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2 12/09/2012 Courier-Post The Center for Heart Failure Opened At Underwood on December 3rd 3 12/09/2012 Courier-Post Underwood Improves Quality of Life For Patients with Serious Illness 4 12/15-2012 Courier-Post Portfolio: SJ Business People On The move 6 12/16/2012 Courier-Post Bob Mizia Named Leader of The Quarter at Underwood 7 12/16/2012 Courier-Post UMH Achieves “Senior Friendly” Status For Efforts To Improve Care 8 12/16/2012 Courier-Post Underwood Women Honored as 2012 Women of Achievement 9 12/22/2012 Courier-Post Doctor Injecting Christmas With Cheer

12 12/26/2012 Courier-Post Grant To Help SJ Hospitals 13 12/04/2012 The Daily Journal Hospital Chaplain Makes Call For volunteers 17 12/05/2012 The Daily Journal Neighbors – Your Toy Donations Can Benefit Children In Area Hospitals 18 12/07/2012 The Daily Journal Highlighting some Of The Good, Bad 20 12/10/2012 The Daily Journal Briefs – Reading Program At County Library 21 12/14/2012 The Daily Journal SJH, Rescue Squad Explore Partnership 22 12/18/2012 The Daily Journal South American Doctor Joins Complete Care 24 12/19/2012 The Daily Journal Delivering The Holiday Spirit 27 12/19/2012 The Daily Journal Doctor Joins Complete Care 29 12/19/2012 The Daily Journal Fire Department Helps Battle Cancer 31 12/20/2012 The Daily Journal Fulfilling Children’s Dreams 32 12/22/2012 The Daily Journal Doctor Sings Up A Heart-Warming Holiday 35 12/25/2012 The Daily Journal Grant To Help South Jersey Hospitals 36 12/2012 The Daily Journal Health Connection 41 12/02/2012 Philadelphia Inquirer Cleanup Of Gas From Paulsboro Derailment Called a “Delicate” Operation 44 12/03/2012 Press of Atlantic City South Jersey Lawmaker Seeks To tighten Customized Medication Oversight 46 12/26/2012 Press of Atlantic City Proposals To Expand Health Care For South Jersey Veterans 49 12/31/2012 Press of Atlantic City Giving Back Briefs: Fire Co. Fights Cancer and Other News 52 12/01/2012 South Jersey Times Paulsboro Train Derailment: Aftermath, Relocations and Investigations 57 12/02/2012 South Jersey Times Paulsboro Train Derailment Evacuees To Remain Out For the Week 61 12/12/2012 South Jersey Times 12/12/12 @ 12pm Yields Birth Of Baby Boy For Lucky South Jersey Couple 64 12/13/2012 South Jersey Times South Jersey Healthcare and Millville Rescue Squad Agree to Share Resources 65 12/20/2012 South Jersey Times Department of Health Awards $1 Million to NJSHINE 67 12/20/2012 South Jersey Times UMH Auxiliaries Meet $500,000 Goal 68 12/24/2012 South Jersey Times $1 Million Grant To Health Group Aimed At Improving Continuity of Care 70 12/25/2012 South Jersey Times South Jersey Employers Adopting Social Media Policies For the Workplace 73 12/2012 Various Publications Various Articles 86 12/2012 Various Publications Various Ads

1 Courier‐Post December 09, 2012


BARBARA DANNENFELSER

Portfolio: S.J. businespeople on the move 11:45 PM, Dec 15, 2012

• Sandy Levenson and Daren Sautter have been recognized

by Prudential Fox & Roach for their November performance in

the Cherry Hill Home Marketing Center. Levenson, a Cherry

Hill resident, was cited for volume and units. Sautter, also of

Cherry Hill, was cited for listings.

• Barbara Dannenfelser, a sales associate in the

Haddonfield office of Prudential Fox & Roach, has

earned her New Jersey broker’s license. The Haddon

Heights resident has met all the requirements and broker

prelicense education coursework and has passed the

broker license examination. She is a 50-year resident of

the borough.

• Four part-time instructors have received the 2012

Camden County College Adjunct Faculty Teaching

Excellence awards.

They were recognized for their instructional expertise and

service to their departments and the college. Honored

were Linda Berger, a basics skills mathematics

instructor in the Division of Transitional Studies; Kirsten

Cristinziani, a psychology instructor in the Division of

Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Sheila Griffiths, a business and marketing instructor in the

Division of Business, Computer and Technical Studies; and Fred Steinke, a mathematics instructor

in the Division of Math, Science and Health Careers.

• Cameron Morgan has joined the law firm of Parker McCay as an associate in the School Law

Department. He is based out of the Mount Laurel office. His prior experience was with an education

law firm representing more than 50 school districts in northern New Jersey, where his practice

focused on labor and employment, civil litigation, special education, administrative law, collective

negotiations, labor grievances and appellate practice.


Cameron Morgan

• Michele Zucconi, South Jersey Healthcare’s

administrative director of cardiac care, has been honored

by Nurse.com Nursing Spectrum as a 2012 National

Nurse of the Year award recipient. Under Zucconi’s

leadership, SJH’s Cardiac Intensive Care Unit has

received several prestigious recognitions, including

becoming only the 12th unit in the country to earn the

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ Beacon

designation for three consecutive years.

Send news of business promotions, hirings and

openings to Todd Shaner at [email protected]


Dr. Gladwyn Baptist sings Christmas carols with his co-workers Friday at South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center's cafeteria. / photos by Craig Matthews/New Jersey Press Media

Doctor injecting Christmas with cheer Caroling cardiologist's love for life is infectious 11:23 PM, Dec 22, 2012

Written by Stephanie Loder New Jersey Press Media

VINELAND — Dr. Gladwyn Baptist always has had a song in his heart, but knows just as well that laughter is

the best medicine.

Dubbed the “Singing Cardiologist” by staff at South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center, Baptist has

been performing Christmas songs for nearly a decade for patients and staff.

However, what sets the doctor apart is not just his electric guitar and sing-song view of life, but also his belief

that medicine and music are the right prescription to heal.

Baptist said he began singing at the age of 4 in his home of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. His older

brothers told him to step up to the microphone one day and told him he sounded pretty good.


Baptist learned guitar and a sense of humor helped him carry on shows for family, friends and the people he

worked with and patients.

At lunchtime Friday, Baptist performed at the hospital’s employee cafeteria. Baptist led the team of singers —

which included anyone who wanted to join in — to sing more than 20 holiday songs.

Baptist exchanged his stethoscope for a Santa hat and headset microphone to sing popular holiday songs like

“Silver Bells,” “The First Noel,” “White Christmas” and “Joy to the World.”

And, Baptist said, he is no stranger to composing his own music.

The cardiologist keenly contrived some original scores. He said his favorite is called “I’d Like To Treat Your

PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions).

The song’s first verse is: “I’d like to treat your PVCs — but they are very bad.”

Baptist sings the words to the tune of the 1970s hit “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)”

— a pop song that originated as an advertising jingle, produced by Billy Davis and sung by the Hillside Singers,

for Coca-Cola, then featured in 1971 as a TV commercial.

Throughout Baptist’s own songs are cardiology terms and names of medications, conditions and treatments

that rhyme in each verse.

Baptist, a devout Catholic, also composed religious songs which he plays to an upbeat guitar tempo.

Baptist volunteers to put on holiday performances for the South Jersey Healthcare hospitals in Vineland, Elmer

and Bridgeton. This year marked his eighth year of singing for patients and staff at each location.

“I’m like a virus. I come back every year,” said Baptist.

Baptist says he keeps an upbeat attitude in his job to help his patients.

“I’m not the one with a disease. If I walk in all sad and a patient looks at me and sees that, then they are going

to worry,” Baptist said.

Laughter and song play a role in healing, Baptist said.


“I always look at things as if the cup is half full. You have to exude confidence and let the patient know he is

going to get better. And a lot of times you see a person get better when originally they thought maybe they

would not be getting better,” Baptist said.

About two-dozen staff members participated with Baptist at the lunchtime holiday sing-along on Friday.

They included other doctors, cafeteria workers, chaplain Rev. Tony Cuellar and patient care representatives.

Many had practiced with Baptist before the event, while others simply grabbed a rattle or tambourine and

stepped up to the microphone.

Chet Kaletkowski, the hospital’s president and CEO, watched the performance and applauded each song.

“He’s just a multitalented guy,” said Kaletkowski.

Kaletkowski recalled how Baptist “saved the day” during a medical retreat years ago after doctors became

snowed in at a hotel.

“He brought out his guitar and started singing in the lobby and people started going to listen,” Kaletkowski said.

“I think the people there just thought he was part of the entertainment.”

Kaletkowski said Baptist’s lighthearted attitude and musical accomplishment are a tribute to physicians

everywhere.

“You don’t want to have a doctor who is going to be depressed,” Kaletkowski said.

Indeed, Baptist and his music and humor have had a lasting effect on each person who meets him.

“He brings you into the holiday spirit. He gets everyone pumped up,” said Erica Perez, a patient relations

representative. “He’s got a good personality. Our staff loves him and our patients love him.”

Tina Arcidiacono, director of patient relations, not only sang with Baptist but agreed there is room for a

cardiologist who can put on a good show.

“He doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s infectious. Once he gets started, you can’t help but start singing

with him,” Arcidiacono said.


Grant to help S.J. hospitals 8:26 AM, Dec 26, 2012

Written by The Daily Journal staff reports

Hospitals, doctors and medical offices across South Jersey will have faster, broader access to patient

records and information thanks to a state grant announced last week.

The New Jersey Department of Health awarded a $1 million grant to NJSHINE, according to

Commissioner Mary O’Dowd.

NJSHINE is a health information organization dedicated to improving real-time exchange of critical

patient information for South Jersey health care providers.

The grant will allow providers in Atlantic, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Burlington, Camden and

Cape May counties to receive and share patient information, according to a news release.

NJSHINE will connect seven hospitals, 400 doctors and 22 medical practices with information such

as medical histories, medication allergies and test results.

Officials said the participating hospitals are:

• South Jersey Healthcare facilities including the Regional Medical Center in Vineland, Bridgeton

Health Center, Elmer Hospital and the Vineland Health Center.

• Shore Medical Center in Somers Point.

• Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury.

• Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House.

The state said NJSHINE, a collaborative organization led by South Jersey Healthcare, Shore Medical

Center and Cape Regional Medical Center, was selected because of its ability to connect patient data

on a secure network across a range of facilities.

There are four other health information organizations operating throughout the state.

1 The Daily Journal December 4, 2012

Hospital chaplain makes call for volunteers 12:24 AM, Dec 4, 2012

The Rev. Tony Cuellar, chaplain for South Jersey Healthcare, depends on his volunteers, including Geraldine King, to help out with patients. / Staff photo/Craig Matthews

Written by Stephanie Loder

VINELAND — Rev. Tony Cuellar wants to help hospital patients to know that they are not alone.

“I want them to know that God is with them in the storm,” said Cuellar, the chaplain for South Jersey

Healthcare.

When Cuellar visits, he listens. And, he prays.

“We help the sick, but we’re not in their face to convert them. We’re here to point that person to

hope,” Cuellar said.

Cuellar knows how much patients can count on a visit when they are in the hospital.

Physicians take care of patients medical demands. Cuellar is here for their spiritual needs.

However, Cuellar alone can’t get to visit the more than 200 patients who can be in the systems three

facilities at any given day.


Now, Cuellar’s goal is to recruit enough volunteers so that every patient at each hospital gets a visit

every day.

Cuellar, 38, served as the pastor at Emmanuel Bible Church in Vineland for 14 years.

He lives locally with wife, Julie, and children Victor, 12, Lindsey, 9, and Adrian, 3.

Cuellar took on the challenge of the hospital chaplaincy at the end of July.

“It was the right time, and there were young associate pastors at the church who could take over,”

said Cuellar whose parents were missionaries in Mexico.

The bilingual preacher uses an iPad to keep track of his schedule and his team of 35 volunteers.

Cuellar knows the needs of patients are varied.

The iPad he carries includes 60 versions of the Bible in different languages so he has immediate

access to the version he wants or a patient requests.

Cuellar said he wants to increase the number of volunteers up to 100 by the end of the year.

The volunteers will visit patients in the Regional Medical Center, Bridgeton Health Center and Elmer

Hospital.

“My goal is to visit every patient, every day,” Cuellar said. “I see so many people in need here.

Sometimes they are lonely. Some just want someone to listen or just read. Sometimes family

members call because they can’t get to see a patient and they ask us to check on them.”

Cuellar’s plans also include coffee houses for adult and adolescent mental health patients in

Bridgeton and the formation of a volunteer acoustic band.

Cuellar said he’s put the word out at area houses of worship to try to entice volunteers to spend time

at the hospital.

Anyone interested should complete a regular hospital volunteer form, which can be found online, he

said.


Once approved, the volunteers go through training, he said.

Volunteer Geraldine King of Cedarville said her time ministering to the sick at the hospital is

rewarding.

“I believe God wants us to do this,” said King, who is a deaconess at New Hope Baptist Church in

Cedarville.

“I cry with them and when they’re unhappy, I talk with them and help them with their grief,” King said.

