inspira health network media coverage summary · jan. 2, 2014 written by — it took longer than...
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Media Coverage SummaryInspira Health Network
Jan., 2014
January Media Summary Table of Contents
Page Date Publication Headline
3 0102/14 Courier-Post Longtime S.J. Hospital Leader Finally Retires 6 01/04/14 The Daily Journal Urgent Care Center Meets Demands
11 01/06/14 The Daily Journal Briefs 12 01/13/14 The Daily Journal Healthline - Nutrition Booster – Dr. Arnold Solof 15 01/17/14 The Daily Journal Inspira Slashes Dozens of Jobs 17 01/23/14 The Daily Journal Inspira supporters Celebrate Decade of Service 19 01/27/14 The Daily Journal Empowering our Families, Investing in our Future 21 01/2014 The Daily Journal Health Connection 26 01/13/14 Press of Atlantic City AtlantiCare Works to Maintain High Level of Nursing Standards 28 01/13/14 Press of Atlantic City Avoiding Winter Illness 31 01/19/14 Press of Atlantic City Vineland Plans to Turn Old Hospital into Senior Housing 32 01/25/14 Press of Atlantic City Business Briefs – Barry Emens 33 01/01/14 South Jersey Times SJ Welcomes New year’s Day Babies in Elmer, Vineland & Woodbury 37 01/02/14 South Jersey Times Inspira Hosts AARP Safe Driving Program 38 01/02/14 South Jersey Times SJ Winter storm Promises snow, Record Low Temperatures 41 01/09/14 South Jersey Times Inspira Employees of the Month 42 01/09/14 South Jersey Times Following Polar Vortex, Cold Can Cause Many Health Concerns 45 01/09/14 South Jersey Times Inspira Medical Center Woodbury Nurse Wins ‘Nurse of the Year’ 46 01/12/14 South Jersey Times Bridgeton Mayor Washes Sheets in ‘Code Blue’ Effort 48 01/16/14 South Jersey Times Three Inspira Nurses Receive 2013 March of Dines Nurse of the Year Award 49 01/17/14 South Jersey Times Vineland Police Say Former Inspira Employee Stole computers for Gas Money 51 01/18/14 South Jersey Times Inspira Health Network to Offer AARP Driver Safety Program in Elmer 52 01/20/14 South Jersey Times Inspira Health Network cuts 47 Employees 55 01/21/14 South Jersey Times Inspira Auxiliary Cum. County Celebrates 10 Yrs, more than $300,000 in Donations 57 01/22/14 South Jersey Times SJ Snow Storm Dumps up to 14 Inches in Pennsauken 58 01/25/14 South Jersey Times NJ Fails in Anti-Smoking Funding, Lung Association Says 60 01/26/14 South Jersey Times BEN 61 01/2014 Various Publications Various Articles 83 01/2014 Various Publications Various Ads
1 Courier-Post January 2, 2013
The resident lounge at Inspira Medical Center Vineland was unveiled as the Chester B. Kaletkowski Graduate Medical Education Center in July 2012. Kaletkowski started the residency program during his time at the health system. / File photo
Jan. 2, 2014
Written by
— It took longer than expected, but 2013 was the year Chet Kaletkowski stopped
hesitating and started embracing retirement.
Kaletkowski wrapped up his last day Dec. 20 as president and CEO of Inspira Health Network. He
leaves behind facilities, services and growth plans far beyond what awaited his arrival almost 15
years ago.
Kaletkowski and his wife, Patricia, who recently became grandparents, plan to split their time between
a home in Vero Beach, Fla., and another on Long Beach Island at the Jersey Shore.
Longtime S.J. hospital leader finally retiresInspira CEO leaves plans for growth
Joseph P. Smith The Daily Journal
VINELAND
2 Courier-Post January 2, 2013
Inspira Health Network President and CEO Chet Kaletkowski, standing in the health system's corporate office in Mullica Hill, has retired. / Courier-Post photo/Chris LaChall
Under Kaletkowski, Inspira opened New Jersey’s newest
medical center, set up a rapidly growing postgraduate
program for new doctors, built a cancer treatment facility,
created a pediatrics emergency room and executed a
career-topping merger with Underwood-Memorial Hospital
in Woodbury.
As a merged system, Inspira’s market now includes about
15 percent of New Jersey’s land mass. It employs more
than 5,000 people across Cumberland, Gloucester and
Salem counties.
Peter Galetto, chairman of the Inspira board of directors, said the hospital system got a great leader
for a great management team when it hired Kaletkowski.
“He had a lot of mandates from the board, and he achieved most goals,” Galetto said. “He kept his
team engaged.”
Kaletkowski arrived in December 1998 as executive vice president of what then was South Jersey
Health System.
More important, he’d been hired with the goal of taking over in July 1999 as president and CEO of the
entire system.
In the preceding several years, negotiations had created South Jersey Health System. It wedded the
South Jersey Hospital System — consisting of hospitals in Bridgeton, Millville and Elmer — with
Newcomb Medical Center in Vineland.
Meanwhile, officials were debating an even more sensitive idea: building a regional hospital to
replace several existing facilities.
The combined health system eventually settled in March 1999 on building a hospital near College
Drive and Sherman Avenue in South Vineland.
The project had advanced to that point under then-President and CEO Paul S. Cooper.
At the time, Kaletkowski was the president and CEO of the Memorial Health Alliance in Mount Holly.
The Memorial Health Alliance had just merged with the Virtua health system, though.
“And he was not the No. 1 person, you know?” Cooper sa m, and he was very
interested. The concept of a new hospital facility appealed, and the merger was through. So he saw a
lot of opportunity there.”
3 Courier-Post January 2, 2013
Cooper said it was his successor who negotiated with W wa Inc. for the land parcel finally used for
the Regional Medical Center.
Kaletkowski said the initial experience with the community wasn’t what he expected.
“I naively came down here thinking: ‘Wow! I’m building a new hospital. Everybody would hug me,’ ”
Kaletkowski said. “Well, that wasn’t the case for the first year because no one wanted to lose their
local hospital.
“But now, I think everybody has finally come around,” he said. “I had doctors vehemently against it.
They’ve openly said, ‘Chet, I like what happened.’ ”
In fact, opening day at the new center in April 2004 ended up as his “most favorite thing.”
Kaletkowski, now 65, had considered retiring several years ago. He figured 62 sounded right.
“This was right about when the stock market and everything went south,” Kaletkowski laughed. “I
figured, ‘Oh, I can stay another two-and-a-half, three years.’ So I figured I’d retire at 65, which was
February of this year.
“And then the merger happened, and they said, ‘Can you stay on another year?’” he said. “My son,
when he heard I was staying on another year, said, ‘You’re the Brett Favre of hospital administrators.
You keep retiring, going out and coming back.’ ”
1 The Daily Journal January 4, 2014
Written by
Jan. 4, 2014
Sonia Rodriguez was fighting a bad cold on top of her asthma, so she called her family doctor to set
up an appointment.
“He couldn’t fit me in for a few days and I didn’t want to wait,” she said, pulling out a tissue between
sneezes.
Rodriguez, a Pennsauken resident, went to a Premier Urgent Care site in Cherry Hill. She saw a
doctor in 20 minutes and left with a prescription for an inhaler.
Dr. Xitlalichomiha O'Dell of MedExpress checks out a patient's X-rays. / Staff photo/Craig Matthews
Joe Cooneyand Joseph P. Smith
Urgent care centers meet demand
2 The Daily Journal January 4, 2014
“The best thing about urgent care places is that you’re in and you’re out,” she said. “I get to see an
M.D. I don’t care who sees me as long as I get the care I need.”
Urgent care centers — a quicker, often less expensive alternative to an emergency room visit and an
option if the family doctor is out — are popping up across New Jersey.
Urgi-centers provide services 365 days a year. Most are ope m 8 or 9 in the morning to 8 or 9 at
night. Weekend hours are common, generally ranging fro .m. to 6 p.m.
They take a variety of insurance plans and for the uninsured the cost of a visit starts at about $125,
much less than for an E.R. visit. Children generally are welcome, although some centers draw a line if
they are less than 2 years old.
Staff generally include at least one primary care doctor, plus nurse practitioners and, or, physician
assistants, and office staff.
The care level is at least a match for the family doctor’s office — fevers and lacerations — but also
includes higher-level “urgent” work such as diagnosing and casting broken bones. It can serve as a
quick stop for a referral to an E.R.
The urgent center concept fits the operating strategy of hospitals, keeping emergency rooms less
occupied while taking care of current customers as well as new ones.
However, the market also is inviting for smaller-scale nonprofit health care providers and companies.
Opportunity exists whether or not a particular area’s hospital system is a competitor or not in the
market.
Major South Jersey hospital systems like Inspira, Cooper and Virtua have hopped on the bandwagon.
Each has at least one center and plans for more.
Inspira Health Network, which as of 2013 included the Underwood-Memorial Hospital System in
Gloucester County, is looking to open at least several new centers in the next few years in three
counties.
Inspira opened its first center two and a half years ago in Mullica Hill and is building another in
Woolwich Township that is to open this spring, according to system spokesman Greg Potter.
In Vineland, where Inspira operates its Regional Medical Center, the system wants to operate two
centers in the city at sites still to be announced.
Additionally, Inspira is considering a center in western Atlantic County in 2015. It would build on an
one-doctor office that recently opened in the Minotola section of Buena Borough.
3 The Daily Journal January 4, 2014
MedExpress, a company based in West Virginia, is in the midst of an aggressive expansion in New
Jersey. It operates in nine states and in South Jersey is competition for the region’s existing hospital
systems.
Dr. Dheeraj Taranath, medical director for MedExpress in New Jersey, Delaware and eastern
Pennsylvania, said demographic research recommended Vineland as a location.
“Vineland is an up and coming area,” Taranath said. “It has a lot of new housing, a lot of new families
in the area. We also notice there is not a lot of ER access, not a lot of health care access. We look at
things like that.”
Additionally, Taranath said, many area residents do not have family doctors.
Besides MedExpress, the niche for individual providers also in es Concentra and Premier.
MedExpress currently lists eight centers as open across New Jersey and plans to open seven more
around the state. It opened four centers in New Jersey in 2013, including in Woodbury and at its most
southerly point in Vineland.
In addition, much smaller “retail clinics” are spreading in venues like pharmacies and supermarkets.
“Minute Clinics” are in some CVS pharmacies, in collaboration with Virtua Health system. They
provide flu shots, blood pressure checks and screenings and monitoring for diabetes and high
cholesterol.
A Bridgeton-based health care nonprofit, CompleteCare Health Network, operates something similar
to the CVS-Virtua idea called RiteCare. Its RiteCares are located in supermarkets.
CompleteCare principally operates more traditional and larger clinics, with multiple specialties. But it
is not focused on emergency medical care. It has sites in Cumberland, Gloucester and Cape May
counties.
Recently retired Inspira president and chief executive officer Chester Kaletkow said individual urgi-
center operators claim to offer the same or comparable service as hospital-owned centers. Color him
skeptical.
“We will be linked electronically to all of our doctors,” Kaletkowski said. “Let’s say your doctor is not
available — she’s away. The urgent care will be tied into your office, so that she comes back on
Monday she can pull up the records. Think they’ll do that with Med-Express when they bring in some
doctor from Ohio who doesn’t know the region?”
4 The Daily Journal January 4, 2014
Kaletkowski said it doesn’t mean an independant urgi-center will offer bad care. It will lack a
“continuity” of service between patient and doctor, he said.
“And that’s something that’s very important to a patient,” he said.
In Vineland, CompleteCare hopes to start construction this year on a $5 million “multi-speciality”
facility on West Sherman Avenue. The site is walking distance to Inspira’s main hospital, a fact not
lost on the hospital system.
“We’re not calling it an ‘urgent care,’ ” CompleteCare Chief Executive Officer Gil Walter said. “It’s
more of a multi-discipline medical center. It will have family care in other words — family doctors, Ob-
Gyn. And it will have other specialists such as cardiologists and dental and mental health. So it’s
going to be very comprehensive.”
Like urgi-care centers, its hours of operation will be from early morning to late at night through the
week, with weekend access.
The MedExpress opening has also been noted at CompleteCare.
“We do everything they do except for setting bones, plus we have specialty care,” Walter said.
CompleteCare sites also can match the long office hours of urgi-care centers, he added.
And like Inspira, he said, CompleteCare also stresses a “continuity” of service between patients and
doctors.
“We’ll see you all through pregnancy,” Walter said. “MedExpress can’t do that."
Dr. Brad Bendesky is medical director of Cooper Urgent Care Centers and a 15-year veteran of
emergency medicine. He moves between Cooper University Medical Center in Camden and Cooper
urgent care centers in Cherry Hill and Audubon.
