Current Issue Previous Issues Subscribe for FREE
Health Care Innovation

by Allie Harcharek

A look at leading-edge developments in health and wellness in South Jersey.

Innovation is easy to find when looking at health care providers in our area—from the scientists pioneering new research in genetics and disease prevention, to hospitals providing more high-tech and minimally invasive techniques, to the individual physicians training in cutting-edge procedures. In the multi-faceted world of health and wellness, there’s much that’s improving. This month, we explore some ways our health care providers, hospitals, medical systems and other resources have been paving the way to new methods of treatment, prevention and wellness in South Jersey.

Lourdes Health System
When it comes to matters of the heart, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is quite a leader. In fact, a recent report released by HealthGrades named the medical center as one of the 100 best U.S. hospitals for cardiac care—for the second year in a row—and among the top five percent in the nation for stroke treatment. "We are extremely proud to receive this distinction from HealthGrades, which recognizes our nationally ranked status in cardiac care and stroke," says Alexander J. Hatala, president and CEO of Lourdes Health System. "Our placement among the best 100 hospitals underscores our role as leaders in delivering outstanding care as well as our longstanding tradition of excellence. The HealthGrades ranking is a strong validation of our team’s experience and expertise.”

In the past decade, the medical center has received numerous awards and recognitions for its neuroscience, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, critical care, women's health and emergency medicine specialties, Hatala says—and it continues to lead in the realm of cardiac care and innovation. For example, this summer, Lourdes Cardiology Services became one of the first medical facilities in the country to participate in a trial of the AngelMed Guardian implantable cardiac monitor and alert system, an innovative new technology which alerts patients to potential heart problems through a unique implantation system. The system is comprised of an internal implantable device, a standard pacemaker lead and an external telemetry device, designed to track significant changes in the heart's electrical signal. If any changes are detected, the patient will feel a vibration in his or her chest (with varying intensity based on seriousness) and also receive an alert via page, with a prompt to seek immediate medical attention. This device, which also facilitates wireless retrieval of data, is expected to reduce the time it takes patients to get to the emergency room by warning them immediately when something is awry.

Kennedy Health System
In the medical world, information is key. At Kennedy, that information is being transmitted faster and more accurately thanks to investments in technology during the past several years. Says Martin A. Bieber, president and CEO: “We really believe that we need to take the best advantage of technology as possible. Information is key, but it’s also about improving quality.”

That includes implementing fully electronic health records at the hospitals and at Kennedy Health Alliance (KHA) offices. “The key is to get the right information in the right time frame,” Bieber says. For example, at the Kennedy Neuroscience Center, now designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services, medical records are immediately accessible to physicians using electronic tools, which plays a role in expediting care. “We’re rendering care at a very high and precise level, a lot of that augmented by the very precise communication system that allows us to view information virtually and instantaneously,” he says.

Also in development is a smartphone application that will provide another level of care for heart failure patients. Through a partnership with Verizon and the Verizon Innovations Project, heart failure patients will be provided smartphones equipped with the new app, which will provide information, track weight and nutritional data, and even predict possible cardiac health issues, explains Dr. Carman Ciervo, of KHA’s Marlton office. “It’s just a great way to be able to keep patients healthy and know when they need to go into their primary care physician’s office so they don’t end up in the emergency department,” Ciervo says. “So in trying all this innovative … technology, we can do that.”

Kennedy also uses robotics to increase precision, like the use of minimally invasive daVinci surgery system or a new fully robotic laboratory for general pathology, which can test blood and urine specimens through an automated process that eliminates human contamination.

Genesis HealthCare
The Powerback Rehab program by Genesis HealthCare, scheduled to open on Jan. 16, has plans to shorten patient treatment time—quite literally to help people “get their power back,” says Jeff Solarz, executive administrator. The specialized program is designed to help patients—typically those dealing with joint replacements, orthopedic surgeries, cardiac or pulmonary issues — establish community reintegration and prevent return admittance to the hospital. “Our goal is to not only make them stronger and get them back to their prior level of functioning, we also want them to transition quickly back to how they were living before the hospital,” says Solarz.

