TAKE NOTE of THIS Nota Bene A P U B L I C A T I O N F O R T H E M E D I C A L S T A F F O F K E N N E D Y U N I V E R S I T Y H O S P I T A L Kennedy Medical Staff Updates Below features three important topics that members of Kennedy s Medical Staff should be aware of: First, regarding the Kennedy Health and Jefferson Merger, the Federal Trade Commission approved the merger application on April 28, 2017, and the NJ Department of Health approved it on May 26, 2017. The Attorney General of the State of New Jersey should finish its approval process by mid-july. The Attorney General evaluates the merger for any conflicts of interest and potential impact to the health care community. Within one week of the Attorney General s approval, Kennedy will submit the application to the Superior Court in Camden County. The Court has no time restriction on making its decision, but it is anticipated that the merger will be approved in September or October 2017. Timothy Dombrowski, DO, MPH Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Secondly, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) rules begin at Kennedy on Monday, July 10, 2017. This transition brings with it many changes, most significantly, in the off-hour coverage at night, on weekends and holidays and during the daytime service coverage. The term intern will now be replaced with first-year resident and the previous pool of 61 interns for house coverage will no longer exist. First-year residents will only be able to take call in their specialty, and there will no longer be house coverage as it exists today. Presently, seven interns are distributed throughout Kennedy s three hospitals each night. That will change to no more than three first-year medicine residents distributed throughout two Kennedy hospitals, and they will only cover medicine teaching service patients. First-year residents in other specialties will be involved in their specialty-specific call schedule. Call for second-year and more senior residents will largely remain unchanged. S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 Because of the change in house staff coverage, KHA has hired additional nocturnists to cover Cherry Hill and Washington Township and mid-levels (APNs) to cover medicine floor patients, teaching services, RRTs and codes on all hospital patients. APNs have also been hired at each hospital to do admissions between noon and 8 p.m. for medicine teaching services. Continued on page 2
PHYSICIAN news New Appointments Department of Family Practice Hima Bindu Parchuri, DO Ciby Varkey, MD Department of Medical Imaging Ammar Chaudhry, MD (Telemedicine) Mahejabeen Japanwalla, MD (Telemedicine) John A. Lentini, MD Department of Medicine Justin Buehrig, APN (General Internal Medicine) Tonya M. Hughley, APN (Cardiology) Josemari Lazaro, APN (General Internal Medicine) Jason Palermo, MD (Cardiology) David Signarovitz, DO (General Internal Medicine) Geralyn M. Sullivan, APN (Nephrology) Department of Neurosciences Stephen J. Fried, MD (Neurology) Lev Grinman, MD (Neurology) Mohammad F. Padela, MD (Neurology) Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology Karen Krieg, DO Department of Pediatrics Charrell M. Bird, MD (Neonatology) Lynn Collins, MD (Pediatric Emergency Medicine) Abdellatif Rejjal, MD (Neonatology) Department of Psychiatry Najmun Riyaz, MD Hinna E. Shah, MD (Telemedicine) Department of Surgery John A. Abraham, MD (Orthopedic Surgery) Christopher M. Bariana, DO (Cardiothoracic Surgery) David D. Bickings, APN-A (Anesthesiology) Diane Calesnick, APN-A (Anesthesiology) E. Thomas Chadwick, CRNFA (General Surgery) James W. Daniels III, MD (Anesthesiology) Peter F. DeLuca, MD (Orthopedic Surgery) Danielle M. Gigantino, APN (General Surgery) Trina N. Graham, PA (Pain Medicine) Kayla Kelly, PA (Orthopedic Surgery) Kirill Levin, PA (General Surgery) Megan M. Levine, APN (Otorhinolaryngology) Jason P. Levy, DPM (Podiatry) Rammurti A. McKenzie, MD (Pain Medicine) Abby Ott, PA (Orthopedic Surgery) Jennifer Rey, PA (Plastics and Reconstruction) Barbara Savar, APN-A (Anesthesiology) Carmela E. Scarduzio, APN-A (Anesthesiology) Brian C. Smeal, MD (General Surgery) Jay M. Steinberg, DO (Cardiothoracic Surgery) Joanne Walther, APN-A (Anesthesiology) Kennedy Medical Staff Updates Continued from page 1 Daytime service coverage will also be affected. Attendings, Fellows and Senior Residents will be much more involved in the day-to-day care of patients. First-year specialty residents will spend an average of only two months doing rotations on services outside their specialty. When first-year specialty residents are doing medicine rotations, they will participate in medicine off-hour coverage for that rotation only. The maximum number of hours that any resident can log weekly will remain at 80 hours. Thirdly, PCU in Washington Township is having interdisciplinary care rounds, Monday through Friday, starting