She and her husband Robert King heard about the volunteer program through their church.

“We decided to do it and it has been rewarding,” she said.

Cuellar has stepped up to administrative duties in his chaplain position, so he said he is relying on

volunteers more than ever.

Volunteers already working for the chaplain’s office are as young as 25 and the oldest is 87, he said.

Cuellar encouraged anyone with time to volunteer. He said the hospital recruits volunteers for various

areas.

“We need people who are pretty flexible. People who know how to listen. We are not looking for

people who have all the answers,” Cuellar said.

“We are looking for people who are compassionate, who are willing to hold someone’s hand. And we

do want people who are committed to the Lord,” Cuellar said.

Cuellar said he’s put the word out at area houses of worship to try to entice volunteers to spend time

at the hospital.

Anyone interested should complete a regular hospital volunteer form, which can be found online, he

said.

Once approved, the volunteers go through training, he said.

Volunteer Geraldine King of Cedarville said her time ministering to the sick at the hospital is

rewarding.


“I believe God wants us to do this,” said King, who is a deaconess at New Hope Baptist Church in

Cedarville.

“I cry with them and when they’re unhappy, I talk with them and help them with their grief,” King said.

She and her husband Robert King heard about the volunteer program through their church.

“We decided to do it and it has been rewarding,” she said.

Cuellar has stepped up to administrative duties in his chaplain position, so he said he is relying on

volunteers more than ever.

Volunteers already working for the chaplain’s office are as young as 25 and the oldest is 87, he said.

Cuellar encouraged anyone with time to volunteer. He said the hospital recruits volunteers for various

areas.

“We need people who are pretty flexible. People who know how to listen. We are not looking for

people who have all the answers,” Cuellar said.

“We are looking for people who are compassionate, who are willing to hold someone’s hand. And we

do want people who are committed to the Lord,” Cuellar said.


Neighbors 10:52 PM, Dec 5, 2012

Your toy donations can benefit children in area hospitals

Rudco Products’ 15th annual toy drive is under way to benefit the children of South Jersey Healthcare

hospitals, St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania and other

charitable organizations in South Jersey. The drive is in partnership with The Dream Foundation.

Donations of unwrapped toys for children of all ages may be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

weekdays at Rudco Products, 114 E. Oak Road, Vineland. Checks, payable to The Dream

Foundation, may be mailed to: Rudco, P.O. Box 705, Vineland, NJ 08362.

Toys also may be dropped off at Novick Auto Mall, Villa Fazzolari, Landi Pools & Games, Berryman’s

Branch, Swanson Hardware, ShopRite in Millville, Members First Credit Union, Rossi Honda,

Marciano’s Restaurant, Merighi’s Savoy Inn, Maplewood, Andrea Trattoria, 5 Points Restaurant, The

Grapevine, Vineland Board of Education and Premier Orthopaedic.

The deadline for donations is Dec. 21.

For foundation information, call (877) 373-2657 or visit thedream-foundation.org.


Highlighting some of the good, bad 11:27 PM, Dec 7, 2012

Thumbs up to all the volunteers who have raised money and helped clean up and repair Parvin State Park

since the deadly derecho storm that devastated this natural treasure in the summer.

It was particularly amusing and rewarding to see the 21 thrill seekers (including one dog) of all ages brave the

cold waters of the park’s lake at the second annual Parvin Polar Plunge with Santa last weekend.

One of those warm-hearted participants was recent breast cancer survivor Gloria Butler of Millville, who

laughingly said: “This is nothing. Life is short. What an adrenaline rush!”

The event, hosted by the Parvin State Park Appreciation Committee, is designed to raise money and

awareness about the park. It certainly did that with its cast of colorful characters.

Jeff and Julie Stauffer of Millville, him wearing a tuxedo top and his wife a white wedding dress complete with a

veil, took the plunge to celebrate their 11th wedding anniversary.

Jason Downie of Cape May wore a bright yellow body suit for the plunge.

“I don’t want to see (Parvin) close,” he said as he recalled growing up fishing at the lake in Pittsgrove. “It’s a

great place.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Park officials say there is still plenty of work to be done at the park. For more information, call (856) 358-8616.

Thumbs up to the Rev. Tony Cuellar, chaplain for South Jersey Healthcare, and his team of 35 volunteers for

helping to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of the more than 200 patients they see in the hospital

system.

It takes a special person to provide solace to the sick and terminally ill. They have to have patience and

compassion. They must be good listeners and be willing to admit they don’t have all the answers while offering

a shoulder to cry on and a hand to hold in comfort.


“I cry with them; and when they’re unhappy, I talk with them and help them with their grief,” said Geraldine King

of Cedarville, who volunteers in the program along with her husband, Robert. “We decided to do it and it has

been rewarding,” she said.

Cuellar has big plans. He wants to expand the pastoral care service so every patient gets at least one visit a

day. He is thinking about coffeehouses for mental health patients and a volunteer acoustic band.

If you would like to become a volunteer, fill out a volunteer form at www.sjhealthcare.net/volunteer or call the

pastoral care office at (856) 641-7886. You can give back to the community by being a friend to the sick and

helping others in need.

Thumbs down to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for blaming rich countries for climate change and

saying it is only “fair and reasonable” that the developed world take responsibility and bear most of the cost of

fighting the warming of the planet.

Really? Playing the blame game and pointing fingers won’t reduce carbon emissions one iota, and his hateful

words are less than helpful.

Yes, most scientists agree that climate change is occurring and is very likely caused by the burning of fossil

fuels. There is a small minority of scientists, however, who still question whether climate change — which

could mean the flooding of coastal cities and island countries, disruptions in agriculture and drinking water and

the spread of disease — is due to human activities.

But even if the rich nations of the world did everything they could do to reduce their carbon emissions, if the

developing countries don’t join the fight, the war against climate change will be lost before it is even begun in

earnest. Only emissions from industrialized countries had to be reduced in the Kyoto Protocol, which expires at

the end of this year and which the United States, thankfully, never joined.

China is now the world’s top carbon polluter, and its emissions keep growing every day. Most of the carbon

emissions now come from the economies of the developing world, including India. So if those countries don’t

agree to control their emissions, chances of successfully fighting climate change are almost nil.

That doesn’t mean the United States and other developed countries shouldn’t gradually move toward cleaner

energy. It just means the United States shouldn’t damage its economy in an effort to reduce carbon emissions

while bigger polluters sit back and do nothing but point fingers. To do so wouldn’t be fair or reasonable.


Briefs 9:40 PM, Dec 10, 2012

Reading program at county library

VINELAND — Cumberland County Library, 800 E. Commerce St., Bridgeton, will host a children’s

reading program at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18. Miss Melody will read “Angelina’s Christmas” by Katherine

Holabird, which tells the story of a little girl who discovers someone is lonely on Christmas and gives

him company. Using fleece, the children will make pillows to donate to the Mental Health Unit of

South Jersey Healthcare. For information, call (856) 453-2210, ext. 101.


SJH, Rescue Squad explore partnership 11:12 PM, Dec 14, 2012

MILLVILLE — The Millville Rescue Squad and South Jersey Healthcare are considering expanding

their relationship, the organizations announced this week.

The nature of the expansion is not yet known.

“As the landscape of health care, pre-hospital emergency medical services and medical

transportation rapidly changes, our organizations see many positive opportunities to strengthen our

long-standing partnership,” rescue squad CEO John Redden said in a news release. “Ultimately we

both want to continue to provide our community with excellent care. By sharing resources, we may be

able to more effectively navigate the ongoing changes in clinical practices and state regulatory

requirements, as well as negotiate more effectively with payers and government agencies.”

Officials said the two organizations soon will sign a letter of intent to formalize the exploration and

then enter a due-diligence period to examine partnership options.

“We share the goal of providing the highest quality of care as demonstrated by our status as a

Magnet Hospital and MRS’s national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of

Ambulance Services,” said Wayne Schiffner, South Jersey Healthcare executive vice president and

chief strategy officer. “With this mutual focus on clinical excellence and efficiencies, we feel that an

expanded partnership could not only benefit our organizations, but also the entire region.”


Dr. Ylbe Franco-Palacios (right) has joined the Women's Health team at CompleteCare. / Submitted photo

S. American doctor joins CompleteCare 11:17 PM, Dec 18, 2012

VINELAND — CompleteCare Health Network has added Dr. Ylbe Franco-Palacios to its Women’s

Health team.

Franco-Palacios is a native of Paraguay, where her mother is an obstetrician/gynecologist and all of

her siblings are doctors.

After a residency at Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center, Hutzel Hospital, Franco is

bringing her family tradition of medicine here.

She graduated from Universidad Nacional de Asuncion in Paraguay in 2004. She is a member of the

American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as a junior fellow of American

Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopist.


“As a woman, I have always felt a connection with my patients,” Franco said. “I can understand their

difficulties. “I’m looking forward to continuing to grow as a professional while also giving my best to

the community. I enjoy making a difference in people’s lives, and CompleteCare gives me the best

opportunity to do just that.”

She will see patients at all of Women’s Health locations in Cumberland County, including Women’s

Health Professionals at 484 S. Brewster Ave., Vineland; 105 Manheim Ave., Suite 7, Bridgeton; and

Medical & Dental Professionals, 1200 N. High St., Millville. She also will see patients at South Jersey

Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Vineland.

Franco is fluent in English and Spanish and will see patients regardless of whether have they

insurance.

To schedule an appointment, call (856) 451-4700 or visit www.completecarenj.org.


Santa and students from Reutter School in Franklinville walk through the halls of South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center to distribute gifts to children staying in the pediatric unit Tuesday. / Staff photo/Cody Glenn

Delivering the holiday spirit Students give to child patients at hospital 12:57 AM, Dec 19, 2012

Written by Chris Torres

VINELAND — The spirit of giving swept through the pediatric ward of South Jersey Healthcare

Regional Medical Center on Tuesday, with children smiling and cheering the early arrival of

Christmas.

Child patients were treated to toys, gifts from other kids wise enough to recognize the meaning of

giving back.

Ten sixth-grade students from Caroline L. Reutter School in Franklinville traveled to the hospital with

five large bags full of toys, games and crafts to lift spirits at the hospital.

The students, along with school Principal Ted Peters, collected more than 200 toys to distribute. The

toys were donated by nearly 200 sixth-graders at a school dance last Friday.

Peters said instead of charging money for admission, students had to bring an item to donate to the

children.


Amber Marcus, 21, of Bridgeton (center) received gifts delivered by Santa and students from Reutter School in Franklinville — (from left) Shyanne Snead, Lauren Warfield and Lexi Freeman at South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Vineland on Tuesday. / Staff photo/Cody Glenn

After going through the pediatric ward, the students

walked across the first floor to the hospital’s new pediatric

emergency room, where they met Marielis Rodriguez of

Vineland and her daughter Destiney, 6.

Destiney, a kindergarten student at D’Ippolito Elementary

School, was given a Belle doll — star of the Disney movie

“Beauty and the Beast” — along with a pink bracelet, tiara

and skirt.

“I told my mom I wanted toys and candy,” Destiney said.

“I wish I got a lot of money so I can buy them on my own.”

Destiney laughed and joked with doctors as she gazed at

her new gifts.

“It’s great (the students) are doing this, especially at a young age,” said Rodriguez. “I like that they’re

teaching them about giving early.”

Nearby, Lauren Gerard and Christopher Wurster of Millville sat back and watched their 3-year-old son

Nathan tear open his gift.

Gerard said Nathan’s into drawing and art, so it wasn’t a surprise the tracing toy he was given had

him ready to draw some new artwork.

“He was even more excited when he saw Santa,” Gerard said.

For the students, it was a cherished experience as they left with warmed hearts.

“I’ve never done something like this before,” said student council president Jenna McCarty, 11. “It

was really cool to see their smiles.”

“It was great to see their excitement,” added student council vice president Jordyn Cudd, 11.

“Hopefully I can do this again when I get to middle school.”


The many toys leftover Tuesday will be continued to be donated to children at the hospital in the

coming days. The students also are donating more than 50 stuffed animals to the Franklin Township

police, which will deliver the animals to local children.


Dr. Azizeh Salloum examines a patient. / Submitted photo

Doctor joins CompleteCare 10:48 PM, Dec 19, 2012

MILLVILLE — Dr. Azizeh Salloum recently joined the staff at CompleteCare Medical & Dental

Professionals at 1200 N. High St.

Salloum received a master’s degree in public health from Drexel University in 2004 and a doctorate

from Ross University School of Medicine in 2009.

Before coming to CompleteCare, she completed a three-year family medicine residency at

Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury. Her decision to practice at CompleteCare was

connected to her desire to give back to the community.


“I always wanted to practice in a community health center like CompleteCare,” Salloum said. “It

allows patients who don’t have much income to access comprehensive medical care. Practicing here

makes me feel like I’m making a difference in the community.

Chronic medical conditions often are at the root of hospital visits. Salloum hopes that, by educating

patients about treating conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and asthma, she can give them a

better quality of life.

Salloum treats patients of all ages and will see anyone regardless of whether they have insurance. To

schedule an appointment, call (856) 451-4700 or visit www.completecarenj.org.


