SCRANTON, PA — The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) recently presented the 2024 Innovative Research in Primary Care Award to Jignesh Y. Sheth, M.D., the senior vice president and chief medical and information officer (CMO) at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education.

NACHC presented the 2024 Community Health Care Awards of Excellence at the annual Convention and Community Health Institute in Atlanta, GA. The award recognizes a health center clinician who has been active in primary care research or evaluation in community practice, prevention, public health, care coordination or the clinical practice of medical services, according to NACHC.

“It is a privilege to live the health center mission at The Wright Center for Community Health,” said Dr. Sheth, who completed his internal medicine residency at the Wright Center and has been a physician there since 2009. 

The award recognizes Dr. Sheth’s innovative and transformative initiatives at The Wright Center that significantly enhanced the quality of care delivered across Northeast Pennsylvania, including

• Pioneering a telemedicine model that delivers health care directly to patients' homes, particularly benefiting those in remote and rural areas. This innovative approach allows remote monitoring of vital health metrics such as heart rate, steps, blood pressure, and more. Dr. Sheth further enhanced this system by integrating Humhealth technology, ensuring smooth data transfer to patients' electronic health records (EHRs). This integration empowers patients to take an active role in managing their health and facilitates personalized care interventions and better patient outcomes.
• Transforming The Wright Center’s EHR system into a robust database that enhances health care delivery, supports data-driven decision-making, and facilitates successful grant awards. This system empowers clinicians to use collected data for precise interventions and measurable enhancements, effectively bridging individual patient care with population health management.
• Implementing advanced business analytics that bolstered daily operations and long-term planning. This initiative not only ensured compliance with federal reporting requirements but also facilitated the acquisition of new grants and The Wright Center’s prestigious designation in 2019 as a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike.
• Introducing state-of-the-art technology to enhance patient experiences. This includes Propio, an on-demand interpreting service available at The Wright Center’s community health centers that is capable of translating over 350 languages. He also implemented "Neo," a patient-friendly, HIPAA-compliant interactive live agent chatbot on TheWrightCenter.org. Neo assists both new and existing patients by enabling them to schedule appointments, refill prescriptions, navigate the system effectively, and learn about available vaccinations, testing, services and more.
• Upgrading The Wright Center's storage and dispensing system for vaccines and medications from traditional refrigerators/freezers to AccuVax. This state-of-the-art, fully HIPAA-compliant technology automates and secures vaccine and medication storage through an integrated vending machine system. AccuVax ensures precise inventory management, enhances patient safety, controls access levels, and tracks vaccines down to the dose level.
• Optimizing workflows across The Wright Center by integrating advanced, time-saving technologies. This includes Suki, an artificial intelligence-powered digital assistant system that supports clinicians with administrative tasks, and Azara and iDashboards, which offer detailed insights into patient care and operational efficiency, aiding in resource management and strategic planning. Furthermore, he implemented a robust grant inventory management system to enhance organizational efficiency and required grant outcomes compliance.

“By utilizing data analytics, modern technology and other advancements in modern medicine, physicians and care teams can create a culture of continuous improvement and accountability as we work together to shift the health care paradigm from reactive to proactive,” Dr. Sheth said. “By addressing prevalent community health challenges and fostering a culture of wellness, we can elevate health outcomes and improve the overall quality of life for everyone.” 

Dually board-certified in internal medicine and addiction medicine, Dr. Sheth sees adult patients at The Wright Center for Community Health – Mid Valley location in Jermyn. He received his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with honors in biochemistry, medicine, and public health in 2004 from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College in Wardha, India. He earned his Master’s in Public Health with a specialization in health promotion in 2006 from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

He and his wife, Hetal Sheth, live in Clarks Summit with their children, Zian, 9, and Jiaa, 5.

The Wright Center for Community Health, headquartered in Scranton, operates nine community health centers in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Wayne counties. It also operates a mobile medical and dental unit called Driving Better Health.

The Wright Center’s locations offer responsive and inclusive whole-person primary health services. Patients typically have the convenience of going to a single location to access integrated medical, dental, and behavioral health care, as well as community-based addiction treatment and recovery services. For more information, go to TheWrightCenter.org or call 570/230-0019.