at 10 a.m. in the PCU Conference Room. The goal is to enhance patient care, improve communication and have patients prepared for discharge when medically ready. All physicians and disciplines on MS4 are invited and encouraged to have an active role in these care rounds. Thank you for your continued commitment to Kennedy. PHYSICIAN KUDOS Dr. Joseph N. Badolato (Internal Medicine/Hospitalist) was recently appointed Chief Clinical Officer for Graduate Medical Education (GME) at Kennedy Health. Over the years, Dr. Badolato has been actively involved in Kennedy s Internal Medicine Residency Program as Assistant Program Director, working closely with residents and the GME office. In his new role, Dr. Badolato will lead Kennedy's GME department, working closely with senior leadership to ensure Kennedy s educational programs thoroughly prepare trainees. Dr. Badolato will also continue his current role as Medical Director for KHA s Hospitalist Operations. Dr. Jim Baird (Emergency Medicine), Physician Champion of Kennedy Health s Opioid Crisis Committee and the newly named Assistant Medical Director of the Kennedy WT Emergency Department, was the focus of a May Courier- Post feature story about the work Kennedy is doing to tackle South Jersey s opioid addiction crisis. Read Dr. Baird s personal assessment of the crisis on page 6, and learn what he believes physicians can do to help combat the problem. 2
Dr. Christopher Barone (Internal Medicine), Kennedy s Vice President of Medical Affairs & Graduate Medical Education, retired on June 30 after more than 22 years of service to the organization. Dr. Barone started at Kennedy ST in 1975 as a second-year medical student, and has held many roles in the organization since, including being an active member of the Medical Staff, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Privacy Officer and Medical Director of Family Health Services, the Kennedy Surgery Center and Kennedy Home Health Care. Thank you for your enduring commitment to Kennedy! Drs. Sandra Elder (Dermatology), Roberta Felsenstein (OB/GYN) and Robert Skaf (Gynecology/Reproductive Endocrinology) were recognized in May s South Jersey Magazine as compassionate doctors who are helping ensure South Jersey remains on the forefront of women s health. They all shared personal anecdotes about the most fulfilling parts of their job. Dr. David A. Roshal (Neurology/Hospitalist) was recently named Medical Director of Stroke Services for Kennedy s Neuroscience Program. A board-certified Neurologist with sub-specialty certification in Clinical Neurophysiology from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), Dr. Roshal has specialized in hospital-based Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology at Kennedy University Hospital for the past five years. In his new role, Dr. Roshal will work with medical and nursing staff to identify opportunities for further improvement of Kennedy s stroke services and lead the health system s efforts for Joint Commission accreditation. Dr. Roy Sandau (Surgery/Robotic Surgery) performed his 500th successful da Vinci robotic surgery at Kennedy Washington Township on May 26 when a 64-year-old female patient underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Over the past few years, Dr. Sandau has been part of several da Vinci robotic surgery milestones at Kennedy Health, including performing New Jersey s first EndoWrist Stapler technology on the da Vinci system in January 2014, and South Jersey s first robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Single Incision (SILS) colon surgery in April 2012. It has been an amazing journey through my first 500 robotic surgeries, Dr. Sandau said. It s very exciting to offer my patients the most advanced surgical technology, and I m proud to know they are getting the best possible care when they come to Kennedy. Dr. Anthony J. Wehbe (Internal Medicine/Hospitalist) recently presented at the 17th Annual Population Health Colloquium, held in Philadelphia by Thomas Jefferson University College of Population Health. He was on a panel of national health leaders and discussed various initiatives that have put Kennedy Health on the map as an innovative leader in population health and physician engagement. Dr. Wehbe was also recently named to the Philadelphia Business Journal s annual 40 Under 40 list, which aims to identify and recognize current and future leaders in various industries. He was featured in the magazine s May issue, along with this year s other winners. Kennedy s Center for Surgical Weight Loss celebrated its 3,000th procedure on May 31 when Dr. Adam Goldstein performed a sleeve gastrectomy on a 48-year-old female patient. Established in 2007, Kennedy s Center for Surgical Weight Loss team is led by Medical Director Dr. Marc Neff, and also includes Dr. Louis Balsama, Dr. Adeshola Fakulujo, and Program Coordinator Peg Martin, BSN, RN, CBN. Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine (RowanSOM) was recently ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report in its annual list of top medical schools for both Primary Care and Geriatrics. In the rankings, U.S. News lists RowanSOM s Primary Care program in a four-way tie with Columbia University, Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Illinois for 51st place. RowanSOM s Geriatrics program is tied for 15th place on the list with the University of Alabama immediately following Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. 3
