Fall 2007 - Trinitas Hospital

Fall 2007

Services with the Community in Mind Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Department

The Power of Balance Reach for Success in Family Life and Work

Conquering the Terrain of Grief

Exclusive Interview… Mary Higgins Clark Shares Inspiration Behind Her Best-Sellers

Magazine

FALL 2007

Welcome to…

At the end of September, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) honored Trinitas Hospital as one of the “2007 Best Employers for Workers over 50.” As one of the largest employers in Union County, Trinitas Hospital employs 2,400 people, with more than 38 % of them over the age of 50. According to AARP, Trinitas Hospital “has demonstrated exemplary practices in the recruitment, retention and promotion of older workers” and “has created and fostered a workplace that supports the aging workforce and encourages workers to remain actively employed.” Trinitas put forth its Health and Wellness Initiatives which include a variety of education, training and hands-on activities as demonstrative of its special focus on the needs of those 50 years of age and older. In August, Trinitas invited the community to help us dedicate our newest patient care unit. More than 150 dignitaries, guests, physicians and employees attended the dedication of our state-of-the-art Oncology Patient Care Unit. US Senator Frank Lautenberg and Mayor J. Christian Bollwage of Elizabeth were among those who were on hand for the festivities that were capped off with a traditional ribbon cutting. I invite you to read the full story about the event inside this issue. September also witnessed a banner day as the 5-story building that houses the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center was dedicated as the Andrew H. Campbell Pavilion. See the full story and photos from this event that took place on the Rooftop Garden of the hospital’s newest building in our pages. Elsewhere in this issue of HEALTHYEDGE, an exclusive interview with best-selling author, Mary Higgins Clark, America’s “Queen of Suspense,” makes for great reading. You’ll also find a wealth of information about the Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Department of Trinitas Hospital. A feature story about grief and another about time management strategies for families round out this issue. Here’s hoping that the closing months of 2007 will be healthy and happy for you, your loved ones and friends.

Gary S. Horan, FACHE President & CEO

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CONTENTS

FALL 2007

FEATURES 3 A Novel Approach to Life’s Adversities Interview with Mary Higgins Clark

8 Services with the Community in Mind Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Department

15 New “Hybrid” Procedure at Trinitas Combines Best Treatments for Disc Disease

16 “Mommy Makeovers” on the Rise Cosmetic Surgery with Moms in Mind

20 The Power of Balance Reach for Success in Family Life and Work

24 Beyond Katrina Employee Sherri Damare Recalls Events of 2005 Sr. Maureen Shaughnessy, SC Chairman, Trinitas Health & Hospital Board of Trustees Gary S. Horan, FACHE President & CEO, Trinitas Hospital

HEALTHYEDGE STAFF Executive Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Harris Director of Public Relations and Marketing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kathryn C. Salamone Manager, Public Relations and Marketing Contributing Writers . Rena Kotik-Sandberg Judith Trojan Contributing Photographers . . Kelly Baker, Doug Harris, Kathryn C. Salamone Graphic Design . . . . . . . . . . Jama Bowman

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: Rob Rubilla (908) 337-3276

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Healthy Edge Public Relations Department Trinitas Hospital 225 Williamson Street Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207

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26 Conquering the Terrain of Grief

IN EVERY ISSUE 18 Community Calendar 29 Foundation Focus: News of the Trinitas Health Foundation

30 Vital Signs: Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center News

33 Hospital Beat: People and Events of Note Trinitas Hospital is a Catholic Teaching Hospital sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth in partnership with Elizabethtown Healthcare Foundation. HEALTHYEDGE Magazine is published quarterly by Trinitas Hospital and Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center, 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ, 07207. This is Volume 1, Issue 3. This material is designed for information purposes only. None of the information provided in Healthy Edge constitutes, directly or indirectly, the practice of medicine, the dispensing of medical services, a professional diagnosis or a treatment plan. The information in Healthy Edge should not be considered complete nor should it be relied on to suggest a course of treatment for a particular individual. You should not rely on information provided in Healthy Edge as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. You should never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in Healthy Edge. If you have any health care related concerns, please call or see your physician or other qualified health care provider.

HEALTHYEDGE EXCLUSIVE

A Novel Approach to Life’s Adversities Best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark shares the inspiration behind her work by Judith Trojan As a teenager, Mary Higgins windowshopped her way past pricey Fifth Avenue department stores, fantasizing about the glamorous dresses she’d wear someday as a famous author. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Young Mary Higgins’ compulsion to write paid off handsomely. She grew up to become Mary Higgins Clark, America’s “Queen of Suspense.” To date, she’s written 26 suspense novels, three short story collections, a historical novel, a memoir, a children’s book and four holiday suspense novels, the latter co-authored with her daughter, Carol. With more than 85 million books in print in the U.S. alone, Clark consistently tops both The New York Times Best Seller Hardcover and Paperback lists simultaneously.

But reaching that pinnacle hasn’t been easy. Not surprisingly, her protagonists are feisty women who prevail in the face of unexpected adversity. Raised in the Bronx, Clark, an Irish-Catholic, has lived that storyline firsthand. Her father died suddenly when she was 10, and her husband’s untimely death in 1964 left her a young widow with five children, ranging in age from five to 13. Like her mother before her, Clark struggled to keep her family afloat. But she never lost site of her goal to write books. Interviewed by phone from her home in Spring Lake, N.J., where she’s hard at work on her next novel, Clark, with refreshing candor, reflects upon the series of tragic losses that strengthened her faith and shaped her life’s work.

Photograph by Bernard Vidal

“The characters in my books are resilient and resourceful. When calamity strikes, they carry on.” — Mary Higgins Clark

INTERVIEW: As a young woman, with a budding literary career, you had five school-age children and your terminally ill husband, Warren, to care for. How did you cope? MHC: Well, of course, you know what you start with. I had 14 years and nine months of a wonderful marriage. A lot of people don’t get that. For five years, we knew that Warren was dying. Every Christmas and every birthday, I was so grateful we had one more. In fact, I wrote an article, “The Five Years that Taught Me How to Live,” for Redbook magazine. I had to work because Warren had changed jobs. It was exactly the job he wanted. Before he took the new job, he said, ‘If I have a physical, I won’t get it.’ I said, ‘You can’t live as though you’re going to die. Tell them you have so much money, you don’t want to know anything about their pension plan,’ which was the biggest joke in the world.

His illness must have been terribly difficult for you both. MHC: He had constant chest pains. The doctor told him ‘Get a lot of rest. Don’t run for a bus, don’t pick up the baby, don’t wrestle with the boys.’ Don’t. Don’t. Don’t. They told us he would have a major heart attack and die because all the tests showed that his arteries were almost totally clogged. That was before bypass surgery.

Did you ever have hope for a positive outcome during that time? MHC: Warren had said, ‘If I can last 10 years, there will be an operation.’ So, there was always that little peephole of hope. He died in 1964, almost 43 years ago, and the FALL 2007

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same day, must have been devastating. MHC: My mother-in-law loved her son so much. She knew how bad Warren was and said, ‘I don’t want to survive him.’ She was sitting by his bed. He had one of those crushing heart attacks that you hear the pain. I was downstairs and heard his ‘Agh’ all through the house. I thought the oxygen tank had exploded. I raced upstairs, and his mother was trying to hold the oxygen tube over his face. I started CPR. When she saw that he was dead, she just said, ‘Oh Warren,’ and collapsed and died. Really, they died together. Her heart simply gave out. Mary Higgins Clark at home with Warren and the kids in 1961. (From Kitchen Privileges: A Memoir by Mary Higgins Clark, Simon & Schuster, 2002)

first bypass operation was done a year later. How many lives has it saved? Warren looked healthy. He had always been a terrific athlete. He turned 45 less than two months before he died. I was 36.

Did heart disease run in his family? MHC: His father had a stroke in his 50s. Warren was a heavy smoker. You couldn’t get him off it. In the end, when we got that verdict from the doctor, he said, ‘Of course, no smoking; it’s a nail in the coffin.’ I gave up smoking, but Warren couldn’t kick the habit. I told him, ‘The prescription was not that I give it up while you keep it up.’

What advice would you give to moms today who find themselves widowed at a young age? MHC: Be grateful you have your children. I wasn’t sure if I was pregnant when Warren died. I wasn’t, but I was secretly thinking I could handle six as well as I could handle five.

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I remember running into a very nice man I knew in town who said, ‘You’re handling Warren’s death very well.’ I said, ‘Do I have a choice?’ When you really look at it, you do not have a choice. You have to accept what you can’t change.

You suffered through an inordinate number of losses in your early life—first your father, both brothers, your husband, your in-laws—one after another. The death of your husband and your mother-in-law, both on the

What a tragedy. MHC: Four months later, her second son died. I thought God gave her a break that she died before she would have to see another of her sons die. She was a very good woman, a most charitable woman.

During WWII, your older brother, Joseph, joined the Navy. I’m sure you and your mother feared for his life in combat, but instead he died during basic training. MHC: It certainly was not something we expected. He got spinal meningitis and had a fever of 104 and violent headaches. They had him in sick bay for a week before they took him to the hospital. He was only 18.

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Mary Higgins Clark admits to writing her first children’s book, Ghost Ship (Simon & Schuster, 2007), “in an hour or less.”

she never left his side during that first year; she was so afraid he would slip away. She would have thrown herself across the tracks for any one of us, but there was something so tender about her relationship with Joseph.

What attributes best describe your mom?

Your younger brother, John, lost his wife and child in quick succession and then died an untimely death from a fall. How did you get through all that? MHC: There were so many at one time that it just seemed as though there was blow after blow after blow. Of course, you have a constant sadness. You can’t lay that on other people. But a fact of life is that people die out of their time.