(From left) Tiffany Durham, Bridgeton Fire Department EMT; Melanie Pirollo, administrative director of oncology services at South Jersey Healthcare; Ruth Ann Bishop-Sotak, Breast Cancer Bridge program coordinator; and Todd Bowen, fire department battalion chief. / Submitted photo

Fire department helps battle cancer 11:55 PM, Dec 19, 2012

Written by From staff reports

BRIDGETON — The Bridgeton Fire Department recently donated $3,268 to South Jersey

Healthcare’s Breast Cancer Bridge Program in an effort to support those in the community who have

been affected by breast cancer.

During October, the fire department sold specially designed pink T-shirts with the slogan, “Help us

axe cancer.” Fire department personnel also contributed to the fundraiser by purchasing T-shirts and

wearing them with their uniforms throughout the month.


“Last year we bought more low-key shirts for ourselves, but this year we wanted to go with the

brighter pink shirts and invite the public to join in and buy them too,” Battalion Chief Todd Bowen said.

“It’s nice that we can tell people that the money will go toward the local community and, at the same

time, we can bring awareness to the support that South Jersey Healthcare’s Breast Cancer Bridge

program provides.”

Tiffany Durham, an emergency medical technician for the department, started the fundraiser in 2009

after one of the department’s other EMTs, breast cancer survivor Marilyn April, battled the disease in

2008.

“In previous years, we donated the money we raised to a national organization,” Durham said. “This

year we decided to donate to a local program because we really wanted the money to directly benefit

our community.”

The Breast Cancer Bridge Program at South Jersey Healthcare provides personal counseling and

support for women who have abnormal mammograms, breast changes or lumps, or who are newly

diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing cancer treatment. A registered nurse becomes the

patient’s health care advocate and friend, offering consolation, support and practical advice about

breast cancer. This free service is a complement to surgical, radiation and medical oncology care,

and is customized around each woman’s needs and requests.

“We are very appreciative of the efforts the Bridgeton Fire Department has made to support our

program and our patients,” said Ruth Ann Bishop-Sotak, breast care coordinator for the the program.

“The department’s advocacy and support for the Breast Cancer Bridge Program, along with other

organizations in the community, is crucial. It allows us to expand services to educate women and men

about breast health so that early detection can provide successful treatment, as well as support them

along their breast cancer journey.”


Gina Rudolph, of Rudco Products Inc. in Vineland, prepares donated gifts for the company's 15th annual toy drive on Thursday. Rudco teamed up with The Dream Foundation to benefit children of South Jersey Healthcare, St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia, Children's Hospital of Pennsylavania (CHOP), and other charitable organizations in South Jeresy. Donations of unwrapped toys for kids of all ages can be dropped off at Rudco Products, 114 E. Oak Road, on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Christmas Eve and beyond. For more information, call (877) DREAM 57 or visit www.thedreamfoundation.org. / Staff photo/Charles J. Olson

Fulfilling children's dreams 11:55 PM, Dec 20, 2012


At South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center, cardiologist Gladwyn Baptist sings Christmas carols along with talented co-workers in the hospital's cafeteria Friday. / Staff photo/Craig Matthews

Doctor sings up a heart-warming holiday Baptist has been performing Christmas songs for years 12:30 AM, Dec 22, 2012

Written by Stephanie Loder

VINELAND — Cardiologist Dr. Gladwyn Baptist always has had a song in his heart, but knows just as well that

laughter is the best medicine.

Dubbed the “Singing Cardiologist” by staff at South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center, Baptist has

been performing Christmas songs for nearly a decade for patients and staff.

However, what sets this doctor apart is not just his electric guitar and sing-song view of life, but also his belief

that medicine and music are the right prescription to heal.

Baptist said he began singing at the age of 4 in his home of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay. His older

brothers told him to step up to the microphone one day and told him he sounded pretty good.


Baptist learned guitar and a sense of humor helped him carry on shows for family, friends and the people he

worked with and patients.

At lunchtime Friday, Baptist performed at the hospital’s employee cafeteria. Baptist lead the team of singers —

which included anyone who wanted to join in — to sing more than 20 holiday songs.

Baptist exchanged his stethoscope for a Santa hat and headset microphone to sing popular holiday songs like

“Silver Bells,” “The First Noel,” “White Christmas” and “Joy to the World.”

And, Baptist said, he is no stranger to composing his own music.

The cardiologist keenly contrived some original scores. He said the one that is his favorite is called “I’d Like To

Treat Your PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions).

The song’s first verse is: “I’d like to treat your PVCs — but they are very bad.”

Baptist sings the words to the tune of the 1970s hit “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)”

— a pop song which originated as an advertising jingle, produced by Billy Davis and sung by the Hillside

Singers, for Coca-Cola, then featured in 1971 as a TV commercial.

Throughout Baptist’s own songs are cardiology terms and names of medications, conditions and treatments

that rhyme in each verse.

Baptist, a devout Catholic, also composed religious songs which he plays to an upbeat guitar tempo.

Baptist volunteers to put on holiday performances for the South Jersey Healthcare hospitals in Vineland, Elmer

and Bridgeton. This year marked his 8th year of singing for patients and staff at each location.

“I’m like a virus. I come back every year,” said Baptist.

Baptist says he keeps an upbeat attitude in his job to help his patients.

“I’m not the one with a disease. If I walk in all sad and a patient looks at me and sees that, then they are going

to worry,” Baptist said.

Laughter and song play a role in healing, Baptist said.


“I always look at things as if the cup is half full. You have to exude confidence and let the patient know he is

going to get better. And a lot of times you see a person get better when originally they thought maybe they

would not be getting better,” Baptist said.

About two-dozen staff members participated with Baptist at the lunchtime holiday sing-along on Friday. They

included other doctors, cafeteria workers, chaplain Rev. Tony Cuellar and patient care representatives. Many

had practiced with Baptist before the event and others simply grabbed a rattle or tambourine and stepped up to

the microphone.

Chet Kaletkowski, SJH’s president and CEO, watched the performance and applauded each song.

“He’s just a multi-talented guy,” said Kaletkowski.

Kaletkowski recalled how Baptist “saved the day” during a medical retreat years ago after doctors became

snowed in at a hotel.

“He brought out his guitar and started singing in the lobby and people started going to listen,” Kaletkowski said.

“I think the people there just thought he was part of the entertainment.”

Kaletkowski said Baptist’s light-hearted attitude and musical accomplishment are a tribute to physicians

everywhere.

“You don’t want to have a doctor who is going to be depressed,” Kaletkowski said.

Indeed, Baptist and his music and humor have had a lasting effect on each person who meets him.

“He brings you into the holiday spirit. He gets everyone pumped up,” said Erica Perez, a patient relations

representative. “He’s got a good personality. Our staff loves him and our patients love him.”

Tina Arcidiacono, director of patient relations, not only sang with Baptist but agreed there is room for a

cardiologist who can put on a good show.

“He doesn’t take himself too seriously. He’s infectious. Once he gets started, you can’t help but start singing

with him,” Arcidiacono said.


Grant to help S. Jersey hospitals 6:46 PM, Dec 25, 2012

Written by From staff reports

Hospitals, doctors and medical offices across South Jersey will have faster, broader access to patient

records and information thanks to a state grant announced last week.

The New Jersey Department of Health awarded a $1 million grant to NJSHINE, according to

Commissioner Mary O’Dowd.

NJSHINE is a health information organization dedicated to improving real-time exchange of critical

patient information for South Jersey health care providers.

The grant will allow providers in Atlantic, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Burlington, Camden and

Cape May counties to receive and share patient information, according to a news release.

NJSHINE will connect seven hospitals, 400 doctors and 22 medical practices with information such

as medical histories, medication allergies and test results.

Officials said the participating hospitals are:

• South Jersey Healthcare facilities including the Regional Medical Center in Vineland, Bridgeton

Health Center, Elmer Hospital and the Vineland Health Center.

• Shore Medical Center in Somers Point.

• Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury.

• Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House.

The state said NJSHINE, a collaborative organization led by South Jersey Healthcare, Shore Medical

Center and Cape Regional Medical Center, was selected because of its ability to connect patient data

on a secure network across a range of facilities.

There are four other health information organizations operating throughout the state.

1 Philly.com December 2, 2012

Cleanup of gas from Paulsboro derailment called a 'delicate' operation December 02, 2012|By Joseph A. Gambardello, Inquirer Staff Writer

Cleanup work is expected to begin in earnest Saturday for the train derailment that spewed a toxic chemical into the air and forced the evacuation of about 500 residents in Paulsboro on Friday.

Coast Guard Capt. Kathy Moore, whose agency is leading the joint environmental response to the crash, said teams were drawing up plans to remove residual vinyl chloride still trapped inside a ruptured tanker car.

She said actual removal is expected to begin Saturday.

Overnight, crews poured a mist of water over the tanker to keep the chemical neutralized. Residents in a 12 block area near the bridge where seven cars of an 82 car freight train derailed were evacuated Friday night when monitors detected spiking levels of vinyl chloride in the air.

Moore said the levels were within acceptable limits for prolonged exposure to the chemical, but the evacuation was ordered as a precaution.

More than 100 residents were put up in hotels overnight while others found shelter with friends or families.

Evacuees were advised to be prepared to remain away from home for three days.

Federal National Transportation Safety Board investigators in the meantime are waiting for the chemical to be removed from the tanker to begin their on site work.

In the meantime, they have interviewed the trains crew and are evaluating inspection reports for the low bridge over the Mantua Creek where the train derailed.

The bridge, which dates from the 19th century, was the scene of a less serious derailment in 2009.

A large barge carrying a large crane needed to remove the other tankers that fell into the creek is on its way from New York Harbor Moore said the barge could arrive by Sunday but added no other work will begin until the residual chemical is removed from the ruptured tanker.

While the initial threat passed within three hours of the 7 a.m. accident, removing the remaining vinyl chloride from a tanker car that ruptured, and pulling three others carrying the toxic chemical from the Mantua Creek, will require what several officials called a delicate operation.

"This is not something we look forward to," said Assemblyman John Burzichelli (D., Gloucester), a former mayor of Paulsboro.


"We'll be proceeding with caution," Deborah Hersman, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said Friday afternoon as she arrived with 17 agency investigators who will look into the derailment's cause and oversee the cleanup.

Local officials said work at the site would occur within days and only during daylight hours. They plan to use Gloucester County's reverse-911 system to instruct residents about any actions they might need to take, including evacuating their homes if necessary.

The Red Cross will operate a temporary shelter at the Paulsboro Fire Department banquet hall during the procedure, Burzichelli said.

Eleven people, including workers near the bridge, were transported to Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury for treatment following the derailment and at least 60 others arrived on their own. As of Friday evening, all but three had been released.

Officials said the train, with two engines, 82 freight cars, and a caboose, was southbound when seven cars near the front derailed while crossing the low, A-frame swing bridge on wood pilings, the scene of a less serious derailment in 2009.

The bridge was rebuilt after that accident, but questions about its condition emerged Friday after State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester), whose district includes Paulsboro, and other officials said Conrail inspectors had been out to check it repeatedly after nearby residents reported hearing strange noises from the span, including a loud bang when no train was on it.

Hersman said investigators would look at inspection reports for the bridge before and after the 2009 derailment and the span's rebuilding.

They also would examine the rails, check the train's electronic monitoring equipment, review mandatory drug and alcohol tests of crew, and inspect the derailed cars, she said.

"We have requested a great deal of information," Hersman said.

When the train derailed, the bridge collapsed, sending four tanker cars into the water. One dangled from the gap in the span and was only partly in the creek.

That car ruptured underneath and spewed about half its cargo of 25,000 gallons of vinyl chloride into the air in the form of gas, officials said. The other half "self-refrigerated" and remained in the tank car as an inert, slushy liquid, said Larry Hajna, a state Department of Environmental Protection spokesman.

The first step in the cleanup will involve removing the chemical in the ruptured tanker.

Burzichelli, spokesman for the incident command team, said that operation likely would involve pumping water into the tank. That would return the chemical to a gaseous state, and it would be neutralized by an umbrella mist of water sprayed at the same time, he said.


After that, work could begin on removing the remaining tankers, with a large crane on a barge that was expected to arrive on Saturday from New York.

Tom Butts, the county's emergency management coordinator, said removing the chemical while the cars were in the water did not appear to be an option because of fears that empty tankers might float away.

Engineers will draw up plans so the tankers do not rupture and leak as they are lifted, he said.

In the meantime, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring the air through a specially equipped bus that arrived Friday afternoon.

After the derailment, businesses and residents within a half-mile were evacuated or told to stay indoors, and police closed roads into Paulsboro.

Booms were set up in the water to prevent hydraulic fluid from the rail cars from spreading.

At room temperature, vinyl chloride is a flammable, colorless gas with a sweet odor. Short-term exposure can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and headaches, according to the EPA. Long-term exposure, not considered an issue in this case, has been linked to cancer.

Among those who went to the hospital was Tryphaena Cooper, 26, of Paulsboro.

She woke up Friday feeling light-headed and soon had diarrhea, she said. A thick fog had billowed in the sky above Cooper's house, where she lives with her mother and five children.

"You couldn't see the person next to you," she said.

