FALL 2017
DUE TO SOUGHT-AFTER SPECIALISTS AND GROUNDBREAKING CARE, GAGNON CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE IS NOW BURSTING AT ITS SEAMS PG 4 also inside: An ‘A-Mazing’ Fundraiser | A Parting Gift to Nurses | Recognition for Myra
SPOTLIGHT ON ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT SERVICE In Morris County, statistics show that 56 percent of adults binge drink and the rate of heroin deaths is twice the national average. Emergency room visits for drug-related mishaps have increased exponentially in the last few years. Even worse, substance abusers often suffer with a host of other chronic medical problems. Morristown Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry has created a new Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Service, aimed at tackling this issue head on. Establishing new methodologies to screen patients that will improve the detection of substance abuse, assessing patients to determine the extent and severity of their problem, treating withdrawal, and offering psychotherapy and care coordination upon discharge are all part of the service’s multidisciplinary approach. The service will provide consultation to all medical and surgical floors, the Sameth Emergency Department and Goryeb Children’s Hospital for children ages 12 and up. To find out more or offer your support, contact Susan Johns, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2413 or susan.johns@atlantichealth.org.
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Q&A with Tom Zaubler, MD, MPH Dr. Zaubler, chair of psychiatry and behavioral health, offers practical advice for those struggling with psychiatric issues and those helping a family member or friend come to terms with their illness.
Q: Have there been inroads made recently in de-stigmatizing mental illness? A: T he best way to destigmatize mental illness is to provide education about the many different
goes awry. The majority of college students
Q: Statistics show that 40 percent of people
feel overwhelmed, and those predisposed to
suffering from psychiatric illness do not
mental illness – with all of these other factors
receive any help. What needs to change to
at play – can potentially become depressed
improve this statistic?
or manic.
types of mental illnesses that exist and their
A: O ne critical solution is to integrate psychiQ: W hat steps can be taken when a friend
atric care into the primary care setting.
such as the National Alliance on Mental
or family member is struggling with
Primary care providers are the de facto
Illness, the American Psychiatric Association
mental illness?
mental health providers in the United States.
treatment options. Advocacy organizations,
and American Psychological Association, all work closely with the media to highlight facts
They provide the majority of all antidepresA: I t is critical to create an environment where
sant prescriptions. However, in primary care
about mental illness, its high prevalence,
your loved one doesn’t feel criticized. Raising
settings, mental illness is missed half the
and effective treatments. The organizations
concerns in a non-judgmental manner and
time and only a small percentage of those
have done a good job highlighting that many
discussing – not debating – these concerns
who are diagnosed actually get better.
people live full and productive lives when their
is key.
condition is treated correctly, which has gone
The good news is that answers to these
far in changing misperceptions about the
There are some instances, however, where
problems are now available. There are new
mentally ill.
mental illness robs people of judgment and
collaborative care models that screen for and
insight. If your friend or family member is at
treat mental illness in primary care settings.
Q: Mental Health experts say that the
risk of harm to self or others, then contacting
Incorporating care managers with specific
college years are the most vulnerable
Emergency Medical Services or the police
mental health training as well as having a
for the onset of depression and mania.
may be necessary. Sometimes individuals
psychiatrist on board to provide caseload
Why?
may need to be committed for psychiatric
supervision is one solution.
treatment against their will, which is deterA: L ate adolescence is often a time of transition. It is a time of affiliating with new peer
mined through an evaluation in a psychiatric
Morristown Medical Center has recently
emergency service setting.
incorporated this model in two adult primary
groups and sometimes exploring alcohol and
care practices and one pediatric primary care
recreational drug use. It’s also a time when
practice. Our expectation is to roll it out to
the brain is maturing biologically, which can
many more practices in the community.
put individuals at risk when that process f4mmc.org | Viewpoint
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GAGNON’S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH AND FAR-REACHING FUTURE
Cardiology and heart surgery have been nationally ranked* for years, and the Cardiac Surgery and Cardiac Rhythm Management programs are the largest in New Jersey, performing just over 1,600 and 2,000 procedures, respectively, each year. An endowed chair named for Dr. Parr and held by John M. Brown III, MD, Chief Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, “differentiates us from other cardiac hospitals in the state and affords us national recognition,” Dr. Linda Gillam says Linda Gillam, MD, MPH, Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair of Cardiovascular Medicine. “It has enabled us to expand services, attract top-flight physicians, and advance research.” It is also why Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute’s five-story 200,000 sq. ft. building now faces severe space limitations – operating at 99 percent occupancy nearly every day. Add an aging population and a rise in chronic disease and the need for expansion is imperative. “Virtually all aspects of our program have been so successful that we have patients in the Sameth Emergency Department waiting *U.S. News & World Report
4 Focus On | f4mmc.org
An exterior rendering of the two-floor expansion and a typical nurse charting area
Greg Benson
The two coronary bypasses he performed on November 8, 1988, launched a cardiovascular program now known far beyond New Jersey. And his successors are part of an astounding group of physicians and surgeons changing cardiovascular care as we know it.
