WELCOME LETTER. A

Stronger Every Day

COVID-19 brought with it a prolonged period of uncertainty and fear, as well as the continual need to find new ways to cope.

These days, however, we’re experiencing another, more welcome, feeling: optimism.

Thanks to the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines and the massive effort we and others have made to administer them, we’re seeing real progress in containing the pandemic.

At RWJBH, we always strive to be proactive, positive and energetic in our response to issues and events. We acknowledge that disparities in healthcare for Black and brown communities exist, and we’re making every possible effort to address this issue throughout our entire organization. We’ve developed a far-reaching initiative, Ending Racism Together, to ensure that our organization is anti-racist in everything we do.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Hamilton is committed to listening to the voices of our employees and community members to become an organization where racism, injustice, discrimination and violence have no place. Together, with our community, we are looking at how we work through a lens of equity, making changes to how we provide care to our patients and a workplace to our physicians and staff. At RWJUH Hamilton, we continue to focus on helping our communities overcome chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and asthma, and renew and expand our organization’s commitment to providing anti-racism and implicit-bias training for physicians, nurses and staff.

In the end, it’s the resilience and strength of our healthcare providers, staff and patients that continues to inspire us. If you’ve been avoiding medical appointments or treatments because of the pandemic, please don’t put off getting care any longer. We’re here to help you stay healthy for all the good days to come.

Yours in good health,

A PRESTIGIOUS HONOR FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE

The nurses of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Hamilton have been conferred nursing’s most prestigious honor—Magnet® recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Only 8 percent of hospitals nationwide have achieved this distinction. “We can officially say what we have always known: RWJUH Hamilton nurses are among the nation’s best,” said Richard Freeman, President and Chief Executive Officer at RWJUH Hamilton. “Our community can be assured that they are getting the highest-quality care from skilled, compassionate nurses.”

WELCOMING A NEW DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Malini Patel, MD, will be joining The Cancer Center at RWJUH Hamilton as Director of Medical Oncology in June 2021. She is available for immediate consultation. Several nationally recognized disease-specific cancer specialists from Rutgers Cancer Institute will also be joining the team at The Cancer Center this year. It’s important to note that Firas Eladoumikdachi, MD, Michael McKenna, MD, and Rachana Singh, MD, and the incredible team of nursing and support staff all continue to provide the highest level of care and a healing culture at The Cancer Center, which our patients and families depend on.

BARRY H. OSTROWSKY

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER RWJBARNABAS HEALTH

RICHARD FREEMAN

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL HAMILTON

1 Hamilton Health Pl., Hamilton Township, NJ 08690 609.586.7900

CONNECT WITH US ON

@RWJHamilton @RWJHamilton RWJBarnabas Health www.linkedin.com/company/290186/admin

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. For more information, see link on our home page at www.rwjbh.org/hamilton. RWJUH Hamilton cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no discrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo. ATENCIÓN: Si usted habla español, servicios de asistencia lingüística, de forma gratuita, están disponibles para usted. Llame al 609.586.7900. RWJUH Hamilton konfòm ak lwa sou dwa sivil Federal ki aplikab yo e li pa fè diskriminasyon sou baz ras, koulè, peyi orijin, laj, enfimite oswa sèks. ATANSYON: Si w pale Kreyòl Ayisyen, gen sèvis èd pou lang ki disponib gratis pou ou. Rele 609.586.7900.

healthytogether contents

SUMMER 2021

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2. WELCOME LETTER. A community update from our CEOs.

4. CLASSES FOR HEALTHY

LIVING. A roundup of health, education, screening and support programs.

7. BETTER HEALTH

PROGRAM.

Complimentary classes for people 65+.

8. ASK THE DOCTOR:

ADVANCED BREAST

CARE. A surgical oncologist explains leading technologies close to home.

10

9. ‘FOCUS ON THE GOOD.’

A determined young athlete battles back from partial paralysis.

10. ENDING RACISM TOGETHER.

RWJBarnabas Health is on a journey to create true equity in healthcare.

12. I HAVE HEART DISEASE.

SHOULD I GET THE

COVID-19 VACCINE? Yes, you should. Here’s why.

14. THE LIFE-CHANGING

IMPACT OF A KIDNEY

TRANSPLANT. Posttransplant, people with kidney failure find their world transformed.

16. MISSION POSSIBLE.

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey launches a new center to harness the power of immunotherapy.

17. HELPING THROUGH A

CRISIS. Foundation supports a family facing health struggles.

18. WE’VE TURNED 50!

Celebrating a halfcentury of highquality healthcare.

20. EASY TO SWALLOW.

Therapy helps one man restore the joy of eating.

22. LIVING WITH HEART

FAILURE. Healthy

Lives Hamilton helps people with weak cardiac function be their best selves.