Cooper said she received an emergency call instructing her to keep her windows shut and doors locked, but she did not immediately know why.

"It was like a horror movie out there," she said outside Underwood as she waited for doctors to evaluate her. "We thought we were going to die."

The industrial area along the Delaware River near the Mantua Creek has been the scene of other environmental accidents.

With two nearby refineries, accidental discharges of gases or chemicals are a recurring problem, and the air is often thick with the smell of petroleum.

In 2004, the mouth of the Mantua Creek was the scene of one of the Delaware River's worst oil spills when the hull of a Greek tanker, the Athos 1, was punctured by an abandoned anchor, spilling about 265,000 gallons of heavy crude destined for an asphalt refinery in West Deptford.

Terry Coney, a retired construction worker who has lived in Paulsboro since 1969, has a fatalistic view that others shared Friday.

"If it's going to happen, it's going to happen," he said.

1 Press of Atlantic City December 3, 2012

South Jersey lawmaker seeks to tighten customized‐medication oversight Posted: Monday, December 3, 2012 12:01 am

By THOMAS BARLAS Staff Writer

A South Jersey legislator has introduced a bill to tighten regulation of companies that produce customized medication in response to a fungal meningitis outbreak that affected dozens statewide.

The Compounding Pharmacy Quality Assurance Act — as introduced by state Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic — would require compounding pharmacies to be accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board before they can begin producing medications.

That process involves what Van Drew said in a statement are “stringent” inspections of compounding pharmacies.

The Senate bill is aimed at compounding pharmacies that combine or modify ingredients to create custom medication for patients.

It was prompted by an outbreak of fungal meningitis that has been linked to an allegedly tainted steroid vaccine produced by the New England Compounding Center in Massachusetts. More than 510 cases have been reported, involving patients who received spinal injections of the vaccine.

The most current figures from the state Department of Health show two confirmed cases of fungal meningitis in New Jersey, and 35 probable cases.

Those cases include 27 Cumberland County residents and one Atlantic County resident.

“Sadly, this health crisis may have been prevented with better oversight and regulation of these particular types of pharmacies,” Van Drew said in a written statement. “While we cannot prevent the sale of contaminated medicines nationally, we can strengthen regulation of pharmacies operating in our state.”

Officials with the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board could not be reached for comment.

David Ball, a spokesman for the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacies, said the accreditation board follows the “highest standards in the country.” The IACP “strongly encourages” accreditation and was one of the accreditation board’s founding organizations, he said.


One concern that IACP has with Van Drew’s proposed legislation is that there are several different agencies that accredit compounding pharmacies, Ball said. Mandating one particular accreditation might not be fair to compounding pharmacies with similar accreditations, he said.

However, Ball said his organization “welcomes the state of New Jersey’s review of its regulations … and will provide whatever information or assistance is requested.”

With the exception of one out-of-state resident, New Jersey’s cases involved patients who received their spinal injections at either South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center in Vineland or Premier Orthopedic Surgical Associates in Vineland. Officials with both facilities said they had no reason to believe the steroid vaccine was tainted when they administered the spinal injections.

At least 15 residents of Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties who received injections of the tainted vaccine are now suing the New England Compounding Center and the facilities where they received the injections.

Contact Thomas Barlas:

609-226-9197

[email protected]

1 Press of Atlantic City

Gene Green, an 87-year-old Atlantic City veteran of World War II, had to take the van to Wilmington, Del., for years before he started going to a clinic in Northfield. Green says he hopes new recommendations that vets be able to use local hospitals will have an effect

Proposals to expand health care for South Jersey veterans could eliminate long trips for treatment Posted: Wednesday, December 26, 2012 12:15 am | Updated: 8:18 am, Wed Dec 26, 2012.

By STEVEN LEMONGELLO Staff Writer

When it comes to health care, the issues facing veterans in South Jersey are well-known — long trips to clinics in Delaware or Pennsylvania for treatments, dialysis patients dealing with bus rides and carpools, local VA facilities closed on nights and weekends.

Now, after a year of hearings, the New Jersey Veterans’ Hospital Task Force has issued a number of recommendations to improve and expand health care access for veterans, including expanding a program that allows treatment at Shore Medical Center under the auspices of the Veterans Administration.

The 18-member task force was created by legislation in 2011 and and conducted several hearings with testimony from veterans and their family members.

While the VA has established clinics in Northfield, Cape May and Vineland, “they are only equipped to perform certain types of outpatient medical services, and often are overwhelmed by the large number of veterans seeking care,” the panel said in a statement. “As a result, veterans are often forced to travel long distances for their health care needs, including to East Orange, (Essex County), Wilmington, Del., or Philadelphia, Pa.”

Gene Green, an 87-year-old World War II veteran from Atlantic City, said he has stopped taking the vans to Wilmington because of the distance and inconvenience. Green welcomed the recommendations of the panel, which included state Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Assemblyman Matthew Milam, both D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, and state Sen. Christopher Connors and Assemblywoman DiAnne Gove, both R-Ocean, Atlantic, Burlington.

Among the recommendations are:

• Create a pilot program to give local veterans more access to local medical centers, including Cape May Regional Medical Center, the Virtua System, AtlantiCare, Shore Medical Center, the South Jersey Health Care System, and the Meridian Health Care System.


• Move Ocean County into the same VA region as Atlantic and Cape May counties, “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 to veterans about the health care services available, and focus greater attention on the needs of women veterans.

• Add more staffing to the Northfield Veterans Clinic, “which is an admirable facility but lacks sufficient staff to address adequately the needs of local veterans.”

Legislation urging the federal Department of Veterans’ Affairs to support the recommendations will be introduced in the next meeting of the state Senate.

“These men and women sacrificed for us,” Van Drew said. “They gave literally their heart, body and soul. And to put them on a bus or carpool them to Wilmington, Del., or Pennsylvania? That’s such a long trip. They drive for hours each way for a 15-minute appointment. We’ve needed to do something for a long time.”

Local veterans advocates are cautiously optimistic that the VA will work with the state and local groups to put their recommendations into action.

“This thing started at Shore,” said Atlantic County Veterans Services Officer Bob Frolow. “We sat down with (Shore President Emeritus) Rick Pitman to put together the program, and they were for it 100 percent. Now all the other hospitals are coming in saying they’d love to put it in. That’s great. We just need to get the VA to approve it.”

Shore has been certified by Health Net Federal Services/TRICARE, which provides health care services for active duty U.S. military personnel, retirees with 20 or more years of service and their dependents, since early June.

‘The volume has picked up a bit since the start,” Shore CFO Jim Foley said. “It took a while for word to get out. We’re seeing TRICARE numbers improve, particularly in outpatient areas and same-day surgeries.”

Foley added that Shore would never oppose the program’s expansion to other medical facilities.

“From an access perspective, it’s the right thing to do,” Foley said. “It’s always nice pick up all that volume yourself, but that’s not fair to patients. They should have access to any facility. .. It’s been a long time coming and there’s still work to be done.”

Since building a “billion dollar medical complex” in South Jersey would be difficult to achieve, Van Drew said, expanding the pilot program at Shore to other area hospitals was the best scenario.

“Area hospitals are very intrigued, very willing and very interested in providing veterans’ health care,” Van Drew said, calling the proposal of the expanded pilot program “the central core” of the recommendations. He


added that Pitman, who also sat on the panel, noticed a bulletin that went out within the VA system that referred to the idea of “beginning to explore the notion of this type of relationship”.

“They didn’t make a commitment, but that was the first time we saw anything offering the idea that they would ‘explore,’” Van Drew said. “Hopefully, the public discussion had some effect.”

In addition, Van Drew called the VA’s claim that a new facility wasn’t needed because of the relatively small amount of veterans in South Jersey “pretty deceptive” because Ocean County was not included and placed in a different region, a decision that the panel recommends be changed.

“They’re saying someone from Mystic Island is not in South Jersey and has to go to East Orange (for treatment),” Van Drew said. “That’s deceptive and disfunctional in my opinion.”

Dan Danchak, a Vietnam veteran from Linwood, led a petition drive in favor of the Shore program along with advocate April Kauffman, who died in a homicide in May.

“Our goal is total veteran health care,” Danchak said. “To this day, the bus still runs picking up veterans and going to Wilmington. We believe most services should be done at Shore and other providers. Each veteran who qualifies would get a card, and they could use that card toward that service.”

In the end, said Danchak, “We want to commend the state for bringing this all to the table. ... But right now, action (is) the key word. We see the bullet points. But how is it going to get done?”

Contact Steven Lemongello:

609-272-7275

[email protected]

Follow @SteveLemongello on Twitter


Giving Back briefs: Fire company fights cancer and other news of the volunteer community Posted: Monday, December 31, 2012 12:01 am | Updated: 11:42 pm, Sat Dec 29, 2012.

Axing cancer

The Bridgeton Fire Department recently donated $3,268 to South Jersey Healthcare's Breast Cancer Bridge Program. It raised the money in October, through sale of pink T-shirts with the slogan, "Help us axe cancer," on the back.

EMT Tiffany Durham started the fundraiser in 2009 after Marilyn April, another EMT and breast cancer survivor, battled the disease in 2008.

Music and wine

Passion Vines, of Somers Point and Egg Harbor Township, raised $37,000 in October with The Right Notes, a fundraising event benefitting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Somers Point Jazz Society.

About 230 people came out for a performance by tenor saxophone master Michael Pedicin, followed by a wine tasting of more than 50 top-scoring wines from around the globe.

'Success By 6'

The United Way Women's Leadership Initiative hosted the seventh annual fall fundraiser Sweet Laughs in November, raising $16,000 for the Success By 6 initiative in Atlantic County. A children's book drive during the event collected more than 100 new and gently used books.

Author, professor and humorist Gina Barreca entertained a crowd of more than 230 in Stockton Seaview's Bayview Ballroom in Galloway Township.

New thift store

Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May County recently opened a thrift store called "VIMspirations" at 600 Park Boulevard, Suite 2 in West Cape May, to raise money to run the free clinic on Route 9 in Cape May Court House.


VIMspirations is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays. Volunteers are needed and donations are accepted daily. Contact Jacqueline Meiluta at 609-463-2846 or visit vimcmc.org

Holiday food drive

Southern Regional High School students and staff collected 24,264 food items for the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, and presented them to mission staff at an assembly.

It was Southern's 12th annual holiday food drive.

Donor wall

The Cape Regional Medical Center Foundation dedicated the "Exceptional Care, Exceptional People" Employee Donor Wall on Dec. 7, honoring each employee who donated more than $55,000 to the Brodesser Cancer Center Captial Campaign in 2012. Employee donor names will be added annually.

The Cape Regional Medical Center Auxiliary has announced a $1 million pledge to the campaign, which must raise $5 million to pay for the Varian TrueBeam Radiation Therapy System which was installed in April.

Helping soldiers

Five members of the Jewish War Veterans Post 39, of Margate, traveled to Fort Belvoir, Va., in late October to distribute 50 portable DVD players to recuperating soldiers stationed there.

They also gave the soldiers more than 500 DVD movies.

Scholarship fund

The A&R Mack Charitable Foundation donated $25,000 Dec. 20 to the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation, on behalf of Anthony and Rita Mack, of Galloway Township, who own two McDonald's Family Restaurants in Atlantic City. The funds will establish an endowed scholarship fund for Atlantic County students.

The Foundation also received a $15,000 gift from the Mustard Seed of Cape May County on Dec. 20, to establish the Collegiate Computers Program at Atlantic Cape's Cape May County Campus. The Mustard Seed is a not-for-profit outreach program of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Stone Harbor.

Scholarships awarded


The Atlantic City Fire Department Sand Pipers Pipe Band awarded 12, $1,000.00 scholarships to children of local public safety professionals this month.

Retired Atlantic City firefighter Norm Wilson leads the bagpipe band, which has about 30 members from a variety of professions.

Teens and seniors

The Southern Regional High School Intergenerational Council celebrated the holidays by making a dinner for senior citizen participants.

The Intergenerational Council arranges social interaction between teens and seniors.

Sea Isle elves

Members of the Sea Isle Ambulance Corps delivered gifts to patients at Cape Regional Medical Center Dec. 22, dressed in holiday attire and pushing a gurney carrying a sleigh filled with gifts.

Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio and his helpers at City Hall delivered toys and food items collected in the annual Toy and Food Drive to local families in need on Dec. 21; and Sea Isle firemen held their annual Christmas party Dec. 19 for youngsters at the JFK Boulevard Fire House, in spite of dealing with serious storm damage at their headquarters.

Gifts for veterans

Every resident at the Veterans Memorial Home in Vineland got a small wish granted for a holiday gift of their choosing from the Vineland community and Boscov's department store on Dec. 19.

The project was made possible by a grant from the Second Wind Dreams organization, which granted the 300-bed Vineland home a lifetime scholarship, through the generosity of the Harrah's Foundation.