Francis Cauffman
Dr. Grant V. S. Parr already had 3,000 open heart surgeries under his belt when he arrived in Morristown almost 30 years ago with his entire team in tow. His first two operations here, you might think, would be much like the others. But they weren’t.
for beds and also waiting for outpatient procedures,” says Dr. Gillam. “We have outstripped our capacity for advanced imaging specifically for cardiac MRI at the same time that non-cardiac MRI applications have grown.” The solution? Adding two new floors to the existing building. Without them, the facility will only be able to handle at best about 10 percent of the projected new patient volume. With an additional 55,400 sq. ft. of space – 72 private patient rooms – all cardiac patients will once again be under the same roof, improving safety, efficiency and workflow. Gagnon will also purchase another MRI to be exclusively used for cardiac patients. “Our vision of becoming not only a regional but a national and an international destination is very achievable, and this expansion will allow us to continue to attract the best luminaries, pilot studies, clinical trials and groundbreaking research applications available in cardiovascular care,” says Dr. Gillam. Gagnon’s Structural Heart Program is already a national leader in valve procedures, one of a handful of centers with a full range of device alternatives to surgery for valve disease. Philippe Genereux, MD, a world-renowned interventional cardiologist and co-director of Structural Heart, is the principal investigator for “what will almost certainly be one of the most
important trials in valvular heart disease of this decade,” says Dr. Gillam. Dr. Genereux is introducing early transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with heart disease. In other words, performing TAVR before symptoms occur with the contention that, if a patient has heart disease, why wait? Other groundbreaking research by Seth Uretsky, MD, medical director of cardiovascular imaging, is looking at the advantage of patients having an MRI scan over an echocardiogram for valve disease. The latter is the current imaging test of choice but may have limitations. Additionally, the recruitment of Stephen Horgan, MD, now allows Gagnon to offer highly advanced cardiac PET imaging, including PET myocardial perfusion and FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) metabolic imaging. This imaging modality tests blood flow to the heart, uncovers
Greg Benson
device infections and also detects rare diseases, such as cardiac sarcoidosis. Moreover, the Thomas E. Reilly Heart Success Program has completed a pilot study with Verizon in the use of remote-monitoring technology for heart failure patients. It is now looking to extend its findings for all heart patients. The Heart Success program maintains a 7 percent 30-day readmission rate, well below the national average of 25 percent. Gagnon also broke new ground when Timothy Mahoney, MD, as part of an international trial, implanted one of the world’s smallest pacemakers – the Medtronic Micra Transcatheter Pacing System – in a patient with a history of atrial fibrillation. Smaller than a vitamin pill, the pacemaker is less invasive than others yet delivers the same benefits.
The Chanin T. Mast Center for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy led by Martin Maron, MD, a world-renowned expert in HCM, is yet another one-of-a-kind program in New Jersey. Dr. Maron offers the latest in diagnostics and, even
“As you can see, we have so much to be proud of here, and the patient experience is bar none the best,” says Dr. Gillam. “While our vision may seem like a reach – to become a national and international destination – I see it as easily achievable within the next five to 10 years.”
Greg Benson
more important, one-on-one care to patients suffering with HCM, a condition that manifests itself differently in every case and is the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in children, teens and young adults.
A typical patient room
To learn more, please contact Lee Williamson at the Foundation at 973-5932429 or lee.williamson@atlantichealth.org.
The architectural plan for each new floor Buckl Architects
More innovative work is taking place with Drs. Stephen Winters, Michael Katz and Darius Adams, who are using genomic testing to advance the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Dr. Winters brought the highly specialized field of electrophysiology to Morristown 25 years ago and continues to elevate patient care through programs like this new Comprehensive Inherited Arrhythmia Clinic, which is the largest of its kind in the state.
f4mmc.org | Focus On
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KATI E NOLLE AN D M EGAN CAS S I E SCH U B IG E R
Despite it being the coldest May in more than a decade and the rainiest in almost two, co-chairs Katie Nolle and Megan Cassie Schubiger welcomed 24,000 visitors to Alnwick Hall, aka The Abbey, for the Women’s Association’s 18th Designer Show House and Gardens Tour. Granted, some days they wore scarves and hats or, in Megan’s case, her husband’s oversized cashmere sweater.