In reading your memoir, I was intrigued by your mother. No matter what tragedy befell her, she forged ahead. MHC: I think the great grief of her life was Joseph. The loss of my father was, of course, devastating; but there’s something about losing a child. He had been a ‘preemie,’ and

MHC: My mother never stayed angry, even if she had a reason to be mad at someone. She always had a sense of humor. Her heart was broken, but she was never gloomy. She never said ‘Why me’ to me or my brothers. When you have faith, if someone is sick, you can storm heaven with prayers. And you take comfort that there has to be a reason for all this; there must be a bigger plan that you don’t know about.

Was your mom’s resilience following the sudden death of your father a model for you when your husband died?

Jersey Rules! Jokes about New Jersey are no laughing matter for Mary Higgins Clark. In an effort to shine a positive light on the Garden State, she intentionally set six of her best-selling suspense novels in her adopted home state. They are— I Heard that Song Before 2007. No Place Like Home 2005. The Second Time Around 2003. On the Street Where You Live 2001. All Around the Town 1992. The Cradle Will Fall 1980. (Clark’s books are all published in hardcover by Simon & Schuster and, subsequently, in paperback by Pocket Books.) — J.T.

MHC: Since I knew how much I missed my own father, I knew exactly how much my kids would miss theirs. I thought it was my job to be a mother who didn’t take the grief out on them, but also to do the best I could because I knew how much they would miss him. Continued on page 6

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Mary Higgins Clark and John Conheeney dancing at their wedding in 1996. (From Kitchen Privileges: A Memoir by Mary Higgins Clark, Simon & Schuster)

Continued from page 5

In the 1950s and 1960s, most mothers didn’t work or have the kind of goals and drive that you had. Your husband didn’t seem to be threatened by your determination to write. He sounds like a prince!

MHC: I’ve always been active in the

MHC: He loved it. Warren’s attitude about it was, ‘Look, so many people try and don’t make it. Go ahead, but think of it as a hobby. Some women bowl, you write.’ When my work started selling, no one was prouder than he.

You were a Bronx girl, yet you’ve lived much of your adult life in New Jersey. How have your hometowns impacted your work?

Throughout your career, you’ve given generously of your time to various Catholic causes and to literacy. Why literacy?

lived all my life, the Bronx and New

literacy program in New York and have done a lot with former First Lady Barbara Bush. I think the biggest gift you can give someone is education, and there’s nothing more basic in education than to be able to read.

MHC: All my life I have had to defend the two places that I have Jersey. This is why I’ve written six books specifically set in New Jersey, to try to get people to appreciate our state.

Despite all of the responsibilities you’ve shouldered as a single mother of five, you’ve never lost sight of your personal goals. You wanted to write, to travel to exotic places, to wear those gowns you admired in shop windows along Fifth Avenue. You were also determined to graduate from college. How old were you when you got your degree? MHC: I was 48. I gave myself a prom. It was a darn good party!

How do you manage to maintain your energy level, especially on gruelling book tours?

In retrospect, what stands out most in your life beyond the losses we’ve discussed and the great success you’ve achieved through your writing? MHC: I’ve been very blessed. I’ve been married for almost 11 years to John Conheeney. So, God gave me a good man at the beginning and a good one at the end! After Warren’s death, I knew I was going to educate my children, that I would never depend on a man to do it, rich or poor. I worked hard to make it happen. I wanted them educated, and I wanted them to do well.

MHC: Travelling has gotten so

Some women have been known to choose a man over their kids.

obnoxious now with the security and

MHC: Following Warren’s death,

getting there early. There are so many

I just thought I would not get

delays. That has made going out on

involved. Suppose I married a

tour less attractive.

guy with a lot of money who said,

But it’s really a pleasure when you

‘I want you to bake cookies, and

meet people who say they’ve read

I like four of your kids and I don’t

every one of your books, or who say

like the fifth.’ I made a deal with

how they were able to escape while

God: ‘Don’t take the kids and, I

reading one of them at a time when

promise you, I will never ever be

they were either sick or had terrible

one of those ladies who’s sleeping

grief. I’ve had four generations stand

around, promise.’ Better the picture

in front of me—13, 35, 57 and 75—

on the wall of a father who loved

and great grandma says, ‘We all

them, than somebody who might

read your books, dear!’

find one or the other a pain in

You always look fabulous. Do you work-out? MHC: I’ve started with a trainer when I’m home because two years ago I broke my leg—if you can believe it—on a banana. I slipped in the kitchen on a tiny slice of banana that had fallen on the floor. I’m pushing 80 but I’m not hiding it. I’d rather look good at 80, than hear someone say, ‘Doesn’t she look awful at 68’!

What life lessons would you most like to pass on to your children and grandchildren? MHC: Be aware of how blessed you are. Look around at the education you’ve had, at the home you have, the friends you have, and the health you enjoy. Be grateful to God for all of it because so many people have nothing and some less than nothing. If we don’t all wake up and look around and be grateful for what we have, it’s pretty scary.

the neck. N E W

J E R S E Y ’ S

Judith Trojan is an award-winning entertainment journalist and the director of The Christopher Awards, currently in its 59th year of honoring films, TV/cable programming and books that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit.”

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Services with the Community in Mind Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Is your spouse feeling worthless as a result of “downsizing” at the job? Are your aging parents losing interest in life? Have your teenage children begun to exhibit changes in their behavior, their eating habits or their friends? Is your youngest child having problems adjusting to preschool? Is the daughter of a friend struggling with substance abuse problems? Has a nephew thought of suicide? Is your family buckling under the strain of caring for a developmentally-disabled relative? If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, you need look no further than the Department of Behavioral Health & Psychiatry at Trinitas Hospital. Recognized as one of the most comprehensive departments of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry in the state, Trinitas Hospital is a premier facility offering spe-

by Kathryn Salamone

cialized services in a full continuum of care for adults, children, adolescents and their families. The needs of special populations, such as those with various addictions, are also part of the services that set Trinitas Hospital apart. In the past several decades, advances in drug treatments that improve care as well as other types of therapies now offer a more supportive atmosphere to patients and their families. Trinitas Hospital’s Department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry stays current in the most effective treatment practices available. “We are dedicated to providing relevant and effective behavioral health services in the least restrictive, most communityoriented manner possible, by creating programs that are responsive to the needs of our community and representing a fine-

James Lape, Vice President, Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, confers with Marylse Benson, Director of Behavioral Health Services, on the New Point campus of Trinitas Hospital where the department is located.

tuned continuum of care,” notes James Lape, Vice President, Behavioral Health and Psychiatry. “This means that we attempt to treat people and their mental health issues in both the hospital setting and directly in the community.”

Taking Tots by the Hand From their first years, children set off on a life-long course of development. However, sometimes there can be developmental “stumbles” that can signal problems.

Highly-qualified medical residents lend their talents and abilities to the Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Department. Shown at left are Anwar Ghali, MD, Chairman, and James Lape, Vice President, Behavioral Health & Psychiatry. At right are Purabi Bharatiya, MD, Medical Director, Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, and Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President & CEO. In the center are: Michael Zajfert, MD, Michael James Cunningham, MD, Suma Srishaila, MD, and Yahaira Espada, MD.

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Perhaps it is displays of temper, separation anxiety, or an inability to become part of the social framework of the classroom. The Therapeutic Nursery at Trinitas Hospital helps pre-school children three to five years old and their families get on course. For this age group, positive behavior management and socialization in the school setting are the primary goals. “We bring professional expertise together to work effectively with parents and teachers to develop treatment plans for

Members of the Therapeutic Nursery include in the foreground Adriana Gonzalez, RN and Lilia Cristina Pineros, clinician, and in the rear, Dinorah Frontera, PsyD, Program Director, and Michelle Gibbs, family specialist.

NEWS ON THE STREET… ABOUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & PSYCHIATRY AT TRINITAS HOSPITAL “When I sent a student in crisis, you gave immediate help, and it had a positive effect!” – Teacher “I’m so thankful our students have a School Based program in the building to be able to reach out and touch them immediately during a crisis situation. Keep up the good work!” – Teacher

each individual child through play therapy and family therapy sessions,” explains Dinorah Frontera, PsyD, Director of the Therapeutic Nursery. Parent groups work together with mental health professionals to learn how to manage their child’s behavior, how to encourage the socialemotional development of their child, and how to work cooperatively with schools. In short, these sessions offer parents tips and techniques they can use every day in a confidential and supportive setting. “We want children and their families to move forward with confidence,” says Dr. Frontera. For children 5 – 17 years of age, comprehensive services such as a partial hospital day treatment program, an after school

program and an outpatient program providing group, individual, and family therapy are also available. Behavioral issues such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivty Disorder), child depression, anger management and social difficulties are addressed and treated. To help stabilize children in the home/community environment, the Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization System is a vital source of treatment and care. If further community intervention is needed, the Child and Family Crisis Clinician works to prevent unnecessary hospital emergency room visits for children by determining the most appropriate services. “Schools can contact me when there is a concern a child may be Continued on page 11

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“I found in this group an area where I can express my opinions and not be penalized for it.” – Student “It helped my child from falling victim to peer pressure.” – Parent (about school based services) “I can’t thank you enough for your help and support when my son was hospitalized at Trinitas. As you can imagine, having to leave and be away from your child is not easy, but your help made it better.” – Parent “Our residents have benefited greatly from the services of your geropsychiatric program.” – Senior Housing staff “All the staff are helpful and try to accommodate the patient.” – Community Agency