1 South Jersey Times December 1, 2012

TOXIC TRAIN WRECK • Paulsboro train derailment:

Princeton company files lawsuit

• Paulsboro getting back on its feet following derailment, chemical leak

• Editorial: Be it resolved: A happier 2013

• South Jersey's top stories of 2012: Paulsboro train derailment

• Paulsboro residents urged to accurately fill out health surveys on derailment, chemical spill

Paulsboro train derailment: Aftermath, relocations and investigations

By Jason Laday/South Jersey Times on December 01, 2012 at 8:30 PM, updated December 02, 2012 at 12:38 AM

PAULSBORO —Evacuations, relocations and investigations were the call of the day Saturday for

officials and residents dealing with the aftermath of the train derailment and bridge collapse

that left a toxic chemical leaking into the Mantua Creek from a Conrail freight tanker.

Additional residents living within a 12-block radius of the accident scene were moved from their

homes as a precautionary measure in the face of residual levels of vinyl chloride — a toxic, colorless

and flammable gas that causes irritation, headache, shortness of breath and dizziness — in the air. In

extremely high concentrations, the gas can cause death.

In all, approximately 500 people have been evacuated from their homes as of Saturday morning,

according to Coast Guard Captain Kathy Moore, who is now the federal on-scene coordinator for

monitoring environmental conditions around the collapsed bridge.

Enlarge Lori M. Nichols / South Jersey Times One of the derailed train

tanks is sprayed down, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012. Four train tanks

remain submerged in Mantua Creek following Friday's train

derailment. (Staff Photo by Lori M. Nichols/South Jersey Times)

Train derailment - Day 2, Paulsboro, Dec. 1, 2012 gallery (24 photos)


“Clean-up will commence after the [National Transportation Safety Board] concludes its investigation

at the scene,” said Moore. “The focus for us will be the safety of the people around the scene and the

first responders.”

Conrail, which owns and maintains the rail bridge, has placed 106 families in area hotels. The

company also established an assistance center at the Paulsboro Fire Department, which will remain

open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. “as long as it needs to be open,” according to John Enright, a representative

from Conrail.

Approximately two dozen people were gathered at the center Saturday afternoon before a bus arrived

to take them to their hotels.

“They ordered me out of the house around 7 last night, because of the risk, and put me in a Best

Western,” said 52-year-old Stephen Colmero, who lives roughly 1,500 feet from the bridge. “They

wanted to move me over to Runnemede, but I said that was too far, so now I’m in a Motel 6 around

here.

“They’re paying for everything — food and lodging.”

Colmero stated that he walked outside his residence to investigate when he heard the train derail

shortly after 7 a.m. Friday. However, moments after walking outside at the scene, his eyes grew

irritated and he returned indoors.

“You don’t want to stay in the area, just in case something bad happens,” he said.

Officials at Underwood Memorial Hospital, in Woodbury, said 10 people walked into the medical

center’s emergency department reporting respiratory problems Saturday afternoon, bringing the total

of number of residents complaining about the detrimental effects of the vinyl chloride in the air to 86.

“There have been no admissions, however,” said Molly Tritt, a spokeswoman for Underwood. “They

have been treated and released.”

There were also economic effects of the chemical leak, with Broad Street businesses in Paulsboro

losing nearly a day of sales due to Friday’s evacuations and lockdowns.

They also said they received little communication or guidance from any officials, other than what they

saw in the media.


True Value Hardware Store manager Phil Weiss said the borough had been a “ghost town” for most of

Friday.

“We had no business from 8:30 until about 11:30 [Friday], when they opened up Route 44 again and

they said the air was OK to breathe,” said Weiss. “We had no communication from anyone the whole

time.

“But I would trade a whole day of no business for no one getting seriously hurt.”

Business at the hardware store appeared to return to normal by Saturday afternoon, he added.

“The next trepidation is what will happen when they bring the train out [of the creek],” said Weiss. “Is

there going to be any more chemical released in the air?”

Doug Ricotta, at D&D Italian Bakery, reported he had lost several catering orders due to the accident,

adding that he received no word from officials regarding safety measures.

“We had to play everything by ear because he didn’t hear anything from anyone,” he said. “We

couldn’t get answers what was going on from anyone.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has been tasked with investigating the

derailment and bridge collapse, was able to provide some answers Saturday, describing the events

that led up to the accident, and the contents of the train cars.

According to NTSB Chairwoman Debrorah Hersman, in a press conference at the Paulsboro Fire

Department, the conductor of the train that derailed Friday morning first came upon a stop light

before crossing the bridge.

“There was a conductor and an engineer in the front part of the first locomotive. They approached the

movable bridge and there is a red signal there; a stop signal,” said Hersman, adding that the bridge

was in the “closed” position, meaning that it was closed to water traffic, but appeared open to trains.

“This is an unusual position to see the bridge in at that time — they would have expected to see the

bridge in an open position, and by that we mean open to recreational vessels over the waterway.”

According to Hersman, the conductor and engineer “keyed in” a signal over radio to close the bridge

and show a green light. However, the light remained red.

At that point, the conductor exited the train to examine the crossing bridge.


NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman discusses actions of conductor and locomotive engineer before Friday's train derailment in

Paulsboro, Dec. 1, 2012 NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman discusses the procedures followed by the conductor and locomotive

engineer before and during Friday morning's Paulsboro train derailment during a press conference, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012. (Staff

Video by Lori M. Nichols/South Jersey Times) Watch video

The conductor observed it appeared safe to cross, and had the engineer signal the bridge three more

times for a green light, according to statements made by the engineer and conductor to NTSB officials,

Hersman said. All three attempts failed.

The engineer then called Conrail dispatch over the radio.

“He received approval to cross the bridge and pass that red signal,” said Hersman. “Two locomotives

and several cars made it across the bridge and were one other side when crew stated they saw the

bridge collapse and pulled the emergency break.”

Five cars made it over the bridge, which is 200 feet long, without incident. The sixth car, carrying

plastic pellets, and the seventh car, carrying lumber, derailed onto land.

The eighth car derailed partially onto land and partially in water, and was carrying ethanol. Cars 9, 10

and 11 were all carrying vinyl chloride.

Cars 9, 10 and 11 all derailed into the water, with car 10 containing the 1- by 3-foot breech in the hull,

which caused the leak of vinyl chloride.

Car 12, also containing vinyl chloride, had also derailed but is still partially on the bridge. Car 13 is

standing upright, still coupled to car 12.


Hersman stated data recording devices recovered from one of the locomotives indicate that the train

had been moving at a speed of 8 mph just before the emergency brake was engaged. The speed limit

over the bridge is 10 mph.

The freight train had been traveling south from Camden, leaving at 5 a.m. on it's way to Carney's

Point, in Salem County.

According to the NTSB, the punctured tank was built in 1990 by Trinity Industries, based in Dallas,

and contained between 23,000 and 24,000 pounds of vinyl chloride.

“We are continuing to question the crew — the conductor, the locomotive engineer and the dispatcher

— as well as other crews who may have traversed the bridge in the days prior to the accident,” said

Hersman, adding that between four and eight trains crossed the bridge on daily basis before the

collapse. “And so we still have some work to do.”

Hersman stated the NTBS is still waiting for clearance from the U.S. Coast Guard to guarantee the

area is safe for investigators to gather evidence at the scene.

--- Contact Jason Laday at 856-845-3300 ext. 228 or [email protected].


Paulsboro train derailment evacuees to remain out for the week; cleanup on Mantua Creek begins

By Joe Green/South Jersey Times on December 02, 2012 at 7:00 PM, updated December 03, 2012 at 7:42 AM

UPDATE: All schools in Paulsboro are

closed today and residents have been

advised, by way of Reverse 911 notifications,

to shelter in place.

This comes after morning monitoring reveals

elevated levels of vinyl chloride in the area of

Friday's train derailment.

PAULSBORO — Residents with homes in the 12-block area near Friday’s train derailment on the

East Jefferson Street Bridge will remain evacuated until at least Dec. 8, officials announced Sunday

evening.

The decision is what U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Todd Wiemers called a “very conservative” move meant

to ensure those closest to the accident and leak of toxic material remain safe.

“Those we thought were even possibly in danger, we’ve already evacuated,” Wiemers explained to

reporters during the day’s second press conference on the incident.

As of Saturday, about 500 people had been evacuated. Rail bridge owner Conrail had by that point

provided vouchers for 106 families for hotel stays, food and other essentials.

The evacuation zone extends from North Delaware Street in the west to Mantua Creek in the east, and

from Railroad Avenue in the north to East Broad Street and Crown Point Road in the south.

Classes will be in session at all Paulsboro public schools starting Monday. But Guardian Angels School

- a Catholic fourth through eighth grade school - will remain closed through Friday.


Students there will report to the Guardian Angels Gibbstown campus - serving preschool through

third grade students - on Monday and Tuesday.

The Gateway Communications Center - also within the evacuation zone - will be closed for the week as

well.

Paulsboro Fire Department Chief Alfonso Giampolo said officials decided to keep the public schools

open in part to keep tabs on the students in case something goes wrong.

“We would rather have the kids in an enclosed environment...and know where they are,” Giampolo

explained.

“Should something go awry, we know where they are, and we know what to do with them.”

The chief added officials have a contingency plan in place should things somehow go downhill.

Meanwhile, he said, officials have been monitoring the air quality in the area.

The derailment reported just after 7 a.m. Friday has focused the attention of officials from the federal

to the local level on Paulsboro and the rail bridge over Mantua Creek.

Five of the train’s cars made it over the bridge. But Cars 6 through 12 all derailed, ending up partially

on the tracks, on ground or in the creek.

Cars 9 to 11 ended up in the water. They all contained vinyl chloride - a toxic gas that can cause

shortness of breath and headaches among other ailments in low doses but can be fatal in very high

doses.

The tank on Car 10 was punctured, officials said, causing the vinyl chloride to leak.

A total of 86 people as of Saturday had reported to Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury

complaining of effects possibly attributable to the toxic gas, hospital officials reported. But none, they

said, had reactions serious enough for a hospital stay.

Out of caution, officials said Sunday, those closest to the scene should stay out.

Conrail Director of Claims Ron Fender said his company has been paying for hotel stays, food,

pharmacy items, pet supplies, laundry service and other needs for those evacuated.


He explained that some hotels had one-night restrictions on stays. So Conrail sought out and found

others who would allow longer stays.

The company was still seeking more vendors for services ranging from meals to laundry, Fender said,

“where people can take these vouchers and not have to spend out of their pockets.”

He added Conrail will inform residents of additional vendors contracted.

Wiemers said crews expected to begin extracting the materials spilled from the cars around 4 p.m.

Sunday - the time the press conference began. He said he wasn’t sure then if that had started on

schedule.

The crews would use vacuum-powered pumps to remove the chemicals. Wiemers said he wasn’t sure

how long that would take.

If they remain liquid, that could mean a quicker cleanup. But if they turn to sludge or a more solid

material, he said, “that could slow down any pumping operations.”

In the meantime, investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) must wait

until the sit of the derailment is deemed safe to examine.

The NTSB is charged with investigating the accident. Earlier Sunday, the board’s Chairperson,

Deborah Hersman, in a press conference said officials don’t know yet when they’ll be able to report to

the site.

For now, she said, the NTSB is looking at periodic inspections of the bridge, the railway, the

mechanics controlling the opening and closing of the bridge to rail and water craft and the underlying

structure.

Investigators were also interviewing train crew and emergency responders, as well as records of

repairs done by Conrail following a 2009 accident in which several cars carrying coal

derailed.

Cars 14 through 82 are being inspected, Hersman said, along with two locomotives taken from the

scene. The first five cars that made it across the bridge Friday were to be inspected Sunday, she added.


Cars connected through a train were toppled off a bridge this morning into Mantua Creek, leaking vinyl chloride into the environment. Photo provided

On Saturday night, Hersman said, investigators

used a lazer scanner to show 3D images of the

track, bridge and cars.

“We want to thoroughly document the

condition of the bridge...and the condition of

the cars,” she explained.

It was not clear Sunday whether an actual

collapse had occurred on the bridge. Hersman

said train crew members initially reported

looking back and seeing the collapse.

In any case, she stressed, there is damage to the structure that officials must evaluate as they continue

to seek what went wrong.

Contact Joe Green at [email protected].


Staff Photo by Lori M. Nichols/South Jersey TimesJim and Rebecca Emerich, of Clarksboro, looks at their newborn son, Jarrett James, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. Jarrett was born at 12 p.m. on 12/12/12 at Underwood Memorial Hospital.

12‐12‐12 at 12 p.m. yields birth of baby boy for lucky South Jersey couple

By Melissa DiPento/South Jersey Times on December 12, 2012 at 7:26 PM, updated December 12, 2012 at 7:27 PM

WOODBURY — Twelve was never a lucky

number for Jim or Rebecca Emerich, but it

will be now.

The couple from Clarksboro welcomed their

first child, Jarrett James, at exactly noon on

12-12-12 at Underwood Memorial Hospital.

Rebecca checked into the hospital on Tuesday evening, and by Wednesday morning, doctors planned

to induce her.

“For a while, we planned to induce on the 12th. We didn’t pick the date for any particular reason. But

12 noon, that was God’s will,” said Benjamin DiJoseph, the Underwood doctor who delivered the

Emerich’s baby.

With all four grandparents and Rebecca’s three sisters by her side, the group chuckled about the date

and time of the arrival.

“Well, we’ll never forget his birthday,” Rebecca said.