Gwynn Wade
“ This was the best thing I’ve done since giving birth.” — Katie Nolle
Open for tours May 1 through 31, the mansion drew steady crowds and topped $1.5 million in profits. The funds will go toward a new Center for Nursing Innovation and Research at the hospital, a place where nurses can hone skills and share knowledge. “I told someone the other day this was the best thing I’ve done since giving birth,” says Mrs. Nolle. “They said, ‘What about getting married?’ I told them, well I was married when I gave birth so this is the best thing since then!” “It was just so rewarding to raise the money for the nurses,” she says. “And to see the house go from zero to 100,” adds Mrs. Schubiger, “to witness that transformation was pretty incredible.” The two who barely knew each other at the beginning of preparations in the spring of 2016 now banter like old friends.
Katie Nolle and Megan Cassie Schubiger
“Katie’s very knowledgeable,” says Mrs. Schubiger when asked what the first word was that came to mind about her co-chair.
and the 68 committee chairs, “who got the job done without us micro-managing them,” says Mrs. Nolle. “It’s truly the main reason for our success.”
“That’s better than what I thought she was going to say,” says Mrs. Nolle. “I enjoy her energy,” says Mrs. Nolle. “I knew I could trust her completely. It just felt right.” When asked to co-chair the event, Mrs. Schubiger knew exactly what she was getting into. Her mother, Gail Cassie, co-chaired the 1986 mansion fundraiser – Evergreens – when Megan was 17 years old. “She’s a mansion brat,” says Mrs. Nolle. “My first reaction was, no I am not worthy, that’s my mom,” says Mrs. Schubiger. After much thought, she said yes and quickly fell into a comfortable working rhythm with Mrs. Nolle. Their motto – ‘it takes a village’ – resonated deeply with the 30 committees they oversaw
6 Portrait | f4mmc.org
One of the committee chairs recently told Mrs. Nolle, “Thank you for letting us do our job.” “Everyone dove in and had fun,” says Mrs. Schubiger. “They wanted to put their best foot forward. If tension rose up, it was only because they each wanted to do a superb job and have this mansion be the greatest success it could be.” The highlight of the entire undertaking? “We loved the Gala. Katie and I felt like we were Cinderella at the ball. We were so proud of what everyone had done, and we rode that high until the very end.” “If you look at us the night of the Gala, our smiles are just as big as our smiles on the last day of the event,” says Mrs. Nolle. “That’s a testimony to our friendship, our trust in each other and our joy in doing this project.”
Sal Benedetto
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Ribbon-cutting (l-r): the Foundation’s Jim Quinn, Chief Nursing Officer Carol Jones, Landscape Designer Co-Chair Corinne Nallet, Designer Co-Chair Kathleen Sheeleigh, General Co-Chair Megan Schubiger, Designer Co-Chair Sue Kieran, Morris Township Mayor Bruce Sisler, First Lady of Morristown Mary Dougherty, Morris Township Administrator Tim Quinn, General Co-Chair Katie Nolle, Landscape Co-Chair Jeanne Finn, Diana Rattazzi of Benjamin Moore Paints, Designer Co-Chair Louetta Shioleno, WAMMC President Mary Courtemanche.
Gwynne Wade
Trio: Gala chair June Meehan with daughter Courtney and husband Daniel
RETURNED TO GLORY
Gwynne Wade
Those who drive past The Abbey every day were braking to take a second look this past May. Utterly transformed by Women’s Association (WAMMC) volunteers and a cadre of talented interior and landscape designers, Alnwick Hall didn’t disappoint. Those itching to tour this year’s Mansion in May Designer Showhouse and Gardens got a sneak peek during the April 22 gala, during which Morristown Medical Center President Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN, led the crowd in a toast to the hospital’s quasquicentennial.
A NURSE’S PERSPECTIVE
Cafe Committee (l-r): Karen Smith, Karen Gold, Sandy Kirby, Kathy Baker, Mary Courtemanche, Pat O’Connor, Julie Skinner
Toast (l-r): Katie Nolle, Trish O’Keefe and Megan Schubiger
Sal Benedetto
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At a May 16 breakfast at Spring Brook Country Club, donors gained special insight into nursing through the experiences of Karen FlahertyOxler, a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy who is now the senior vice president, chief nurse and patient experience executive at Atlantic Health System. During her 38 years in the military, Ms. Flaherty-Oxler served as deputy surgeon general of Navy Medicine and deputy chief of Wounded, Ill and Injured at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, as well as director of the Nurse Corps. Early in her career, she was a staff nurse in surgery, orthopedics, maximum care and obstetrics and gynecology.
