Winter 2011

Training Tomorrow’s Doctors

Guiding Other Hospitals to Greatness

Close-to-Home CareNew Services in Mullica Hill

SJH Family & Friends2 WINTER 2011

If you have suggestions or comments regarding South Jersey Healthcare, please contact Lynette Newkirk, director of Guest Services, at (856) 641-7773 or newkirkl@sjhs.com.

Forecasters predict that health care reform may provide health insurance to more than 31 million of the 50 million individuals who currently do not have health insurance.

You may ask, “Who will take care of these newfound insured patients who have pent up demand for care which they have repressed due to their lack of health insurance?” Well, not surprisingly, we need to educate more physicians and mid-level providers of care.

Estimates by the Association of American Medical Colleges state that by the year 2025, the United States will face a shortage of between 124,000 and 159,000 physicians.

Fortunately, South Jersey Healthcare is doing its part to not only meet the need of the existing shortage of physicians in our community, but hopefully contribute numbers of trained physicians to lessen the shortage for future years.

Starting the past September and growing through the year 2014, we will eventually have 62 medical students on rotation from the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, which is part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. � en starting in July 2011 and growing through 2014, we may very well have 62 medical residents who are in their postgraduate education in specialties such as family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and eventually, orthopedics — to name a few of the specialty types of residencies that will be supported at South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center and South Jersey Healthcare Elmer Hospital.

� is issue of Family & Friends is dedicated to all those future students, many of whom hail from the southern counties of New Jersey, who will learn the art of patient care from many of our experienced Medical Sta� , who will serve as faculty. � ey will also � nd as they do their rotations through our wonderful hospital campuses and communities that they will be embraced by the community at large and the medical community and encouraged

to move here so they can practice their special art of medicine.

Sincerely,

Chet KaletkowskiPresident & CEO

South Jersey Healthcare

Medical Education

SJH Family & Friends

� e NICU, scheduled to open in the summer of 2011, will be located in the labor and delivery section of the Women’s and Children’s Care Center and builds on the many years of advanced care South Jersey Healthcare has provided. Once the unit is complete, it will serve as a transfer destination for preterm infants from other facilities, includ-ing those born at South Jersey Healthcare Elmer Hospital. Currently, physicians and nurses at the Regional Medical Center can care for infants born as early as 32 weeks in the nine-bed special care nursery; the six-bed NICU will be able to house babies born as early as 28 weeks.

“Many babies born between 28 and 32 weeks require assistance with breathing and eating and must receive precisely measured micro-doses of medication,” said Marjorie Pollock, M.S.N., women’s health nurse practitioner, administrative director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Regional Medical Center. “� e type of special care these preterm infants

need must be provided in a higher level nursery, such as a NICU.”

A Soothing Environment for All� e NICU’s design will include soundproof

walls and ceilings and indirect lighting to mimic the stress-free environment of the womb. A special room will allow parents to stay overnight with their child and learn how to manage his or her medica-tions and cardiopulmonary monitor at home.

“It’s always safer for a preterm infant — not to mention less stressful for parents — when a baby can remain at the facility of his or her birth for life-saving care,” Pollock said. “� e NICU will provide a great service to the counties we serve.”

VISIT www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF AND SELECT “SERVICES AND PROGRAMS” TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MATERNITY SERVICES AT THE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER AND TO VIEW A VIDEO ABOUT ALL WE OFFER FOR MOMS AND BABIES.

For the residents of Mullica Hill and Harrison Township, quality health care is on the way with the arrival of South Jersey Healthcare Tomlin Station Park. The new facility will be located at the corner of Route 322 and Tomlin Station Road and will be home to primary care physicians from Physicians of Southern New Jersey and orthopedic specialists from the SJH Medical Staff. Additional services include:• The walk-in Urgent Care Center will be equipped to treat patients with a variety of minor

injuries and illnesses, including allergies, colds, nausea, sprains and stomach pain;• SJH RehabCare will offer comprehensive Physical and Occupational Therapy services

specializing in a variety of programs created to service a wide range of diagnoses;• Imaging services, which are provided by a team of radiologists with specialty training

in areas including women’s imaging, body imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), include CT scanning, digital mammography, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scanning, general X-ray, MRI and ultrasound.

VISIT www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF TO LEARN ABOUT ALL OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AT TOMLIN STATION PARK AND CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS FOR THE ADVANCED FACILITY.