“This is a fairly new venture for Cooper,” said Bendesky. “I rotate around here (the E.R. in Camden)
and our urgent care sites. Other E.R. physicians, as well as nurse practitioners and physician
assistants, staff our urgent care places.”
A radiology technician also is on site, and a medical assistant helps out with vital signs, sutures and
splints.
“Most urgent cares are staffed by nurse practitioners,” he said. “But we made a decision to represent
Cooper in the best light so we put our E.R. doctors out there. And it’s worked.”
Any physician licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health can open an urgent care site.
5 The Daily Journal January 4, 2014
“We’re continually looking for creative ways to provide better access for the community,” explained
Dr. Mike Kotzen, executive vice president for Virtua.
Taranath said his company tries to meet with hospitals and recently sat down with Inspira officials.
Hospitals have a different purpose for their own urgi-care centers, he said.
“They’re trying to maintain their borders from other competing hospital systems,” Taranath said.
“Whereas, we don’t really try to align with a hospital. We’re just there to see the patients and get them
back to the family doctors.
“We work with each and every family physician — whether Virtua or Kennedy,” he added. “We don’t
necessarily want to tie ourselves into any one system. Certainly, we are willing to work with any
hospital.”
1 The Daily Journal January 6, 2014
1 The Daily Journal January 13, 2014
Nutrition boosterVitamins for children are the topic of this month's Healthline
Regina Schaffer For the Daily Journal
Jan. 13, 2014 3:18 AM
Written by
At first, it may sound like the perfect picky kid’s insurance policy — a daily multivitamin to make up for
a young child’s steady diet of nothing but hot dogs and chicken nuggets.
For infants and toddlers who usually get the more varied menu of jarred fruits and vegetables, a
multivitamin can help a parent feel like they’re giving an extra nutritional boost to their child when they
need it most.
That is, if there really is a “boost.” For some children — especially healthy children with no underlying
medical condition — a multivitamin may be unnecessary.
2 The Daily Journal January 13, 2014
JANUARY HEALTHLINE
Vitamins for children are the topic of this month’s
Healthline, hosted by Inspira Health Network and
The Daily Journal.
Arnold Solof, a doctor with Vineland Pediatrics, is
available to answer your questions, which may be
submitted in several ways:
By fax to (856) 451-8318.
By email at [email protected]; or visit
www.thedailyjournal.com and click on the Healthline
icon.
The deadline to submit questions is 5 p.m. Jan. 20. Inquiries will be answered confidentially.
Children’s vitamins come in many forms. For newborns a s, a multivitamin in liquid form
(given with a dropper or mixed into bottles) is available both over the counter and with a doctor’s
prescription.
Preschoolers and older children typically move on to chewable vitamins, available as “gummies” or
tablets. Both are also available over the counter or with a prescription.
“Everybody needs vitamins, the question is, do you need
additional vitamins than what you’re (getting from) eating,
and that depends on what you eat,” said Arnold Solof, a
doctor with Vineland Pediatrics. “(The need for vitamins)
may also depend on your age, sex, and any unusual
aspects about an individual, such as an underlying health
condition, or unusual activity.”
While many parents may fret that their child does not have
a proper, balanced diet, most children are getting the
nutrients they need if they consume regular meals and
snacks, Solof said. Staples like milk, breakfast cereals, and
even juice in moderation provides necessary vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet.
“If they have an average lifestyle and they have a reasonably balanced diet, then they probably don’t
need a (vitamin) supplement,” Solof said. “Exceptions d be infants in the first month of life who
are exclusively breastfed. In those cases, the vitamin D should be supplemented.”
Still, Solof said he will often prescribe a multivitamin for children, typically because a prescription
vitamin (unlike an over-the-counter brand) will contain fluoride. This is especially important for families
who have water without fluoride added to it, he said.
“We frequently prescribe the vitamins as a way of delivering fluoride,” Solof said. “Because it’s
typically combined with fluoride, it’s a convenient way to do it.”
Solof said a vitamin can indeed work as an insurance policy of sorts — and that is not necessarily a
bad thing.
“Even though I believe that the vast majority of children don’t need the supplement, there is always
the issue of does the child really have a balanced diet,” Solof said. “If the child has some kind of
eating habit, where they are excluding something and not aware of it, the vitamin is like insurance —
you’ll get it here.”
But Solof cautioned that a multivitamin is far from a cure-all for any nutrition woes.
3 The Daily Journal January 13, 2014
“A lot of parents come in and are under the impression that if the vitamin is given, it will help their
child eat more,” Solof said. “That would only be true if they had something like an iron deficiency . . .
then, (a vitamin) could affect them and their general well-being. With an iron deficiency, they may not
feel well, they may be more tired, and that could affe ir appetite.”
With the exception of fluoride in a prescription vitam sually no differences between over-
the-counter versions and those prescribed by a doctor, unless a child needs a special combination to
treat a vitamin deficiency, Solof said.
“There’s nothing better about (a prescription),” Solof said. “The vitamin components are exactly the
same ingredients. Just keep it simple.”
1 The Daily Journal January 17, 2014
.
Jan. 17, 2014 |
Written byJoseph P. Smith
— Inspira Health Network is cutting 47 positions in an “across-the-board” response to trends of out-of-hospital care as well as advances in medical technologies.
Officials confirmed the cuts Friday, saying the impact is mostly on full-time workers in positions at
management level down to clerical staff. There are no impacts on direct patient care positions, such
as nurses in hospitals, officials said.
Inpsira officials met Tuesday with workers in those jobs and plan to complete the downsizing in four
weeks, with severance packages as a final option.
John DiAngelo, president and CEO of Inspira, said the health system has numerous open jobs and
they are available to anyone willing to transfer. He expressed confidence most workers will find new
positions within Inspira.
“Our people are the most important thing we have,” he said.
DiAngelo said changes in health care laws, not limited to the Affordable Care Act, are pushing
hospital systems to become more “ambulatory-centric.” That alters staffing needs, requires a big
investment in electronics and sets up ongoing staffing reviews, he said.
In addition, officials said, new computer technologies for information storage and transmission are
making some jobs unnecessary. For example, the system’s X-ray film librarian position is now
outmoded because of the change from real film to digital imaging.
“We continually look at our staffing from a standpoint of saying, ‘What needs are unmet in our
community and how do we meet them?’” DiAngelo said. “And there are some things we’re doing that
we’re saying, ‘All right. These aren’t really needed a much any longer.’”
Inspira slashes dozens of jobs
VINELAND
2 The Daily Journal January 17, 2014
As of Tuesday, the job eliminations affect:
• 8 at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.
• 4 employees at Inspira Health Center Bridgeton.
• 2 at Inspira Medical Center Elmer.
• 13 at Inspira Medical Center Woodbury, although about half of them are moving to new jobs.
• 12 managers, with multifacility responsibilities.
• 7 workers in physician offices.
• 1 worker in an ambulatory radiology center.
There was no effort to balance the job cuts among Inspira’s facilities, DiAngelo said.
“We didn’t look at it that way,” he said. “We looked at where are the areas we need to pull back on
and where are the areas we need to grow.”
The Inspira system was created in November from a merger of South Jersey Healthcare and
Underwood Memorial Hospital.
Officials said cost-savings from the merger probably helped preserve other positions from elimination.
1 The Daily Journal January 23, 2014
Inspira supporters celebrate decade of service
VINELAND
Jan. 23, 2014 9:18 PM |
(From left) Carolyn Heckman, executive director of the Inspira Foundation; Robert Odorizzi, chairman of Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County; Stacy Fisher, treasurer; Donna Baruffi, secretary; Connie Montero, vice chairwoman; and John DiAngelo, president and CEO of Inspira Health Network. / Submitted photo
— Inspira Health Network Auxiliary Cumberland County celebrated 10 years of
supporting the Inspira health system’s foundation and its mission to provide renewable financial
resources for the delivery of quality health care.
A recognition and celebration event was held Jan. 15 at the Greenview Inn. Auxiliary officers
presented a $35,000 check to Carolyn Heckman, executive director of Inspira Health Network
Foundation Cumberland/Salem, and John DiAngelo, the ne sident and CEO of Inspira.
Over the past decade, auxiliary members have raised more than $300,000 st to support
the foundation’s mission. Some of its activities inclu l Princess Party, the annual
2 The Daily Journal January 23, 2014
Calendar Raffle, the annual Yard Sale, the Restaurant Raffle, and uniform and jewelry sales at
Inspira medical facilities.
The auxiliary also provides volunteer support to the Barbara Cook Mud Run and other Inspira
Foundation programs.
“For more than 10 years, members of the Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County have contributed to
the health and well-being of the residents of our region by volunteering their time and talent to make
our health system stronger,” DiAngelo said.
For information about the foundation or auxiliary, inc how to donate or volunteer, call (856) 641-
8290 or visit www.inspirafoundation. net.
1 The Daily Journal January 27, 2014
Empowering our families, investing in our future
Alice Woods United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Cumberland County
Jan. 27, 2014
Written by
A budget boost. Who couldn’t use one this time of year? For families and individuals throughout our
region living paycheck to paycheck, a full tax refund can serve as a significant budget boost to lower
debt, pay for education or a home, or simply build savings.
The IRS claims that one in five eligible households miss out on vital tax credits every year because
they are unaware they qualify or do not file a return. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is one of
those credits. Called one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty programs, the EITC annually lifts 6.6
million people out of poverty, according to the IRS. In fact, in 2013, more than 27 million workers
nationwide received almost $62 billion in EITC, with an average credit of $2,200. And based on 2014
guidelines, it can be as much as $6,143 depending on the worker’s income, l status and the
number of dependent children.
That’s why United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Sout Jersey supports the Volunteer
Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program — a locally-run, IRS-certified volunteer tax preparation
service that is available to residents with a household income of less than $52,000.
VITA provides free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing as well as educates
taxpayers on important tax credits that they may qualify for — without incurring commercial fees or
getting lost in confusing paperwork.
During the 2013 tax season, volunteers throughout the UWGPSNJ footprint completed 26,000 tax
returns, returning a collective $35 million to local taxpayers across the region. In Cumberland County
alone, our volunteers filed nearly 1,000 returns – directing more than $1 million back into the pockets
of local community members.
The benefits of educating, supporting and empowering our local families and individuals in financial
matters goes well beyond just dollars and cents. At UW SNJ, we recognize that education, income
and health are the building blocks to a better quality of life. Throughout the year, through our Impact
Fund, we invest in nonprofits and United Way-led programs that deliver measurable results in these
2 The Daily Journal January 27, 2014
Where To Find Help
In Cumberland County, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey will operate two VITA sites in Vineland, at the Family Success Center and Sun National Bank Training Center, beginning in early February. Appointments are required in advance and can be made by calling 2-1-1. Information on eligibility and a listing of the necessary documents can be found at www.unitedforimpact.org/VITA.
areas, as well as provide basic needs supports in our
region. Our income investments help local families to take
control of their finances and invest in their future. ith
support from financial education opportunities that include
credit counseling, budgeting and long-term money
management skills, we are working to break the cycle of
poverty, and in turn, building a stronger, more vibrant
community.
Through volunteer-supported programs such as VITA and strategic Impact Fund investments, we are
helping families to find their path to a more financially secure future and driving measurable, lasting
impact that we simply couldn’t accomplish alone.
United Way makes it easy for eligible residents to access VITA sites in their area. In Cumberland
County, UWGPSNJ will operate two VITA sites in Vineland, at the Family Success Center and Sun
National Bank Training Center, beginning in early February. Appointments are required in advance
and can be made by calling 2-1-1. Information on eligibility and a listing of the necessary documents
can be found at www.unitedforimpact.org/VITA.
1 Press of Atlantic City January 13, 2014
AtlantiCare works to maintain high level of nursing standardsPosted: Monday, January 13, 2014 12:01 am
A decade ago, Atlanti-Care worked hard to earn certification as a Magnet nursing organization, a national
standard of excellence achieved by only 7 percent of hospitals.
Turns out that was just the beginning. Since then, the medical center has needed to set and meet higher
nursing standards to maintain the certification, which last month was renewed again.
"The first time around was a big learning curve for al of us," said Robyn Begley, chief nursing officer at
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. "The challenge with the Magnet program is that every four years there's
a new manual with new standards, and the bar keeps getting raised."
An example of the resulting nursing-led innovation at AtlantiCare is a smartphone app - the WOW ME 2000mg,
available in the iTunes stores - that helps people identify and manage the symptoms of heart disease.
The Magnet program was born of the nursing shortages of the 1970s and '80s, when the American Academy
of Nursing noticed that some hospitals had no trouble attracting and retaining nurses.