Happenings | f4mmc.org
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an international FIRST
Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute has been a nationally recognized leader in cardiology and cardiovascular surgery for years, but now it has another distinction – first in the world to randomize a patient into the EARLY TAVR trial. This trial evaluates transcatheter aortic valve replacement for patients who have severe aortic stenosis but no symptoms. Currently, these patients are monitored until symptoms develop and then they are treated. “There may be a price to pay for waiting to treat,” says Philippe Genereux, MD, an interventional cardiologist and co-director of the Structural Heart Program at Gagnon. “The goal of early intervention with valve replacement is to preserve the heart’s function, prevent further heart deterioration and, in some cases, prevent death.”
8 News | f4mmc.org
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The Valve Center team surrounds (front and center) Jerome Bongiovanni, the world’s first patient to be randomized into the EARLY TAVR trial, and Dr. Philippe Genereux, the trial’s lead investigator.
Dr. Genereux, whose Structural Heart Program work is supported by a gift from Neil and Lois Gagnon, is the principal investigator of the trial, which he calls “an incredibly important one for the more than 2.5 million people who suffer from aortic stenosis.” The trial is sponsored by Edwards Lifesciences.
HOME ADVANTAGE When it comes to giving generously, NBP Management LLC doesn’t need to be asked twice. “We were contacted by the Foundation, and they simply asked if we could help out with an upcoming fundraiser,” says Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Vince Marano.
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Shortly thereafter, not one but two sizable gifts arrived at the Foundation’s doorstep – $25,000 for the Chambers Center for Well Being and $30,000 for Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute. NBP is the management arm of Lawrence Zirinsky Associates that owns many of the buildings that Atlantic Health System calls home, including 475, 465 and 435 South Street. They provide full property management and – with these two gifts – much more than that.
SMILES GALORE Some people are born with beautiful smiles and some are fortunate enough to get a little help along the way from organizations like the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation. It has given many children, adults and seniors a reason to grin from ear to ear by funneling almost $1 million to The Leonard Szerlip Dental Center at Morristown Medical Center since 2001, including another $105,000 this year. Three of the center’s programs received $35,000 each: Healthy Children, which annually treats more than 300 children whose families are uninsured and underinsured; Senior Smiles, which brings free dental services to the elderly; and Developmental Disabilities, which provides dental procedures to approximately 550 developmentally disabled patients every year. “This ongoing support affords me opportunities to deliver services that are not usually covered by other programs and for people who have no other options,” says Elizabeth A. Clemente, DDS, chair of the Department of Dentistry and the Szerlip Center. Pictured (l-r) Dr. Elizabeth Clemente, Delta Dental CEO and President Dennis Wilson, Morristown Medical Center President Trish O’Keefe
ASCO’s BIG HEART It was decided in less than a heartbeat where the recent $50,000 unrestricted gift from the Automatic Switch Company (ASCO) could best be used – the burgeoning 6-year-old Women’s Heart Program that provides care to women from early adulthood through their senior years. ASCO, a loyal donor since 1985, has contributed more than $1.4 million to a variety of hospital programs and departments. This recent gift will help to finish a resource room where women can access pertinent heart health care information through written materials, iPads and downloadable apps found on an iTable, a coffee table-sized iPad. “We are an advocate for women who need care but frequently don’t utilize it,” says program director Claire Boccia Liang, MD. “Many women are candidates for cardiac rehabilitation aftercare treatment and advanced therapies, such as the cardiac defibrillator, and just don’t know it.” Funding will support research studies on coronary disease and on the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular complications during pregnancy.
CENTER STAGE The Vemuri sisters are typical teenage girls who play the piano and hang out with friends. But scratch deeper and you’ll find that Iyanah, 16, and Isha,13, have strong cultural roots and a passion for helping others. The Gill St. Bernard’s School students are members of the Kids4Kids Committee – the Foundation’s Youth Philanthropy Group – and they used their debut Bharatanatyam Arangetram dance as a fundraising opportunity for Goryeb Children’s Hospital. The Indian classical dance performance raised $7,000 toward vibroacoustic therapy for pediatric patients and other needs at Goryeb. “It demanded sacrifice, energy and pain, but I would do it again for the joy of standing on stage with my sister, my best friend in the world,” says Iyanah. Pictured above (l-r) Iyanah and Isha Vemuri
WITH APPRECIATION We’d like to recognize Dr. Jay Geller and Mrs. Shari Bunks Geller for contributing $100,000 during the course of Campaign 3SIXTY. Thank you for your generosity!
