South Jersey BIZ - Issue #3 (March 2025)

zoom_in

SJBiz_Best of Health Care_0325FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 3 / 6 / 25 3 : 10 PM Page 1 2025 Our annual recognition of the world - class care available right here in South Jersey . of Best Health Care ? ? ? ? very year , we get the opportunity to show - case some of the cutting - edge technology , Emodern solutions , forward - thinking partner - ships , award - winning programs and dedicated practitioners all working in tandem to continual - ly elevate an already exemplary regional medical presence . This year is no excep - tion , and we’re proud to once again highlight the variety of care , support and treatments available to our community and neighbors . Edited by Madeleine Maccar , Carly Murray and Chelsea Valcourt Virtua Health Jefferson Health NJ LEADING IN ROBOTIC SURGERY EXPANDED CARDIOLOGY SERVICES ompared to other types of surgical procedures , robotic - oronary heart disease accounts for one in every five assisted surgery offers many benefits to patients , from deaths in the U.S . To combat this , Jefferson Health New Cfaster recovery to diminished pain and fewer complica - CJersey has expanded its cardiology services to meet the tions . That’s why Virtua Health has embraced these leading - needs of local communities . edge techniques for nearly 20 years . In fact , the South Jersey Having a comprehensive program is key to effectively treat - health system has become a top robotic - surgery provider for ing heart disease . A designated Heart Failure Program dozens of procedures , both regionally and nationally . launched in January 2025 at Jefferson Washington Township “ Virtua has performed more than 43,000 robotic - assisted Hospital . Now , hospital patients and outpatients have access to surgeries since 2006 including hernia repairs , joint replace - specially trained Jefferson heart failure physicians and support ments , colorectal , gynecologic and urologic procedures , as well services close to home . as many others , ” says Dr . John Matsinger , Virtua’s executive vice Jefferson will soon offer electrophysiology ( EP ) . Patients in president and chief operating officer . need of procedures such as pacemaker implantation will be That degree of experience is important , he notes . able to receive care at Jefferson Stratford Hospital with a high - “ Practice makes perfect , ” Dr . Matsinger continues . “ Our sur - caliber clinical team . geons and teams perform robotic - assisted procedures every In 2024 , Jefferson Washington Township Hospital received day , which leads to quality outcomes . That includes smaller inci - required state approvals to perform elective percutaneous sions and less time in surgery and under anesthesia . ” coronary intervention ( PCI ) , also known as elective angioplasty , The largest health system in South Jersey , Virtua has more which is a lifesaving procedure to prevent heart attacks . PCI , than 70 board - certified , robotically trained surgeons across 10 commonly performed following diagnostic cardiac catheteriza - specialties , using 22 next - generation robotic surgical systems . Vir - tion , provides patients relief from symptoms of obstructed ar - tua’s strong commitment to robotic - assisted surgery enables the teries without the need for invasive heart surgery . Since the best possible results for patients , according to Virtua surgeons . program’s launch , some 500 catheterizations have been per - “ Robotic assistance makes me a better surgeon , ” says Dr . Je - formed — a number expected to double by next year . remy Reid , a Virtua joint replacement specialist . “ I’m able to exe - In addition , more than 100 heart attack patients have un - cute the plan for that patient with greater precision every time . ” dergone emergency PCI ( angioplasty ) since the hospital re - With robotic surgery , the surgeon uses highly advanced ceived state approval in 2023 to perform the procedure . tools that enhance the surgeon’s control and precision . The sur - Identified as a U.S . News & World Report “ Best Regional geon is at the helm , making every movement to perform deli - Hospital , ” Jefferson is committed to continuing its mission of cate procedures with unmatched accuracy . improving lives right here in Southern New Jersey . 18 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3 | SouthJerseyBiz.net