Kennedy Cherry Hill Celebrates Phase 1 GRAND OPENING Kennedy Cherry Hill celebrated the Grand Opening of Phase 1 of its overall $200 million project with a special Ribbon-Cutting event on Tuesday, May 16. Hundreds of current and former associates, physicians, board members, elected officials and Jefferson executives attended. Phase II of the Kennedy Cherry Hill campus revitalization work will begin later this summer. A new patient tower with all-private rooms is expected to be completed in 2019. Two years ago, in April 2015, we broke ground for the start of this project, and one year ago to the day (May 16, 2016), a Topping-Off ceremony was held. With the completion of Phase I, Kennedy Cherry Hill campus new, modern look now fully reflects the highquality care that takes place within its walls. This first phase of the campus transformation includes: A new 22,000-square-foot spectacular Atrium Lobby, A 102,000-square-foot Medical Office Building, which will add more ambulatory services to the Kennedy Cherry Hill campus, along with physician office space, and An enclosed, free 600-space parking facility. Executive Vice President & Chief Physician Executive Dr. Carman Ciervo (left) with President & CEO Joe Devine in the new lobby. The ceremonial ribbon is cut, marking the completion of Phase I of Kennedy CH s revitalization project. 4
The view from Cooper Landing Road of the newly completed Phase I construction. NJ Department of Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett (left) poses with Kennedy CH Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Dutterer. President & CEO Joe Devine addresses the crowd of hundreds on hand. Dr. Stephen Klasko (center), President & CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, chats with Robert DiStanislao (left), Treasurer of the Kennedy Health Board of Directors, and Bruce Paparone, Vice Chairman of the Kennedy Health Board of Directors. Shown enjoying a moment before the formal ceremony are, from left, Joe Devine; Dr. James George; and Dr. Frank Levin. 5
The Fire That Won t Go Out Tackling South Jersey s Opioid Addiction Crisis By Dr. Jim Baird: Assistant Medical Director, Kennedy WT Emergency Department & Physician Champion, Kennedy Health Opioid Crisis Committee Teenagers, career women, businessmen, college kids: Any of them can become swept up in the nationwide epidemic of opioid abuse. This addiction can start innocently, through the use of prescription painkillers like oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl. Each day, more than 90 Americans die from an opioid overdose and that s on the rise. In fact, the number of deaths involving opioids, often in the form of prescription painkillers, has quadrupled in the U.S. since 1999. In 2015, the number of deaths in America from opioid abuse surpassed the death toll from the AIDS epidemic at its peak in 1995 by almost 10,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the Department of Health & Human Services has made opioid abuse a top priority, we have yet to find an effective way to combat the opioid crisis in this country. The problem extends far beyond the prescription pad, as regulating bodies in the health industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and medical practitioners who overprescribe these medicines all play a part. We need to educate practitioners on proper pain management, support non-opioid forms of pain management, educate our patients and society on realistic pain management, and set accurate standards on when and how opioids should be prescribed. It s a delicate balancing act: We need to be cautious in how we decrease our prescribing, to not lead addicted people toward a path of heroin use, which is easily accessible and incredibly inexpensive. We need to attack this epidemic with prevention, awareness and collaboration. Many communities are doing something, but not enough are working together. My goal is to take Kennedy s Super Utilizer program and expand it across all area health systems, with an even larger goal of creating a national emergency department database one day so patients cannot go from ED to ED or doctor to doctor seeking pain medications, without a red flag being raised. At Kennedy, my involvement in the opioid addiction battle came about quite by accident. In reviewing charts relating to 30-day