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“I have a dream that my life will be a great one. I would like to thank everybody who has helped me and showed me respect.” – Patient FALL 2007

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CREATING PARTNERSHIPS FOR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT The Department of Behavioral Health & Psychiatry also performs a valuable service in continuing education and support. Each year, the department conducts a wide variety of seminars designed to bring expert speakers and researchers to share their insights with members of the department as well as outside mental health professionals and those in community agencies who serve those with behavioral problems. Partnerships with the United Way offer on-site training and consultation at pre-schools and day care centers in Union County. Early childhood professionals learn behavior management techniques and gain insight into identifying worsening symptoms that may require further treatment. Data shows that children set hundreds of potentially deadly fires each year in New Jersey. To provide education and to heighten awareness of this problem, the Department of Behavioral Health & Psychiatry hosted a workshop in conjunction with the Union County Children’s Inter-Agency

Coordinating Council. The seminar included topics such as fire setting trends, risk factors, assessment techniques and treatment options available in the county. Monthly Grand Round Sessions draw a multi-disLisa Marsch, PhD, Senior Principal Investigator in the Center ciplinary audience for Drug Use and HIV Research and authority on opioid who benefit from dependency, exchanged observations about the epidemic of pain killer abuse among adolecents with Brian Boyle, MS, the knowledge Clinical Coordinator, and Romulo Aromin, MD, Chief of the and expertise of Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, following her recent professionals seminar presentation. well-versed on Support Organization of Union diverse topics. From discussions on County, weekly support groups are the impact of aging on the family to also held for parents and caregivers more complex research-oriented proof children with behavioral health grams about opioid (pain-killer) needs. dependence among adolescents, and dual diagnosis of developmental disPartnerships with the Union County ability and mental illness, the Prosecutor’s Office enable staff at Department of Behavioral Health & Trinitas to support more effectively Psychiatry is a valuable resource of those who are victims and perpetrainformation for the tors of domestic violence. layman as well as the mental health practitioner.

Photographed at a professional program that explored Human Trafficking were Theodore J. Romankow, Prosecutor of Union County, James Lape, Vice President, Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, Terrence Coonan, Executive Director, Florida State University, Center for the Advancement of Human Rights.

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Trinitas Hospital demonstrates sensitivity to the family by hosting support groups, including monthly National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) support groups held on site as well as periodic 12-week family education classes. In conjunction with the Family

Dinorah Frontera, Psy.D, provides insights into behavioral health of preschoolers in a well-attended seminar for child care professionals.

Nancy Mooney, MA, LPC

experiencing mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety,” explains Nancy Mooney, MA, LPC. These services can further help children who struggle with anger management or need help coping with their feelings, may have expressed suicidal or homicidal tendencies, or have engaged in self-harm.

and throughout the summer. “Thanks to student feedback, the program continues to evolve and grow to suit their needs,” notes Jeannette Dejesus, LCSW, Program Director at Elizabeth High School – Halsey House,

cians, and other essential support staff are on site and provide individual/family/ group therapy, career and educational development, learning support, pregnancy support, pregnancy/STD prevention, community linkages, and recreation.

“These programs are designed to help students finish high school and graduate successfully, strengthen peer relationships and family relationships, and develop a career plan for their future, “ explains Alexandra Pintauro, MA, Director of the YES program in Roselle. “In essence, our goal is to help students overcome barriers that may be interfering with the process of healthy living.”

“Schoolwork poses more demands on students to achieve academic success than ever before,” observes Roger Goddard, Director of Wellness Management Services, who continues, “Add financial pressures, family difficulties, hyperactivity levels and emotional problems to the mix and success in school can be more difficult for children today.” Wellness Management Services has offered local schools a Student Leadership and Success Program that

Professional staff members, including licensed counselors, Master’s level clini-

Continued on page 12

Pro-Active Program Makes a Difference “Because students spend a significant portion of their lives in school, Trinitas Hospital is committed to working collaboratively with local Boards of Education to provide services which respond to the broad range of issues that students face today,” notes Marlyse Benson, Director of Behavioral Health Services. In order to support students dealing with problems such as substance abuse, teen pregnancies and teen suicide, Trinitas Hospital manages an innovative behavioral and mental health program that brings help directly into local schools. The New Jersey Department of Children and Families currently funds two such programs in Elizabeth and Roselle. The staff at the Elizabeth High School Youth Enrichment Services (YES) program reports the energy and vitality of the program come from the students themselves. “With input from the teenagers, the program is customized to respond to identified needs,” says Brian Nandy, MA, Program Director at Elizabeth High School-Jefferson House. The program reaches students before and after school

Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, creative arts therapists, substance abuse counselors, and mental health workers — many of whom hold advanced degrees — are members of the Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Department staff. Shown seated are Shirley Ostrega, social worker, and Kathleen Tumino, RN. Standing from left are Maria Davanzo, art therapist; Christine Donnelly, substance abuse counselor; Jose Hernandez, mental health worker; Jaya Gavini, psychiatrist, and Essie Larson, psychologist.

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days a week and is designed to provide treatment for those patients who need considerately more than is typically available in an outpatient setting, but who do not require the supervision of an inpatient setting, group therapy and traditional individual clinic services. Multidisciplinary staff members interact with patients to help them manage medications and also provide psychotherapy for individuals, couples, and families.

At the inauguration of the YES program at Abraham Clark High School in Roselle, Marlyse Benson, Director of Behavioral Health Services (at left holding bow), noted that the program offers comprehensive services in a supportive and confidential environment that enhances the academic, emotional and social lives of the students. James Lape, Vice President, Behavioral Health & Psychiatry, is shown in the rear at right.

encourges motivation and success skills. Students learn life skills that help them communicate effectively, manage their time more efficiently, and gain confidence. For parents who may be experiencing problems with their adolescent and substance abuse, school-based clinicians can refer them to the Adolescent Substance Abuse program, also housed at Trinitas. The program helps address specific issues related to mental health and substance abuse and enables adolescents to receive support, preventing hospitalization by stabilizing behaviors and improving coping skills to maintain sobriety.

Meanwhile… On the Front Lines Trinitas Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) is the Designated Screening Center for Eastern Union County. Staffed by a psychiatrist 24/7, the PES responds to crisis situations. A psychiatrist, nurse and mental health screener perform comprehensive assessments and link patients to services based on individual needs. Patients welcome the response and care of the staff and have given the PES a customer satisfaction rate of 4.78 out of a possible 5. The Department’s Peer Support Program provides patients and their fami-

lies with companionship and education. Associates explain the screening process to the patient and provide follow-up contact. “Peer Associates make the process much less threatening to consumers,” notes Tony Trachta, LSW, Director of the PES. “They speak from their own experience and help to convey a sense of camaraderie. Patients in turn develop a comfort level that helps them understand and accept recommendations and treatment.”

Specialized programming is available for specific populations including those involved in domestic violence, those affected by HIV, and those needing grief counseling. The Family Resource Center is a satellite office located in Cranford and also specializes in depression, anxiety and psychological trauma.

Sensitivity to Seniors At a time when older adults had planned to enjoy life, they often encounter unexpected stresses and problems. Some of these problems may include chronic physical or emotional illness, coping with the loss of one’s spouse or other close family members, and decreasing ability to manage one’s daily life independently.

Treatment within the Community When community-based treatment makes sense, the Department of Behavioral Health & Psychiatry works with the family and community agencies to help the person with mental illness to stay at home and function within their community. “We design treatment plans to respond to life skills issues that, when coordinated effectively, can help patients achieve a better sense of self and greater confidence in their ability to function from day to day.” notes Linda Reynolds, LCSW, Director of the Ambulatory Adult Psychiatry Services. A wide range of outpatient adult services is available. Among them are acute partial hospitalization, which operates five

Ali Pintauro, MA

Brian Nandy, MA

Specialized treatment addresses the needs of the elderly so that psychiatric and medical considerations can be treated jointly and safely. Staff members with geriatric expertise and in-depth knowledge of older adults work together with seniors to help them return to their normal lives quickly and successfully. For those who require hospitalization, this specialized programming is available on the inpatient unit as well. Continued on page 14

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HEALTHYEDGE

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & PSYCHIATRY The Department’s inpatient services include beds for the treatment of adult, child/adolescent and mentally ill/developmentally-disabled persons. In addition, patients can look to Trinitas Hospital for psychiatric emergency response/screening, outpatient services, partial hospital programs and addiction services. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, creative arts therapists, substance abuse counselors, and mental health workers — many of whom hold advanced degrees — offer meaningful treatment and interaction with patients in a bi-lingual environment. Those suffering from anxiety and panic, depression, suicidal ideation, schizophrenia and psychotic conditions, bipolar disorder and other mental health problems can avail themselves of both inpatient and outpatient services. Following is a list of programs and services for handy reference. All phone numbers are (908) Area Code, except where noted: Access/Referral 24 Hour Crisis Hotline Psychiatric Emergency Room Adult Psychiatric Services: Inpatient Outpatient

Acute Partial Hospital Geropsychiatry Kinship Connection Developmental Disabilities

888-841-5564 351-6684 994-7131 994-7250 994-7556 994-7557 994-7558 994-7255 994-7336 994-7460 888-393-3007

Adult Substance Abuse Services Partial Hospital, Intensive Outpatient and Outpatient Outpatient Medical Detox Women’s Addiction Gambling Program

994-7090 994-7043 994-7120 994-7156

Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Services Inpatient/Subacute Outpatient Partial Hospital After School Program Adolescent Substance Abuse Program Therapeutic Nursery

994-7712 994-7223 994-7722 994-7722

School Based Services: Elizabeth High School (YES) Abraham Clark High School - Roselle Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization HIV Services HIV Counseling & Testing Center Early Intervention Family Resource Center 300 North Avenue Cranford, NJ 07016

994-5383 436-6771 298-2040 ext. 2221 877-652-7624

994-7300 994-7600 276-2244

For additional information, please call the department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry at 908-994-7452 or email Kelly Baker at [email protected]. Visit www.TrinitasHospital.org for more information.