A 1983 study of such hospitals found they had 14 "forces of magnetism," definable qualities of nursing
leadership, management style, professional development, care models and such.
In 1990, the American Nurses Credentialing Center made these forces of magnetism the heart of the highest
honor for nursing organizations, the Magnet Recognitio Program.
US News & World Report considers Magnet certification in determining its annual best hospitals ratings, and
the Leapfrog Hospital Survey credits for it as well.
Studies have shown the benefits of Magnet hospitals. For example, a 2012 study funded by the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation and the National Institutes of Health found very-low-birth-weight babies have significantly
better outcomes when born in Magnet-recognized hospitals.
Begley, of Folsom, said the certification process begi with submission of "a several years track record" of the
hospital's standards and performance to the credentialing center, a unit of the American Nurses Association.
If that record scores highly enough, the program sends appraisers "who come and verify, clarify and amplify -
the Magnet program's words - that what we wrote is what they find," she said.
By KEVIN POST, Business Editor
2 Press of Atlantic City January 13, 2014
One big focus of the program is professional developme , a push for nurses to have four-year or better
college degrees, said Begley, who has a doctorate in nursing practice.
"They look at the percentages of nurses with bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees," she said, "and now
we have to demonstrate improvement in those categories."
AtlantiCare's Atlantic City and Mainland medical centers were the first in the region to achieve Magnet
designation, in 2004. The Inspira medical centers in Vineland, Bridgeton and Elmer followed in 2008.
The Magnet program "recognizes the work environment we create that encourages our nurses to grow
professionally and personally," David Tilton, presiden d CEO of AtlantiCare, said in a statement.
"The most important thing about Magnet is that it's a visible sign to the community, patients and families that
we have great nurses and aspire to be better all the time," Begley said.
Contact Kevin Post:
609-272-7250
1 Press of Atlantic City January 13, 2014
Avoiding winter illness
How to stay healthy when everyone else is suffering sniffles, sneezesPosted: Monday, January 13, 2014 12:01 am
Ruskey recommends: hand
washing, especially when in contact
with people; staying away from
people who are sick; and receiving
a flu shot.
"The flu season lasts from October
to May. But January and February
is the peak season," said Ruskey, a
doctor of osteopathic medicine, who
added it's not too late to arrange for
a flu shot this winter. "The people
who generally need flu shots the
most are the very young and the very old."
A flu shot is recommended for anyone older than
6 months. The very young, whose parents would have to arrange their flu shots, are preschoolers and the
elementary-school age children, Ruskey said. On the other end of the age spectrum, it is just as important
those age 65 and older receive a flu shot as it is for the youngsters, Ruskey said. Also, those whose immune system is compromised through diabetes, heart or lung ld make the extra effort to schedule a flu
shot, the doctor said.
Avoiding winter illness By VINCENT JACKSON, Staff Writer
Dr. John Ruskey, senior medical director at AtlantiCare Urgent Care, believes people can avoid winter illnesses, for the most part, by following some simple, common sense rules mothers routinely set down for their children.
2 Press of Atlantic City January 13, 2014
Unpleasant consequences can follow people who skip receiving a flu shot.
A person can come down with a severe case of bronchitis, pneumonia and in rare cases, death. You may lose
income because you missed work to stay home to recover from the flu. You also may spread the illness to
other people, Ruskey said.
Ruskey and other AtlantiCare representatives have heard all the excuses why people avoid receiving flu shots,
including "I do not get the flu, so I do not need the vaccine."
The vaccine not only keeps people from becoming ill, b it also helps keep individuals' viral load down when
exposed to the flu. Being vaccinated keeps the flu virus from replicating within individuals, which decreases
their ability to spread the virus to co-workers, loved ones and others.
When it comes to washing hands, five seconds with water only will not cut it, said Dr. Jenny Cook of Cape
Regional Physician Associates' Seaville office.
"Patients should be aware that the best thing to wash their hands with is soapy water for at least 15 seconds,
but if unavailable, then, a hand sanitizer may be used," said Cook, who added the flu vaccine is still available
in the Cape Regional Physician Associates offices.
Karen Byerly, of Ocean City, receives a flu shot annua ly.
Byerly works with Easter Seals, a nonprofit charitable zation that assists children and adults with autism,
other disabilities and special needs. Byerly also has two teenage children - Ian, 17, and Erin, 15. Mom doesn't
want to pass on or receive illnesses from either the people she works with or her children.
"I try to stay at least 6 feet away from someone who's coughing," said Byerly, who drinks four cups of water
daily, sleeps eight hours per night and exercises daily.
Medical advice to avoid winter illnesses breaks into t o categories. There are specific things a person can do
that are more applicable during cold and flu season, and there are overall wellness practices that are useful
during the winter months because they boost a person's immune system.
Alexis Brown, of Vineland, doesn't think she ever had the flu.
Even though Brown doesn't bother with flu shots, she does other things that keep her from being ill often.
Brown washes her hands all the time. Brown carries han tizer with her. She eats balanced meals that
include vegetables. For exercise, Brown walks a great l around the very hilly campus of Fairleigh Dickinson
University, College at Florham in Madison, Passaic County, where she is a junior studying radiology
technology.
"I try to avoid sick people. I cover my mouth when I cough," said Brown, 20.
3 Press of Atlantic City January 13, 2014
Gregory Carson, medical director of Shore Urgent Care in Northfield, said if a healthy person is exposed to the
flu, they will come down with the flu. There is no genetic disposition that can keep a person from contracting
the flu.
"If you have been lucky because you are young and heal y (and have avoided the flu), that doesn't stop them
from getting it," Carson said.
Doctors tell patients not to smoke and following that advice also helps people avoid winter illness, Carson said.
Tobacco decreases the mobility of the nose and lung cilia - slender, microscopic, hair-like structures that
extend from the surface of nearly all cells in mammals. The lung cilia sweeps dirt and disease-causing
organisms towards the mouth. Smoke slows the beating of the cilia at first, then paralyzes it and eventually
makes it disappear.
Dr. Mavola Tench, a family medicine doctor who practices in Minotola and is a part of the Inspira Health
Network, said some people take either a Vitamin C supp ment before winter starts or Zinc drops to shorten
the time they have a cold, and there have been some studies on this, Tench said.
"The most important thing is handwashing," said Tench, who added if you sneeze or cough into your hands, it's
important not to touch your face until your wash your hands.
For people who already have a sore throat, gargling with saltwater for 30 seconds is very helpful, Tench said. If
a person can set aside enough time in a day to sleep for eight hours per night, a well-rested body also will
boost the immune system and help fight off winter illnesses, Tench said.
Contact Vincent Jackson:
609-272-7202
Is it the flu?Flu symptoms the Centers for Disease Control warn about include:•Fever or feeling feverish/experiencing chills (althou h not all who have the flu have a fever)•Sore throat•Runny or stuffy nose•Muscle or body aches•Headaches•Fatigue•Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, although this is more common in children than adults.If you experience these symptoms, stay away from other people as much as possible. Remain home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone.
1 Press of Atlantic City January 19, 2014
Tom Barlas
Vineland plans to turn old hospital into senior housing
By THOMAS BARLAS Staff Writer
VINELAND
Developers of a proposed assisted- and independent-living facility on the site of the former Newcomb Hospital in Vineland must retain part of the building's oringinal 1922 facade. Work on the project, estimated to cost about $30 million, could begin in about three months, according to developers.
Posted: Sunday, January 19, 2014 7:54 pm
— Hope for a medical school at the former Newcomb Hospital may be dim, but another project for the site could get underway this year.
And Vineland is helping to facilitate its development.
City Council has approved a $30,000 contract with a Florida firm to “assist in the implementation and financing” of more than 100 assisted- and independent-living units. Community Initiative Development Corp. will work with the Newcomb Medical Alliance in seeking funding.
Developer Tony Danza, of the Danza Group, told the Planning Board when it approved the project in December that the enterprise will cost an estimated $30 million.
The Danza Group already used $5 million of a $6 million Urban Enterprise Zone loan to buy the Newcomb Hospital property. The other $1 million was used to try and lure the medical school to the site. The entire loan becomes payable July 1, the five-year anniversary of when the Danza Group went to settlement on the site.
Danza and city Economic Development Director Sandra Forosisky could not be reached for comment.
Newcomb Hospital was for decades Cumberland County’s major medical facility. The hospital, located on land bordered by Chestnut, State, Almond and Howard streets, closed in August 2004.
While parts of the building are used by Inspira Health Network and CompleteCare Health Network, the bulk of the facility is vacant.
The city hoped to use the hospital site as the location of a medical school, a proposal essentially dashed by the reorganization of the state’s higher education system.
Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation in August 2012 that gu he University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Major portions of UMDNJ were given to Rowan and Rutgers universities.
City officials and developers hoped that UMDNJ would operate the medical school. The enterprise, they said, would have helped provide New Jersey with needed doctors and bolster the downtown with students and medical school staff looking for places to shop, eat and live.
Now, under the development project approved in December, plans includes a 69-unit assisted-living facility to be housed in a more than 46,000-square-foot building. Another new building of more than 60,000 square feet would be used as a 62-unit independent-living facility.
The Planning Board’s approval also requires developers to preserve part of the façade of the l 1922 building.Danza told the Planning Board the work could begin in about three months.Contact Thomas Barlas: 609-226-9197 [email protected]
1 Press of Atlantic City January 25, 2014
Business Briefs: Colonial Bank appoints Balsama
John Balsama
Sun names Stock to bank’s boardKeith Stock
Jurasinski to head hospital labCraig M. Jurasinski
Banker appointed to Inspira board
Barry Emens
BBB director to speak to women’s eventBrenda Linnington
www.capemaycountychamber.com
Posted: Saturday, January 25, 2014 6:39 pm
Vineland-based Colonial Bank FSB has appointed as vice president, commercial lending.Most recently, Balsama was vice president, commercial lending at RBS, Citizens Bank in Haddon Heights. He also has served as vice president, commercial lending at GCF Bank in Sewell, and as senior vice president, commercial lending at Cornerstone Bank.
Vineland-based Sun Bancorp Inc. has appointed to its board of directors.Stock also will serve as a director of Sun National Bank, the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, and as a member of the audit committee of the board of directors.Stock is chairman and chief executive officer of First Financial Investors Inc., a financial services investment firm, and senior executive adviser with the side Group, a private investment firm.
Dr. , board certified pathologist, has joined the Cape Regional Medical Center Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and has been appointed chairman of the Department of Laboratory Services.Jurasinski is a graduate of Medical College of Pennsylvania and completed his post-graduate medical education at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.He previously was affiliated with Coastal Clinical Pathologists in Somers Point.
The Inspira Health Network Foundation Cumberland/Salem has announced the appointment of a , of PNC Financial Services Group, to its board of directors.Emens is a senior health care banker, vice president, at group’s office in Cherry Hill.He is a bank advisor to several of the largest medical practices in the Philadelphia and southern New Jersey regions.
, director of the Better Business Bureau Institute for Marketplace Trust and BBB Military Line, will be the keynote speaker at the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce’s ninth annual Women In Business Conference on March 6 at the Flander’s Hotel in Ocean City.Linnington is a graduate of West Point, a U.S. Army veteran and the wife of Lt. Gen. Michael Linnington of Lower Township.The cost is $59 for members and $89 for nonmembers.Register at or call 609-465-7181.
1 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
First time parents, Daniel and Andrea Magee of Carney's Point hold their new born baby girl Temperance Rose at Inspira Medical Center in Woodbury, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2014. Temperance, born at 7:59 a.m. on New Years Day, was the first baby of the new year born at Inspira in Woodbury. (Staff Photo by Calista Condo/South Jersey Times)
By
on January 01, 2014 at 7:23 PM, updated January 01, 2014 at 7:39 PM
South Jersey welcomes New Year's Day babies in Elmer, Vineland and Woodbury
Spencer Kent/South Jersey Times Follow on Twitter
Three babies in South Jersey shared a very important title Wednesday — first babies of the new year
in their respective counties.
And for two of the New Year's Day births, unexpected developments showed that you never know
what will be tossed your way.
2 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
At Inspira Medical Center Woodbury on Wednesday afternoon, 28-year-old Andrea Magee sat
propped up in her hospital bed holding her newborn daughter Temperance Rose Magee in her arms.
Her husband Daniel, 28, stood at her bedside.
But the delicate pint-sized Temperance seemed to be a little hesitant coming into the world at first,
giving her new mom and dad a couple of false alarms pr entry.
Daniel said he and Andrea were very prepared, took all the classes and covered all their bases. But
when it came time, he said, nature showed who was in control.