Technology is integrated through electronic medical records (all accessed wirelessly), computer-on-wheels units, and the use of iPads by doctors and patients to direct activities, food choices and the share of information. “We take a much more patient-directed approach [to treatment], which gets everyone—including familes—very involved in the process,” spurring better lifestyle choices down the road, Solarz says.

What sets this system apart is the extended level of care offered post-discharge, particularly through the Care Transitions Program; for 30 days after leaving Genesis, a nurse will conduct at-home visits, do continuous coaching calls and medication reviews, and ensure each patient has “the right community support,” Solarz explains, noting the service is free of charge. The program specialists coordinate to ensure patients transitioned properly so they aren’t right back in the hospital within 30 days—a problem that costs $18 billion annually, according to Medicare research.

“It’s the Genesis philosophy; we plan the discharge the day they come in,” Solarz says. “Part of that is the transition into the home.”

Virtua
Virtua Memorial Hospital recently broke ground on its new Pediatric Pavilion, the only one of its kind in Burlington County. The $9.5 million expansion project, slated to open in 2013, will utilize an innovative model of care for children under 18 that brings inpatient and outpatient emergency services under the same location. The pavilion will include eight emergency treatment beds, three minor injury chairs, five inpatient beds, a Ronald McDonald playroom, a respite area for patients and siblings, and a media center for patients and their families, according to hospital representatives. “This new Pediatric Pavilion will allow our medical staff to treat all of our pediatric patients in a state-of-the-art facility that affords the most efficient use of medical Virtua leadership,” says Virtua President and CEO Richard P. Miller.

The hospital also opened a sprawling Health and Wellness Center in Moorestown this month, creating 300 permanent jobs in the process. The new center occupies 200,000 square feet, housing physician practices, an immediate care center, rehabilitation facilities, lab and imaging services, nutrition counseling, a fitness center and a day spa. The building, built with sustainable elements in mind, seeks to make Burlington County residents healthier though one central location of health and wellness services; it’s the latest in a network of similar centers across South Jersey, including ones in Sewell and Voorhees, the latter of which includes a brand new joint replacement institute. Outpatient medical services like cardiac rehabilitation or diabetes counseling will be paired with physician services like obstetrics and gynecology or primary care—with the added draw of conveniences like a grab-and-go cafe or on-site child care for busy moms.

At all locations, Virtua has embraced technology both in design and practice. For that, Miller was recently honored as a recipient of the 2012 CEO Information Technology Achievement Award, an award to recognize leadership and commitment to using information technology to advance their organization’s goals.

Lourdes Health System
When it comes to matters of the heart, Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center is quite a leader. In fact, a recent report released by HealthGrades named the medical center as one of the 100 best U.S. hospitals for cardiac care—for the second year in a row—and among the top five percent in the nation for stroke treatment. "We are extremely proud to receive this distinction from HealthGrades, which recognizes our nationally ranked status in cardiac care and stroke," says Alexander J. Hatala, president and CEO of Lourdes Health System. "Our placement among the best 100 hospitals underscores our role as leaders in delivering outstanding care as well as our longstanding tradition of excellence. The HealthGrades ranking is a strong validation of our team’s experience and expertise.”

In the past decade, the medical center has received numerous awards and recognitions for its neuroscience, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, critical care, women's health and emergency medicine specialties, Hatala says—and it continues to lead in the realm of cardiac care and innovation. For example, this summer, Lourdes Cardiology Services became one of the first medical facilities in the country to participate in a trial of the AngelMed Guardian implantable cardiac monitor and alert system, an innovative new technology which alerts patients to potential heart problems through a unique implantation system. The system is comprised of an internal implantable device, a standard pacemaker lead and an external telemetry device, designed to track significant changes in the heart's electrical signal. If any changes are detected, the patient will feel a vibration in his or her chest (with varying intensity based on seriousness) and also receive an alert via page, with a prompt to seek immediate medical attention. This device, which also facilitates wireless retrieval of data, is expected to reduce the time it takes patients to get to the emergency room by warning them immediately when something is awry.