994-7722 994-7082

Located in Cranford near the Garden State Parkway and close to home, office or school, the Family Resource Center is a community outpatient treatment center that offers services for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

FALL 2007

13

Alternatives to Chemical Dependency Addiction services are available to adults as well as adolescents. Director Linda Chapman, MHS, RN, describes the Trinitas Hospital Behavioral Health & Psychiatry Department’s Outpatient Addiction Services as one of the largest outpatient programs in the state. The program includes ambulatory detoxification, partial hospitalization, and outpatient services. Unique services are also available for gamblers. Professionals who specialize in unraveling the complexities of mental health and addictions play a key role in Women’s Addiction Services (WAS). WAS offers a full continuum of services to help women and their families to begin their recovery process. ”We believe that addiction affects all family members, that recovery is an individual responsibility,” says Linda. The WAS program provides a structured environment in which multidisciplinary assessment and treatments take the place of an inpatient stay. Medication management helps patients improve their level of function and also reduces the symptoms of drug abuse. Therapeutic responses help patients who may experience a wide range of complications. Motivational counseling, family guid-

ance and support, and other resources help to link patients to community services and resources. Collaborative relationships are ongoing with the Division of Youth and Family Services, Union County Drug Court and surrounding community agencies. Project Sustain is a six-month residential program funded by the Division of Addiction Services that supports women and their children in appropriate housing through the local YMCA in Elizabeth. During their stay, women and children are offered a stable living experience and a therapeutic environment. Staff members of the department encourage and assist women with planning family-friendly and cost-effective weekend activities Weekly AA and Al-Anon meetings are held on site at Trinitas Hospital as well, and provide additional support for individuals and families.

Services for Special Needs Populations Many of those who use the services of the Department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry are individuals and families whose circumstances are extremely difficult due to developmental disabilities. For the developmentally disabled, Trinitas Hospital’s Statewide Clinical Consultation

and Training (SCCAT) program offers key services to those over the age of 18, including assessments, linkage to mental health and behavioral services in the community and crisis mobile response. Developmentally-disabled individuals living within their communities in all 21 New Jersey counties are eligible for this service. An Integrated Service Delivery Team can assist with case management based on referrals it receives from Essex, Union and Somerset counties as well as Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean counties. SCCAT works very closely with the Trinitas inpatient staff. When hospitalization for this population is necessary, SCCAT facilitates admission to the Dual Diagnosis Mentally Ill/Developmentally Disabled Psychiatric Inpatient unit. This 10-bed Acute Unit is designed to meet the special needs of this population by preventing long-term institutionalization and also maintaining community placement by providing short-term acute psychiatric inpatient services. For children and adolescents who are dually diagnosed, the child inpatient unit also offers services geared toward servicing these needs.

ANWAR Y. GHALI, MD Egyptian born and educated in his native country, Anwar Y. Ghali, MD, received his medical degree in 1966. Dr. Ghali obtained his earliest experience in Cairo, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia where he served as a staff psychiatrist and a Chief of Psychiatry. He later served on the medical staff of Woodilee Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, before emigrating to the US. He is Board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. In the late 1970s, Dr. Ghali joined the staff of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey where he later became the director of Emergency Psychiatric Services. From UMDNJ in Newark, Dr. Ghali joined the staff of Elizabeth General Medical Center as the Chief of Ambulatory

14

HEALTHYEDGE

Psychiatric Services in the late 1980s. During the next decade, Dr. Ghali served on the psychiatric staff of the Veterans Administration – New Jersey Health Care System. Since 2001, he has served as the Chairman of the Behavioral Health and Psychiatry Department of Trinitas Hospital. Licensed in New Jersey, New York and California, Dr. Ghali is a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). In addition to his membership in the APA and the American Medical Association, Dr. Ghali is also a member of the American Association of Psychiatric Administrators, the American College of Executive Physicians, and the American Management Association. He is a past-president of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association. A frequent presenter at professional meetings, during the past three decades Dr. Ghali has also authored scholarly articles published in national and international journals.

New “Hybrid” Procedure at Trinitas by Doug Harris

COMBINES BEST TREATMENTS FOR DISC DISEASE by Doug Harris Physicians at Trinitas Hospital have performed one of the first “hybrid” spinal procedures in the region, providing real relief for individuals suffering from severe back pain due to degenerative disc disease. Just as hybrid cars combine the best in electric and gasoline technology, the procedure at Trinitas combines two proven medical treatments – spinal fusion with an artificial disc. Age, disease or injury can cause the discs in the spine to break down, reducing their ability to help the body move and serve as natural shock absorbers. The result of degenerative disc disease is often severe pain and immobility, especially when more than one disc is affected. That’s where the “hybrid” comes in. “Before this procedure became available, we would normally fuse the discs where there was disease. The body can compensate somewhat when one disc is fused, however with two fused discs the patient would experience a definite loss of trunk and low back motion,” explains Ralph Sweeney, Jr., MD, the orthopedic surgeon who performed the ground-breaking surgery. Spinal fusion is a technique that uses bone graft to fuse or join adjacent vertebrae together. Spinal fusion is a good treatment, but there is a concern that the adjacent discs can degenerate more quickly when a diseased disc is fused, according to Dr. Sweeney.

a surgeon who can carefully move vital organs and blood vessels to expose the spine. “You definitely have to know your anatomy!” asserts surgeon Peter Mlynarczyk, MD, who performed the hybrid procedure with Dr. Sweeney. “During this surgery we move the aorta and vena cava out of the way, which is something we Ralph E. Sweeney, Jr., MD (left) and Peter J. must do very carefully. One Mlynarczyk, MD discuss placement of the artificial disc. small tear and you can lose blood quickly,” he adds. A pioOnce the exact location is found, the neer in this type of surgery, Dr. Mlynarczyk surgeons cut three channels into the bone. first performed the “frontal approach” in The teeth of the artificial disc fits these 1984. “Back then, we would come in from channels and then “press fits” into the the front to remove diseased discs and put bone. Over time, bone grows into the in blocks of bone to stabilize the spine,” metal surrounding the disc, but not into he explained. “You absolutely have to treat the disc itself. the veins with great care with this surgery,” he says. The hybrid procedure performed at Frontal approach surgery involves “truly looking at anatomy in a different way,” Dr. Mlynarczyk observes. There are additional benefits to performing this surgery from the front. “By coming in from the front of the body you can maintain the natural curve of the spine. This results in less adjacent disc disease later on,” Dr. Sweeney explained.

“The new ‘hybrid’ procedure involves fusing only one section of vertebrae to create a solid base. Then, we insert an artificial disc, which allows the patient to retain some movement in the spine,” he continues. Gravity and the body’s muscles keep the disc centered and aligned with the rest of the spine.

During the five-hour procedure, the two physicians team up to place the artificial disc in the exact center of the spine. “Fluoroscopic imaging is critical to viewing the anatomical markers that tell me that I’m in just the right place. You need a very good radiologic technician, and I must say that the personnel at Trinitas are excellent. It requires a lot of teamwork,” Dr. Sweeney notes.

Since the artificial disc is relatively large, the surgery must be done through the front of thebody.This“frontalapproach” involves a special challenge, and calls upon the skills of

During the surgery, Dr. Sweeney relies on feed-back from neuromonitoring devices placed on the legs. “This assures me that I’m not overstressing the nerves,”

Trinitas was on the L-4 and L-5 vertabrae, which are near the waistline. This first patient was a 24-year old who was injured in an auto accident. “Although youth is on his side, he also smokes - and we know that smokers have three times as many disc degenerations than non-smokers. Still, his prognosis is very good,” Dr. Sweeney says. Patients usually do not require a transfusion during the hybrid procedure. “Patients pre-donate blood prior to the surgery, and during surgery we employ the cell-saver that virtually eliminates the need for blood. This is all part of Trinitas Hospital’s Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program,” he explains. Following a 4-day hospital stay, patients typically undergo approximately four months of physical therapy. Dr. Sweeney studied the hybrid procedure in San Francisco and Dallas, where he spent time with pioneering spine surgeons David Selby, MD and Arthur White, MD. FALL 2007

15

“Mommy Makeovers” On The Rise by Joseph D. Alkon, MD Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery Chief, Division of Plastic Surgery, Trinitas Hospital After spending years power-walking, dieting, and exercising regularly with a trainer at the gym, Lisa – a mother of three - all but lost hope of ever regaining the prepregnancy figure she tirelessly worked to recapture. Angie, a mother of two, wished she could again wear the fitted clothes she used to wear before children and again feel comfortable about her physique.

2006 as compared to 2005, while all cosmetic plastic surgery procedures are up only 2% during that same period. With countless media reports, magazine articles and television shows depicting plastic surgery, the topic and reality of someone undergoing plastic surgery is no longer considered to be something attainable solely by those of celebrity-status.

Despite their scales showing lost pregnancy weight and their mirrors showing firmer toned arms after an exercise routine, they both still sighed with disappointment at the appearance of their waist-lines, breasts and hips. “My stomach bothered me in the way it looked, always hanging over my pants despite all my hard work,” Angie explained. “The loose skin and stretch marks of my lower belly and love handles was something I just couldn’t ever improve upon,” adds Lisa.

