COAL TOWNSHIP - When Shamokin Area Community Hospital (SACH) officially becomes part of the Geisinger Health System (GHS) on Sunday, it will follow all of Geisinger's policies - including the newest one about tobacco use that has spurred significant conversation since it was announced Wednesday.
Starting Feb. 1, applicants for any Geisinger position will be subject to nicotine testing in the pre-employment physical and drug screening. Those who test positive will not be offered employment.
All applicants - including those seeking full- and part-time positions, flex, volunteers and students enrolled in Geisinger-based schools - will be tested for nicotine, according to the policy.
SACH CEO Thomas Harlow confirmed Thursday the policy will be in effect for the Coal Township facility.
"Absolutely," Harlow said. "We will be part of the Geisinger system, so it takes effect here Feb. 1."
Harlow said no one is immune.
"Every new employee and physician that is hired will have to follow the policy," he said.
Merger receptions set
Meanwhile, Geisinger has scheduled receptions for 7 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday at SACH, at which time Harlow and Tom Sokola, chief administrative officer of Geisinger Medical Center, will greet employees in the cafeteria with gifts and refreshments to celebrate the merger.
On Jan. 11, Geisinger leadership will address new employees and community members about the merger and the 100th anniversary of SACH.
The new facility will be known as Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital, a campus of Geisinger Medical Center.
Testing one-time only
The new directive, available on Geisinger's website under the "Careers" section, says Geisinger will no longer hire applicants who use tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and chewing or smokeless tobacco. The testing will be part of a urine drug screen. Applicants who test positive may re-apply in six months, according to the policy.
Marcy Marshall, director of clinical enterprise communications for Geisinger, said the test is a one-time procedure conducted only when the person applies.
"We will not be doing random testing for nicotine," Marshall said Thursday. "The test will only be given when applying."
All Geisinger facilities have been tobacco-free since 2007, and the new policy will only apply to incoming employees. Current personnel are "grandfathered in" and will not be tested.
Two other hospital systems in the state, Susquehanna Health Systems in Williamsport and St. Luke's in the Lehigh Valley, have already implemented the policy.
"Non-nicotine hiring policies are legal in 20 states, including Pennsylvania," said Richard Merkle, chief human resources officer for Geisinger, in an e-mail Wednesday.