Daniel brought Andrea to the hospital Monday morning thinking their baby was on the way. They
waited hours and hours, but nothing. They went back home.
Early Tuesday morning they went back again thinking it was time — but once again false alarm.
Finally, however, at 7:59 a.m. Wednesday morning, their beautiful daughter was born, weighing 6
pounds, 12 ounces.
"It was exhausting," Andrea said smile, looking down at her daughter.
"No one tells you these things," Daniel added. "I had an idea … I didn't know it could take days."
This is the couple's first child.
Andrea's mother Sherry Schlump, of Carneys Point, and Daniel's parents, Marianne and Howard
Magee, of Carneys Point, were sitting against the wall admiring the new baby.
"It feels like the family is finally complete," Howard said.
About 20 miles away at Inspira Medical Center Elmer, 32-year-old Natasha Harper, of Mount Laurel,
was resting, holding her newborn son Noah Bertram Harper in her arms ever so gently. Noah was
born at 10:40 a.m. Wednesday morning weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Her husband, 34-year-old Steven Harper was standing by her side.
"All this time and he's finally here," Steven said. "This little guy. It's hard to explain. It's beyond joyous."
Sitting to the side were Natasha's mom, Deborah Ortiz, and Steven's mom and dad Karen and Burt
Harper.
The proud grandparentsg wore similar faces as Daniel and Andrea.
3 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
First-time parents Steven and Natasha Harper, of Mount Laurel, welcome their son, Noah Bertram Harper, who was born at 10:40 a.m. at Inspira Medical Center Elmer, We sday, Jan. 1, 2014. (Staff Photo by Britney Lillya/South Jersey Times)
With dazed and tired smiles, Natasha and Steven looked at their son in wonder and awe. He was as
big as a football.
"No words can really describe the feeling," Natasha said. "It's a culmination of so many things — a
whirlwind of emotions."
Natasha was scheduled to have a Caesarean section on Jan. 8. But unlike Temperance, Noah couldn't
wait to get here.
"The baby knows," Ortiz said.
In addition, when Steven got into the car early Wednesday morning to bring Natasha to the hospital,
the car was dead.
He didn't remember the last time the car died, but said it is something he will never forget.
Not to mention the hospital is also nearly 40 minutes away.
But Steven's mom came to the rescue and picked the two up.
4 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
"They were calmer than I was," Ortiz said.
The two traveled the distance because Natasha chose to have a water birth and use a certified nurse
midwife. Inspira Medical Center Elmer provides childbearing women this option.
And once Natasha got to the hospital, she said everything was okay. She thanked the hospital's
certified midwife Karen Shields for her care.
This is Natasha and Steven's first child.
Last, but not least, the third child born was at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.
Semaj Holbrook was born Wednesday at 12:28 p.m. weighing 4 pounds, 8 ounces to parents Kyeasha Holbrook and James Smith, of
Millville, hospital officials said.
---
Contact staff writer at 856-451-1000 ext. 516 or at
.
Spencer Kent
1 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
1 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
South Jersey winter storm promises snow, record low temperatures
By Email the author | on January 02, 2014 at 3:30 PM, updated January 02, 2014 at 5:10 PM
Taylor Rossiter, left, and her brother, Devon sled down the hill on the family farm, located in Stow Creek Twp., after a second snow storm erland County, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013. (Staff Photo by Cindy Hepner/South Jersey Times)
Rebecca Forand/South Jersey Times Follow on Twitter
The new year is starting off with winter weather that could bring more than ,
impede traffic and cause concerns for those who have to be outside.
In anticipation of the storm, Gov. Chris Christie declared a State of Emergency Thursday night,
authorizing the closing of state offices Friday for all non-essential employees.
According to Anthony Gigi, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mt. Holly,
, and counties can see anywhere between four and eight inches of
snow by Friday afternoon, with more falling in the north and less snowfall in the Salem and
Cumberland areas.
Local, county and state workers began preparing for the impending storm early in the week to make
sure the major roads were prepared for snowfall and the traffic that will be coming after the storm.
half a foot of snow
Gloucester Salem Cumberland
2 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
Gloucester County’s public works teams started spreading brine on the roads on Tuesday using
20,000 gallons of the solution to coat the county’s streets beginning with major arteries and
emergency routes and finishing up with the smaller roads.
“It is imperative that we make sure the roads are brined in advance,” said Freeholder Heather
Simmons. “We have 440 miles of county roads ... Clearly the safety of all of our commuters is of the
utmost importance.”
There are also 36 Gloucester County trucks filled with salt and ready to take to the roads once the
snow has fallen.
Salem County's public works department has taken a similar approach. It has had two
trucks continuously brining the roads for days and has six tons of salt stockpiled, according to Jeff
Ridgway, Salem County's director of public works.
"We have plenty of salt on hand and it's more or less just waiting for the first flakes to hit the ground,"
he said.
Once the snow begins to fall, they then will begin calling out public works employees to begin salting
and plowing, and finally will call the county contractors for additional help if necessary.
In addition to four to eight inches of snow, the South Jersey region will see record low temperatures
in the next few days.
“It’s going to be cold,” Gigi said.
High temperatures are expected to be in the teens, while the lows are expected to plummet to below
zero between Friday and Saturday.
These conditions can lead to a host of health problems for those exposed to the elements.
Construction workers, the homeless or even those braving the temperatures to go watch the Eagles
playoff game on Saturday can be at risk for frostbite and hypothermia.
Dr. Jay Stiefel, DO, with the Department of Emergency Medicine at Inspira Medical Center in
Woodbury, recommends that anyone who has to be outside take some precautions against feeling the
negative effects of the cold and keep an eye on friends and family for symptoms.
“They should dress warmly, obviously, and try to avoid alcoholic beverages,” he said. “Take frequent
breaks inside and keep dry. A wet cold is worse than a dry cold.”
It’s going to be cold.
3 South Jersey Times January 2, 2014
Symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia range from cold, waxy skin to becoming sluggish, confused
and uncoordinated.
Young children and the elderly are more susceptible to suffering from these ailments, according to
Stiefel and should be watched closely in extreme low temperatures.
As for those without homes or without heat in their homes, the local department of social services is
available for emergency shelter or assistance.
In Gloucester County, social services can be reached at or through the Gloucester
County Emergency Helpline at .
In Salem County, social services can be reached at and in Cumberland County, social
service’s number is .
---
856-852-9200
856-256-2283
856-299-7200
856-691-4600
Contact staff writer at or .Rebecca Forand 856-845-3300 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 9, 2013
1 South Jersey Times January 9, 2014
Following polar vortex, cold can cause many health concerns
A group of Eagles fans dressed in layers during the Dec. 29 Lions versus Eagles came at Lincoln Financial Field.
By
on January 09, 2014 at 8:00 AM, updated January 09, 2014 at 8:02 AM
(File photo)
Kelly Roncace/South Jersey Times Follow on Twitter
The arctic blast that arrived in earlier this week could cause more problems than just
icy roads and high heating bills.
Freezing cold air can cause health problems ranging from the common cold to asthma flare-ups to
frost bite.
Dr. Hussein Kiliddar of in — board
certified in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, sleep medicine and critical care medicine — said,
South Jersey
The Memorial Hospital of Salem County Mannington
2 South Jersey Times January 9, 2014
while there’s no science to prove it, there is enough evidence that says cold weather can bring about
health issues.
“There are many factors including the physiological stress of the body keeping its correct
temperature,” Kiliddar said. “When the temperature drops quickly, the body doesn’t have enough
time to climatize.”
Not to mention, cold air is an irritant to the lungs and upper respiratory system, Kiliddar said.
Dr. Joseph Szgalsky, M.D., a family physician with the Inspira Medical Group Family Medicine in
, said breathing through your nose can warm the air before it gets to the lungs.
“Cold air, especially with mouth breathing,
can cause squeezing of the air tubes and lead
to coughing and asthma flares,” he said. “Cold
air is usually dry and not humidified, and can
dry out the nose and mouth.”
Freezing air temperatures also affect the
environment which can, in turn, affect our
bodies.
“As soon as the temperature goes up or down,
there are changes in pollutants and the
viruses that are out there, so the spread is
significant during temperature changes,”
Kiliddar said.
If a person catches one of those viruses, the
cold can cause blood flow to slow down, so it
takes longer for the white blood cells to reach
the affected area to fight the infection.
When the temperatures drop, Kiliddar said to
keep hydrated, take vitamin C, avoid crowds
and cover your mouth and nose with a scarf
when outdoors.
Glassboro
Dr. Hussein Kiliddar of The Memorial Hospital of Salem County.Photo provided
3 South Jersey Times January 9, 2014
“Don’t inhale the cold air,” he said. “Eat well, hydrate and rest, and never let your sinuses get dry.”
Kiliddar said those with climate sensitive diseases such as allergies, asthma or Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease are most affected by cold air.
“When the temperature drops, you know you’re going to get an asthma flare up, especially in young
patients and those who are 65 or older,” Kiliddar said.
Extended exposure to cold air can also cause the blood vessels in the skin to contract, reducing blood
and oxygen flow, causing the skin to actually freeze. This is more commonly known as frost bite.
Szgalsky said several factors can increase the risk of frostbite including medical conditions that affect
the ability to feel or respond to cold such as dehydration, exhaustion, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy
or circulatory problems.
“Alcohol abuse, smoking, mental illness, if it inhibits good judgment or hampers your ability to
respond to cold, and previous frostbite or cold injury are also factors that can increase the risk of
frostbite,” Szgalsky said.
If you get frostbite, complications that follow can include increased sensitivity to cold, permanent
numbness or nerve abnormalities in the affected area and possibly gangrene — the decay and death of
tissue resulting from an interruption of blood flow to a certain area of the body.
“Cold exposure that’s severe enough to cause frostbite can also cause hypothermia,” Szgalsky said.
“When your body temperature drops, your heart, nervous system and other organs don’t work
correctly. Left untreated, hypothermia eventually leads to complete failure of your heart and
respiratory system, and death.”
Some signs of hypothermia include cold feet and hands, puffy or swollen face, slow or slurred speech,
anger or confusion.
To avoid frostbite, avoid cotton clothing as a first layer because it holds sweat and moisture, dress in
layers, stay inside when possible, don’t overexert yourself, once inside remove any wet clothing and
avoid alcohol.
---
Contact staff writer at or .Kelly Roncace 856-686-3647 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 9, 2014
1 South Jersey Times January 12, 2014
Bridgeton mayor washes sheets in 'Code Blue' effortBy on January 12, 2014 at 12:05 PM, updated January 12, 2014 at 12:11 PM
Jack Hummel/South Jersey Times
BRIDGETON — That was Mayor Albert Kelly at the Laundromat the other morning.
“I was washing the sheets used at the warming center t t mornings,” said Kelly. “I found
some triple-sized washers.”
It is an example of how far people have gone to support the Code Blue effort in the city.
Kelly spelled it out at City Council Tuesday night.
“As you know, we have four churches taking turns hosting the warming centers,” he began. “St.
Andrew’s, Bethany Grace, Salvation Army and Bethany Seventh Day.
“Bethany Grace hosts the other Bethany’s week because my church is so far out and not big enough to
hold the homeless.”
Kelly said he alone has a list of 37 volunteers ready to man the three overnight shifts.
“And that doesn’t count the ones received online,” he said.
But there’s more.
A group led by Tonya Allen called Compassionate Hands Ministry is providing whole meals every
Monday night.
It is cooked by Tonya Allen’s crew, who prepared that Thanksgiving dinner at the DeEdwin Hursey
Center.
2 South Jersey Times January 12, 2014
Back in November, Allen was exercise walking with a friend when she saw a man taking food out of
the dumpster behind the Hancock Shopping Center.
And she decided right then to feed anybody hungry on Thanksgiving.
An the beat goes on.
“We had barbecue chicken, potato salad and cornbread Monday night, and Union Baptist provided
cakes and pies for dessert,” said Kelly. “I received a call from Rev. (Albert) Morgan of Union Baptist
and they’re going to provide meals every Wednesday.”
Glory Tabernacle gave a sizable donation.
Inspira Healthcare has offered more linens than the huge number they donated the first day.
Fralinger Engineering donated big money for more cots.
“We had a lady come in from Estell Manor and donate hats and gloves,” he said.
He called it a learning experience.
“We have not turned anybody away,” Kelly said. “We can say they are their own worst enemies. But
we don’t have time to worry about that. We have to act now and sort that out later.”
Also at city council, Lt. Mike Speranza explained that the police department cleaned Walmart out of
sleeping bags — 15 to be exact — to help the warming program.
Speranza explained that the department took the 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift one night.
“It was a humbling experience,” said Speranza. “It made you appreciate what you have.”