After thinking about it for years, Lisa started to research board-certified plastic surgeons that offered the procedures she wanted. “My husband and I decided we were done having children, and it was something I started to look into,” she explains. “My children were getting older and I felt the time was right,” adds Angie. They each knew someone who already had a similar procedure and they were able to learn from those personal experiences.

Lisa and Angie are certainly not alone when it comes to their bodily sentiment. “Mommy Makeovers,” the plastic surgery procedures that are tailored to women who have completed having children yet desire a return to their pre-motherhood figure, is a rapidly growing request that is outpacing most other areas of plastic surgery. Commonly, these Mommy Makeover procedures include tummy-tucks, liposuction, and multiple different types of breast surgery – from lifts to augmentations or reductions. According to statistics compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world, tummy-tucks alone in the “30something” age category are up 12% in

But, it took another two years for Lisa to ultimately have her surgery. “I literally left crying after my first consultation. At that time, I felt like I had to see the plastic surgeon with the plushest office or consult with someone I might have seen on a daytime talk show. But, their quoted prices were beyond what my husband and I could afford.” After having been referred by a prior patient and a close friend, Angie was convinced to have her surgery performed at Trinitas Hospital. It was “the honesty of what the surgery would entail, what the post-operative period would feel like, and the lack of sugar-coating” she recalls. Similarly, Lisa was “so surprised and happy” with how affordable it could be, being quoted a price less than half the price

*All names have been changed to maintain patient confidentiality

16

HEALTHYEDGE

Joseph Alkon, MD

she was quoted elsewhere two years before. “I just thought in my mind for all that time it was something I could never do because we just couldn’t afford it with other quotes having been literally twice the cost.” When asked about the nursing care, anesthesiologists, and overall experience, both women enthusiastically recalled their plastic surgery experiences at Trinitas. “The quality of the bedside manner and care by everyone far exceeded all of my expectations,” notes Lisa. “Everyone was fantastic. I have no complaints whatsoever,” says Angie. “I am 100% happy with my results, and it’s beyond my expectations.” She adds, “I was up and running within two and a half weeks, nothing changed in my routine. I truly feel excellent about myself and only wish I did it years ago.” Lisa has the same advice for others considering a Mommy Makeover. “I wish I had done it sooner,” she says. “I am absolutely thrilled with my results. I wish more people would realize that it is feasible, affordable and attainable. They don’t have to be unhappy with something if they don’t want to be.” These two women are proof of that.

Physicians & Surgeons HEALTHYEDGE is grateful to the following physicians and surgeons for their support of our publication as a vital health information resource for our community.

CARDIOLOGY/INTERVENTIONAL Peter Lenchur, MD 776 E. Third Avenue Roselle (908) 241-5545

FAMILY/SPORTS MEDICINE Stephen Parker, DO, FACSM 331 Chestnut Street Roselle Park (908) 245-9444

NEPHROLOGY George V. Thalody, MD 240 Williamson Street, Suite 400 Elizabeth (908) 352-0560

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY New Jersey Spine Group Ralph E. Sweeney, Jr., MD, FAAOS 1122 South Avenue Westfield (908) 232-2700

INTERNAL MEDICINE Union Square Medical Associates 449 Elmora Avenue Elizabeth (908) 282-6474

NEPHROLOGY Premier Nephrology and Hypertension 240 Williamson Street Elizabeth (908) 353-2064

OB/GYN Preferred Women’s Health Care 240 Williamson Street Elizabeth (908) 353-555

OPTHAMOLOGY Michael H. Friedman, MD 127 Chestnut Street Roselle Park (908) 241-2800

OTOLARYNGOLOGY Raimundo Obregon, MD 1308 Morris Avenue Union (908) 688-8855

PEDIATRICS Union County Pediatrics Group Amita Patel, MD 817 Rahway Avenue Elizabeth (908) 353-5750 Narendra Saraiya, MD 817 Rahway Avenue Elizabeth (908) 353-5750 Raghunandan Sundaram, MD 817 Rahway Avenue Elizabeth (908) 353-5750

THORACIC SURGERY Paul J. P. Bolanowski, MD 219 South Broad Street Elizabeth (908) 352-8110 A. Codoyannis, MD 219 South Broad Street Elizabeth (908) 352-8110

A New Smile… A New You! IMPLANTS & COSMETIC DENTISTRY Personal encounters Start With a Smile… Sometimes Nature Needs A Little Help • Implant Placement/Resortation • Invisalign • Veneers • Periodontics - Orthodontics • Bonding • Crowns/Re-Construction All Phases of General Dentistry Nitrous Oxide Analgesic

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LINDEN Hours: Monday - Saturday & Evenings FALL 2007

17

Community Calendar Seminars (Offered Free to Our Community) All seminars take place in the Physicians Conference Room, 210 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, except where noted. To register for any seminar, call (908) 994-5138 or register online at www.TrinitasHospital.org. November 8, 2007

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

11:30 am – 1:00 pm “Sickle Cell Anemia” Vincent Salerno, MD, Hematologist

11:30 am – 1:00 pm “Discover Arthritis: Take Control” Peggy Lotkowictz, Vice President Mission Delivery Arthritis Foundation, New Jersey Chapter

November 14, 2007 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm “Avoid the Holiday Spread” Luciele White, NPC Food Service Manager Location: Coffee Shop

November 28, 2007 11:30 am – 1:00 pm “Caregiver’s Seminar” Gerardo Capo, MD Donna Filocamo, Manager, PsychoSocial Services, Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center

November 29, 2007 11:30 am – 1:00 pm “Diabetes: A General Overview” Sr. Mary Ann Mueller, Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator

December 13, 2007 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Health Screenings Non-Invasive Cardiology, Laboratory & Physical Medicine Staff Limited to 50 registrants

Special Events May 8, 2008 Trinitas Health Foundation “Power of Healing” Gala The Palace Somerset Park 333 Davidson Avenue Somerset, NJ 08873 6:00 pm; $400 per person Proceeds benefit the patients at Trinitas Hospital. For reservations, call Laura Ciraco, (908) 994-8249 or [email protected]

Tuesday, February 5, 2008 11:30 am – 1:00 pm “Physical Activity & Arthritis: You Can Do It” Peggy Lotkowictz, Vice President Mission Delivery Arthritis Foundation, New Jersey Chapter

Professional Training Opportunities Programs for healthcare providers and first responders. CPR; ACLS & PALS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) & (Pediatric Advanced Life Support); Defibrillator Training; EMT Basic Training and Renewals; PHTLS; Incident Command System; Advanced Medical Life Support Trinitas Hospital Institute of Healthcare & Community Education 425 Morris Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ For further information, call (908) 5275222, ext. 12

Trinitas Hospital Auxiliary The community is invited to join in the following activities:

December 5, 2007 Wednesday Matinee “Curtains” See 2007 Tony Award-winning Best Actor in a Musical, David Hyde Pierce, in the musical hit, “Curtains.” Full package for the day, includes matinee ticket and lunch at TRATTORIA Dopo TEATRO. Round trip bus transportation from Westminster Presbyterian Church, Corner of Westminster Avenue and North Avenue, Elizabeth, at 10:15 A.M. $165 per person.

Thursday, December 13, 2007 “City Lights Tour” Join us as we enjoy Midtown Manhattan at the height of the holiday season. Round trip bus transportation from 225 Williamson Street in Elizabeth. For more information about the cost for this event, call (908) 994-8988. For more information about these events that benefit Trinitas Hospital, call the Auxiliary at (908) 994-8988.

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HEALTHYEDGE

All speakers, dates, times and locations were current as of press time. Readers are encouraged to call in advance if they wish to confirm any information published here about seminars, special events, classes, support groups or special programs.

Support Groups (Offered Free to Our Community)

Special Programs

Alzheimer’s Support Group

Cardiac Support Group

November 7, December 5, January 2 Family Resource Center 300 North Avenue, Cranford, NJ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm First Wednesday of every month Open to anyone caring for a person who suffers from Alzheimer Disease (908) 994-7313

(Open to cardiac patients only) January 17 7:00 – 8:00 pm Physicians Conference Room 210 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ Call Ann Marie Scanlon, RN, to register. (908) 994-5082

(Offered Free to Our Community) Look Good, Feel Better

Breast Cancer Support Group

Coping With Cancer Support Group

November 19, December 17, January 21 Conference Room A Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center Trinitas Hospital 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm Meets third Monday of every month. Open to patients, families, friends and loved ones. Please RSVP in English to Donna Filocamo, LCSW, at (908) 994-8730; in Spanish to Griselda Hildago, (908) 994-8535.

Breast Feeding Support Group Firday mornings 10:00 am - 11:30 am WIC Office 65 Jefferson Avenue, Elizabeth, NJ Call (908) 994-5142 to register.

Classes Child Birth/Breast Feeding Classes November 12 - December 17 (Mondays) Trinitas Hospital 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ Call Christine Guarnera at (908) 994-5410 6 week classes for $60

November 13, December 11, January 8 Conference Room A Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center Trinitas Hospital 225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Meets second Tuesday of every month Speakers address cancer-related topics.

Sleep Disorders Support Group January 30 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Physicians Conference Room 210 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ Call (908) 994-8694 to register.

Check out www.TrinitasHospital.org for more information…

December 11 Thanks to a partnership of the American Cancer Society (ACS), the National Cosmetology Association, and the Cosmetic, Toiletry & Fragrance Association (CTFA) Foundation, Trinitas offers patients at its Comprehensive Cancer Center personal beauty tips and techniques that they can use everyday. 210 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ Physicians Conference Room Call (908) 994-8244 to register.