This is the first grandchild for both sides of the family. On Wednesday evening, the grandparents were

beaming with pride when Jarrett James re-entered the room for a brief visit.

“The baby is awesome. We’re very excited he’s here,” said Rebecca’s mother, Kathy Gargiulo.

Rebecca is one of four girls. Little Jarrett, who was born weighing 5 pounds, 11 ounces, will have aunts

Samantha, Julie and Emily to go to for advice someday.

“I actually could have sworn I was having a girl at first,” Rebecca said. “We’re excited to change it up.”


Staff Photo by Lori M. Nichols/South Jersey TimesRebecca Emerich pulls the blanket away from her newborn son's face, Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012. Jarrett James was born to Jim and Rebecca Emerich, of Clarksboro, at 12 p.m. on 12/12/12 at Underwood Memorial Hospital in Woodbury.

The baby’s middle name, James, comes from his father’s name. But Jarrett is a new name for the

family.

“We had the named picked out for a while. It was the only boy’s name we could agree on,” Rebecca

said.

Family members said they were thrilled to

finally meet Jim and Rebecca’s new addition.

Jim’s mother, Donna Emerich, said she and

her husband, James, slept with a cellphone by

the pillow.

And even though Jarrett James arrived a few

weeks early, Kathy and Frank Gargiulo said

the birth of their first grandchild didn’t come

soon enough.

Before the baby made his trip back into the room, nurses heated him up to 98 degrees and swaddled

him in blankets.

Jarrett James came in with baby long johns on,

wrapped in layers of dinosaur blankets.

Jim noticed his son’s big blue eyes.

“He looks like Becca and has Becca’s big cheeks and that button nose,” Jim said.

“But we can’t figure out whose mouth he has,” Kathy Gargiulo said.

Rebecca’s siblings said they were excited to hear the buzz around the hospital surrounding their

nephew’s arrival.

“I got in the elevator and the nurse said a baby was born at 12 on 12/12. I said, ‘That’s my sister,’”

Samantha said.


Little Jarrett was not the only baby boy born on the special occasion in New Jersey, however. In

Neptune, N.J. today, a 12-12-12 baby was born to a couple who lost their home during

Hurricane Sandy.

The South Jersey family hopes to return home by Friday. And now, 12 will hold a special meaning for

the whole family.

“Not before today, it will now, though, for sure,” Jim said.

---

Contact Melissa DiPento at 856-845-3300 ext. 231 or [email protected]


South Jersey Healthcare's Regional Medical Center in Vineland. File

photo

South Jersey Healthcare and Millville Rescue Squad agree to share resources

By South Jersey Times on December 13, 2012 at 4:32 PM, updated December 13, 2012 at 4:49 PM

MILLVILLE — The boards of directors for

Millville Rescue Squad and South Jersey

Healthcare both approved an agreement

today to share resources and work closer

together.

“As the landscape of healthcare, pre-hospital

emergency medical services and medical

transportation rapidly changes, our

organizations see many positive opportunities

to strengthen our long-standing partnership,”

said John Redden, chief executive officer for

Millville Rescue Squad.

Redden hopes that the agreement will help the organizations provide care more effectively and

negotiate better with payers and government agencies.

The rescue squad and South Jersey Healthcare began working together in 1998, after signing a

transportation agreement.

They have since worked cooperatively to develop programs that ensure the safe transportation of

patients.

“With this mutual focus on clinical excellence and efficiencies, we feel that an expanded partnership

could not only benefit our organizations, but also the entire region,” said Wayne Schiffner, executive

vice president and chief strategy office for South Jersey Healthcare.

The next step in the agreement is a signed letter of intent, followed by a period where both

organizations examine legal options.


Hospitals that will be connected through NJSHINE include Shore

Medical Center; Underwood Memorial Hospital; Cape Regional

Medical Center and South Jersey Healthcare facilities including the

South Jersey Healthcare-Regional Medical Center, Bridgeton

Health Center, Elmer Hospital and Vineland Health Center. File

photo

Department of Health awards $1 million to NJSHINE to improve patient information sharing

By South Jersey Times on December 20, 2012 at 6:00 PM, updated December 20, 2012 at 6:04 PM

The New Jersey Department of Health has

awarded a grant of $1 million to NJSHINE, a

new Health Information Organization

covering southern New Jersey to improve

health care delivery through real-time

exchange of critical patient information.

"The creation of this new Health Information

Organization for South Jersey marks another

step forward in expanding the use of Health

Information Technology to better coordinate

patient care in our state," said Health

Commissioner Mary E. O'Dowd.

"NJSHINE will connect seven hospitals, 400

health providers and 22 practices in southern

New Jersey, enabling providers to have

accurate and complete patient information

such as medical histories, medication

allergies and test results."

A Health Information Organization is a group of health stakeholders that come together to facilitate

the transfer of health care information electronically across providers for the purpose of improving

health and delivery of care in a community.

New Jersey currently has four health information organizations: Health-e-Citi, connecting providers

in the greater Newark area; Jersey Health Connect, covering northern and central New Jersey;

Trenton HIE, connecting Trenton-area providers, and Camden HIE, which connects Camden-area

providers.


NJSHINE will serve a seven-county area including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May,

Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Hospitals that will be connected through NJSHINE include Shore Medical Center; Underwood

Memorial Hospital; Cape Regional Medical Center and South Jersey Healthcare facilities including

the South Jersey Healthcare-Regional Medical Center, Bridgeton Health Center, Elmer Hospital and

Vineland Health Center. NJSHINE also will connect other area health providers like long-term care

facilities.

NHSHINE was chosen through a competitive Request for Application process because of its ability to

provide a fully connected, secure network in which health care providers can exchange data. Funding

to create NJSHINE is provided through a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of

the National Coordinator for Health IT grant to New Jersey.

NJSHINE is a collaborative, nonprofit, health care organization with South Jersey Healthcare, Shore

Medical Center and Cape May Regional Medical Center as its primary partners.

"Contact the South Jersey Times at 856-451-1000 or at [email protected] Follow @theSJtimes


Business Briefs Dec. 3 and Dec. 10

By Jane Humes/South Jersey Times on December 20, 2012 at 1:00 PM, updated December 20, 2012 at 1:06 PM Print

UMH auxiliaries meet $500,000 goal

Gathered in one of the emergency departmentÃ�s radiology

rooms are: From left, Carla Maxie, Vicki Hallowell, Joan Driver, Debbie Cox, Shirley Bierbrunner, Peter Kaprielyan, Mary Ann Sullivan,

Reenie Sacchetti and John Graham.

The auxiliaries of Underwood-Memorial Hospital met their $500,000 goal to support the hospital’s

transition to digital radiography. Gathered in one of the emergency department’s radiology rooms are:

From left, Carla Maxie, president of the First Auxiliary; Vicki Hallowell, president of the Second

Auxiliary; Joan Driver, Chapter Two Auxiliary; Debbie Cox, president of the Fifth Auxiliary; Shirley

Bierbrunner, president of the Auxiliary Board; Peter Kaprielyan, vice president of organizational

development and philanthropy; Mary Ann Sullivan, director of Volunteer Services; Reenie Sacchetti,

director of radiology; and John Graham, executive vice president and chief operating officer.


NJSHINE will faciliate the sharing of information, including lab results, between facilities of four major partners in South Jersey. Pictured: Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Japan VP Yoshiki Kawabata (left) observes laboratory technology at South Jersey Healthcare with SJH laboratory administrative director Brian Gross. Staff photo by Cindy Hepner

$1 million grant to health group aimed at improving continuity of care throughout South Jersey

By Lauren T. Taniguchi/South Jersey Times on December 24, 2012 at 11:24 AM, updated December 24, 2012 at 11:45 AM

Health Information Organization NJSHINE, which recently was awarded a $1 million grant from the New Jersey Department of Health, will connect seven hospitals and improve coordination of care throughout South Jersey, according to officials at South Jersey Healthcare (SJH) and Underwood Memorial Hospital.

Through NJSHINE, medical providers will be

able to share patient information between

Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May,

Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties,

which is expected to reduce redundant testing

and improve continuity of patient care.

"When we start seeing patients anywhere in

South Jersey, we'll be able to have access to

those records," said Robert Mizia, director of

information services at Underwood Memorial Hospital. "If someone comes into our ED department

that happened to be at Shore Memorial, or vice versa, we can easily pick up the records and see what

has occurred in the past."

The network will link Shore Medical Center; Underwood Memorial Hospital; Cape Regional Medical

Center and South Jersey Healthcare facilities including the South Jersey Healthcare-Regional Medical

Center, Bridgeton Health Center, Elmer Hospital and Vineland Health Center, in addition to other

area providers such as long-term care facilities.


The exchange provides for the secure movement of Protected Health Information (PHI) through "an

efficient tool for accessing and distributing information required for patient treatment, payment

authorization and practice operations such as reviewing results and finding insurance authorization

numbers," explained Tom Pacek, chief information officer at South Jersey Healthcare.

Operation of the exchange is conducted on a private, secure network; providers are granted access to

see information on their own patients, and interaction with the network is logged and auditable to

ensure patient privacy and security of information, according to Pacek.

SJH has invested in the Health Information Exchange technology behind NJSHINE since 2009, and

the recently announced grant funding will allow providers to grow the capabilities of the exchange

and extend them into Cape May and Atlantic counties, as well as to other exchanges throughout the

state, Pacek said.

New Jersey currently has four health information organizations, connecting providers in the greater

Newark area, in northern and central New Jersey, in the Trenton region and in the Camden area.

The initial phase of the NJSHINE expansion will apply to inpatient and outpatient lab results between

four major partners: Underwood Memorial Hospital, South Jersey Healthcare, Cape Regional and

Shore Memorial. The second part will incorporate the sharing of radiology information, and

eventually, the state is planning to connect networks throughout New Jersey, Mizia said.

"We've been working for the last three months on putting the system in place, prior to receiving grant

money. I know Underwood is in the process of finishing up our testing and sending our data to

NJSHINE, and I know South Jersey is populating their database," Mizia said. "I would anticipate

within the next three months we'll be able to start sharing that data."

Contact Lauren T. Taniguchi at 856-451-1000 ext. 519 or

[email protected] Follow @LAUREIV


South Jersey employers adopting social media policies for the workplace

By Melissa DiPento/South Jersey Times on December 25, 2012 at 10:49 AM, updated December 25, 2012 at 10:50 AM

Earlier this year, in a 5-2 vote, the Gloucester County Freeholders adopted an amendment to a

2006 social media policy. The county is one of the first government entities in the region to

implement such measures.

The policy aims to address issues related to employee’s use of social media both on and off the clock.

Employees of the county are legally liable for anything they write or present in social media. Also,

employees are prohibited from posting photos or content from the county to non-work-related social

media sites.

“While the county of Gloucester recognizes and respects the rights of employees to engage in their

own personal activities while not working, the line between personal voice and institutional voice is

often blurred,” the employee manual reads. “This policy is intended to help employees engage in

respectful, knowledgeable interaction in social media and protect the privacy, confidentiality and

interests of the County of Gloucester, employees, volunteers, contract staff, vendors, customers,

residents and others.”

The county is one of a number of local employers with policies about social media.

Employees of Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury also must refrain from engaging in non-

work-related social media usage during working hours, as per the hospital’s social media policy.


In addition to increased social media policies in the workplace, there’s an upward trend for

prospective employers to use Facebook and Twitter to gather information about potential candidates.

James Marino, Assistant Dean and Director of the Rutgers-Camden Career Center, says he

encourages students who come in for job counseling to tactfully use social media, especially while

searching for a job.

“They definitely should use in. We certainly encourage them to use it as a means of finding work. We

encourage them to use the LinkedIn program, describing it as a more professional version of

Facebook,” Marino said. “It’s not just to look for jobs, but to do networking and learn about careers,

too.”

Some employers, Marino noted, have begun to solicit social media passwords from potential

candidates. Marino said the career center advises students not to give out any personal information to

potential employers. Instead, the focus is simply on maintaining professionalism across any and all

social media platforms.

“You tell the student they’re liable and responsible” for what they say on social media, Marino said.

“You know that, for organizations or employers, there is potential for them to visit the sites, and

certainly there are employees who are taking a look.

“You don’t want anything that serves as a barrier to employment,” Marino added.

According to a 2012 CareerBuilder survey, 37 percent of companies use social media to screen

candidates. Of those companies that do not use social media as part of the hiring process, 15 percent

say their company prohibits the practice. And 11 percent say even though they do not currently use

social media in the candidate search, they plan to do so in the future.

The survey also noted that more than a third of employers who used social media to scope out

candidates found information that caused them not to hire someone, such as inappropriate photos,

references to drinking and drugs, bad mouthing a previous employer and lying about qualifications.

But, 29 percent said they found something redeeming about a candidate via social media, which lead

to their hiring.

Even with a wealth of information floating in cyberspace about potential candidates, some employers

are choosing to stick with the basics.


“We don’t use social media in the hiring process,” said Gloucester County spokeswoman Debra

Sellitto. “We do background checks all through the hiring process.”

Underwood Memorial Hospital does have a designated consultant in charge of hiring, but social

media is not used in reviewing candidates, according to the hospital’s director of communications,

Molly Tritt.

