SJBiz_Best of Healthcare_0324FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 3 / 11 / 24 4 : 19 PM Page 2 Health Care Advocate Community - Based Service Expansion Mike Munoz Jefferson Health s AmeriHealth’s senior vice president and market president , esponding to community need , the Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital fa - AMunoz is in a unique position to be a health care advocate , em - Rcilities and amenities have been upgraded to better serve Camden phasizing the relationship between physical and emotional well - being . and Burlington counties , with Jefferson’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center es - Internally , he empowers his team to continually strive for a positive tablishing a full complement of services in Cherry Hill . and inclusive work environment that not only prioritizes mental health “ Patients don’t need to travel far to obtain excellent care and better out - but also champions impactful DEI initiatives , while externally ensuring comes , as well as access to the latest technology and advanced clinical AmeriHealth provides its members the highest level of service . trials , ” says Aaron Chang , president of Jefferson Health – East in New Jersey . Under Munoz’s leadership , AmeriHealth has sponsored myriad Patients also have access to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jef - events giving associates the opportunity to improve the region’s quali - ferson’s Washington Township campus . Both locations offer the National ty of life . Through both financial and hands - on support , AmeriHealth Cancer Institute - designated center’s resources and provide both extraordi - works with causes like Special Olympics New Jersey , LARC School , nary clinical care and strong community cancer programs close to home . Ronald McDonald House Southern New Jersey and RISE Pantry . By Patients can also benefit from an array of clinical cancer trials that creating opportunities for volunteerism and ensuring it is a part of the offer early access to innovative , research - developed treatments . Jef - culture of the organization , AmeriHealth sets the precedent that ferson’s Center for Clinical Research participates in more than 150 health care goes beyond the doctor’s office . cancer - related trials and has one of the largest Phase I cancer research Munoz also uses his personal time to serve on numerous boards , programs on the East Coast . including the Camden Community Partnership , Special Olympics New The staff includes board - certified cancer specialists and a team of multi - Jersey , the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey , and the disciplinary experts collaborating to share knowledge — including the latest United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey . Noting breakthroughs in genomics — to ensure each patient gets an optimal , highly that the AmeriHealth team’s dedication to volunteerism allows them personalized treatment plan and care , from diagnosis to survivorship . to further enhance the health and well - being of their communities , Both South Jersey Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center locations offer ex - Munoz recently participated in the 100 Man Welcome at Foundation pertise to treat virtually all types of cancer , including rare and complex Academies , an opportunity for local men to be both visible supporters cancers , as well as comprehensive supportive services like nutrition , art and and positive role models for students . yoga programs . Hypertension Innovation Partnership in Palliative Care Virtua Health Samaritan and Rutgers University – Camden he expansion and enhancement of palliative medicine services is bout half of all U.S . Tat the heart of a partnership between Samaritan and Rutgers Uni - Aadults have high versity – Camden , formalized last month by Samaritan President and blood pressure , and CEO Phillip W . Heath , M.S . , and Rutgers University – Camden Chancellor many are unable to Antonio D . Tillis , Ph.D . , signing a memorandum of understanding . control it with medica - The partnership , the first of its kind for both institutions , aligns with tions or lifestyle changes . their strategic goals , providing the opportunity to expand research , ed - But now , a ground - ucation and community engagement to advance the practice of pallia - breaking new procedure tive medicine in both Camden and the region . is successfully treating un - By engaging with Samaritan’s medical providers , clinical teams and controlled high blood staff , the partnership will support increased access to home - based pressure — and Virtua health care services and supports for social determinants of health for Health is the first in New communities of color and Camden , Burlington and Gloucester counties ’ Jersey to offer the inno - other underserved populations . vative treatment . The partnership will expand clinical rotations for Rutgers – Camden The FDA - approved Kintur Sanghvi , MD nursing , social work and psychology students by providing palliative treatment , called renal medicine training alongside Samaritan’s interdisciplinary teams in denervation , targets over - Samaritan patient homes and its two inpatient centers , better posi - active nerves on the surface of kidney arteries . The minimally inva - tioning future practitioners to meet the needs of the growing aging sive procedure uses ultrasound or radiofrequency energy to reduce population . the activity of these nerves , which help regulate blood pressure . According to the Center to Advance Palliative Care , 12 million “ Many consider this the first significant innovation for treating adults and nearly 400,000 children in the United States currently live high blood pressure in nearly 30 years , ” says Virtua interventional with serious illness and could benefit from palliative medicine . Rutgers – cardiologist Kintur Sanghvi , MD . He recently performed Virtua’s first Camden students , faculty and staff will help expand the recognized ad - renal denervation using the Medtronic Symplicity Spyral system . vancement Samaritan’s palliative medical teams have made in in - Renal denervation enables some patients to reduce or eliminate creasing access , understanding and awareness of the role palliative their blood pressure medications . When the procedure lowers a medicine plays in serious illness care . person’s blood pressure by five to 10 points , it cuts their risk of a car - diovascular event by up to 30 % . SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 14 ISSUE 3 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 21