Made For Me Boutique November 1, December 6 Appointments only. Call Amparo Aguirre at (908) 994-8244

Managing Your Medications: “Ask the Pharmacist” November 27, January 22, February 26 11:30 am - 1:00 pm Offered the fourth Tuesday of every month. Free of charge, by appointment only. Call (908) 994-5984.

Medication Assistance Program If you need help paying for prescriptions, you may be eligible for free medication assistance. Call (908) 994-5423. Appointment hours and locations: 10:00 am – 12 noon, Tuesdays Administrative Services Building, 210 Williamson St., Elizabeth, NJ 10:00 am – 12 noon, Wednesdays New Point Campus, 655 E. Jersey St., Elizabeth, NJ

Breast Feeding Classes Every Monday 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm WIC Office 65 Jefferson Street, Elizabeth, NJ Breast Feeding Hotline: 800-994-5142

FALL 2007

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The Power of Balance

5:00 am 6:00 am

by Rena Kotik-Sandberg

6:15 Does this schedule sound familiar? If you’re constantly on the go and perpetually in a hurry, you lack the time to truly enjoy the little things in life. If you feel as though you must work diligently every minute in every hour of each day in order to achieve your desired standard of living, ask

6:20 6:30

yourself this question: when do you have the time to enjoy it? Instead of

6:35

aiming toward the “perfect” lifestyle, try setting your sights on a balanced

6:45

lifestyle. If you’ve slaved to purchase a designer set of china, but never had the time to enjoy the china with friends and family, then perhaps your life

7:15

is imbalanced.

8 am - 5 pm 5:45 pm 6:00 pm

Wake up and hit the gym. Shower and get dresse d. Take Sparky for a wa lk. Feed Sparky, kiss husb an morning, and wake da d good ughter. Wake up daughter agai n. Make breakfast and se t table. Serve breakfast. Take daughter to scho ol and drive to work. Work. Pick up daughter from soccer practice. Cook dinner.

7:00 pm

L

Life can be short, so it’s vital that we enjoy life’s simple pleasures by managing time wisely. There are several vital components to achieving harmony between work and personal life:

Support from your spouse Complimenting your spouse – and vice versa – and recognizing one another’s strengths shows that mutual respect exists. When both partners show support and believe in one another, balancing career and family practically becomes effortless.

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HEALTHYEDGE

Clean table and help da ughter with homework. 9:30 pm Put daughter to bed. 10:00 pm Do you know where yo ur children are? 10:15 pm Pay bills, do laundry, ch eck for emails. 11:00 pm Watch News, collapse on couch. 11:30 pm Kiss husband good nigh t and get to sleep. Repeat for five days, every week for the ne xt year.

Stay organized and Multitask Let’s face it, no one can remember the

Make the most of every minute whenever possible. For example, if you want to drop pounds but can’t live without your

schedules of each person in the household

late morning soap opera, hop on the tread-

– it can be difficult enough to memorize

mill in front of the TV and immerse your-

your own! Using a common calendar and

self in the melodrama. While at work,

posting it on the refrigerator avoids sched-

take a brisk walk during your lunch hour.

uling conflicts and alleviates stress for the

During your child’s after school lesson or

entire family.

practice, squeeze in an errand or two.

Staying on the balance beam In order to be satisfied with your job without resenting your time spent away from your loved ones, it’s crucial to spend the same amount of time with the family. If your job demands additional hours, consider approaching your boss to ask for an assistant to relieve some of your burden. If hiring an assistant is not an option, dedicate your weekends strictly to your loved ones.

Just say “No” Many people don’t know how to say “no.” To maintain balance in life, figuring out what your priorities are is a must. Basing decisions on what’s at the top and bottom of your list of priorities ensures you don’t fall in the trap of taking on more than you can handle.

Your child’s potential for success depends on you Getting involved in your child’s school endeavors is the key to ensuring academic success. First and foremost, don’t let your own hurdles affect your child’s achievement. Research shows that parents with negative childhood experiences are likely to shy away from contacting teachers and are not involved in their children’s programs. You must remember that academic success often leads to professional success, so get over your insecurities. If you are available during the day, it’s a good idea to drop in on extracurricular activities. If you can’t make it to the baseball game, soccer practice or dance rehearsal, at least try to pick up your child and his or her friends. It shows you care and your child will appreciate the encouragement. For some of us – between the demands of work and family – the challenge of juggling it all can become grueling. For parents whose schedules restrict them from having the time to attend parent/teacher conferences or even to make a simple phone call, many teachers offer their email address so parents can foster some type of communication to stay informed. “Many teachers welcome this form of

Jeannette Dejesus, LCSW, Program Director at Elizabeth High School – Halsey House, far right, conducts a group session with student members of the YES program.

communication as long as the parent does not expect daily updates,” comments Program Director Jeanette DeJesus, who works at Elizabeth High School’s Youth Enrichment Services (YES) program. But, involvement in your child’s academics should not start and end with the teacher. “Do not underestimate the value of maintaining an open communication with your child,” says Jeanette. For those who speak English as a second language, public libraries often offer ESL classes, so corresponding with teachers and fellow parents becomes an easy, more meaningful experience. Jeanette recommends that parents check with their child’s school PTO where a liaison may be on staff to help bridge the communications gap. Every child has their own set of strengths, and with those strengths come weaknesses. It’s not realistic to expect your child to be good at every subject or every sport. What is important is that parents

focus on their child’s personal strengths and talents. “Whatever their curiosity or interests may be, support them with knowledge and opportunities to exercise the relevant skills,” notes Brian Nandy, Program Director for YES at Elizabeth High School-Jefferson House, who adds, “Inquire if the school or local learning institution conducts personality or career testing.” Mr. Nandy warns that children and adolescents are often unable to identify their strengths and weaknesses; therefore, they may lack an idea of realistic and tangible life goals which can, in turn, lead to a poor sense of self. “The Clifton Strengths Finder and The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator are tools that can assist in assessing a child’s inclinations. Given that the dynamics of personal interests, motivation and life stressors may influence the results of the tests, these tests may still be useful as guides.”

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Dealing with environmental issues Bullying Unless your child admits that he or she is being bullied – or has visible cuts and bruises – it can be difficult to detect that bullying is taking place. However, there are warning signs that include unwillingness to go to school, inability to sleep, or appearing unjustifiably anxious. When children begin to avoid certain situations or refuse to do things they normally enjoy, it is possible they are being harassed by a bully. If a parent discovers that a bully is making their child suffer, following a few simple rules can make the situation easier to deal with. • Be a good listener. Brian Nandy suggests, “Stay calm and give your child plenty of time to tell you how he or she feels.

Make it clear that it’s not your child’s fault.” Most importantly, don’t tell your child to simply fight back – doing so may increase his or her chances to be victimized even further. • Don’t overreact. Mr. Nandy advises parents to ask themselves if the situation is serious enough to discuss with the teacher, principal or police. If the severity of the situation is threatening, then strongly consider contacting the proper authority. • Help your child divert from situations that expose him or her to bullying. If the potential for danger occurs on the way to or from school, Mr.

Gloria Ritacco, Director of the Child/Adolescent Outpatient Unit and Adolescent Substance Abuse Program

Nandy suggests finding a safe route for the child or arrange for an older companion to accompany the child. It can also be a good idea to inform school authorities that there is a problem. It is also helpful to keep a written record of incidents and who was involved. adds Mr. Nandy.

Internet Safety

Adult Day Services

One in five children who visit Internet chat rooms have been approached by a pedophile. To protect your children from such predators, closely monitor their computer time. Start by simply talking to them and making them understand that they should never arrange to meet anyone they meet online — period! Gloria Ritacco, Director of the Child/Adolescent Outpatient Unit and Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Trinitas Hospital, says, “Children should be educated about [harsh] realities of the Internet.” If the child is under the age of 18, they should not be permitted to enter chat rooms at all. Parental locks are available and should be used. Websites such as www.imsafer.com monitor instant messages that use unsafe words and can send parents an email within 90 seconds of the occurrence.

(908)

561-8888

130 Route 22 East • North Plainfield, NJ (Directly across from the Watchung Square Mall)

www.SarahCareWS.com

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“Parents should also learn how to check which websites their children have been on when they use the computer,” says Ms. Ritacco. If you suspect that an adventurous teen is viewing pornographic or

“hate” material on the web, consider installing filtering or blocking software to protect them from such sites. So when you rise and shine tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, remember to slow down, allow some time for peace, take a moment to help your child with schoolwork, spend a few minutes of quality time together as a family – and enjoy the power of balance in your life.

A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Rena KotikSandberg is a certified personal trainer and fitness coach. In addition to her passion for health and fitness, Rena is on the staff of a national women’s magazine and also a freelance journalist.

OPENING YOUR CHILD’S MIND

Sometimes children can be reluctant to seek out new learning experiences. Whether you’d like them to tag along to an art gallery or fumble around on the clarinet, the trick to getting them involved can be all in the approach.

“Name That Tune” Play your child’s favorite melodies on the piano and let them guess the song. After playing a few tunes, he or she may be willing to plug away on the piano himself. If they learn one of their favorite pieces, they may be receptive to music instruction.

Wider Horizons Visit www.kids.nationalgeographic.com with your child and explore this interactive website that offers easy-to-understand explanations about mammals, sea creatures and even prehistoric animals. Play games, watch videos or participate in brain teasers. With so much interaction, your child will be begging to learn more at a museum! Outside Adventures Explore outdoor sights on foot or bike, rather than giving a tour from your car. Buy gifts that promote movement such as a jump rope, bike or skateboard. Incorporate a sport at birthday parties or family gatherings, such as volleyball, badminton or soccer. If your child is still reluctant to try a new activity, “Don’t belittle them for not being adventurous or make them feel that they are losing out by not participating in a particular activity,” warns Brian Nandy, YES Program Director at Elizabeth High School – Jefferson House. “Encourage and acknowledge their interests no matter how often they may change. They are developing their identity and self-image. It is critical that they see themselves as intelligent, attractive, talented and kind.”