Kennedy Health System
In the medical world, information is key. At Kennedy, that information is being transmitted faster and more accurately thanks to investments in technology during the past several years. Says Martin A. Bieber, president and CEO: “We really believe that we need to take the best advantage of technology as possible. Information is key, but it’s also about improving quality.”

That includes implementing fully electronic health records at the hospitals and at Kennedy Health Alliance (KHA) offices. “The key is to get the right information in the right time frame,” Bieber says. For example, at the Kennedy Neuroscience Center, now designated as a Comprehensive Stroke Center by the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services, medical records are immediately accessible to physicians using electronic tools, which plays a role in expediting care. “We’re rendering care at a very high and precise level, a lot of that augmented by the very precise communication system that allows us to view information virtually and instantaneously,” he says.

Also in development is a smartphone application that will provide another level of care for heart failure patients. Through a partnership with Verizon and the Verizon Innovations Project, heart failure patients will be provided smartphones equipped with the new app, which will provide information, track weight and nutritional data, and even predict possible cardiac health issues, explains Dr. Carman Ciervo, of KHA’s Marlton office. “It’s just a great way to be able to keep patients healthy and know when they need to go into their primary care physician’s office so they don’t end up in the emergency department,” Ciervo says. “So in trying all this innovative … technology, we can do that.”

Kennedy also uses robotics to increase precision, like the use of minimally invasive daVinci surgery system or a new fully robotic laboratory for general pathology, which can test blood and urine specimens through an automated process that eliminates human contamination.

Genesis HealthCare
The Powerback Rehab program by Genesis HealthCare, scheduled to open on Jan. 16, has plans to shorten patient treatment time—quite literally to help people “get their power back,” says Jeff Solarz, executive administrator. The specialized program is designed to help patients—typically those dealing with joint replacements, orthopedic surgeries, cardiac or pulmonary issues — establish community reintegration and prevent return admittance to the hospital. “Our goal is to not only make them stronger and get them back to their prior level of functioning, we also want them to transition quickly back to how they were living before the hospital,” says Solarz.

Technology is integrated through electronic medical records (all accessed wirelessly), computer-on-wheels units, and the use of iPads by doctors and patients to direct activities, food choices and the share of information. “We take a much more patient-directed approach [to treatment], which gets everyone—including familes—very involved in the process,” spurring better lifestyle choices down the road, Solarz says.

What sets this system apart is the extended level of care offered post-discharge, particularly through the Care Transitions Program; for 30 days after leaving Genesis, a nurse will conduct at-home visits, do continuous coaching calls and medication reviews, and ensure each patient has “the right community support,” Solarz explains, noting the service is free of charge. The program specialists coordinate to ensure patients transitioned properly so they aren’t right back in the hospital within 30 days—a problem that costs $18 billion annually, according to Medicare research.

“It’s the Genesis philosophy; we plan the discharge the day they come in,” Solarz says. “Part of that is the transition into the home.”

Cooper University Hospital
There has been so much information to come out of the much-discussed opening of Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, it’s difficult to know where to begin.

The $139 million school welcomed its charter class this fall, with plans to unite the school and the community “by educating new physicians who will practice regionally, as well as through the creation of new programs where students and faculty will provide care, resources and services to the community.” While courses are underway, already the clinical faculty has earned some worldwide recognition: Dr. Anuradha Mookerjee, MD, MPH, FACP, will present at a prestigious European medical conference regarding the school's innovative “LifeStages” course for CMSRU’s first-year medical students.

Also this year in Cherry Hill, Cooper opened an Urgent Care Center to provide affordable and accessible medical care on a walk-in basis, 365 days a year. The new center, staffed with emergency medicine physicians, can be used to treat minor injuries and illnesses; patients can also turn to the new center for needs like adult or school physicals, lab and pre-admission testing, or pre-employment testing for the workplace. This new development is intended to cut down on unnecessary trips to the E.R. and provide an additional resource to a primary care physician visit, during hours that are most convenient to families and working professionals.

Reconstructive Orthopedics
Knee replacement surgeries have been around for more than four decades, slowly improving thanks to new materials, shapes and methods. But the most exciting development has been a change in surgical technique, involving a procedure that spares the quadricep tendon, says Dr. Gregory Klingenstein of Reconstructive Orthopedics.