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Don Watts, The Corn Maze Guy
SLIPPERY WHEN WET Now a college junior who runs races with his dad, Austin Story doesn’t look or act like a young man who suffered a severe traumatic brain injury seven years ago while hiking by a waterfall. That’s when he slipped – went careening down the falls – and landed on a ledge below. The Story family gave gifts to both pediatrics and the Sameth Emergency Department, thankful to the medical team, led by Catherine Mazzola, MD, director of Pediatric Neurological Surgery, for saving Austin’s life with emergency surgery. “Dr. Mazzola was confident but cautious in her diagnosis, and she helped to calm us when we needed it most,” says Austin’s dad, Shane Story. Pictured above: Austin Story
simply GENEROUS Farm life is more than raising cattle and harvesting corn for the folks
HOLD THAT NOTE Recent Drew University graduate Brianna Donofrio pulled out all the stops playing the piano and showcasing her stellar management skills as she effortlessly planned, produced and performed in Songs for Smiles, a benefit concert combining musical ensembles on Drew’s campus this past spring. Raising $1,437 for the Valerie Fund Children’s Center at Goryeb Children’s Hospital, the concert was part of the neuroscience major’s Senior Civic Scholar project. Playing the piano since age 5, the 22-yearold Morris County resident also spent time volunteering for the hospital’s Music Ambassador Program, which is where her idea for the concert took hold. “I wanted to do something to help these brave children with cancer,” she says. Pictured above: Brianna Donofrio
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at Ort Farms in Long Valley who never stop finding creative ways to help others while using their farm and its bounty as the backdrop. This year they fashioned their annual corn maze to read Goryeb Children’s Hospital, complete with dancing child logo, and will be donating a portion of the proceeds to Goryeb. They also hosted a Farm to Table Supper in July at Black Oak Country Club in Long Valley for Goryeb’s benefit. And they welcomed the Just Jersey Food Truck Festival to the farm in September, with a portion of the proceeds going to the children’s hospital. Nicole Ort, manager of Ort Farms, thought up all of the fundraisers after bringing her 4-month-old daughter, Addison, to Goryeb in June 2016 for acid reflux. “I always knew critically ill children received assistance from Goryeb, but I didn’t realize how many resources they offer and how many people are touched,” she says.
WORRY-FREE PARENTING STARTS HERE New parents have enough to juggle simply meeting their newborn’s basic needs, never mind fretting over life-threatening conditions such as sepsis – an infection that kills close to 5,000 children in the United States every year. Thanks to a grant from R Baby Foundation, Goryeb Children’s Hospital was able to sponsor its first Pediatric Sepsis Week this past spring. The week-long awareness campaign included lectures, parent talks, educational booths and more. Parents, patients, nurses, residents, fellows and others made up the audience of attendees who learned the signs, symptoms and management of this more-oftenthan-not deadly infection. “Sepsis is a medical emergency that can affect any child,” says Bernardita Gamallo, MD, pediatric intensivist at Goryeb. “Management is time-sensitive and, if done appropriately, can save many lives.” Goryeb’s goal is to create an effective sepsis response system across the entire Atlantic Health System. The hospital has joined forces with Improving Pediatric Sepsis Outcomes collaborative, an initiative of the Children’s Hospital Association that aims to reduce hospital-onset sepsis and mortality by 75 percent.
TRUST IN GREATNESS
REMEMBERING ROBBIE Robbie Zimmerer’s avid love of golf and unshakable optimism when facing colon cancer were two of the ways this remarkable 27-year-old was remembered at The Second Annual Memorial Golf Outing held in his honor at the Black Bear Golf Club in Franklin this past July. Hosted by the Friends of Robbie Foundation, the event raised more than $20,000 with $5,000 donated to the Foundation for Morristown Medical Center’s Friends of Robbie Patient Support Fund for Young Adults with Cancer. The Robbie Foundation had donated another $5,000 earlier this year to start the fund, which helps families who are caring for loved ones with cancer by providing money for expenses. Pictured above: The late Robbie Zimmerer
Donating $1 million to the Nursing Program over the course of his lifetime didn’t fully express all of the gratitude the late C. Austin Buck had for our nurses, who he referred to as ‘his angels.’ So before his passing in 2016, he went one step further. He arranged a $100,000 testamentary trust in his estate, earmarked for the Nursing Certification Program. “Dad saw the nurses as the backbone of great care and the certification program as an important step forward in their careers,” says son Lee Buck. “The nurses were the light that illuminated an otherwise difficult time while he was a patient here.” Testamentary trusts such as this one are contained in a last will and testament. They provide for the distribution of all or part of an estate and are often derived from a life insurance policy held on the person establishing the trust. For more information on trusts and other legacy gifts, contact Cynthia W. O’Donnell, JD, director of gift planning, at 973-593-2418 or cynthia.odonnell@ atlantichealth.org.