Kelly also pointed out that the police come through the shelter every three hours to make sure
everybody is safe.
Kelly said the police were leading by example.
“They did that shift on their time, not city time,” said Kelly. “This is an example of good citizenship."
Contact Jack Hummel at or email .856-451-1000, ext. 556 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 16, 2014
1 South Jersey Times January 17, 2014
Vineland police say former Inspira employee stole computers for gas money
By
on January 17, 2014 at 5:00 PM, updated January 17, 2014 at 8:34 PM
Christopher McCourt
Don E. Woods/South Jersey TimesFollow on Twitter
VINELAND
The computer theft was reported to the Vineland Police Department on Dec. 23
— A Port Norris man allegedly stole a computer from Inspira Medical Center Vineland,
according to city police, to get gas money for his friend’s car.
, from an
unsecured filing room in the hospital’s radiology department.
Authorities value the computer tower at $2,800.
Police worked with hospital security to investigate the incident and developed a former employee as a
suspect.
Christopher McCourt, 29, of Temperance Street, in Port Norris, was questioned by police and
admitted to stealing the computer — in addition to another, unreported, computer theft.
2 South Jersey Times January 17, 2014
According to reports, McCourt allegedly sold the computers to a local recycling yard to purchase
gasoline for a friend’s car.
The amount he received for the computers, police said, was $7 each.
Authorities recovered most of the stolen property and, according to Inspira Medical Center
Vineland, .
McCourt was charged for burglary and theft. He was held in the Cumberland County Jail in lieu of
$50,000.
---
there was no patient information on the computers
Contact staff writer at orDon E. Woods 856-451-1000, ext. 518 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 18, 2014
Inspira Health Network to offer AARP Driver Safety Program in Elmer
Byon January 18, 2014 at 12:00 PM, updated January 18, 2014 at 12:03 PM
South Jersey Times
ELMER
1-800-INSPIRA
— Inspira Health Network will sponsor an AARP Driver Safety Program on Thursday, Feb. 20, and Friday, Feb.
21, from 9 a.m. to noon at Inspira Medical Center Elmer.
Seats are now available for the two-day course.
Participants must attend both classes which meet for three hours each day. Upon completion of the course, each attendee
will receive a certificate that will entitle them to an auto insurance discount and a reduction of violation points against
their New Jersey drivers' licenses.
The AARP Driver Safety Program is the nation’s first and largest classroom refresher course designed especially for drivers
age 50 and older (younger persons may also attend).
The course emphasizes safety, teaching defensive driving techniques, new traffic laws and rules of the road. It teaches how
older people can adjust their driving to compensate for age-related changes in vision, hearing and reaction time, and how
to handle problem situations such as left turns, freeway driving, blind spots, and driving distractions.
The program also teaches participants about safety features on vehicles, and how to assess one’s own driving ability. The
classroom setting promotes group discussion and interaction.
The cost of the course is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Members should bring their AARP
membership cards.
The course fee is payable by check to AARP. Enrollment is limited and classes fill quickly.
Inspira Medical Center Elmer is located at 501 W. Front Street in Elmer.
To register, call .
Contact the at andSouth Jersey Times 856-935-1500 or 856-451-1000 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 20, 2014
Inspira Health Network cuts 47 employees
By
on January 20, 2014 at 2:37 PM, updated January 20, 2014 at 2:52 PM
John DiAngelo
Don E. Woods/South Jersey TimesFollow on Twitter
VINELAND
replacing Chet Kaletkowski
— Forty-seven positions at Inspira Health Network were cut on Jan. 14, according to its
CEO.
The health network, which has facilities in Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties, cut
employees throughout its system — positions that are no longer necessary because of technology
advancements or changes in Inspira’s patient focus, the network announced.
Specifically, according to John DiAngelo, president and CEO of Inspira Health Network, the network
is moving away from hospitals and focusing more on preventative health care and treatment.
“Our goal has always been to go to the forefront — or the front edge — of the change in health care,”
DiAngelo said.
DiAngelo officially became the CEO of Inspira on Jan. 1, .
2 South Jersey Times January 20, 2014
“We are moving many of our resources to the front end of taking care of patients,” DiAngelo said.
That includes a moving away from “hospital-centric” health care toward a more “ambulatory-centric”
strategy, he explained.
“As we continue to grow, that’s where our expansion is going — those non-hospital entities,” DiAngelo
said.
None of the job cuts will affect patient care, the CEO promised.
Inspira Health Network grew out of the merger between South Jersey Healthcare and Underwood-
Memorial Health Systems, .
“If you go through a merger — that merger was a growth strategy for us and it’s made us much
stronger,” DiAngelo said.
For the 47 employees whose positions were cut, Inspira Health Network officials said they will try and
find new responsibilities within the organization. In fact, according to the CEO, there will not be any
outside hiring until each of those 47 employees has the chance to move around in the company.
“We try and identify folks that can move up and we try and work with them with that,” DiAngelo said.
If it becomes necessary, Inspira said it will offer training to its employees for their new responsibilities
in the network.
For those who choose not to continue with the health network, a severance package is offered.
“Eliminating any position is difficult. We don’t take it lightly,” DiAngelo said. “They’re our strongest
asset and I want to make sure we deal with them with integrity and respect through this whole
process.”
In total, the health network employs approximately 5,000 individuals.
The following is a list of facilities within Inspira Health Network and the number of employees
affected:
• Inspira Health Center Bridgeton - 4 employees
• Inspira Medical Center Elmer - 2 employees
• Inspira Medical Center Management - 12 employees
which was finalized on Nov. 1, 2012
3 South Jersey Times January 20, 2014
• Inspira Medical Group - 7 employees
• Inspira Imaging Centers - 1 employee
• Inspira Medical Center Vineland - 8 employees
• Inspira Medical Center Woodbury - 13 employees
Contact staff writer at orDon E. Woods 856-451-1000, ext. 518 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 21, 2014
Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County celebrates 10 years, more than $300,000 in donations
Byon January 21, 2014 at 5:00 PM, updated January 21, 2014 at 5:11 PM
On January 15, 2014, Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County
celebrated a decade of fundraising by presenting a check for
$35,000 to the Inspira Health Network. Over the last 10
years, the Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County has raised
over $300,000. Shown above, from left: Carolyn Heckman,
Executive Director of the Inspira Foundation
Cumberland/Salem; Robert Odorizzi, Chair of Inspira
Auxiliary Cumberland County; Stacy Fisher, Treasurer;
Donna Baruffi, Secretary; Connie Montero, Vice Chair; and
John DiAngelo, President and CEO of Inspira Health
Network.
South Jersey Times
VINELAND — The Inspira Health Network Auxiliary Cumberland County celebrated 10 years and
over $300,000 in donations by presenting another $35,000 to go toward the delivery of quality
health care throughout the county.
The auxiliary is a division of the Inspira Foundation Cumberland/Salem that supports the foundation
by providing financial resources to go toward enhancing health care to the region.
Over the last 10 years, the auxiliary has raised money to support various health care organizations and
institutions, including the Frank and Edith Scarpa Cancer Center and the Sterling Society.
“For more than 10 years, members of the Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County have contributed to
the health and well-being of the residents of our region by volunteering their time and talent to make
our health system stronger," said John DiAngelo, president and CEO of Inspira Health Network.
“Inspira Health Network pursues the highest possible clinical and service standards of excellence, and
the Auxiliary's fundraising efforts contribute to our mission.”
The auxiliary raises the money by holding various events like raffles, yard sales and parties. They also
volunteer to the Barbara Cook Mud Run and other annual events held by the Inspira Foundation.
2 South Jersey Times January 21, 2014
“The work of the Inspira Auxiliary Cumberland County is a result of the coming together of volunteers
who strive to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Robert Odorizzi, chair of Inspira Auxiliary
Cumberland County. “With your support over the past 10 years, we have been able to plan fun and
successful events for our community and Inspira Health Network.”
Contact the at
and
South Jersey Times 856-935-1500 or 856-451-
1000 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 22, 2014
South Jersey snow storm dumps up to 14 inches in Pennsauken
Byon January 22, 2014 at 5:00 PM, updated January 22, 2014 at 5:11 PM
Andy Polhamus/South Jersey Times
Numerous school districts remained closed in South Jersey on Wednesday as residents dug themselves
out of .
School districts all over the state had closed early Tuesday to get students home before the storm intensified,
and by evening, many districts had pre-emptively canceled Wednesday’s classes. Liberated school children took
to the nearest hill to go sledding.
Police radio broadcasts Tuesday described responses to car accidents ranging from minor fender benders to
entrapped drivers. Injuries seemed to be minimal, however.
“Over the last 24 hours, fortunately, we have not had here from serious accidents,” said Molly Tritt
from Inspira Health Network, in Woodbury.
Snowfall totals from the National Weather Service showed a wide range of accumulation throughout the region.
Absecon reported as little as 3 inches, while parts of County gathered more than a foot of snow. Like
the shore, Cumberland County was largely spared, picking up only 6.5 inches in Millville. Pennsauken came in
with one of the highest local totals of nearly 14 inches. Gloucester County towns reported as much as 13.5
inches in National Park, but only 6 inches in Franklin Township.
Jim Bunker, observing program leader at the National Weather Service station in Mount Holly, attributed the
discrepancies to wind speeds that picked up later in the day. Furthermore, he said, communities just a few
miles apart could fall beneath different bands of precipitation.
“A heavier band would set up, and for that particular period of time, anybody within that heavier band picked
up quite a bit of snow,” Bunker said. “Once the front moved through and the northwest winds kicked in, that’s
when you get a lot of drifting. It can happen on a sma scale.”
The harsh weather is expected to continue through the week. Temperatures will not rise above freezing again
until Saturday, and forecasts call for possible snow s aturday and Sunday.
as much as 14 inches of snow
Camden
Contact staff writer at orAndy Polhamus 856-686-3729 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 25, 2014
New Jersey fails in anti-smoking funding, lung association says
ByEmail the author |on January 25, 2014 at 6:00 AM, updated January 25, 2014 at 6:10 AM
American Lung Association
Rebecca Forand/South Jersey TimesFollow on Twitter
The state of New Jersey is failing in funding smoking cessation and tobacco prevention programs,
according to the American Lung Association's "State of Tobacco Control" report.
Each year, the American Lung Association surveys federal and state policies regarding tobacco use,
prevention, cessation and taxation, and assigns grades for each state.
New Jersey's assessment garnered an "F" grade for tobacco prevention control spending and
cessation, but a B in cigarette tax and an A in smoke-free air.
"There's really a mixed bag of results for New Jersey," said Deb Brown, the American Lunch
Association of the Mid-Atlantic's CEO. "The most important thing that stands out is New Jersey is the
only state that fails to put any state dollars into funding the New Jersey Comprehensive Control
Program. We are very upset about that."
The Comprehensive Control Program received $30 million in 2003, according to the American Lung
Association, but funding steadily declined and is now non-existent.
In addition to failing to fund the preventative programs, the state fails to help those wanting to quit
smoking adequately, the lung association says.
"Research tells us it takes multiple attempts to quit smoking," Brown said.
When it comes to taxing tobacco products and providing smoke-free air for employees, however, New
Jersey is on the higher end of the spectrum.
The American Lung Association's motive in compiling this annual report is to draw attention to their
main goals — reducing smoking rates and eliminating secondhand smoke.
2 South Jersey Times January 25, 2014
Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D-3 of Paulsboro) said he is unaware why Gov. Chris Christie has
failed to fund the preventative programs, but is happy to see New Jersey's grade in the air quality
category.
"If a person chooses to smoke, it's something they chose to do," he said. "But protecting people from
second-hand smoke is an issue. The smoke-free environment was good work on the part of the
legislature."
New Jersey prohibits smoking in workplaces, both government and private, schools, childcare
facilities, restaurants and bars. Casinos and gambling establishments still allow restricted indoor
smoking.
According to Inspira Health Network's most recent local community health survey, tobacco is a
problem that plagues a greater number of , and county residents,
compared to the rest of the state. The percentage of New Jerseyans who have smoked at least 100
cigarettes in their lifetime in around 40.6 percent throughout the state, but at 49.6 percent in
Gloucester County, the report found. Cumberland County's results also showed a higher than average
smoking rate.
---
Gloucester Salem Cumberland
Contact staff writer at or .Rebecca Forand 856-845-3300 [email protected]
1 South Jersey Times January 26, 2014
Richie Kates; Gallery 50; Warren's birthday; BEN Column, Jan. 25, update 3
ByEmail the authoron January 26, 2014 at 10:00 AM, updated January 26, 2014 at 10:13 AM
Jack Hummel/South Jersey Times
By BEN
856-575-0090
Good morning,
For the month of February,, Gallery 50, Inc. is please to present "Through the Eyes of a Traveler" photographs by Doug Convente.