Traditionally during a knee replacement, a large incision is made which goes into the knee capsule and tracks up into the quad tendon. “Your quad is what allows you to straighten out the leg, so as you can imagine, after knee surgery when you walk, it causes a lot of pain because someone just went through that tendon with a knife,” Klingenstein says. “The advancement here is to avoid cutting the tendon by using a much, much smaller incision.”

Only a handful of doctors in the country perform this type of procedure, which gives the patient significant reduction in recover time. That means getting back to work in two weeks instead of eight weeks; returning to sports in four weeks instead of four months. “It’s great for active individuals, and especially economically because people appreciate being able to get back to work quickly,” says Klingenstein.

Since the Lumberton-based practice is one of the only centers in the Delaware Valley performing this quad-sparring surgery, patients come all the way from Boston to Maryland to receive services here in South Jersey, operating out of the Virtua Joint Replacement Institute (“A hospital within a hospital where we only do hip and knee replacements,” Klingenstein explains).

Another innovation in orthopedic surgery is in hip preservation, which helps correct laberal tears and hip intingement without the need for a full hip replacement. This procedure is generally for young, active patients and can be completed as an outpatient in Medford. “Lots of patients from this area would go to Manhattan to have their hip surgery, but now they can stay in New Jersey,” Klingenstein says.

Price & Price Elder Law
This Haddonfield law practice introduced a Mobile Interactive Law Office service—dubbed MiLO-earlier this year to “better serve seniors and individuals with disabilities who need legal assistance, but who are in a health care crisis and unable to travel.”

The MiLO service primarily assists with power of attorney (POA) and living will documents, but can be used for other legal services as well; as it relates to health care, a living will legally identifies someone to handle medical decisions if the client becomes incapacitated.

Currently, Price & Price is the only South Jersey firm providing this new legal mobile service. “As the population ages, more people will need services that are convenient and affordable for those who are unable to travel outside the home or health care facility,” say partners Carl Price, Esq. and Casey Price, Esq.

As needed, one of the firm's liaisons will travel to a home-bound or facility-based elder client and participate in a video teleconference with an in-office attorney, completing a "live” interview and document preparation. Documents can then be e-mailed straight to the client and their family—all within 24 hours. “This process is also beneficial for hospital, rehab, assisted living, nursing home, home care and hospice staff who want the aforementioned legal documents completed before they discharge or admit a patient,” the firm explains.

“The Price & Price MiLO program will change the way elder law firms serve the health care industry,” says attorney Casey Price. “MiLO not only provides a convenience to families and their loved ones, it helps the health care facility social workers expedite the transition process of patients who must be discharged.”

Mergers
After nearly a year of anticipation, South Jersey Health System Inc. and Underwood-Memorial Health Systems Inc. will officially merge after recently signing a final agreement in November. Facilities involved in the partnership include South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Vineland, SJH Elmer Hospital, SJH Bridgeton Health Center, Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury and its affiliated organizations, as well as outpatient sites throughout Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester and Atlantic counties. “By incorporating best practices from each organization, both entities will work toward facilitating a systemwide standard of care that can more efficiently and effectively provide patient-focused health care,” explains a statement issued regarding the move.

The expanded network will allow the hospitals to enhance key services, including the development of better outpatient care sites in an expanded service area; stronger relationships with government agencies regarding public funding initiatives and public policy; providing patients an expanded local network of providers offering high quality and affordable care; developing combined quality and safety efforts, financial performance and staff development.

Also this year, South Jersey Healthcare and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Osteopathic Medicine signed an agreement designating the medical center as a major clinical affiliate of the medical school; this expands an existing five-year relationship between the two institutions in an effort to address a possible physician shortage in South Jersey.

“Partnering with UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine was a natural fit,” says Chet Kaletkowski, SJH president and CEO. “The school draws almost 80 percent of its students from New Jersey, with almost a quarter from the southern counties. Although our residents will be able to practice anywhere in the country, I believe a significant number will choose to provide care in our region after getting to know our hospitals, physicians and employees.”