ONE DECADE WISE Daniel Krasnopolsky had a bucket list item he wanted to accomplish before he hit “double-digits.” Three days before his August 1 birthday, he made it happen. Donating fifty dollars he had earned from snow shoveling and pet sitting to Goryeb Children’s Hospital, the proud 10-year-old says, “It was basically a present to myself.” His grandfather, Greg Krasnopolsky, matched the gift and Daniel was given three choices of where the funds could be used. He liked them all so it was split among Child Life, Pet Therapy and Music Therapy. “It feels better to give than to take,” says the Massachusetts resident who spends summers in East Hanover with his grandfather. Pictured above: Daniel Krasnopolsky and his grandfather Greg
f4mmc.org | News The late C. Austin Buck and his wife Marguerite
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SERVED WITH LOVE No matter how you slice it, food service employee Athena Formichella can’t stop catering to patients at Goryeb Children’s Hospital. Her cash donation last year for pediatrics was one of many heartfelt gestures she has made over her 10 years with the hospital. Mrs. Formichella purchased a food tray warmer for weekly taco nights, and she regularly buys cupcakes, cakes and cookies for holidays and birthdays. She even insists on purchasing only what she considers the very best: “I buy everything from Sorrento’s Bakery in East Hanover.” “I know the Child Life Program has a limited amount of funding for these kind of extra things,” she says. “I give what I can to the children.” Pictured above: Athena Formichella flanked by Child Life specialists Kristin Holtzman and Jamie Gecz
THE RIGHT ANSWER Steve Kinsey remembers one family vacation that he wishes he could forget. His son, Aidan, was sick, and multiple trips to the doctor turned up more questions than answers. Fed up with the confusion, Mr. Kinsey grabbed his son and drove from the Jersey Shore to Goryeb Children’s Hospital, a place he trusted and the reason for the family’s gift to the Annual Fund in 2017. The Kinseys had prior experience with Goryeb when their daughter, Amina, 13 months old at the time, was rushed to Gagnon Children’s Emergency Center with a concussion. “They were incredibly professional and knowledgeable,” says Mr. Kinsey. Once again, upon arriving at Goryeb, the Kinseys found the answer they needed. Aidan was diagnosed with Lyme’s Meningitis. “The care we received was second to none,” says Mr. Kinsey. “And every single staff member we encountered was outstanding.” “Even something as simple as a nurse saying, ‘I remember you’ was incredibly meaningful,” he adds. “She recognized us from our visit four years ago.” Pictured above (l-r) Aidan Kinsey, Sama Habibi and Amina and Steve Kinsey
The joy of attending his granddaughter’s recital quickly dissipated when Robert Schreibman fell over a curb in the rain, twisting his leg. What happened next though renewed the 81-year-old rabbi’s faith in good people and prompted his generous gift to the hospital. “I was so impressed with the kindness of everyone at the hospital from the Emergency Department to the pharmacy,” says Rabbi Schreibman, whose gift was earmarked in honor of his daughter-in-law Katie Jones, MD; his physician Patricio Grob, DO; and the entire orthopedics staff.
IM HEALING GWP, Inc.
FAIR SKIES AHEAD
What do massage, healing touch and Jin Shin Jyutsu all have in common? Besides being integrative medicine (IM) modalities, they’re an unexpected pleasure for many patients at the Carol G. Simon Cancer Center and so popular another $100,000 in funding is needed to expand their services.
The new funds will go toward broadening the scope of the Inpatient Integrative Medicine Program to include acupuncture, which research shows relieves pain, nausea and stress.
“I’m now as Humpty Dumpty, all put back together,” he adds. “My wife says I’m as good as before or even a little bit better.”
“Cancer patients more often than not say IM has made a world of difference in their recovery process,” says Jean Marie Rosone, LCSW, coordinator of integrative oncology.
Pictured above: Patti and Bob Schreibman
If you’d like to support IM, please contact Lisa Duff, major gifts officer, at 973-593-2405 or lisa.duff@atlantichealth.org.
12 News | f4mmc.org
Pictured (l-r) Practitioners Miriam Roso and Jean Marie Rosone soothe a patient with Healing Touch
A SELECTION OF ANNUAL FUNDING PRIORITIES GERIATRIC MEDICINE Geriatric Medicine Center for Excellence Fund | $75,000 With the senior population in Morris County expected to increase by 20,000 people over the next eight years, Morristown Medical Center has dramatically increased its geriatric medicine offerings, providing some of the finest care for older adults in our community. Its efforts have not gone unnoticed. The hospital achieved NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) “Exemplary” status and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a top hospital for geriatrics. Visits to our Geriatric Assessment Center have increased every year since its opening in 2013, reaching 2,581 last year. Funding is needed to make strategic investments in continued education, training and new programs that will further our excellence.