Doug feels that a photographer has to have a keen sense of observation to capture and integrate a
message from everyday life, to make central what is peripheral to so many of us.
Through his 35-year career as a long-haul truck driver, Doug has had limitless opportunities to
capture and reveal this hidden world that surrounds us.
Also, in the Gallery Windows, Brittany Hawk will be showing her Lithographs and Watercolors.
This month the show is sponsored by Inspira Health Network/Regional Diagnostic Imaging.
An open reception will be held on Feb. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m.
Come and join us for some refreshments and conversation.
The Gallery is located at 50 E. Commerce St., Bridgeton, New Jersey, 08302.
We are open Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Our phone number is and our website is http://www.gallery50.org/.
— Kurt Hansen
1 Advance Healthcare Network – Executive Insight January 6, 2014
Intelligent Communications
Improving Patient Engagement with Timely, Relevant Inf ation
Push vs. Pull: multiple shifts of care providers and a lack of timely information can put patients at risk
By Eric Corkhill
Posted on: January 6, 2014
The process of care handoffs is a problem that is wors ysicians are pressed to see more and more patients in order to maintain their costs, a 2013 study by Johns Hopkins reveals that many exceed safe workloads, which can lead to costly errors, including improper assessments, gaps in information and duplication of tests. The average primary care doctor interacts with more than 200 other caregivers who have contact with the patient-from nurses and attendants, to hospitalists and intensivists, residents and interns to multiple specialists and specialty groups. When a patient is discharged from an inpatient stay to another facility, there is an additiona er of care transitioning and management
that needs to be coordinated.
The volume of patients combined with multiple shifts b n care providers and the lack of timely, coordinated information puts patients at risk and has a significant financial i ly one in five Medicare patients discharged from a hospital-approximately 2.6 million seniors-is readmitted within 30 days, at a cost of over $26 billion every year. Other surveys show that up to $12 billion is wasted annually via extended lengths of stay and additional testing due to poor communication between various hospital providers.
A 2013 Ponemon Institute survey finds that hospital communications continue to lag behind other industries. It reveals
that the use of pagers and other outdated communication technologies in healthcare wastes clinicians' time and slows discharges. These tools have a limited ability to addr exity inherent in clinical communication processes. It is also difficult for clinicians to track and manage such things as phone lists and call schedules when they need to speak to other physicians.
The need for a HIPAA-compliant enterprise-wide smart communications solution has never been more critical. Intelligent healthcare communications technology can increase both patient and provider engagement by facilitating coordination, reducing alert fatigue, and improving education and shared decision-making for an overall improvement in
quality care and value-based purchasing payments.
A secure enterprise-wide communication engine with built-in algorithms that define an organization's communications processes resolves many of the communication challenges both within and outside the walls of the healthcare enterprise. It filters all patient information such as orders and results to identify what is important, organizes it in a way that is immediately understood, prioritizes delivery based on criticality, distributes it based on receiver preferences and validates receipt of the information when required.
2 Advance Healthcare Network – Executive Insight January 6, 2014
Patient Engagement: The convenience of pushing rather than pulling information
Automated alerts are supposed to close gaps in safety with clinical decision support, but most caregivers are inundated with data. If too many alerts are triggered when medications or tests are being ordered, the likelihood is very high physicians will eventually tune out or actively override even high severity alerts. Alert fatigue can be mitigated with
filters that allow the user to choose what information they want to receive, when and how. These filters also enable physicians to prioritize information so they can deter which requires an immediate response, which can be followed-up at a later time and what is simply an informational notification. Moreover, the system is device agnostic and can deliver information based on the receiver's preference (email, text, pager, mobile device), saving time and money.
An intelligent enterprise-wide communications platform can improve care collaboration and value-based reimbursement. As hospitals move to value-based reimbursement, they will need to reach out to other providers, including physician practices, ambulatory centers and long-term care facilities, since they will be responsible for the
patient's continuum of care. The ability to push patient information in real time to all designated caregivers and to patients themselves is a good strategy for reducing readmissions and encouraging patients to comply with discharge orders. In addition, the system enables physicians to offer online access to health information and secure messaging for patients in order to meet the Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirement that at least 5 percent of patients view, download, and transmit their health information and send a secure electronic message to their provider.
While there are numerous mobile health applications on the market for consumers to choose from, the primary challenge with these existing applications is that the majority of vendors require users to "pull" data from their systems
rather than pushing the information out to users. Yet what makes mobile technology "addictive," observes Dr. Joseph Kvedar, founder and director of the Center for Connected Health, is that users check their phones obsessively (by some counts 150 times a day) in search of new information or connections. In other words, as more new and interesting information is automatically sent to patients, the greater their adherence to care plans and the better their health outcomes. Engagement drops when the user is expected to go in search of information.
An intelligent communications solution with the ability to push information that is timely, relevant and in the user's preferred format is a powerful patient engagement tool. Automating outreach to patients to remind them of
appointments, alert them to the availability of test results or monitor compliance with discharge instructions improves both patient satisfaction and adherence to care plans. Engagement can be further enhanced with customizable content, such as educational materials and other information that the patient can use to make better health care decisions. A programmable rules engine enables physicians to engage patients around health, to display health-related information at just the right moment in just the right context, and to message patients in the moment with contextually relevant, motivating messages.
For example, frustrated with the high number of patient no shows, Inspira Health Network (IHN) decided to implement
an enterprise-wide communications platform to improve both provider to provider communication and provider to patient communication. At the crux of this decision was the ability to securely and efficiently send appointment reminders to patients. A study done by the American Journal of Medicine shows that when patients are not reminded of appointments, up to 23.1 percent on average miss their scheduled visit. Patients' health issues then go untreated, and the hospital bottom line is impacted due to no-show rates. The reminders, sent for multiple departments at IHN, were dispatched to patients the day before an appointment. The hospital saw a significant reduction in no shows and, over a
four month period, this initiative also had a positive financial return of over $150,000 at IHN.
3 Advance Healthcare Network – Executive Insight January 6, 2014
Giving patients access to information, such as through a portal, is not the same as actively engaging them. Chilmark Research finds that consumer adoption and use of patient portals remains less than 10 percent nationwide. Portals, like so many mobile health applications, require patients to seek them out and transmit information, putting the
organization at the center rather than the patient.
A rules-driven, intelligent communications platform solves the challenges of care transitions by enabling physicians to easily connect across multiple care settings. Streamlined clinical communications not only facilitates collaboration and coordination of care, but also improves physician satisfaction and engagement. Intelligent technology further enables hospitals to manage the health of patients after discharge with a patient-centric solution that promotes shared decision making, engagement and satisfaction.
Eric Corkhill is vice president of sales and marketing at HIT Application Solutions.
1 Before it’s News January 6, 2014
Robert Paul Chvala, MD, Represents New Jersey with Inclusion into
Renowned Publication The Leading Physicians of the World
Monday, January 6, 2014 14:17
The International Association of Healthcare Profession carefully selected Robert Paul Chvala, MD,
to represent nephrology in their publication, The Leading Physicians of the World. Dr. Chvala’s selection is a
significant representation of his passion and dedication for the field of nephrology. He is considered to be among
the best among his many years in practice.
Dr. Chvala works as Nephrologist at Lyons Chvala Nephrology Associates in Woodbury, New Jersey. With over 32
years of experience in his field, he is highly regarded for his diverse and extensive set of skills and knowledge.
When he is not at his private practice, Dr. Chvala serves patients at the Hahnemann University Hospital and the
Underwood Memorial Hospital.
In 1976, Dr. Chvala received his Medical Degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey. He
completed his postgraduate training at Rutgers Hospitals. A member of the American College of Physicians, he is
also board certified in Nephrology and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
To find out more about Dr. Chvala, please visit www.robert-chvala.findatopdoc.com. Also be sure to look out for
his upcoming publication in .
To find a doctor in your area, please visit www.findatopdoc.com.
The Leading Physicians of the World
1 The Current January 10, 2014
Legislation passes encouraging VA to allow veterans access to local medical careLast Updated on Friday, January 10, 2014 04:46 pm Written by Steve Prisament Friday, January 10, 2014 02:30 pm
TRENTON – Legislation sponsored by 9th District Legislators Sen. Christopher J. Connors and Assembly members Brian E. Rumpf and DiAnne C. Gove that contains recommendations issued by the Veterans’ Hospital Task Force for a comprehensive plan for expanding health care access for military veterans living in the southern part of the state has passed the state Senate.
The measure passed the Assembly last June.
The 9th District delegation sponsored the law that originally established the task force. Subsequently, Connors and Gove were named to the task force by Gov. Chris Christie. The bipartisan-supported concurrent resolution urges the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to take appropriate action to expand health care access for military veterans living in southern New Jersey.
Connors, Rumpf and Gove issued the following statement following the Senate’s action on this veterans’ initiative:
“Testimony provided during the task force’s hearings demonstrated that there is a compelling need to expand health care options for veterans living in the southern end of the state to meet their medical
2 The Current January 10, 2014
needs and raise their quality of life. Under the current system many veterans living in the area endure hardships, including having to travel unreasonable distances to VA facilities located in north Jersey or another state in order to receive medical treatment.
“The construction of a veterans’ hospital in south Jersey was one of first options the task force considered. After thorough deliberation, the portability of health insurance emerged as a more realistic and attractive option whereby veterans could receive medical care from local non-VA facilities, when it became readily apparent that building a new facility would be co itive.
“Unquestionably, the VA’s dedicated personnel have capably and compassionately delivered medical services to our veterans over the decades. That stated, systemic changes are in order as was illustrated by the testimony provided by many south Jersey veterans that centered on the hardships created under the current system.
“Given its unequaled experience in treating veterans, the legislation supports the task force’s recommendation that the VA administer a pilot program which would be created to give area veterans greater access to local medical centers. Our delegation strongly believes such an initiative would not only greatly enhance healthcare opportunities for all veterans living in southern New Jersey but would, very likely, prove to be a more cost effective system of providing high-quality care.”
The legislation urges the VA to support the following recommendations:
Recognize that the deficiencies in providing to the healthcare needs of veterans living in southern New Jersey are a serious problem that must be addressed as soon as possible.
Assuming that the construction of a new veterans’ healthcare facility in southern New Jersey is not feasible, create a pilot program to give area veterans greater access to local medical centers, including AtlantiCare, the Bacharach Institute of Rehabilitation, Cape May Regional Medical Center, the Virtua System, Shore Medical Center, the Inspira Health Network, and the Meridian Health Care System, which represent just a few health care facilities that are interested in participating in the pilot program.
Recognize that such a pilot program, administered by the department, would save money and greatly enhance healthcare opportunities for all veterans living in southern New Jersey.
Move Ocean County into the Veterans’ Integrated Service Network 4 from its current VISN, so that veterans from that county, which has the greatest number of veterans in the state, would no longer need to travel to East Orange, Wilmington or Philadelphia for needed healthcare services.
Provide additional information about the healthcare services that are already available to veterans living in southern New Jersey.
Focus greater attention on the healthcare needs of women veterans.
And provide additional staffing to the Northfield Veterans’ Clinic, which is an admirable facility but lacks sufficient staff to address adequately the needs of local veterans.
After passing both houses of the Legislature, ACR-177/SCR-142 was filed with the Secretary of State and awaits the governor’s signature.
1 The Paramus Post January 10, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014, 10:18 AM EST
Andrzejczak, Albano, Eustace, & Wilson Bill to Improve Health Care Access for NJ Veterans Clears Final Legislative HurdleBy Mel Fabrikant Friday, January 10, 2014, 11:38 AM EST
Plan Designed to Help Southern NJ Veterans; Ease Waiting Times Throughout the State
Legislation Assembly Democrats Bob Andrzejczak, Nelson Albano, Tim Eustace, and Gilbert “Whip”
Wilson sponsored urging the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to support the recommendations
of New Jersey Veterans Hospital Task Force was given f oved 39-0 by the Senate.
The bill (ACR-177) is based on recommendations from the New Jersey Veterans Hospital Task Force,
which studied the idea of constructing and operating of a veterans' health care facility in southern
New Jersey.
During its meetings, the members of the task force received testimony from veterans about the
significant challenges faced by veterans seeking healthcare and the at-times demeaning process they
had to go through to meet their healthcare needs, including traveling considerable distances from
their homes in southern New Jersey, in some cases resulting in trips of more than 100 miles and five
hours travel time, and then spending additional time waiting for a meeting with a doctor.