Providing the Next Level of Care for Preterm BabiesSouth Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center is taking the next step toward caring for high-risk infants by breaking ground on a Level IIIA community intensive care nursery, or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

WINTER 2011 3

Finding the care you need is even easier in Mullica Hill.See You at the Station

South Jersey Healthcare ceremonially broke ground on its neonatal intensive care unit in November 2010.

4 SUMMER 2010 SJH Family & FriendsSJH Family & Friends4 WINTER 2011

In a¥ liation with the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine, SJH has developed a four-year residency program for graduating OB/GYN and family medicine physicians. � ese residents are scheduled to begin work-ing at SJH in July 2011.

“It’s an honor to be considered and se-lected as a teaching hospital,” said Michael Geria, D.O., OB/GYN, director of Medical Education and the OB/GYN Residency Program at SJH. “� is brings a certain level of prestige to the medical center and system. We’re continuously striving to increase the scope of services o� ered at SJH, and this is one way to raise the quality of care for our community and the hospital.”

Continuing Education, Improving Care� e residency programs at SJH are de-

signed to further enhance the education and practice of these resident physicians while improving the care a patient receives at the bedside. An attending physician supervises residents, who are physicians, at all times

and assists in decision-making to provide a second pair of eyes and another opinion on the spot.

“Patients bene� t from being seen by a resident because they receive the latest in academic medical knowledge integrated with the practical, seasoned medical in§ uence of an attending physician,” said Robert Smick, D.O., Family Medicine Residency Program director at SJH. “� e combination of expe-rienced practice mixed with smart, young talents is a powerful advantage for everyone involved — physicians, sta� , patients and the community.”

Dr. Geria adds that because it’s the respon-sibility of veteran physicians to teach the next generation of physicians, the SJH Medical Sta� must remain on the cutting edge of all the latest technologies and procedures.

“� ese young physicians come out of medical school eager to learn and take care of patients,” Dr. Geria said. “Our job as experi-enced physicians is to make sure we’re just as up-to-date and knowledgeable about the new practices and equipment these graduating

physicians learned about in medical school. � erefore, the entire level and quality of care at SJH must constantly meet or exceed the highest level of health standards.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER SERVICES OFFERED AT SJH, VISIT www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF.

Planning for the Future

In addition to an already established Podiatry Residency Program and the new OB/GYN and Family Medicine Residency programs, South Jersey Healthcare is in the process of developing Orthopedic Surgery and Internal Medicine Residency programs, as well as a Rotating Internship Program.

Your Resident PhysicianSouth Jersey Healthcare is dedicated to ensuring young medical minds receive the best education and practice so when lives are in their hands, they will know how to respond.

SJH Family & FriendsSJH Family & Friends

Committed to Furthering EducationWhether they’re presenting discussions about top treatment strategies or writing textbooks to improve inpatient care, physicians and employees with South Jersey Healthcare are furthering medical education both in-house and across the nation.

� ese e� orts are advancing SJH’s continued pursuit to expand its knowledge base and enhance the services it provides.

“SJH has always been an organization with an active education program,” said Maurice Sheetz, M.D., president of the SJH Medical Sta� . “We’ve found that the more we encourage a culture of learning and teaching within our facilities, the stronger we are as an institution and the better equipped we become to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. In the spirit of that value, we’re seeking to further establish ourselves as educational leaders both within and beyond our community.”

Providing Peer-to-Peer GuidanceSteven Linn, M.D., chief medical o¥ cer

at SJH, recently contributed to that goal by speaking to a New Jersey Hospital Association group about the institution’s success in reducing readmissions among heart failure patients. The meeting, which took place in June, brought together physicians and hospital administrators from across the state to recognize hospitals with innovative cardiac patient programs.

“We take our role in educating the community, our sta� and other health care providers in the area very seriously,” said Dr. Linn. “� e fact that we were asked to present on this topic speaks volumes about our leadership in providing proactive cardiac care. We have a large number of resources available to educate the community and those within SJH and view this as part of our partnership with the community in keeping people healthy, active and out of the hospital when possible.”

“South Jersey Healthcare is dedicated to providing continuing education for

its staff and community to enhance the health of those it serves as it continues to raise the standard of patient care.”