“We don’t use it. It’s my understanding that we don’t have the resources to do it,” Tritt said.

Contact the South Jersey Times at 856-845-3300 or at [email protected]

Subscribe to the South Jersey News Flash e-newsletter to get the day's news sent to your

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Follow @theSJtimes

1 Elmer Times December 20, 2012

1 Elmer Times December 27, 2012

1 The Reminder December 26, 2012

December 26, 2012

2 The Reminder December 26, 2012

December 26, 2012

1 Nurse.com December 3, 2012

Excellent! Introducing the 2012 Nursing Excellence national winners By Lisette Hilton Monday December 3, 2012

Nurse.com is proud to announce the six national winners of its 2012 Nursing Excellence Awards. “From the bedside to the boardroom, the clinic to the classroom, at home and abroad, the stories of excellence continue to come in to us year after year,” said Eileen P. Williamson, RN, MSN, senior vice president and chief nurse executive, Nurse.com. “Managers or volunteers, researchers or clinicians, beginning staff nurses or seasoned educators, they are the personification of professional nursing accomplishment, and worthy indeed of the recognition our excellence program affords them.” This year’s pool of nominees was among the largest in program’s history, Williamson said. The awards process, sponsored nationally by The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future and the University of Phoenix College of Nursing, begins when colleagues nominate RNs for regional recognition in six categories. Regional winners advance to a pool of national finalists whose nominations are blinded and judged by Nurse.com National Advisory Board members. One national winner is chosen from each category. “Nurse.com’s nursing excellence program, a vital part of our company mission for nearly two decades, has become the largest and most unique of its kind in the nation,” Williamson said. Advancing and Leading the Profession Patricia Dykes, RN, DNSc, FAAN, FACMI, senior nurse scientist and Haley Nurse Scholar, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston As a nurse scientist, Dykes strives to improve patient care by making it easier for nurses and other team members to provide evidence-based care. A leading nurse researcher in the areas of fall prevention and health information technology, Dykes influences nursing practice at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and throughout the nursing profession. She is part of a select group of nurses inducted in both the American Academy of Nursing and the American College of Medical Informatics, and her research has been widely published in nursing and interdisciplinary journals. Dykes is one of only a few nurses with an appointment at the prestigious Harvard Medical School. For nurses interested in building research programs, Dykes recommends finding mentors willing to guide them through the process.


“All of my most worthy accomplishments were cultivated by my mentors. Continue your education so that you have the foundation you need to conduct rigorous research,” she said. “Remember that no matter how much education and experience that you have, you still need to partner with nurses, other providers and patients to ensure that the interventions that you wish to study will fit with the workflow and will be adopted, so that they can ultimately improve patient care.” Home, Community and Ambulatory Care Peter Dennehy, RN, Department of Public Health San Francisco, Health at Home program Dennehy is known by his colleagues for his dedication to patients — many of whom are among the poorest and most medically complex in San Francisco. He visits indigent patients in their homes or shelters and oversees their healthcare. Physicians and other providers at an HIV unit in San Francisco said Dennehy has the special ability to reach seemingly unreachable patients, and often turns their lives around. A colleague who nominated Dennehy wrote of a patient with AIDS, lymphoma, severe mental illness and substance abuse issues who distrusted the medical establishment. Dennehy was able to create an alliance with the patient and ultimately convinced the man to comply with treatment. Dennehy chairs an HIV nursing network, helping to train nurses and patients in HIV care. As a representative of the public health department, he attends monthly meetings with San Francisco HIV providers to keep them apprised of what’s new and relevant in patient care. He helps improve staff morale as a member of the department’s Feel Good committee. Dennehy said when his patients thrive, he thrives. “A lot of the people I see have lost a lot of relationships and support from family because of addiction, mental health [issues] or lifestyle,” he said. “It is our job to make sure these people get access to the same healthcare that [we have] by being nonjudgmental and supportive. These people rely on us to advocate for them. I have very supportive peers, and we work as a team with all disciplines. I feel I am part of something bigger.” Clinical Care Inpatient Melissa Browning, RN, DNP, APRN, CCNS, critical care clinical nurse specialist, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago Browning embraces change to improve patient care. “When people challenge you with the many reasons why something won’t work, give them the many reasons why you think it will work,” she said. “Remind your team that change isn’t easy, but the rewards can be limitless


for not only our patients but for ourselves.” Some of the change initiatives Browning has been involved with include forming a hospital-wide, multidisciplinary hypoglycemia task force and leading the revision of the intensive insulin protocol for the adult critical care department. An advocate who promotes collaboration and communication among all team members, Browning voluntarily took on the role as a “crew resource management facilitator.” When she noticed significant moral distress among staff caring for patients with lengthy stays, she not only conducted interdisciplinary plan of care rounds for patients who stayed longer than 14 days, but went one step further by measuring the intervention for scholarly research. She surveyed the staff in the surgical ICU before and after implementation of plan of care rounds. After the intervention, SICU staff reported finding the work environment was healthier and moral distress had decreased. Browning shared those results, presenting the study to the Greater Chicago Area chapter of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses and the AACN national conference. “I want our team to have every tool possible, so that we can achieve that goal,” she said of her inspiration to provide high quality patient care and to support and empower the nursing staff. Education and Mentorship Elaine L. Smith, RN, EdD, MSN, ANEF, NEA-BC, vice president, system nursing education, Institute for Nursing, North Shore LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, N.Y. Smith said she has known she wanted to be a nurse since age 17. After she achieved that goal, education quickly became her focus. “I really believe that in order to deliver high-quality care, in a safe environment, we need highly educated nurses,” Smith said. “That has really been my impetus for ensuring that I’m able to develop, implement and evaluate programs that help nurses obtain and develop their clinical, personal and critical thinking skill sets.” Smith has held a variety of education and leadership roles throughout the North Shore-LIJ Health System, serving as a resource, colleague and mentor to countless nurses and other clinicians. Among her many accomplishments: starting the system-wide perioperative fellowship program for new hires; establishing a nursing leadership academy to meet the needs of emerging nurse leaders, nurse managers and nurse executives transitioning into new roles; and developing a high-fidelity simulation on-boarding program for RNs, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants. She also works to support nurses on their paths from RN to BSN and encourages nurses to never stop learning. “One of the things I feel strongly about is there is no place in nursing for mediocrity,” Smith said. “Our patients deserve better.”


Patient and Staff Management Michele Zucconi, RN, MSN, CCRN, administrative director, Heart and Vascular Care Center, South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center, Vineland, N.J Zucconi inspires a commitment to excellence that recently led her unit to earn the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ Beacon Award for Excellence for the third consecutive year. Among her many attributes, Zucconi has a reputation for demonstrating an exceptional commitment to improving patient care. She recently served as the co-investigator of an original nursing research study that looked into the effects of canine-assisted ambulation on hospitalized heart failure patients. Patients participating in the study not only showed a significant decrease in their refusal of ambulation, but they also ambulated a distance twice that of patients who walked with an aide alone. They also were discharged a full day sooner than the average heart failure patient at SJ Healthcare. This research has garnered professional recognition locally and nationally, including publication in the peer-reviewed Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. “I am fortunate to be part of a Magnet-designated health system that [prides itself on] exceptional patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. As a leader, the collaboration and support from my colleagues and staff drive me to do what I do. I use the enthusiasm and engagement of my team as the catalyst to continue to make innovative changes in my unit that benefit not only the patients, but the staff as well,” Zucconi said. She stresses that nurses should strive to be bold and engaged leaders. “Listen; really listen to your colleagues, staff and your leadership team. They all have something of value to say,” she said. “Most of all, remember that as healthcare leaders we are about patient advocacy. No challenge is too big and anything is possible when it comes to improving patient care or advocating for nurses at any level.” Volunteerism and Service Jonas Nguh, RN, PhD, MSN, MHSA, past director of nursing at the University of the District of Columbia, Washington, D.C. Nguh said these words from Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, resonate with him: “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.” Nguh takes his purpose to heart and has organized and spearheaded several mission trips in the U.S. and to developing nations. In response to the earthquake in Haiti, he organized a group of 50 nurses to volunteer to care for victims. Nguh often spends his summer vacations in remote area of the U.S., such as Alaska, where he serves indigenous people with limited care access. He oversees faith-based organizations’ trips to East Africa, providing food, clean drinking water and other basic health needs to people suffering from the effects of famine and civil war.


In 2009, Nguh spearheaded an effort to raise more than 1.2 million vaccine doses for children in Kenya, South Africa and Sudan for the prevention of measles, mumps and rubella. Nguh, who has witnessed the disenfranchisement experienced by minority women, and has made it a point to advocate for women. In 2005, he founded Community Leadership Inc, a business that promotes international networking among women. When asked what drives him, Nguh again refers to others’ words of wisdom. “I love the message of Mother Teresa, who said: ‘Some people feel that what they are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. No one can do great things, only small things with great love.’”


South Jersey Health System, Underwood-Memorial Health Systems finalize merger Monday December 3, 2012

South Jersey Health System Inc. and Underwood-Memorial Health Systems Inc. recently announced they signed the final merger agreement that officially will join the two organizations, according to a news release. South Jersey Health System is the parent company of the South Jersey Healthcare organizations, with facilities including SJH Regional Medical Center in Vineland, N.J.; SJH Elmer (N.J.) Hospital; the SJH Bridgeton (N.J.) Health Center; and outpatient sites throughout Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester and Atlantic counties. Underwood-Memorial Health Systems Inc. is the parent company of Underwood-Memorial Hospital in Woodbury, N.J., and its affiliated organizations. "Since signing our definitive merger agreement at the beginning of this year, SJHS and UMHS have focused on how merging our two organizations would improve the health and well-being of our communities," Chet Kaletkowski, SJHS president and CEO, said in the release. "We are very excited about the merger and confident that uniting as one health system will enable us to enhance the quality, accessibility and convenience of healthcare for the families of southern New Jersey." According to the release, SJHS and UMHS began merger discussions in May 2011 to address how the health systems could work together. "We are particularly anxious to begin exploring ways to enhance a number of our clinical service lines, including cardiovascular, oncology, women’s health, surgery and neurosciences," Eileen Cardile, UMHS president and CEO, said in the release. "By learning from the best practices of both SJHS and UMHS, we will develop processes that foster excellence across our new network." As outlined in the agreement, representatives from both the SJHS and UMHS boards of trustees will hold seats on a newly formed system board. The organizations will retain individual boards of trustees that will provide leadership for their hospitals.

Press Release Distribution

1 PR Log December 14, 2012

SJH Auxiliary Donates $50,000 to South Jersey Healthcare The South Jersey Healthcare Auxiliary raised $50,000 in 2012 to help support South Jersey Healthcare, the region’s leading health care provider.

Dec. 14, 2012 - Membership also announces new officers The South Jersey Healthcare Auxiliary raised $50,000 in 2012 to help support South Jersey Healthcare, the region’s leading health care provider. The Auxiliary hosts fundraisers throughout the year to help SJH continue in its mission of providing high-quality health services to patients in southern New Jersey. Lynn Crescenzo, past chairperson for the Auxiliary, said recent donations by the Auxiliary to SJH include; $5,000 to the Deborah F. Sager Memorial Fund for the new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, $5,000 for the new Pediatric Emergency Room at the SJH Regional Medical Center, and $1,000 for the SJH Employee Crisis Fund. “The Auxiliary is a dynamic organization raising awareness and funds for SJH,” said Chet Kaletkowski, President and CEO of South Jersey Healthcare. “It is through the hard work of the Auxiliary, and other donors throughout the community, that SJH can continue to pursue the highest possible clinical and service standards of excellence.” Crescenzo said the organization relies on fundraisers – such as the annual Princess Party, the SJH Auxiliary Annual Calendar Raffle and the Auxiliary Yard Sale – to generate funds for hospital needs. In addition, the Auxiliary announced the appointment of the Board of Directors executive officers for 2013: · Robert Odorizzi, President · Connie Montero, Vice President · Donna Baruffi, Secretary · Stacy Fisher, Treasurer The South Jersey Healthcare (SJH) Auxiliary operates as a division of the SJH Foundation. The purpose of the SJH Auxiliary is to support the activities and goals of the Foundation in promoting the health and welfare of the communities served by South Jersey Healthcare. For more information about the SJH Foundation or Auxiliary, including donation information and volunteer opportunities, please call 856-641-8290 or visit www.sjhfdn.org.



Two American Conference on Diversity Educational Events Help Close the Healthcare Disparities Gap Did you know that NJ has the highest rate of foreign-born immigrants? That nationwide African Americans are 4 times more likely to die from asthma than their white counterparts? That 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty understanding their medications?