“Clearly, we have a significant need for more healthcare opportunities for veterans living in southern
New Jersey who must travel to veterans clinics in East Orange, Delaware or Philadelphia to have their
healthcare needs addressed,” said Andrzejczak (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland), who was a
sergeant in the U.S. Army. “This is unfair to these New Jersey veterans who have served their country
with distinction and deserve to have closer, more accessible healthcare as they grow older and travel
becomes more difficult.”
“These veterans deserve our best, and unfortunately they’re not getting that when they’re forced to
travel long distances to have their health care needs met,” said Albano (D-Atlantic/Cape
May/Cumberland). “We need everyone to get on board and push forward with these basic
recommendations to improve the quality of life for our veterans. It’s the right thing to do.”
“Caring for our veterans must be a priority,” said Eustace (D-Bergen/Passaic). “Ensuring all our
veterans in New Jersey are treated properly will benefit everyone, including by among other things
reducing waiting lines at northern New Jersey facilities. These are basic concepts and should be
embraced by everyone.”
2 The Paramus Post January 10, 2014
“South Jersey veterans deserve better, and this bill is a step in the right direction,” said Wilson (D-
Camden/Gloucester). “Anything we can do to repay the debt we owe these brave men and women is
the right thing to do.”
The bill expresses to the Department of Veterans Affairs the Legislature’s support for the following:
• Recognize that the deficiencies in the healthcare needs of veterans living in southern New Jersey is a
serious problem that must be addressed as soon as possible;
• Assuming that the construction of a new veterans healthcare facility in southern New Jersey is not
feasible, create a pilot program to give area veterans greater access to local medical centers, including
Cape May Regional Medical Center, the Virtua System, Atlanticare, Shore Memorial Hospital, the
Inspira Health Network, the Meridian Health Care System, the Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation
and Deborah Heart and Lung Center, to name just a few of the healthcare facilities that are interested
in participating in the program;
• Recognize that such a pilot program, administered by the department, would save money and
greatly enhance healthcare opportunities for all veterans living in southern New Jersey;
• Move the approximately 44,600 veterans who live in Ocean County into VISN 4 from their current
VISN, so that veterans from that county, which has the greatest number of veterans in the State,
would no longer need to travel as much as four to six hours round trip to get to East Orange,
Wilmington or Philadelphia for healthcare services;
• Determine what services are available at each community based outpatient clinic and increase
communication among all community based outpatient clinics;
• Provide additional, readily accessible, information about the healthcare services, outreach services
and varied information sources that are available currently to veterans living in southern New Jersey;
• Focus greater attention on the healthcare needs of women veterans;
• Provide additional staffing to all community based outpatient clinics where needed and appropriate,
including the Northfield Veterans Clinic, the Cape May VA Outpatient Clinic and the Vineland
Veterans Clinic, which are admirable facilities that lack sufficient personnel to provide the essential
services and address adequately the needs of local veterans;
• Establish a continuing veterans oversight committee for the state, composed of three individuals,
one each from North, Central and Southern New Jersey, that would be a bridge between the State and
the federal government, and that would also be a liais ivilian healthcare facility that
serves veterans in the State;
• Provide, in particular, a liaison for each major civilian healthcare facility in the southern New Jersey
area to assist those veterans who use the fee-based services offered at such facilities and to assist the
hospitals to interact successfully with the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of veterans living
in southern New Jersey.
Authenticated copies of this resolution will now be signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and
the President of the Senate would be transmitted to the Secretary of the federal Department of
Veterans Affairs.
1 eSecurityPlanet January 21, 2014
December Data Breach Roundup: Theft Prevention, and More
Employee education can help prevent data breaches caused by the loss or theft of unencrypted devices, and employee monitoring is a key strategy for fighting insider theft.
Jeff Goldman
theft or loss of unencrypted laptops and USB drives
employee error
By | January 21, 2014
Each month, looks back at the data breaches we’ve covered over the past 30 days or so, providing an admittedly unscientific but potentially interesting overview of the current breach landscape.
To get some perspective on the current range of threats, spoke with ESET senior security researcher Stephen Cobb.
A leading cause of data breaches for the past several months has been the
. "If there’s a difference between a laptop theft today and 10 years ago, it’s that it’s probably got saleable data on it," Cobb says. "Something that we see in talking to organizations is that a lot of people are not yet fully aware that data about people has a value in a very structured black market."
Thus a stolen laptop is far more likely to lead to a data breach today than it was a decade ago. "Whether or not, in a particular instance, a thief was looking for the data on the machine, the fact that there is this market in name, address, Social Security number, phone number, credit card data and so on, makes the loss of a device which has got that data on it all the more potentially damaging," Cobb says.
While the same is true of USB drives, they’re generally treated with far less care than laptops.
"You can buy a 16GB thumb drive at the drugstore for $12, and you can put information on it, the loss of which would cost you a million dollars," Cobb says. "Not enough people are looking at it like that. For $80, you can buy one that’s encrypted automatically, but they look at the difference in price and they say it’s not . But when you look at the million-dollar impact, it’s a different calculation."
A second leading cause of breaches is . One of the key drivers behind such breaches, Cobb says, is the fact that newer areas of data handling often get neglected in terms of corporate policy. "Policies and procedures often lag behind the systems that they’re supposed to protect," he says.
The start of a new year, he says, is a great time to make sure your policies and procedures are keeping up with newer systems. "What new data are you handling and what new systems are you managing now as opposed to last year – and do you have the policies and procedures in place?"
It’s also worth revisiting established policies to ensure that they’ve been made clear.
"If I were to fault anybody in the employee error side of things, it would be upper management for not realizing the importance of keeping people up to date on these things," Cobb says. "I’m an opponent of the stupid user theory. Yes, some people do dumb things, and there will always be that element, but an employee isn’t stupid if they haven’t been told what they should and shouldn’t do. And an organization which doesn’t have checks and balances in its processes is more stupid than the employee who makes a mistake and there’s nobody around to catch it."
eSecurity Planet
eSecurity Planet
Rethinking the Thumb Drive
2 eSecurityPlanet January 21, 2014
Lessons from Target Breach, Snowden Affair
December 2013 Data Breaches
On the more malicious side of things, most people are far more aware of the threat of now than they used to be. "One of the big revelations around the Snowden affair is the fact that trusted insiders are a problem if they go bad," Cobb says.
There’s a personal aspect to managing that threat: Monitor your employees’ attitudes and watch for employees who seem to be unhappy, particularly if they have privileged access. "That goes back to well-established practices in managing the security of systems – keeping an eye on your employees, only allowing access as needed, and monitoring for escalation of privileges," Cobb says.
Finally, last month’s Target breach made the threat from particularly clear.
"The big lesson out of December is that what you might call cybercrime incorporated, the industrialized exploitation of vulnerabilities turning access to data into cash, is big, well organized and very efficient," Cobb says. "There’s an industry out there that works at this, it’s got highly specialized skill sets, division of labor, and it’s very efficient in getting into systems, getting valuable data, and squeezing the money out of that data."
Most of the people involved in that process, Cobb says, are making money with very little risk. "The people who got the data from the Target systems are selling it and cashing out," he says. "And we may find out who they are, and they may get prosecuted, but the person who wrote the code for them is a couple of levels down in this process."
Still, one good thing has come out of all of this: The Target breach has vastly increased public understanding of cyber threats.
"Providing security awareness to employees is much easier now, because people are more interested," Cobb says. "I was doing security awareness programs 15 years ago, when it was really hard to get people interested in protecting the company computers, because they didn’t know much about computers and it didn’t relate to their own life. Now everybody in society is a computer user."
The personal data of 18,800 current and former State of Colorado employees may have been exposed when a state employee lost a USB drive. Two unencrypted laptops containing the personal information of 840,000 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey subscribers were stolen from the company's headquarters. Approximately 1,300 Houston Methodist Hospital transplant patients' personal information may have been been exposed when an encrypted laptop and paper files were stolen. A computer containing patient information was stolen from an unsecured filing room at New Jersey's Inspira Medical Center Vineland.
A laptop containing the personal and medical information of 1,891 SIU HealthCare patients was stolen from a former SIU surgeon's office. A laptop containing 8,900 patient records was stolen from the home of California orthopedic surgeon Dr. Stephen T. Imrie.
The health information of 2,000 Chicago Public Schools students, including their names, birthdates and diagnoses, was made available online by mistake. The personal information of 32,755 patients of California's Cottage Health System was exposed when a third-party vendor mistakenly removed security protections from a server. Files containing the personal information of more than 6,000 vendors, students and employees of theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were mistakenly made available online.
The credit card information of between 280,000 and 300,000 Affinity Gaming customers was exposed when hackers breached the system used to process credit cards for its casinos. Hackers breached the phone system for Texas' Bell County and placed a series of international calls, racking up more than $27,000 in charges in a single day. An attacker leveraged a security flaw at Bitcointalk.org's registrar to intercept and modify forum transmissions, possibly intercepting user passwords. Hackers accessed credit card information at several Bojangles' locations, possibly via the restaurants' Wi-Fi networks.
The Briar Group's payment systems were breached, exposing thousands of credit card numbers belonging to custom f the company's 10 Boston-area bars and restaurants. Hackers leveraged a security flaw at Chinese hotel Wi-Fi provider CNWisdom to access a database of approximately 20 million hotel reservations. A computer used to operate the website for footwear manufacturer Danner was compromised, exposing customers' credit card infor ackers accessed an undisclosed number of EZYield hotel reservation customers' names and credit card information, though it's not clear which travel websites were affected.
The personal information of 465,000 users of JPMorgan Chase's UCARD prepaid cash cards was accessed by hackers. An undisclosed amount of customer data for four clients of Mannix Marketing may have been exposed when the company's servers were hacked. Hackers accessed the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center's servers, potentially compromising 59,000 current and former clients' personal information.
Hackers stole the personal information of 2.4 million students and employees of Arizona's Maricopa County Community College District and offered the data for sale. The credit card transaction system for MadeInOregon.comwas accessethough it's not clear how
insider breaches
hackers
Device Loss or Theft:
Employee or Vendor Error:
Hackers:
3 eSecurityPlanet January 21, 2014
the access occurred. The data center used by the Bitcoin-only poker site Seals with Clubs permitted unauthorized access to a database server, exposing user names and encrypted passwords. The Brazilian forum for voice communication company TeamSpeak was compromised and redirected traffic to a DotCache exploit kit landing page.
Hackers accessed credit card information for tens of millions of Target customers nationwide, though online purchases don't appear to have been affected.
Hackers breached TechMedia Network's systems and may have accessed an undisclosed number of customers' names, contact information and credit card data. Hacker Maxney breached and defaced the official site for Vodafone Iceland and published 77,000 users' information online. Hackers breached servers at the Washington Post and accessed employee user names and encrypted passwords.
A cashier at a New York Bed Bath & Beyond store stole an undisclosed number of customers' credit card information. An HSBC employee who was authorized to access customer account information, including names and Social Security numbers, did so with the intention of misusing the data. A UConn Health Center employee inappropriately accessed 164 patients' medical records, including their names, addresses, birthdates, diagnoses and Social Security numbers. A former W.J. Bradley Mortgage Capital loan officer took clients' personal data, including credit reports, bank account information and Social Security numbers, to a different company.
Insider Breach:
Jeff Goldman is a freelance journalist based in Los Angeles. He can be reached at .
1 South Jersey Journal January 21, 2014
Inspira to Celebrate Annual National Day of Dance for Your HealthThe Biggest Dance Party for Better Health in the United States
| 1/21/2014, 11:10 a.m.
Inspira’s Day of Dance event last year featured several dance groups, including Urban Dance Academy Groovics photographed.
Inspira Health Network welcomes families to the National Day of Dance for Your Health event Saturday, February 15 at the Deptford Mall’s center court from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event is a program of the Spirit of Women Hospital
Network held in 70 communities and attended by more th n 70,000 people across the US. This year celebrates the 10th Annual National Day of Dance and is the biggest dance party for better health in the United States.
This is the fourth year that Inspira will participate in this nationwide event to create healthier communities. Day of
Dance expects to attract over 200 residents from Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem counties as well as engage with mall visitors.
“Inspira Health Network is excited and proud to participate in this nationwide, fu and heart-healthy initiative in Deptford. We invite you to join with other families in our community as we take a stand against heart disease by
dancing to a variety of music for all generations at Day of Dance.” said Eileen Cardile, Executive Vice President for Inspira Health Network and President and CEO of Inspira Medical Center Woodbury.
Prominent physician speakers will be on hand to provide educational information. Screenings, heart disease
education and other important health topics will also be offered.