view text

zoom_in

SJBiz_Best of Health Care_0325FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 3 / 6 / 25 3 : 10 PM Page 2 AmeriHealth Inspira Health Samaritan COMMUNITY OUTREACH CLINICAL TRIAL FOR CHEMO PATHWAYS ’ PATIENT - CENTRIC CARE PATIENTS ornearly two decades , Amer - or 45 years , Samaritan has been a trusted provider of care nspira is one of five East FiHealth has supported the ICoast health care systems and compassion , guiding families through life’s most ten - private , nonprofit Larc School , participating in clinical trials for Fder moments . This dedication to person - centered care is at which caters to students aged 3 - the Lily Device . The helmet - like 21 with disabilities , and also of - the heart of Samaritan Care Pathways . apparatus gently applies pres - fers an adult day program . Amer - Providing comprehensive care for patients with serious ill - sure to the scalp , reducing iHealth’s unwavering support has nesses as early as the time of diagnosis , the new service en - blood flow to hair follicles both facilitated numerous initiatives , hances life for patients and their caregivers by offering special - during and immediately follow - mostnotably the Cooper Nor - ized support across the continuum of primary care , palliative ing the infusion of chemothera - cross Run the Bridge event . As medicine and hospice care . py drugs to dramatically reduce the presenting sponsor of this “ The complexity of health care is significant , and often does hair loss in patients . 10K race held every November , Hair loss is a visible sign of not align with the patient’s goals for quality of life , ” says Sara AmeriHealthextends involve - illness that AVP of Research and Pagliaro , DO , Samaritan’s chief medical officer . “ We provide a mentbeyond sponsorship by Nursing Excellence Sami Abate having many of its associates vol - comprehensive approach , knowing that Samaritan’s expertise notes is experienced to some unteer at the race . All event pro - and clinical staff bring patient goals to the forefront . ” degree in 65 - 99 % of ceeds benefit the Larc School , Samaritan Care Pathways addresses the multifaceted needs chemotherapy patients . While raising millions of dollars over of patients living with advanced illnesses . By integrating various Inspira’s first clinical - trial patient the years . In 2023 , the Ameri - health care professionals into an interdisciplinary team , Samari - will begin treatment in coming Health Diversity , Equity and In - tan provides advanced clinical expertise and extraordinary com - weeks , nearly 75 % of partici - clusion Council selected the Larc passion to help patients and families navigate the challenges of pants in the initial European tri - Schoolas its Community Impact als experienced zero hair loss . serious illness and options for care . partner ; since then , a dedicated “ There’s no control group : When a patient has multiple medical providers , it may be diffi - fundraiserbrought new books Everyone gets a device , ” Abate and learning tools to the school’s cultfor them to gather information and formulate a decision about says , adding that they’ll also library , including 2024 ’ s interac - nextsteps . By coordinating care into one seamless experience , get more time in nurses ’ care . tive mural . For the AmeriHealth Samaritanhelps patients and families navigate complex health “ This is a cutting - edge , first - of - team , both sponsoring and caresystems and make informed decisions about care plans . its kind treatment that’s right proactively supporting the Larc “ You can live well while living with diagnoses such as heart here in our rural community , School align with the company’s failure , kidney disease , COPD , dementia , cancer and others , ” Dr . eliminating the burden of travel mission to give back , and every - Pagliaro adds . “ Wherever you are on your health care journey , when you’re not feeling well . ” one involved finds the work re - Samaritan is here for you — at every step , at every stage . ” wardingbeyond measure . Cooper University Penn Medicine Deborah Heart PURSUING A BREAKTHROUGH Health Care and Lung Center new anticancer strategy has A SURGICAL MILESTONE NATIONAL RECOGNITION Ashown powerful effects FOR HIGH - QUALITY CARE ooper and Inspira Cardiac against multiple cancers in re - CCareteam members at Coop - eborahearned the American searchers ’ preclinical study at the er University Hospital in Camden DHeartAssociation’s ( AHA’s ) Get Perelman School of Medicine at surpassed 1,000 cardiac surgeries WithThe Guidelines – Heart Failure the University of Pennsylvania . in 2024 , the highest in South Jer - GoldPlus quality achievement The experimental approach using sey and the state’s third highest . awardfor its commitment to im - tiny capsules , or small extracellu - This significant milestone repre - provingoutcomes for patients with lar vesicles ( sEVs ) , may offer new sents a tremendous amount of heart failure ( HF ) . immunotherapytreatment . dedication , skill and teamwork Thisaward goes to hospitals “ We’ve seen that many pa - from the entire staff . demonstratinga commitment to tients have benefited from ad - “ This milestone is a testament treating HF patients with the most vances in cancer immunotherapy to Cooper and Inspira’s commit - currentevidence - based guidelines but know there’s more to work to ment to providing high - quality car - andlatest research . The program do , ” says senior author Xiaowei diac care and improving the lives aims to increase healthy days at ‘ George ’ Xu , M.D . , Ph.D . , profes - of our patients , ” says Phillip A . Ko - homeand reduce hospital readmis - sor of pathology and laboratory ren , MD , FACC , FSCAI , director of sions for HF patients , as an estimat - medicine and member of the Tara Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care ed 6 million U.S . adults are living Miller Melanoma Center . “ This is and the Cooper Heart Institute . withHF — a number expected to our motivation for seeking new Studies show that higher surgi - exceed8 million by 2030 . strategies for cellular therapies , cal volume is associated with better “ DeborahHeart and Lung Cen - particularly in solid tumor cancers , outcomesfor complex procedures . teris committed to improving pa - like melanoma , where current im - “ Not only does this achieve - tient care by adhering to the latest munotherapies only work for ment signify the positive impact treatmentguidelines , ” said Aaron about half of patients . ” Cooperand Inspira Cardiac Care Kugelmass , MD , Deborah’s execu - As they’re manufactured and has had on the lives of countless tive vice - president and chief med - stored relatively easily , sEVs have patients and their families , but each ical officer . “ Get With The Guide - potential as “ off - the - shelf ” thera - surgery also represents a unique lines makes it easier for our teams py without retrieving patients ’ story of hope and healing , ” says toput proven knowledge and cells . The team plans to refine the MichaelRosenbloom , MD , FACS , guidelines to work on a daily basis , manufacturing process to scale FACC , head of the Division of Car - whichstudies show can help pa - production for clinical - grade sEVs diothoracic Surgery at Cooper Uni - tients recover better . The end goal and conduct safety studies to pre - versityHealth Care and member of isto ensure more people can expe - pare for human clinical trials . Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care . rience longer , healthier lives . ” w SouthJerseyBiz.net | VOLUME 15 ISSUE 3 | SOUTH JERSEY BIZ | 19

view text

input

view_module

keyboard_arrow_left

keyboard_arrow_right