Dec. 17, 2012 - New Brunswick, NJ – Did you know that New Jersey has the highest rate of foreign-born immigrants? That nationwide African Americans are four times more likely to die from asthma than their white counterparts? That nine out of 10 adults have difficulty understanding their medications? These and other fascinating facts where revealed at the American Conference on Diversity Health Equity conference in early December, the first of two information-packed learning events funded by Horizon Foundation for New Jersey and aimed at closing the healthcare disparities gap. “We can no longer deny that health inequity is a problem,” said President and CEO Elizabeth Williams-Riley. “That’s why the American Conference on Diversity is now in its fifth year of delivering these cultural-competency conferences for the healthcare sector. But this is just one facet of what we do—we’re working hard on issues of equality and social justice across all industries and for all people.” ► “Improving the Quality & Safety of Care for Diverse Patient Populations,” held December 7, was designed for healthcare professionals and health system administrators. The conference explored the relationship between health literacy and equality and what health professionals need to do to foster more health literate organizations. Thought-provoking presenters included Director of the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health at the NJ Department of Health M. Carolyn Daniels, DHSc; Common Sense Advisory Chief Research Officer and Co-author of Found in Translation Nataly Kelly; Meridian Health Manager of Cultural Diversity C. Darryl Hughes; Meridian Health Language Assistance Program Administrator Kendra Haydel; and Horizon NJ Health Manager of Health Education Nekia Lewis, MPA. The conference also included a panel discussion titled “Reaching Into and Providing Care Inclusive of Diverse Markets,” with Vice President of Research at HRET NJHA Dr. Firoozeh Vali, MLS, MA, Ph.D.; Associate Professor at UMDNJ School of Nursing Frances Munet-Vilaro, Ph.D.; and Director of Adult Outpatient Services, AtlantiCare Behavioral Health – Health Literacy and LGBQT Community – Cydney Savage, LPC. Moderators included Manager of Training, UMDNJ, Cassandra Martin, MHS, and Practice Administrator, Women’s Ambulatory Care Services, Saint Peter’s University Hospital, Anna Trautwein, RNC. ► Healthcare Cultural Competency Train the Trainer Program was held December 13 to a full house of healthcare professionals with the responsibility for staff education. Facilitated by the American Conference on Diversity Director of Professional Development Services Renee Ayers, MPA, and Vice President of Operations & Community Relations Linda Tondow, RN, MSN, the free program helped participants explore issues of diversity within themselves and in relation to the healthcare environment. It also equipped them to improve on the communications skills needed to provide care to a diverse patient population. This annual program is a continuing nursing education activity approved for 6.25 contact hours by the New Jersey State Nurses Association.



Both events were held at the NJHA Conference Center in Princeton, N.J. What attendees said about our conference and training program: “The speakers were excellent and highly informative.” --Dale Ofei-Ayisi, MA, LCSW, Coordinator, COPSA Geriatric Services "Excellent conversation, excellent conference." --Pamela deWilde, RN, Assistant Nurse Manager, South Jersey Healthcare System "Great job! The discussions were really dynamic and I learned many concepts and examples that I can share with my staff." --Victor Gazzara, MSW, LSW, DM, Program Director, Department of Patient and Family Experience, Director, Social Services, Shore Medical Center and American Conference on Diversity Atlantic County chapter board member About the American Conference on Diversity The programs, services, and initiatives of the American Conference on Diversity are among the most important work focused on creating a more inclusive society. It is the unfinished business of living in a highly diverse nation: educating and empowering our next generation of leaders; enhancing our workplaces; and helping to create inclusive communities. The American Conference on Diversity builds on a historic mission and creates programs and activities relevant and vital to 21st Century life. It is a journey we can all take together. The American Conference on Diversity operates eight chapters to help us to educate and empower leaders and bring our messages of inclusion and respect to communities throughout New Jersey: Atlantic County Chapter, Bayonne Chapter, Central Jersey Chapter, Essex County Chapter, Greater Bergen Chapter, Hudson County Chapter, Jersey Shore Chapter, and Mercer County Chapter. Visit www.AmericanConferenceonDiversity.org to learn more. Contact: Gail Zoppo Media Relations Consultant 109 Church Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901 [email protected] 732-745-9330 x35

Outstanding images. Outstanding care.

South Jersey Healthcare provides state-of-the-art imaging and the region’s largest and most experienced group of radiologists.

Scheduling an appointment is now easier than ever.

Simply visit us online at SJHealthcare.net/schedule-appointment to request an appointment that fits your schedule.

n Board-certified, fellowship-trained radiologists specializing in Women’s Imaging, Musculoskeletal, Neuroradiology and more

n Comprehensive imaging services include MRI, CT Scans, General Radiology (X-ray), Ultrasound, DEXA Scan, and Digital Mammography

n Most insurance plans accepted — Aetna, Cigna, Horizon BC/BS and many others

Schedule an Appointment

856-241-2555

SJHealthcare.net/radiology

Rte. 322 & Tomlin Station Road • Mullica Hill

Physician Referral Line

1-800-770-7547www.SJHealthcare.net ®

WelcomeNew Physicians!

South Jersey Healthcare is dedicated to building a medical staff that shares our mission of providingthe highest quality care for our patients. Please join us in welcoming these new physicians to our community.

With a medical staff of more than 500 physicians representing more than 40 specialties, SJH gives you access todoctors in your community that provide a number of services. For a physician referral or more information aboutfinding a doctor, call our toll-free physician referral line at 800-770-7547.

Lori Reaves, DOGeriatrics

Visiting Family Associates of South Jersey(609) 567-9003

Jordan Katz, DPMPodiatry

Advance Foot & Ankle Center(856) 691-1287

Vinit Karur, MDHematology/Oncology

Southern Oncology-Hematology Associates, PA(856) 696-9550

Seth Baruffi, MDEmergency Medicine

South Jersey HealthcareEmergency Services Administration

(856) 641-8000

Liesl Carey, MDInternal Medicine

Cooper Hospitalist Program(856) 641-7790

Wissam Zaeeter, MDInternal Medicine


Melissa Mangold, DOInternal Medicine


Stephen Hess, MDDermatology

Appearance Dermatology, LLC(856) 691-3442

Ugochukwu Ogwudu, MDThoracic Surgery

POSNJ – General Surgery(856) 507-0600

Edward Gray, DOCritical Care

South Jersey Healthcare(856) 641-7512

Ask theDoctor

Menopause

Patricia J. Thomas, D.O.Specializing in Family Medicine

Physicians of Southern New Jersey798 Centerton Road • Pittsgrove, NJ(856) 358-6161410 N. Broadway, Suite 1 • Pitman, NJ(856) 589-3708

www.SJHealthcare.net/pos-nj

What is menopause?Menopause is defined as permanentcessation of menstrual periods and an end to fertility. Menopause has occurred when a women has hadamenorrhea (no periods) for 12months. The average age that women experience menopause is 50 years old.

What are the symptoms of menopause?As menopause begins (perimenopause),which typically begins about 4 yearsbefore a woman’s last period, she may experience any or all of the following symptoms:

• Irregular periods

• Hormone fluctuations –often accompanied by the classicsymptoms of “hot flashes”

• Mood and sleep disturbances

• Vaginal dryness

How does menopause affect my health?Menopause also results in the cessation of estrogen release from theovaries causing estrogen deficiency.Some of the long-tem effects of estrogen deficiency on overall health include bone loss resulting in osteoporosis and increase in cardiovascular disease.

Providing quality medical care for you and your family.

If you’re facing cancer, hope comes fromknowing you have access to the latest technologies andtreatment options. That’s why South Jersey Healthcare nowoffers even more advanced radiation therapy options right herein your community.

Our new Varian Trilogy system incorporates new image-guidance technology, for ultra precise tumor targeting. And itshortens treatment times and makes patients more comfortable.So you can rest assured that the highly skilled cancer team at theSJH Frank and Edith Scarpa Regional Cancer Pavilion inVineland offers comprehensive cancer diagnosis, treatment andsupport for one reason – to help you fight and beat cancer.

You don’t have to travel to get first class cancer treatment inSouth Jersey… there’s a new generation of cancer care righthere at South Jersey Healthcare.

www.SJHealthcare.net • 856-641-8670

A New Generation of Cancer Carein South Jersey

SJH Elmer RehabCareA New Location with the Expert Care You’ve Come to Expect

Nearly everyone knows someone whohas used rehabilitation services at some

point in their lives. Whether it’s recoveringfrom a back or neck injury or getting back upto speed after joint replacement surgery,rehabilitation therapists help millions ofpeople every year by evaluating, andtreating musculoskeletal issues.

The experienced members of the SouthJersey Healthcare RehabCare team share acommon goal and that’s to help peopleattain their highest level of functioningpossible. With our expert team of physical,occupational and speech therapists,audiologists and therapist assistants, wecan help you achieve your personal goalsand reach your maximum potential.

We’re pleased to announce the opening of anew facility in your neighborhood: SJH ElmerRehabCare, located at 445 West Front Street inElmer. Our new center is conveniently locatednext to SJH Elmer Hospital and the SJH ElmerSleepCare center.

With new state-of-the-art equipment and accessible parking, SJH Elmer RehabCareoffers quality care in a comfortable andmodern environment. We are excited toserve you in our brand new center and areconfident that along with our threeexisting rehabilitation facilities, we willcontinue to provide you with the expertcare you have come to expect from SJHRehabCare.

SJH Elmer RehabCareProviding Professional Rehabilitation Care

Expert rehabilitation services include:• Physical Therapy• Occupational Therapy• Speech Therapy

Treating pain and discomfort from:• Back, Neck & Shoulder Strain• Foot, Ankle & Hand Injuries• Dizziness & Balance Issues

www.SJHealthcare.net

SJH Bridgeton Health Center

856-575-4585SJH Vineland Health Center

856-507-8585SJH Sports RehabCare

(Vineland)

856-641-7875

SJH Sports RehabCare(Mullica Hill)

856-241-2533

SJH Elmer RehabCare 856-521-0175

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There are some events that truly stand out as

defining moments. And our health system

recently celebrated one of these, as the merger

between South Jersey Healthcare and

Underwood-Memorial Hospital was made

official in November. I am personally very proud

of this achievement, but it has even greater

significance for our communities and residents

across our region.

With the creation of this newly merged

system, we now have the ability to provide

health services to residents across the entire

southern portion of the state. What’s exciting

is that this partnership between two great

organizations gives us the opportunity to share

our strengths and bring even higher quality

care to all of our neighbors.

You may be wondering how this news will affect

you and your family. One benefit you will feel

quickly is the expanded number of providers

and services you will be able to access within

our merged system. Together, we have formed

one of the region’s largest health care systems

with more than 700 beds, 5,000 employees and

1,000 physicians.

As a system, we offer more than 60 access points

to health care services in Gloucester, Salem, and

Cumberland Counties. And this will continue to

grow as we collaborate to expand our system and

bring our quality health services to even more

convenient locations in your neighborhoods.

As you can see, this merger is a growth strategy

for both of our organizations and we have

already started to identify areas where we can

expand and enhance health care throughout our

region. The leadership at both South Jersey

Healthcare and Underwood-Memorial Hospital

has been focused on how we can not only

improve the health and well-being of our

communities but also operate more efficiently.

However, I must reassure you that while I

believe this merger will create a more efficient

health care system, we will not accomplish this

with layoffs or closures. Staff reductions are

not a part of our plan and all of our hospitals

and health centers, SJH Regional Medical

Center, SJH Elmer Hospital, Underwood-

Memorial Hospital and the SJH Bridgeton

Health Center, will continue to provide care in

their communities.

Growth is certainly important for our future,

but it’s also essential that we continually

enhance the quality of the care we provide. We

are particularly anxious to begin exploring ways

to enhance a number of our clinical service lines

including cardiovascular, cancer, women’s

health, surgery, gastroenterology and

neurosciences. Both of our organizations have

individual strengths in many of these areas that

we can now share and expand across our region.

The merger will also strengthen our organizations

by combining our efforts around clinical quality

and safety, financial performance and staff

development. And as a larger organization, we are

building stronger relationships with federal, state

and local governmental agencies and officials,

which is extremely important in this era of health

care reform. This ultimately will allow us to

advocate for our region around public funding

initiatives and policy dialogues that affect the

delivery of health care in our local communities.

With the merger complete, our teams are excited

to begin working together to share best practices

at both UMH and SJH and develop processes

that foster excellence across our new network.

Individually, we have both served our

communities well. We believe that together we

can reach new levels of quality and service—our

communities deserve nothing less.

For more information, please visit our web site

at www.SJHealthcare.net.

Merger ushers in a new era ofhealth care in our regionBy Chet Kaletkowski, SJH President and CEO

®

www.SJHealthcare.net

Bringing family-centered advanced care to the families of South Jersey

When your child is sick, you expect the best care possible – but you also want the comforting feeling of knowing what’s going on and what to expect next. Working together, specialists from Nemours and South Jersey Healthcare give you access to expert pediatric care here at your community hospital. The renowned specialists from Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, one of the nation’s best, provide advanced inpatient and emergency care, heart care and neonatal intensive care. With a commitment to guiding your family every step of the way. We’re close when it matters most – so you can stay close to your child. Your child. Our promise.

Find the services nearest you at Nemours.org. To schedule an appointment with a Nemours specialist, call (800) 416-4441.

“South Jersey Healthcare and the Nemours physicians really comforted me through this difficult time.”

-Mother of a premature infant

Ranked in 9 out of 10 specialties by U.S. News & World Report: Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology and Urology

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Other services: Imaging, Physical Therapy, Primary Care Physicians and Orthopedic Physicians

®

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