— Bruce Alan Boxer, Ph.D., R.N., director of

Nursing Quality and Magnet Program director at SJH

Teaching Through TextAnother SJH employee recently co-

authored a textbook for hospitals striving to meet the safety and care service criteria required to become Magnet facilities. Bruce Alan Boxer, Ph.D., R.N., director of Nursing Quality and Magnet Program director at SJH, collaborated with his sister, Ellen Boxer Goldfarb, certi� ed registered nurse practitioner at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, to write the guide. He says he hopes the book will serve as a valuable resource to all institutions looking to evaluate and improve their nursing practices.

“Education is key to advancing the profession of nursing and improving patient care,” said Boxer. “As a Magnet facility, SJH is a member of an elite cadre of hospitals achieving excellence in that area. We are quite proud of this achievement and constantly strive to do more for our sta� and patients.”

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT SERVICES AT SOUTH JERSEY HEALTHCARE, VISIT www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF.

Bruce Alan Boxer, Ph.D., R.N., director of Nursing Quality and Magnet Program

director at South Jersey Healthcare, recently co-authored a book titled

Creative Solutions to Enhance Nursing Quality.

WINTER 2011 5

6 WINTER 2011 SJH Family & Friends

O ering Better Quality of LifeFor most aging Americans, living independently and at home into the golden years remains a top priority. South Jersey Healthcare is launching a program this spring that will provide many seniors this opportunity.

Seniors with signi� cant health needs oª en require care from a variety of providers, making coordinating care di¥ cult. � rough the SJH LIFE program, eligible seniors will receive personalized and inclusive long-term care, which helps reduce the need for hospitalization or nursing home care.

Nationally, the program is called Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and it is designed to improve the care of frail patients who qualify for Medicare services. Eligibility requirements include:Age: a person must be 55 years or older;Location: a person must live in a PACE

service area (locally, this includes Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties);Well-being: a person must have the ability

to safely live in a community setting;Health: a person must be screened by a

specialized team that includes physicians, nurses and other providers and meet the state’s requirements.

“The primary goal of the SJH LIFE program is to provide a home and

community-based alternative to nursing homes or institutional care for seniors who need careful monitoring or assistance,” said Wayne Pendleton, executive director of the SJH LIFE program. “� e PACE model of care incorporates the desired elements of health care reform, helping to maintain or reduce medical expenses.”

Benefi ts of LIFEPACE programs such as SJH LIFE aim

to help seniors achieve a better quality of life. A highlight of SJH’s program is the development of a holistic health center where patients will receive a variety of services throughout the week, including primary care, rehabilitation therapies, case management, socialization activities, spiritual counseling, and nutritious meals and snacks.

Additionally, studies have shown that members of PACE programs experience:• half as many hospital visits;• higher quality of life;

South ElevationScale: 1/8" = 1'-0"41

Drawing Title

Build

ing

Elev

atio

nsNew PACE Community Center - SJH LIFESouth Delsea Dr + W. Grant Ave., Vineland NJ

Project IDNo. Date Issue Notes

© M

cAul

iffe

+ C

arro

ll A

rchi

tect

s, L

LC

439

Sout

h Br

aod

Stre

et S

uite

310

Tren

ton,

New

Jer

sey

0861

160

9 39

7 00

95 /

609

858

036

6

ww

w.m

caul

iffec

arro

ll.co

m

Drawing No.

07/01/10

McAuliffe + Carroll Architects, LLCTrenton, NJ

0926

SD.0

05

North Elevation (W Grant Ave)Scale: 1/8" = 1'-0"21

East ElevationScale: 1/8" = 1'-0"31

65-321

West Elevation (S Delsea Drive)Scale: 1/8" = 1'-0"11

Your Care TeamDepending on a South Jersey Healthcare LIFE participant’s

level of need, his or her care within the LIFE program may include help from physicians; nurses; physical, occupational and speech therapists; social workers; drivers; personal care attendants; and dietitians. Patients are re-evaluated periodically to determine when additional help may be required.

• improved chances of continued living in one’s own home;

• improved independence and functioning;• less use of nursing homes;• lower early mortality rates;• signi� cantly shorter hospital stays.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SJH LIFE OR ANY OTHER PROGRAMS FOR SENIORS, VISIT www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF.