HOMECARE AND HOSPICE In-home Aide Support Fund | $40,000 Our home health aides provide temporary relief for caregivers so they can “recharge their batteries.” Medicare will pay for five consecutive days of respite care if it is provided in a skilled nursing facility. This fund will allow us to help those families who cannot move their loved one or afford to pay for in-home aide support.
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE General Inpatient Services | $150,000 Patients in most areas of Morristown Medical Center are able to receive complimentary healing and energy therapies at their bedside including Jin Shin Jyutsu, Massage, Relaxation Techniques, Guided Imagery and Reflexology. Our integrative medicine inpatient program is the largest in the country and highly valued by the patients and our nursing staff. The program is funded entirely through philanthropy and has demonstrated that patients who receive a treatment have a reduction of 50 percent or more in their anxiety, pain and nausea.
PEDIATRICS Child Life Specialist | $207,000 (over 3 years) A child life specialist engages children in age-appropriate supportive activities to minimize stress and help them and their families with their health care experience. These child development professionals promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. This new position will provide support in the hospital as well as help identify families who need to stay overnight in the hospital’s new off-site apartments.
Neonatal Palliative Care Symposium | $10,000 This symposium will prepare nurses and other neonatal health care professionals to care for infants with complex, life-limiting illnesses. They will learn how to honor each infant’s time on earth while providing relief of physical pain and suffering and supporting families with empathy and culturally sensitive respect.
PROJECT INDEPENDENCE Relief Fund | $250,000 The late William E. Simon started Project Independence 28 years ago to help patients at Morristown Medical Center who fall behind in their bills because of extended periods of illness. Hospital caregivers identify financially burdened patients and a Project Independence committee reviews the facts and decides if a patient is eligible to receive a one-time grant of up to $5,500 to help offset their debts. Since its inception, Project Independence has helped nearly 2,000 community members.
WOMEN’S HEALTH Women’s Health Clinic | $115,000 The Women’s Health Clinic is a full-service charity care program of Morristown Medical Center that offers OB/GYN medical services for socioeconomically disadvantaged women. The Women’s Clinic was founded in the 1960s and today provides more than 15,000 medical visits and delivers over 550 babies annually. The majority of patients are Hispanic or Latina women who experience poverty, poor nutrition, sub-standard housing, and limited access to health services – all of which impact their health. Many of our patients do not have insurance, a family doctor or obtain regular physical examinations and present to us only when experiencing an OB/GYN difficulty or at various stages of pregnancy. The Women’s Health Clinic serves as their medical home by providing culturally sensitive, high quality health care at no cost. Maternal Fetal Medicine Equipment | $57,500 Five (5) Trophon®® EPR and one (1) Trophon®® Printer. This high-level disinfection system for ultrasound probes is fast and simple. Its compact design means it can be located at the point of care, helping to improve patient workflow, while the fully enclosed system helps protect both patients and staff by limiting exposure to harmful disinfectant chemicals. As a point of care solution, it can help reduce the need to transport probes between the ultrasound suite and separate cleaning rooms. The printer accurately records each high-level disinfection cycle to meet accreditation requirements and eliminates the potential for incomplete or inaccurate record keeping. You can make a difference! To lend your support, please call the Foundation at 973-593-2400 or visit f4mmc.org, view the full list of priorities and make a gift online.
f4mmc.org
| News
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THEN&
NOW
This year, as we commemorate the 125th anniversary of Morristown Medical Center, we celebrate the strides our hospital has made in the last century and a quarter.
MANSION IN MAY THEN: The Women’s Association’s first Mansion in May Designer Showhouse and Gardens was held in 1974 at Upton Pyne in Bernardsville, raising $133,000 for the Intensive Care and Coronary Care units. NOW: In recent years, Mansions in May have generated millions for patient care: In 2012, Glynallyn in Convent Station raised $1.25 million for inpatient hospice and palliative care; in 2014, Blairsden in Peapack-Gladstone raised $2 million to benefit pediatrics; and in 2017, the Abbey in Morris Township brought in $1.5 million for nursing.
HONORS AND RECOGNITION THEN: In the 1920s, Morristown was accredited by the American College of Surgeons; designated by the National Hospital Standardization Committee as an “A” hospital; and approved by the American Medical Association for a new intern training program. NOW: We are ranked in the top 1 percent of hospitals nationwide for clinical excellence and the only NJ hospital named one of ‘America’s 50 Best Hospitals’ by Healthgrades.
CAPACITY THEN: During its first year of operation, the hospital had 15 beds. When it relocated to Madison Avenue in 1952, it boasted 236. Yet four short years later, the demand for beds was so great the hospital frequently had to close its doors to all except emergency cases. NOW: We have 724 licensed beds, including Atlantic Rehabilitation.