RISE AND SHINE – AND DINE! We’ve all heard that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” yet a reported 40 percent of kids still skip that meal. Think preparing breakfast takes up too much time? Think again. Here are a few yummy eats that take less than five minutes to make:

Lean, mean, pocket machine A lower calorie version of Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets offer two varieties of breakfast sandwiches: Sausage, Egg and Cheese or Bacon, Egg and Cheese in a satisfying 140- calorie pastry crust. Pop in the microwave for one minute and go.

PB&B It takes less time to smother a tablespoon of peanut butter on half of a whole wheat bagel than it does to brush your teeth. Pop this savory snack in a sandwich bag and send your child off to gobble it up on the bus if he’s in a hurry.

Go bananas! Throw a peeled orange, banana, and a cup of nonfat yogurt into a blender and your orange-banana breakfast smoothie is ready to be slurped!

Cheers for Cheerios! Who doesn’t love Cheerios?! Made of whole grains and only two grams of sugar per serving, these crunchy little O’s are packed with vitamins and minerals. Drizzle low-fat milk on top and the breakfast of champions is ready to be served.

FALL 2007

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Surviving Nature’s Wrath

by Kathryn Salamone

CANCER CENTER EMPLOYEE SHARES HURRICANE KATRINA EXPERIENCE On August 29, 2005, the unthinkable happened as Hurricane Katrina bore down on the Gulf Coast. The catastrophic effects of the storm unfolded relentlessly on 24/7 television and radio coverage two years ago. The aftermath is still being felt by approximately 700,000 Americans. Many are trying to reclaim their lives in the states hardest hit, while others have found themselves in new homes, new communities. One such life-long resident of New Orleans found haven in Union County. Sherri Damare, RN, BSN, an examination nurse in the Medical Oncology Outpatient Unit of the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center, recently spoke about her experiences during and following Hurricane Katrina. Kathryn Salamone, Editor of Healthy Edge, interviewed Sherri whose responses give personal insight into the storm — its power, its life-altering significance for so many — and, ultimately, the resilience of the human spirit.

What were your thoughts as the reports were coming in about the storm? Where were you during landfall? For several days prior to landfall, I was working in the Hematology and Oncology inpatient unit at Touro Infirmary. We closely watched the reports about the storm coming closer to us, but it seemed it wasn’t any different from any other year. But, the day before the hurricane hit, it was obvious that we were going to be impacted pretty heavily and a state of emergency was called. Standard procedure called for one team to stay at the hospital during the “state of emergency” while the other would leave to return as soon as it was deemed safe to do so. In August 2005, I was on the second team and evacuated with my two children Victoria and Colby, who were eight and five at the time. On the day the storm hit, I was glued to the television in my hotel room in Houston. Everything seemed to be ok at first and I was already thinking about when we should pack up to go back home. Then, it seemed that out

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of nowhere reports began to appear about the levees breaking. I knew what that meant. I grew up next to those levees all of my life and I knew it was going to be bad.

What plans did the hospital have for evacuation? How was the staff dealing with the emergency? Friends told me that the staff was working in full disaster mode. Many doctors were discharging as many patients as possible several days before the storm. Only those patients who were considered not stable enough to go home were left in the hospital. The staff went around boarding up windows and preparing the different units with batteries and flashlights. After the storm hit, my hospital was left without power for several days before finally being evacuated on Thursday (the storm had hit on Monday). Everyone had been evacuated to the roof of the garage on Wednesday night because they were told that they were being evacuated… but the helicopters never came. I was told that several patients died that night.

New Orleans transplant, Sherri Damare, RN, now works in the medical oncology outpatient unit at Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Friends said that it was a horrifying experience —- cries from patients, the inability to care adequately for their patients, and the worrying about their own well-being and that of their families.

Where were your family members at the time? Were you in contact with them? Most of my family was evacuated but some stayed behind. During the first week following the storm, I was unable to contact any of my family who had been living in Louisiana. It wasn’t until I received a text message from my mother that I knew they were safe. I will never forget the message coming to my phone one week after the storm hit…”we’re ok.” I never knew two words could bring such great relief.

How long after Hurricane Katrina did you realize the extent of the devastation? We were allowed in about a week after the storm hit. It didn’t take long to realize how devastating the storm was. It was evident on every street, in

every home. Comparatively speaking, the home where I lived received little damage. What I think was more devastating for me was the overall destruction to the home and town I had grown up in — 100% of my hometown (St. Bernard Parish) was gone. My childhood home had been under 12 feet of water. It was heartbreaking. Every place I ever knew as a child — schools, parks, church — everything was gone, completely wiped out. That was the hardest thing I have ever done — to return to my hometown only to find that nothing was there. But, facing those scenes, staring my past in the face, allowed me to let go and move on.

What brought you to New Jersey? I felt that I needed to be close to at least one member of my family so I joined my brother who had moved here about two years earlier. After I was here for about two weeks, I looked for work while I decided about my next step. When my daughter’s teacher told me about the opening of the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center, I submitted my resume. After my interview, I started working at the Cancer Center on October 3, 2005, just a month after Hurricane Katrina. By the end of October, I had found my own apartment in Clark.

How would you describe your first few months living here? It was very difficult to learn a new area and new routines. I faced the tough task of trying to get myself back on my feet financially and, trying to decide if New Jersey was where I wanted to be. I received a lot of help from many kind people here. The communities were very welcoming and sympathetic and I

Kathleen Terlizzi, RN, and Sherri Damare work together in outpatient care at the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center.

will forever be indebted to them. It was very heart-warming and encouraging for all of us. I did a lot of soul searching at that time, too. When something like Katrina comes along, it heightens your awareness of just how precious life is and just how little control you have. You have to make a conscious effort to keep surviving; you have to remember that life isn’t over — it’s just taking a different course.

Help came to you in many ways as you settled in here. I met many wonderful people here who made the adjustment a little bit easier. I also found that by allowing myself to feel the pain I was feeling truly helped. I tried not to dwell on my situation, but I didn’t ignore it either. Having my children dependent on me, while very stressful, was an extra incentive for me to get up every morning and keep going. We often sat together and talked about what we were feeling or thinking, and I think that helped all of us cope.

Did you experience any reactions that you were not prepared for? How would you describe your feelings following Hurricane Katrina? I think the reaction that seemed most odd to me was the guilt that I felt for not staying in New Orleans during

the storm. As strange as it sounds, I felt very guilty for leaving my patients and other co-workers behind. I felt even more guilt when I saw some of them on TV during the days following the storm. I felt guilty for being safe in my hotel with my kids. I still miss home; I still have moments when I break down and cry. I still have my moments when I ask, “Why me?” But, what I’ve also come to see is that not everything is negative. A lot of positive things have come from this tragedy. I’ve met wonderful people. I’ve had a first-hand lesson in what’s important in life. I also have an amazing job and I have a chance at a new life. I’m looking forward to the future and I think it’s pretty bright. I also know that should something else happen, I will survive.

What suggestions would you offer to those who may be forced to deal with life-altering circumstances as you did? I guess my suggestion would be keep on living even though the world has seemed to stop around you. Also, don’t rush the future. Prepare for the future, live each day as it comes, and don’t dwell on the past. Talk about your feelings, don’t keep them bottled up inside. Lastly, accept the help of others because it’s ok to admit when you need help. FALL 2007

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Conquering the Terrain of Grief Novelists find fertile ground in the subject of grief. Take, for instance, Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking which also recently completed a limited engagement on Broadway starring worldrenowned actress Vanessa Redgrave. Lolly Winston also took a humorous turn on the subject with her 2004 novel, Good Grief, about a young widow picking up the pieces. These glimpses into grief underscore that life demands our strength and fortitude every day, but most especially when we face the loss of a loved one, someone very close to us, a job, or a beloved pet. Our spirit needs to mend after we have experienced a loss and, in that mending, we are able to resume life again. The grief process occurs in stages that were identified and outlined by noted psychologist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross four decades ago. Initially, Kübler-Ross developed the model to assist patients who were trying to cope with their own death process. However, this model has come to serve as signposts for bereavement and all different types of grief, i.e., death of a marriage, loss of a job and, of course, loss of a loved one or a friend.

emotional he is cold or uncaring about the loss. Men may wonder why the woman is unable to pull it together and move on. Men struggle with the powerlessness felt in death. They are “fixers” and the helplessness they feel challenges the male ego. Going through the grieving process is a gradual, day-to-day unfolding of a return to normalcy. Within that unfolding, there will be good days and bad days. “Signs that a person is not going through the stages of grief may be reflected in withdrawal from daily activities, unwillingness to get out of bed in the morning, excessive crying, continued denial of the loss, and a disregard for personal hygiene and grooming,” Dr. Neary-Ludmer states. As this unfolding takes place, time passes. Some cultures dress in black for a year to mark their grief. In the process of a year, the loves ones cope with first holidays, birthdays and anniversaries since the loss. Surprisingly, the second year can be more difficult as the reality has set in and

by Kathryn Salamone

STAGES OF GRIEF: DENIAL: Refusal to accept what has happened. ANGER: Expression of suppressed emotions. BARGAINING: Wishing for a way out. Avoiding acceptance of the inevitable. DEPRESSION: Reality sets in with strong emotions overwhelming them. ACCEPTANCE: Less emotional with an increased acceptance of the reality of the loss and movement towards rebuilding.

loved ones move forward. This action comes as a shock to people. Continued on page 28

Pat Neary-Ludmer, PhD, Director of the Trinitas Hospital Family Resource Center, explains that there are gender differences in the way men and women manage grief. “Men tend to be solitary and work out their grief through action. Men are the pallbearers at funerals and in some cultures they are required to make the coffin for the deceased. Conversely, women are more verbal and prefer to interact with others regarding their loss. Men can move in and out of their pain while women remain connected to it on a daily basis,” she notes. It is important that people realize that men and women can get into conflict over their very different grieving styles. Women may interpret that if a man is less verbal or

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Pat Neary-Ludmer, PhD, works regularly with those who seek grief counseling and is regarded as a valuable resource for 9/11 widows. She notes that men and women tend to process grief in gender specific ways.