North Elevation (W Grant Ave)

West Elevation (S Delsea Drive)

“SJH LIFE team members have increased

contact with patients over traditional

care models. This extra attention

helps close any gaps in care and

gives seniors a significant degree

of choice regarding their care.”

—Wayne Pendleton, executive director of the SJH LIFE program

SJH Family & Friends Changing Medicine. Changing Lives. WINTER 2011 7

Digitally Connected CareSpurred on by recent health care initiatives, medical professionals are implementing computerized systems to enhance patient care and drive quality.

Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) is integral for transforming the medical fi eld while putting health care information at medical professionals’ fi ngertips.

CPOE technology allows physicians at South Jersey Healthcare to enter their orders electronically. Through CPOE implementation, SJH can unify workfl ow systems, benefi ting patients by:• enhancing core quality measures;• improving patient safety;• minimizing medication errors caused by

illegible handwriting.“SJH has embarked on the computerization of physician order entry,

with the goals of patient safety, improved quality measures, resident education and physician ease of use,” said Christopher Ballas, M.D., part-time chief medical information offi cer at SJH. “Ultimately, CPOE is a tool to enhance, not replace, the professional, empathetic care provided to SJH patients.”

Your Neighborhood Imaging LocationWhen your physician suggests further testing, convenient imaging services can make all the difference. James Boote, vice president of Ambulatory Care at South Jersey Healthcare, says, “Your time is valuable, and with several SJH imaging locations to choose from, you can fi nd quality care close to home.”

SJH’s new radiology location, Delsea Imaging, brings state-of-the-art services to your community. This new facility is a full-service radiology department and offers a range of imaging services, including:• computed tomography (CT scan)• digital mammography• dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

(DEXA osteoporosis screening)• interventional musculoskeletal radiology• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)• routine X-ray• ultrasound

“We provide university-level care in our communities,” said Mario Sergi Jr., director of Radiation, Oncology and Radiology Services at SJH. “Our technical knowledge combined with convenience provides our patients with the best in radiology care.”

TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT AN SJH IMAGING FACILITY, CALL (866) 754-2778.

Have you visited www.SJHealthcare.net lately?

If not, you’re missing out on the latest health news, a calendar of events, a full health library, access to back issues of Family & Friends and a free gift. Yes, a free gift.

Visit www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF, click on “Order your FREE personal medication journal,” fi ll out the simple form (SJH respects your privacy) and you will receive your gift via U.S. Mail. You can also see us on Youtube.com and visit us on Facebook.

In just a couple minutes, you can learn how to improve your health and well-being and get a free gift.

Christopher Ballas, M.D., a practicing physician and part-time chief medical information offi cer at South Jersey Healthcare, and Karen Stambaugh, a training specialist in the SJH Information Systems Department, discuss the user interface for the computerized physician order entry system.

Family & Friends is published by South Jersey Healthcare. The material in this publication in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to serve as a substitute for professional medical care. Please speak with your health care provider if you have a health concern or if you are considering adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. For permission to reprint any portion of this publication; to notify us that you have received more than one copy; or to be removed from the mailing list, please contact us at (856) 575-4541.

Get Linked to SJHYou may have noticed the aesthetic changes to South Jersey Healthcare’s website. But did you know there’s been a signifi cant enhancement to the website’s content as well?

“We want to help everyone in our service area take charge of his or her health and at the same time make sure they are fully aware of the great care and services we provide right here in our community,” said Rissa Palashewsky, manager of Communication Technologies at SJH. “With the addition of new features and educational content to our website, we hope to deliver an important and meaningful experience to our patients.”

What You’ll FindOn the newly renovated SJH website,

you’ll � nd more intuitive navigation tools, as well as new health care content.

� is includes:• a Spanish-language edition;• action-oriented health topic centers to

tackle behavior-in§ uenced conditions such as stress and obesity;

• daily news feeds, weekly recipes, quizzes and health calculators;

• multimedia tools including podcasts, videos and animation;

• robust health libraries to address topics such as diseases, procedures, drugs and supplements, as well as wellness and prevention.

TO CHECK OUT THE NEW FEATURES FOR YOUR-SELF, VISIT www.SJHealthcare.net/FandF.

South Jersey Hospital System333 Irving AveBridgeton, NJ 08302

The SJH Fitness Connection Performance Improvement Training program (PIT) helps children and teens reach their potential, on and off the field.

...and now Find us on

and