SAME DAY SURGERY THEN: With new non-invasive techniques and short-term anesthesia that wore off in an hour or two, Morristown was one of the first in New Jersey to embrace same-day surgeries in the 1970s. These ambulatory procedures accounted for 3 percent of surgeries in 1974. NOW: In 2016, 51.5 percent of surgeries were same day.
Illustrations: Paul Zwolak
HEART HEALTH THEN: In 1930, the hospital acquired an electrocardiograph to diagnose and treat heart disease. NOW: We’ve been nationally ranked in cardiology and heart surgery since 2012 by U.S. News & World Report. And we were named one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery and one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care by Healthgrades and rated among the “100 hospitals with great cardiology programs” by Becker’s Hospital Review. 14 News | f4mmc.org
DENTAL CARE THEN: In 1932, the introduction of the hospital’s Dental Clinic featured one dentist and a barber’s chair. NOW: Our Leonard Szerlip Dental Center, which treats senior citizens, the developmentally disabled and others without resources, has 90 volunteer dentists, four residents, seven chairs, and, in 2016, almost 9,400 patients.
ONCOLOGY THEN: In 1938, the hospital created a tumor section to study and treat cancer. NOW: Our Carol G. Simon Cancer Center earned the American College of Surgeons Outstanding Achievement Award for Cancer Care, given to fewer than 15 percent of centers nationwide. We treat all types of cancer, from common to rare, with 50 board-certified, top-ranked physicians — many from the country’s leading academic medical centers — and the largest number of experienced cancer surgeons in the state.
EMERGENCY MEDICINE THEN: In 1973, our newly built Emergency Department treated 25,000 patients. NOW: In 2016, over 94,000 patients came through our doors seeking emergency care.
NURSING THEN: In 1895, Morristown Memorial established a School of Nursing. In 1929, its Thorne Residence for nurses added classrooms, a reference library and offices and became the Helen Hartley Jenkins School of Nursing, named after the philanthropist. Despite establishing affiliations with the New Jersey State Hospital at Greystone in 1931 and with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 1933, the school was transferred to Jersey City Medical Center in 1934 due to more stringent undergraduate training standards. NOW: Our nurses have earned the exclusive Magnet recognition – nursing’s gold standard – four consecutive times, an honor claimed by fewer than 5 percent of hospitals nationwide.
PHYSICIANS THEN: The hospital began with one physician, Dr. Phanett C. Barker. By 1910, it had 12 staff physicians and a half dozen visiting specialists. NOW: We have 1,704 physicians and 205 medical residents.
f4mmc.org
| Funding Priorities
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NON PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID CALDWELL, NJ PERMIT #1502
Foundation for Morristown Medical Center 475 South Street | Morristown, NJ 07960
CalendarofEvents For upcoming events, log on to f4mmc.org and select Events
In Memoriam It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of former hospital board chairman, Foundation trustee emeritus and friend William “Will” Withington Rooke, 86, of Paradise Valley, AZ, on July 31, 2017. “Will was a highly respected and beloved trustee who had a wonderful sense of humor,” says Jim Quinn, the Foundation’s chief development officer. “He was well-versed in the hospital industry and health care delivery having served on the board for three decades and as chair for five years.” A retired stockbroker for Merrill Lynch and former member of the New York Stock Exchange, Mr. Rooke loved the outdoors. He was an avid yachtsman, private pilot, fisherman, bird hunter, skier, photographer, golf and tennis player; and throughout his life he never missed his 4:45am workouts. “Will, his parents and the entire Rooke family have been one of the most generous and civic-minded families in the hospital’s history,” adds Mr. Quinn. Mr. Rooke was predeceased by his first wife, Anastasia and son William, Jr. He is survived by his wife Gladys Green Rooke; brother Robert Charles Rooke and wife Natalie; sister Dorothy Rooke McCulloch and husband Norman; sons John, Andrew, Cameron and Timothy and their wives; nine grandchildren; two great grandchildren and two more on the way.
The 125th Anniversary Steering Committee celebrated hospital founder Myra Brookfield’s July 21 birthday by dedicating a plaque at her Evergreen Cemetery gravesite. Ms. Brookfield was born in 1843 and died Oct. 11, 1889, leaving a will that set in motion her grand plan to establish a hospital in Morristown.
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Writer: Laura Deal | Editor: Regi Diverio Layout: Susan Falcone, Envoi Design
The Foundation for Morristown Medical Center is a nonprofit public foundation whose mission is to inspire community philanthropy to advance exceptional health care for patients at Morristown Medical Center and Goryeb Children’s Hospital. Our objective is to use philanthropy to preserve and expand programs and services in direct patient care, clinical research, medical and public health education and preventive medicine.
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