Emergency Department Super Utilizers, I was surprised to discover many of our continually returning patients were seeking pain medications. From there, I began working with Dr. Maryann Lauletta, Kennedy s Vice President of Medical Operations, to educate prescribers on non-opioid forms of pain management, what doses of/how often opioids should be prescribed, as well as limiting the number of dispensed pills. To spread the word, we ve participated in several public speaking engagements, including the recent Gloucester County EMS Symposium at Rowan. We also send monthly emails to Kennedy Medical Staff members, have held meetings with Kennedy s Senior Leadership Team and created computer-based learning modules (CBLs) for Kennedy physicians. Over the past two years, readmissions of Super Utilizers to Kennedy s EDs have decreased by 70 percent. This is a great sign that we are making progress, but there is still work to be done. Most people who access treatment and enter recovery return to productive work, take care of their families, contribute to their communities and avoid criminal involvement. Kennedy recently collaborated with a group of recovery coaches called the City of Angels. Based in Gloucester County and coordinated through the Prosecutor s Office, these recovery coaches are specially trained to tackle the barriers standing in the way of an addict s treatment. City of Angels members are on-call 24/7/365, and they come right into the Emergency Department bedside with the patient to assist them on an individual basis if they are willing to get the help they desperately need. The partnership has been very beneficial to patients at Kennedy Washington Township thus far, and City of Angels members have gone above and beyond even flying one individual to Florida to get help. While the scourge of opioid addiction is a wildfire that s proven hard to extinguish, we can and are making progress. I m proud of the work we re doing at Kennedy s hospitals and in the community to help raise awareness and offer patients the help they need to conquer this addiction. 6
Kennedy Signs Agreement to Continue Supplying Narcan to G.C. Police Departments; Congressman Norcross Visits Kennedy WT Kennedy President & CEO Joe Devine signed a two-year agreement on May 9 to continue supplying Gloucester County police departments with Narcan the heroin overdose antidote that officers have used to save more than 350 lives since September 2014. Inspira Health Network President & CEO John DiAngelo also signed the same agreement. Kennedy and Inspira have been providing Narcan at no cost to the county police program since April 2015. A few days later, Congressman Donald Norcross visited Kennedy WT to discuss the great results of Kennedy s Opioid Addiction Reduction Program. While onsite, Congressman Norcross learned about Kennedy s opioid prevention, identification treatment and recovery efforts. Congressman Donald Norcross (center) with members of Kennedy s Opioid Crisis Committee and Senior Leadership Team. President & CEO Joe Devine puts pen to paper, signing the new two-year Narcan agreement. 7
PHILADELPHIA MAGAZINE WE RE PROUD OF OUR DOCS! When it comes to clinical excellence, Kennedy Health s Medical Staff is second-to-none. On the right are some recent recognitions received by our physicians through two regional Top Docs lists. Some of these doctors were nominated by their peers; others earned kudos through magazine readers polls but all deserve our heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS for providing patients with the high level of care that makes Kennedy Health a top-tier health care organization! Philadelphia Magazine s May 2017 Top Docs issue featured 22 Kennedy Health physicians. The magazine, in collaboration with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., performed a rigorous screening process to select this year s winners. All featured doctors were nominated exclusively by other licensed physicians who would go to, or would want a family member to go to [them] not only because of their excellent training and clinical skills, but also because of the time, care and concern they give to their patients. Congratulations to: Dr. Lori B. Feldman-Winter Adolescent Medicine Dr. Nicholas L. DePace Cardiovascular Disease Dr. Jonathan Winter Dermatology Dr. Scott W. Kuptsow Family Medicine Dr. David S. Zalut Family Medicine Dr. Prameela M. Palli Geriatric Medicine Dr. Pedro K. Beredjiklian Hand Surgery Dr. James S. Harrop Neurological Surgery Dr. Robert H. Rosenwasser Neurological Surgery Dr. Byron S. Hapner Obstetrics & Gynecology Dr. John A. Abraham Orthopaedic Surgery Dr. Alexander R. Vaccaro Orthopaedic Surgery Dr. Daniel G. Becker Otolaryngology Dr. Marc I. Backal Pediatrics Dr. Evan S. Sorokin Plastic Surgery Dr. Tamara A. LaCouture Radiation Oncology Dr. Stephen W. Sawin Reproductive Endocrinology Dr. Vijay Singh Rheumatology Dr. R. Robert Franks Jr. Sports Medicine Dr. John P. Salvo Jr. Sports Medicine Dr. Fritz R. Bech Vascular Surgery Dr. Joseph V. Lombardi Vascular Surgery 8