“Day of Dance is a fun, unique program bringing together doctors, community leaders, media, and businesses to teach families about healthy choices that they can easily incorporate into their daily lives. By attending, you will also
Journal Staff Report
2 South Jersey Journal January 21, 2014
learn and understand your personal risk factors for heart disease and stroke, all while learning new dance moves and spending time with family and friends,” said Tanya Abreu, President and Chief Vision Officer of Spirit of Women.
Day of Dance educates consumers on a variety of cardiovascular conditions. Coronary heart disease, which causes heart attacks, is the leading cause of death for Americans. When done on a regular basis as a form of exercise, dancing can burn as many calories as swimming, walking, or riding a bike.
“Not only is dancing fun, but it is a healthy way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. You may be surprised at the wide range of physical and mental ben ng on a regular basis can help with weight maintenance or weight loss, decrease your blood pressu nd manager your cholesterol. Dancing also makes you feel more energetic, decreases depression, increases coordination and muscle strength, and makes us feel more
positive about our lives,” said Scott Burlingame, R.N. Stroke/Chest Pain Center Program Manager at Inspira Medical Center Vineland.
Pre-registration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. To register, call 1-800-INSPIRA or sign-up online at www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org/spiritofwomen. The Deptford Mall is located at 1750 Deptford Center Road,
Deptford, NJ 08096.
The 2014 National Day of Dance is a community event presented by Inspira Hea h Network, the Spirit of Women Hospital Network, Good Housekeeping magazine and The Heart Truth ® campaign. Join Inspira to celebrate good
health, come on!
1 SouthJersey.com January 22, 2014
January 22, 2014
Duly NotedJohn DiAngelo
Brett E.J. Gorman
The Inspira Health Network Board of Trustees unanimously selected , the network’s current chief financial officer and executive vice president, as the next president and chief executive officer of the health network. He will take the helm of the organization on Jan. 1, replacing current Inspira President and CEO Chet Kaletkowski, who announced his plans to retire more than two years ago. During his 13-year tenure as a member of the organization's senior m ment team, DiAngelo has played a major role in both the financial and strategic aspects of numerous large projects. Under DiAngelo’s leadership, the health syst m increased its Moody’s bond rating three levels since 2002 and was the only health system to receive an upgrade in 2010.
Parker McCay associate was appointed as the 2013-2015 Burlington County Young Lawyers Trustee. The Young Lawyer Trustee chairs the Young Lawyer Committee, which consists of attorneys who are under the age of 35 or have been practicing law for less than five years. As a trustee, Gorman will oversee the committee, including providing a sounding board for the concerns of the committee to the Bar Association’s Board of Trustees, teach and organize Continuing Legal Education courses and coordinate seminars.
1 Health IT News January 29, 2014
Inspira proactively manages pop health
(SPONSORED
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Treating populations as a whole, one patient at a timeJanuary 29, 2014
) Steven C. Linn, MD, MPh, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Inspira Health Network, discusses the challenges of population and care management and how strategic use of technology can help deliver to clinicians the right care to the right patient and patient population at the right time. The Vineland, NJ-based health system brings together expert physicians from three medical centers and more than 60 locations to provide communities with quality, inspiring care under one network.
How is healthcare delivery changing, and how does it affect Inspira Health Network?This is likely going to be one of the most transformative times in healthcare in generations. We will be
challenged to manage the health of a group of individuals or a community over time instead of treating patients individually and episodically as we do today. We’re being asked to take more accountability of the cost of care, and for the quality and outcomes of care, rather than to just provide services when people are sick.Under the traditional fee-for-service model, we delivered a service, we submitted a bill and we were paid. So we had a strong incentive to do a lot of things for patients whenever they needed or wanted them. As we transition from volume to value, we will assume the risk for the cost of care, and will therefore need to manage the health of the patient over several years and do it as efficiently and with the highest quality possible.
The shift to managing population wellness makes it increasingly vital for every member of the care delivery team to be guided by the latest medical knowledge. It seems to be a potentially overwhelming challenge.
That’s because there’s an overwhelming amount of information to manage in medicine. We need tools that are readily available at the physician’s side whenever they’re caring for a patient that will help guide them and make sure they’re providing the evidence-based medicine that the patient needs and deserves. Cl ians need the right information at the point of care, tying chronic condition and wellness care plans to the most current research. Equipped that way, clinicians are better positioned to understand the issues for that patient based on that specific patient risk and need, so that they can respond in the appropriate way.Today’s technology can take the value of that clinical evidence an important step further by embedding it in process management tools for orchestrating care plans defined for specific disease states. Alerts can notify the care manager or physician if there is a gap in care that needs to be filled. Those workflows will really make the delivery of the highest-quality evidence-based care possible.
We’re treating populations as a whole, but we’re doing it one patient at a time. Treatment strategies need to be individualized for a patient’s particular condition and overall health profile, ideally in a way that addresses his or her individual preferences and behaviors.
1 Advance Healthcare Network for Nurses January 30, 2014
Princeton, N.J. - ONE NJ Presents 2013 Nursing Leadership Awards
REGIONAL NEWS
Posted on: January 30, 2014View Comments (0)Print ArticleEmail ArticleShareThe Organization of Nurse Executives New Jersey (ONE NJ) recently presented its 2013 Nursing Leadership Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award to Bernadette Countryman, MSN, RN.
Countryman was CNO and chief clinical officer for Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, from 2000, when Saint Elizabeth Hospital and Elizabeth General Medical Center merged, until she retired in 2013.
A nurse in New Jersey since 1973, Countryman "led by example in providing safe, high quality evidence-based care to a vulnerable population," said Mary McTigue, RNC, MA, CENP, vice president patient care services and CNO, Trinitas Regional Medical Center. She was a "nurse's nurse," taking genuine pride in nurses' accomplishments, McTigue said. Countryman was executive director of the ONE NJ from 1985 to 1989.
Other Nursing Leadership Award winners were:Professional Recognition AwardBeverly Karas-Irwin, DNP, RN, NP-C, HNB-BC, NEA-BCDirector, Professional Practice and ResearchThe Valley Hospital, RidgewoodNurse Executive AwardAnne McCartney, MSN, RN, CNM, CNAAVice President of Patient Care ServicesInspira Medical Center - VinelandDivisional Leader AwardMarcia Redden, RN, BSCorporate Director, Surgical ServicesKennedy Health System, Cherry HillNurse Leader AwardKimberly A. Plum, BSN, RNNurse Manager of Angio/Cath Lab, Medical-Surgical Intensive Care Unit,Perioperative ServicesInspira Medical Center WoodburyNurse Leader AwardTheresa A. Wurmser, PhD, MPH, RN, NEA-BCDirector of the Ann May Center for Nursing and Allied HealthChair of the Georgian Court-Meridian Health School of Nursing, LakewoodAspiring Nurse Leader AwardTara Donnelly, BSN, RNClinical Coordinator, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center,Outpatient Chemotherapy Infusion CenterOverlook Medical Center, Summit
2 Advance Healthcare Network for Nurses January 30, 2014
Distinguished Service AwardDeanna Sperling, MAS, RN, NE-BCChief Operating OfficerBarnabas Health Behavioral Health Network, Toms River
Distinguished Service AwardKim A. Kelly, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FACHEVice President Clinical ServicesCentraState Medical Center, FreeholdLeadership in Technology AwardJulie-Anne DeVries, MSN, RN-BCDirector of Clinical Informatics and Neuroscience ServicesSomerset Medical Center, SomervilleLeadership in Mentoring AwardBettyann Kempin, MSN, RN, MS-HCM, NP-C, NE-BCAssistant Vice President, Medical Surgical ServicesThe Valley Hospital, RidgewoodRegional News Archives
1 The Grapevine January 2014
2 The Grapevine January 2014
1 The Daily Journal January 15, 2013
Inspira Midwifery
Gentle Beginnings
Haddon Heights (856) 265-0200 708 Station Avenue
Haddon Heights, NJ 08035
Elmer (856) 358-1100389 Harding Highway • Suite 6
Elmer, NJ 08318
Experienced Certi�ed Nurse Midwives Karen McEvoy Shields, Lindsay Dauphinee and Jane Letushko
Supporting women emotionally, physically and spiritually through natural childbirth, water birth, gynecological care and more!
Time:11 a.m. to 2 p.m.Location: Deptford Mall – Center Court1750 Deptford Center RoadDeptford, NJ 08096
Admission Fee: FreeTo Register: Registration encouragedby calling 1-800-INSPIRAWeb: www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org
More Information: Join Inspira Health Network and dance for your health! Enjoy dance performances – many with audience participation – as well as health education and screenings.Come and experience this unique opportunity to dance for your health!
Celebrate good health, come on!Saturday, February 15, 2014
Be part of the biggest dance party for better health in the United States. Bring your family and friends to dance, listen to music, participate in health screenings, and learn about simple and fun ways to stay healthy.
Here in your community!Dr. Malini Iyer, Inspira Medical Group Breast Surgery Mullica Hill
An Experienced Breast Surgeon
Malini Iyer, M.D.
Inspira Medical Group Breast Surgery Mullica Hill
155 Bridgeton PikeSuite CMullica Hill, NJ 08062
www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org/medicalgroup
For additional information or to make an appointment with Dr. Iyer, please call (856) 478-0136.
Malini Iyer, M.D., is a member of Inspira Medical Group Breast Surgery Mullica Hill where she treats patients with the whole spectrum of breast diseases.
Dr. Iyer specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and provides state-of-the-art breast care to her patients with timely diagnosis and a multidisciplinary treatment plan.
Malini Iyer, M.D. is a board-certified surgeon specializing in breast surgery and breast oncology. Dr. Iyer received her medical degree at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in India, where she also completed a surgical residency. She then continued her training in England where she was awardedthe Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (Ed).
Dr. Iyer moved to the United States and completed a surgical residency at the University of Connecticut.She practiced surgery in Connecticut before joining the faculty at the University of Connecticut, where she won the Best Faculty Teacher Award. She moved to Pennsylvania where she continued her work as a breast and oncology surgeon at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
INSPIRING MEDICINE
Every year in February, health care providers across the nation join
together to raise awareness about heart disease by recognizing National Heart Month. At Inspira Health Network, we feel it’s an important time to educate our community about this dangerous health issue.
One of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family is to learn the symptoms of a heart attack. You probably know that chest pain is the most common symptom. But did you know that women often have different symptoms than men? You should also be alert for signs like shortness of breath, sweating, neck or jaw pain, dizziness and abdominal pain.
Most importantly, if you think you or a loved one is experiencing a heart attack, call 9-1-1 immediately. Because during a heart attack, time is muscle. This means that if you receive the right care quickly during a heart attack, you’re less likely to damage your most important muscle: your heart.
In the event that you need cardiac assistance, I’m very proud that Inspira Health Network offers your family high quality care right here in your community. For heart attack patients, we are the only health system that offers emergency angioplasty services in Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties. Our experienced cardiologists are on call around the clock in Vineland and Woodbury to provide this life-saving procedure to you and your family if you need it.
During an emergency angioplasty, a physician uses a catheter to clear blockages in the arteries around the heart and can also place a stent to restore blood flow if needed. The ability for us to perform emergency angioplasty right here in your community significantly speeds up treatment for many heart attack patients. Before we offered this service, some patients would be transported far from their homes to receive this level of care.
One way we measure the quality of this service is the time it takes us to get our patients from the door of the ER into the cath lab for the procedure. At Inspira Medical Center Woodbury, our team has maintained average “door-to-balloon times” of 58 minutes—considerably faster than the national standard.
In November, we received approval to also provide this service at Inspira Medical Center Vineland and our times so far have also been below the national benchmark. This is an outstanding achievement, because with this service now available at two locations in Gloucester and Cumberland counties, Inspira Health Network serves as the region’s leader for emergency cardiac care.
Providing the highest quality cardiac services has always been a part of our mission. At Inspira Medical Center Woodbury, we introduced emergency angioplasty in 2009 and have since built a reputation as a leader in heart care in the region.
At Inspira Medical Center Vineland, in addition to receiving approval for emergency angioplasty, we have also received designation as a Chest Pain Center for having the right protocols, equipment and expert teams in place to treat heart attacks 24/7. The Cardiac ICU in Vineland has also received two Beacon Awards from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for providing quality nursing care and achieving excellent outcomes for our patients.
At all of our medical centers, we’ve ensured that the minute you arrive in our emergency rooms, you’ll receive the right treatment, right away.
Inspira is dedicated to providing quality cardiac care for our community. From emergency angioplasty to quality cardiac rehabilitation services at all of our hospitals, we support thousands of patients in our community every year as they recover from cardiac events. For more information about our cardiovascular services, please visit our website at www.InspiraHealthNetwork.org.
Inspira is keeping hearts healthy in our communityBy John DiAngelo, Inspira Health Network President and CEO
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