to benefit our patients,” said Amanda Kells, nurse manager of the Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit. “This team will go out of their way to make sure that the coworker next to them has everything that they need to successfully care for their patients. It’s contributed to our sense of community and plays a significant role in achieving a positive and healthy work environment.”
For Quinn Thompson, the path to a career in health care wasn’t a straight line. It began with a call to serve his country, took him across three combat deployments and, years later, led him to Penn State Health. At just 17, Thompson joined the U.S. Navy and became part of the Seabees, the Navy’s construction battalion known for building bases and infrastructure in some of the world’s most challenging environments. “I liked working with my hands, so it seemed like the right fit,” he recalled. “I didn’t realize at the time how much the experience would shape who I became.” When his service ended in 2014, Thompson returned home to central Pennsylvania and began a new chapter. He earned degrees in business and supply chain management and built a stable career in government and transportation. Yet something was missing. “I’d sit at a desk all day and think, ‘This can’t be it,’” he admitted. “I missed feeling like what I did mattered.” Today, Thompson works as a radiology aide at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, assisting with MRI and imaging procedures while pursuing his Radiologic Technologist certification through HACC. His clinical rotations take place within Penn State Health, and once he completes the program in 2027, he hopes to specialize in MRI.
For the second time, the heart transplant program at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center has achieved a 100% three-year survival rate, placing the program among the best in the nation. According to newly released data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, every patient who received a heart transplant at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center between January 2020 and June 2022 was alive three years later. The national average heart transplant survival rate for this time period was 85%. This achievement represents the nation’s best performance for risk-adjusted mortality. It underscores the exceptional quality and safety of care delivered by the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute team who has performed 609 transplant surgeries since 1984. The program also ranks among the nation’s best for observed and expected pre-transplant mortality, recording zero waitlist mortality during the July 2023 to June 2025 rating period – meaning every patient awaiting a heart transplant survived. This milestone highlights the strength of the program’s comprehensive care model, from advanced heart failure management and mechanical circulatory support through transplantation, recovery and lifelong follow-up care. Read more by clicking the link below.
Penn State Health Golisano Children's Hospital is the first hospital in central Pennsylvania to implement Deep Resolve, an AI-powered image reconstruction software for MRI scans. This new cutting-edge imaging technology uses deep learning to generate faster, sharper and clearer MRI images, while significantly reducing the time patients spend under anesthesia. This is especially meaningful for pediatric patients. “Reducing anesthesia time is a game-changer for children,” said Anita Krivenko, chief MRI technologist at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “It means less risk, less stress and a more comfortable experience for our youngest patients and their families.” Penn State Health is rolling out Deep Resolve Technology across most of its MRI units. Eight scanners across the health system will soon feature this advanced technology.
Penn State Health’s steadfast commitment to patient safety has once again placed all five of its hospitals among the safest in the nation, according to the latest Hospital Safety Grades from the Leapfrog Group. “Our commitment to safety is embedded in every aspect of care we provide,” said Dr. Michael Kupferman, chief executive officer of Penn State Health. “These grades reflect the dedication of our entire team to creating a secure, healing environment for every patient, every day.” For the second consecutive reporting period, Penn State Health Hampden, Lancaster and Milton S. Hershey medical centers have each earned an ‘A’ grade — the highest possible rating. Penn State Health Holy Spirit and St. Joseph medical centers again received strong “B” grades, underscoring consistent performance across the health system. The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit focused on health care transparency and safety, evaluates nearly 3,000 general acute-care hospitals twice a year. Grades are based on more than 30 publicly available measures that assess how effectively hospitals prevent medical errors, injuries, infections and other harm to patients.
Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine announced today a transformative $50 million gift from philanthropist, entrepreneur and civic leader Tom Golisano to name the health system’s nationally recognized Children’s Hospital and propel its vision to expand the cutting-edge, multidisciplinary pediatric care hub. This landmark contribution will also help fuel education, innovation and discovery with the aim of setting a national standard for excellence and compassion in caring for children and their families. It comes as Penn State prepares for the 2026 announcement of a new fundraising campaign, which includes a focus on the health of the commonwealth. This support will connect the newly named Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital with nine other leading institutions across the country as part of the Golisano Children’s Alliance – a collaborative network designed to share resources and expand access to essential pediatric care. Golisano announced formation of the Alliance – which will comprise six newly funded and four existing Golisano Children’s Hospitals – on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
When Erin Schaffner began her college career, she thought her path would lead to a classroom, not a hospital. With an associate degree in elementary education, she set out to work with children but soon realized that teaching wasn’t her lifelong calling. A chance job as a front office greeter at a diagnostic center set her life in a new direction. “I had a supervisor who saw something in me and encouraged me to talk with the technologists,” Erin recalls. “I never imagined myself in the medical field, but once I learned about radiology and what technologists do, I knew I had found the right path.” She returned to school at HACC, completed clinical training at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center, and passed her boards to become a certified radiologic technologist. Seventeen years later, Erin is still caring for patients at Holy Spirit Medical Center, where her career has grown into specialties in mammography, breast ultrasound and bone densitometry. Read more.
For Lisa Duncan, what began 25 years ago as a way for a young single mother to support her children is now a lifetime career and passion. As a licensed practical nurse (LPN) with the Opioid Treatment Program at Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, becoming a nurse was a natural path for Duncan, whose mother and aunts are also nurses. “Since my mom was a private duty nurse, I got a firsthand look into what they do,” said Duncan, who was born and raised in Camp Hill. Since completing her nursing degree at Harrisburg Area Community College in 2000, she has worked in a variety of settings, including an outpatient pediatrics practice, a long-term geriatric care facility, the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill and a hospice program, before coming to Penn State Health. “Being able to watch my children grow up has been the best thing about a career I’ve always loved,” said Duncan, whose daughter has continued the family tradition and now works as an LPN in another state. “There are so many roles to choose from — you can work in outpatient or inpatient settings or in a specific specialty. As an LPN, you know you’ll always have a job for which there will always be a need.” Learn more about Lisa's journey.
Imaging Tech Hiring Event (Virtual) Monday, Sept. 22 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Online – Join us from anywhere Penn State Health is growing and so are the rewards for our imaging professionals, including sign-on bonuses up to $15,000 depending on your experience level. Attend this virtual event to get answers about benefits, sign-on bonuses and growth opportunities (including trainee programs and tuition assistance) Who We’re Hiring : • CT Technologists • Radiologic Technologists • MRI Technologists • Ultrasound Technologists • Mammography Technologists
Captain America, Spiderman and Superman rappelled down the side of Penn State Health Children’s Hospital to the cheers of patients, their families and other onlookers. This marks the ninth heroic descent in what has become a beloved tradition. From the hospital windows and below, children waved and snapped photos of their favorite heroes. After their dramatic entrance, the superheroes paused to greet their excited fans and visit patients waiting inside the hospital. “We don’t usually see a lot of smiles in a children’s hospital because kids are here when they’re not feeling well,” said Ashley Kane, child life manager at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. “To see their excitement as superheroes rappelled down the building—it gives them a moment of relief, a chance to step outside of their hospital experience and enjoy something totally unique.” The superhero rappelling event is made possible by Harrisburg-based Vancena Property Service whose employees gear up in superhero costumes each year to delight young patients.