SJ Magazine s May 2017 issue featured its annual list of Medicine s Best & Brightest Women. Twenty Kennedy Health female physicians, who were also included in the magazine s Top Docs and Top Docs for Kids lists last year, were recognized. KUDOS TO: SJ MAGAZINE Dr. Lori Feldman-Winter Adolescent Medicine Dr. Jacqueline Kaari Adolescent Medicine Dr. Joan Wiley Critical Care Dr. Sandra Elder Dermatology Dr. Robin Levin Dermatology Dr. Autumn Lane Emergency Medicine (Pediatrics) Dr. Karen Calabrese Family Practice Dr. Elyse Kernis Family Practice Dr. Jane Friehling Gastroenterology Dr. Tanya Kadrmas-Iannuzzi General Pediatrics Dr. Anita Chopra Geriatric Medicine Dr. Priya Gor Medical Oncology Dr. Jane Coleman Neonatology/Perinatology Dr. Joan O Shea Neurological Surgery Dr. Laura Ross Orthopedics Dr. Amy Herskowitz Podiatry Dr. Rachel Shmuts Psychiatry Dr. Nazli Gulab Psychiatry (Pediatrics) Dr. Alexis Harvey Radiation Oncology Dr. Tamara A. LaCouture Radiation Oncology Kennedy University Hospitals Receive Get With The Guidelines -Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Awards Kennedy University Hospital s three locations have each received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Get With The Guidelines -Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. In addition, Kennedy Cherry Hill and Kennedy Washington Township each also received the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus Award, and Kennedy Stratford additionally received the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Award. These awards recognize the hospitals commitment to providing the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. U.S. hospitals must achieve 85 percent or higher adherence to all Get With The Guidelines -Stroke achievement indicators for two or more consecutive 12-month periods and achieve 75 percent or higher compliance with five of eight Get With The Guidelines -Stroke quality measures to receive the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. To qualify for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus and Target: Stroke Honor Roll awards, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tpa, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. If given intravenously in the first three hours after the start of stroke symptoms, tpa has been shown to significantly reduce the effects of stroke and lessen the chance of permanent disability. This recognition further demonstrates our commitment to delivering advanced stroke treatments to patients quickly and safely, said Kennedy Health Stroke Program Director Kathryn Donley, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNRN. Kennedy strives for excellence in the acute treatment of stroke patients. This recognition further reinforces our team s hard work. 9
Kennedy University Hospital s 3 Campuses Receive an A for Patient Safety in Spring 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade For the sixth consecutive time, Kennedy University Hospital s three acute care facilities have again each been honored with an A grade in the National Hospital Safety Grades, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from preventable medical errors, injuries and infections. The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety, and transparency in the U.S. health care system, released the new 2017 Hospital Safety Grades in April, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. Kennedy is one of 823 U.S. hospitals to receive an A for its commitment to reducing errors, infections, and accidents that can harm patients. Kennedy President & CEO Joe Devine said Kennedy is extremely proud that all three of our hospitals have been again honored with top grades by The Leapfrog Group, adding that it is a tremendous achievement for all members of our team to receive A grades six times in a row. Dr. David Condoluci, Kennedy s Senior VP & Patient Safety & Quality Officer, added that the A grades in this elite national ratings program recognizes our continued, strong commitment to patient safety Kennedy s top priority as a health care institution. To see Kennedy University Hospital s full grade, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org Nota Bene is published for the Medical Staff of Kennedy University Hospital Joseph W. Devine President & Chief Executive Officer Carman A. Ciervo, DO Executive Vice President & Chief Physician Executive Timothy Dombrowski, DO, MPH Vice President & Chief Medical Officer Medical Staff Officers: Henry Schuitema, DO Chief of Staff Mark Schuster, DO Vice Chief of Staff Daniel Tarditi, DO Treasurer Michael Baratta Managing Editor (856) 566-2033 Dana Earley Consulting Editor Nicole Pensiero Consulting Editor 1099 White Horse Road Voorhees, NJ 08043