Brain Balance
When assisting children with brain disorders such as Asperger’s syndrome, autism and learning disabilities, this learning center is using the newest technology to reprogram the brain’s thinking process without the use of drugs. Brain Balance Achievement Centers are research-based organizations that are designed to alleviate the academic challenges and negative behaviors related to developmental delays such as ADHD, dyslexia, processing disorders and autism spectrum disorders.

The program was developed during the last 20 years in response to the alarming increase in the frequency of neurobehavioral disorders in children. By focusing on developmental delays in the child’s brain, the program is able to pinpoint the cause of academic, social and behavioral challenges—offering some relief to families.

Children who go through this program are between the ages of 5 and 17 and can see two to four grade level advancements in various subjects. Candidates are tested through a two-day assessment where the company will evaluate more than 650 sensory/motor functions and more than 290 cognitive and academic functions. The assessment will determine what assistance the program can offer.

“Through this approach, we are able to customize a multi-step program tailored to the individual child’s needs, which progressively strengthens each child’s areas of weakness,” says Dr. David Shapiro of the Glassboro Brain Balance. “This program includes sensory and motor stimulation, cognitive exercises and specific nutrition protocols. In the end, permanent improvements can be seen in almost every aspect of the child’s function including academics, balance, coordination and strength, appetite and digestion, behavior, socialization and immune function.”

South Jersey Fertility
Being able to bear children is one of the greatest gifts women have. However, many women who are at the perfect reproduction age are having problems with uterine fibroids, a benign muscle tumor which can cause heavy menstrual periods or abdominal pain. If left untreated, they can even interfere with fertility and increase the risk for miscarriage.

But with the latest technology, doctors can now remove the tumors with a minimally invasive procedure—a laparoscopy—which helps preserve fertility and avoids removal of the uterus. With the assistance of the da Vinci surgical device, women can now go home the same day as the surgery, explains says Dr. Peter Van Deerling of South Jersey Fertility in Marlton. The surgery allows surgeons to “manipulate narrow instruments with much more accurate control than with standard laparoscopy,” providing a three-dimensional digital view of the operating area, so surgeons can perform tasks such as stitching and cutting through the system’s precise robotic arms.

“These new techniques allow for the tumors to be removed and the uterus to be closed through small dime-sized incisions,” he says. Having the same accuracy as an open surgery, but through the tiniest incision, is what the da Vinci robot system is making possible. The system even works for tumors and cysts the size of grapefruit.

It’s been worth it for South Jersey Fertility to invest in the robotic surgery; utilizing this revolutionary technology enables patients to feel less pain and recuperate quicker, while saving the integrity of the uterus—and future fertility.

Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health
When it comes to brain injuries and concussions, wasted time is the last thing you need. CNNH, in Gibbsboro, uses the latest tools and technologies to help properly diagnose and treat issues without lost time. The center also provides services for children and adults with neurological conditions like autism, Asperger syndrome, Tourette and Tic syndromes, epilepsy and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder; in addition, they help those with learning disabilities; academic underachievement; speech or language disorders; neuropsychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder along with other brain, spinal, nerve and muscle diseases.

The center prides itself on their three spheres of care—assessment, diagnostic testing and treatment, according to Mark Mintz, MD, founder and president. Advanced testing instruments are used to administer computerized ADHD and neuropsychological testing, as well as analyze behavioral issues. The center also employs a sophisticated non-invasive “Dense Array EEG” to measure electrical activity of the brain.

Another new tool is the TACT system—or Technology Assisted Classroom Teaching—an in-classroom digital video monitoring system to assist in behavioral assessment services, explains Sandra Bean Lewis, outreach coordinator. This way, a teacher is able to capture clinical or behavioral incidents as they happen in a natural state, as well as the moments before and after the behavior. “This is just another way that we are able to capture data,” she says. “And another way we’re using technology to enhance our diagnostic process.”

Click here for a Health Care Resources Special Advertising Section.

Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Biz, Volume 2, Issue 12 (December, 2012).
For more info on South Jersey Biz, click here.
To subscribe to South Jersey Biz, click here.
To advertise in South Jersey Biz, click here.