People can work out their grief in a variety of ways, says Dr. Neary-Ludmer. Writing a journal, participating in a bereavement support group, seeking counseling are just a few of the ways to move forward. Some people take comfort in rituals and ceremonies and other things spiritual. Positive ways of moving forward can be found in celebrating the person’s life. By doing so, the person grieving can eventually do new things, make new friends and create new traditions. If a person suffers the loss of a job, he or she may experience feelings very similar to grief associated with death. “The individual grieves for the loss of loyalty by the employer, loss of their identity and status in life,” Dr. Neary-Ludmer notes. “If the situation does not improve, and/or the individual fails to make a satisfactory adjustment, depression may set in. These individuals need support from family and friends.” Grief is a normal aspect of life that can affect people of all ages. With age comes the intellectual and emotional maturity to assist with the ability to manage grief. However, Dr. Neary-Ludmer explains, being older doesn’t necessarily make grieving easier. Imagine the loss of a spouse of 40 or 50 years. A lifetime of companionship and memories makes such a loss hard to bear. But, perhaps the most difficult loss is the loss of your child. While the loss of an aged loved one is fairly predictable, the other is unthinkable and unnatural. Children experience and process grief

differently than adults, notes Dr. NearyLudmer. Their actions speak louder than words as young children may regress, suck their thumb, wet their bed, cling to a significant other, throw temper tantrums and become very fearful. Older children may exhibit grief through aggressive behavior, an increase in separation anxiety, focus and concentration problems, social and learning problems at school, mood swings and feelings of helplessness/hopelessness. They may have physical symptoms such as headaches/stomachaches and disturbed sleep and eating patterns. “Counseling may help children to express their loss in a way that is healthier for them,” Dr. Neary-Ludmer recommends, adding, “Children move in and out of their grief reactions as they pass through the various developmental stages and challenges of life.” The most important realization for the grieving person is that life will return to a degree of normalcy. Dr. Neary-Ludmer recommends accepting the support of family and friends.

HOW CAN FAMILY AND FRIENDS HELP THOSE WHO ARE GRIEVING?

✓ ✓

✓

Be a good listener. Identify what the individual or family may need, such as help with prepared meals, child care, financial help, house cleaning, gardening, snow removal. Don’t pity those who grieve, instead show your concern by helping them work toward getting back to normal.

For those who are grieving, remember to take one day at a time. Do not overwhelm yourself. Join a support group. Keep active – exercise and eat healthy. Pain will fade. Remember, you may not have your spouse, job, close friend or much-loved pet any longer but you can embrace life and rebuild without being disloyal. To reach the Trinitas Hospital Family Resource Center in Cranford, call (908) 276-2244.

H E A LT H & S A F E T Y P R O D U C T S

“Your Protection is Our Business” Medical / Dental / Food / Industrial / Auto Gary Berman President

633 Jackson Avenue Elizabeth, NJ 07208

800-432-4568 Cell 973-668-1294 Fax 908-352-0743 [email protected] toplineglove.com

FALL 2007

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PATIENT FINDS “SAFE HAVEN” IN PARTIAL HOSPITAL PROGRAM On July 15th, 2007 I was so battered by the legal system, the sandwich generation with my daughter, that I was not

I am still baffled as to how this department could possibly have such a group of individuals working together at the same time.

able to adequately take care of my grandson while his

In my eyes, Dr. Benjamin Chu is a beloved figure.

so burned out being a caregiver for my mom, caught in

mother went off to college. I was so beside myself with grief, that I felt I had to reach out for help. I drove to the emergency room at your New Point campus, and after crying enough tears to overflow the Rio Grande, they referred me to this place called “Partial Hospital.” I had no idea where I was going. I had no fight left in me and anything was better than where I was coming from mentally and emotionally. It didn’t take me long to realize I was in a “safe haven.” Also, I recognized the high level of professionalism, caring, empathy and genuine willingness to help me get better. Professional, knowledgeable, positive, encouraging, determined, resourceful; delivering kindness with a firm hand. This is a description of what I encountered.

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Ofelia Sigarroa showed me each day that, after 35 years as a nurse, she is still dedicated to compassionate patient care. I observed how your clinician, Berta Burgos, treated each of us with such dignity and respect. She was firm, but frank and honest; empathetic but clearly professional. The therapy helped me to remember, and open for the first time doors of the kaleidescope of my life that I needed to explore in order to heal. I learned so much. Today was my last day, I was not sad. I was happy. That is an indication that I was ready for the next step. Just like a wonderful vacation, you know that you need to go home and face the road of life ahead. Best regards, Marta Rosell-Fernandez Adjunct Prof. /Anthropology City University of New York

Foundation Focus:

News of the Trinitas Health Foundation by Kathryn Salamone

FUNDRAISER BRIGHTENS THE HOLIDAYS The holidays are just weeks away and the Trinitas Health Foundation is getting ready for its annual Tree of Care fundraiser. Each year, Christmas trees adorn the Trinitas lobby. And, no Christmas tree is complete without an abundance of decorations. By making a contribution to the Trinitas Health Foundation, participants can purchase ornaments used to decorate the trees. Donations ranging from $10 to $1000 are used to help maintain state-ofthe-art equipment to provide the best possible care to the community. The ornaments are dedicated to loved ones, family members, and special people who have made a difference. Every gift that is made in memory of or in honor of someone helps the Foundation make a difference in the lives of patients at Trinitas Hospital. If you’d like to participate in the Tree of Care program, contact the Trinitas Health Foundation at (908) 994-8249 or send your contribution to Trinitas Health Foundation, PO Box 259, Elizabeth, NJ 07207-0259.

EARN MORE WITH A DEFERRED PAYMENT GIFT ANNUITY Charitable gift annuities are an ideal way to fulfill your charitable giving objectives because they can be tailored to meet your individual financial needs and timetable. With a standard charitable gift annuity, you can start receipt of payments immediately. A Deferred Payment Gift Annuity gives you the option of deferring receipt of payments for a few years if you are currently earning enough money and you do not necessarily need additional monies now, but you will need or want more money in your retirement years. If this sounds appealing to you, now is a great time to take advantage of these

higher rates and at the same time, help Trinitas Hospital.

Count the benefits: • You can supplement future retirement funds with a known dollar amount. • Your contributions are unlimited, unlike those for qualified pension plans. • You can secure a substantial income tax charitable deduction immediately. • You can receive secure payments that are partly income tax-free.

This is especially advantageous if your tax bracket is higher now than you anticipate it will be in future years. In addition, the payment rate for a deferred gift annuity can be considerably higher than if you had your payments begin immediately. Example: Michael is age 50. He gives $40,000 to establish a deferred payment gift annuity, arranging for payments to start when he reaches age 65. He itemizes his income tax deductions, so he will be able to deduct $20,919. *Based on current rates, Michael will receive $5,120 each year ($957 of which is income tax-free) beginning at age 65, a rate of 12.8 percent.

Sample: One Life Deferred Gift Annuity Schedule Begin Age/ Payment Age

Annuity Rate

50/60 50/65 50/70

9.4% 12.8% 17.9%

How it Works You make the contribution now securing a current income tax charitable deduction, and the Hospital agrees to pay you fixed payments for life starting at any date you select.

For more information, please contact Nadine Brechner, Executive Director or Florence Ruvolo, Director of Annual and Planned Giving of Trinitas Health Foundation 908-994-8249.

FALL 2007

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Vital Signs:

Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center News by Kathryn Salamone

CANCER CENTER EARNS NATIONAL ACCOLADES IN PATIENT CARE Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center (Trinitas CCC) has received a great deal of national attention in the two short years since it has open its doors. From a quality and patient satisfaction perspective, Trinitas CCC has recently earned recognition in two very impressive national forums. In January 2007, Trinitas CCC was featured in a cover story in Oncology Issues Magazine for its outstanding patientcentered care. The article described the NaviCare® patient flow technology and the extensive efforts to which Trinitas staff focus on service excellence. Trinitas was one of the first cancer centers in the country to adopt NaviCare which helps reduce patient wait times, and improves communications and patient satisfaction. Additional national recognition in 2007 came at each of the seven Oncology Roundtable conferences across the United States, presented by The Advisory Board – a healthcare management consulting firm and think tank based in Washington, D.C. Trinitas CCC was featured as a case study for ‘Breakthrough Best Practices in PatientCentered Care.’ “These highly regarded conferences

TCCC Phlebotomist Cherelle Smith consistently earns top rankings in both “courtesy” and “skill” when drawing blood samples for lab tests.

usually highlight nationally recognized cancer centers such as Memorial Sloan Kettering and the Mayo Clinic, so it is a true testament to the outstanding talent and efforts of our entire cancer center team to be featured as ‘among the best’ in this national forum,” said Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President and CEO of Trinitas

Boost Your Business! Advertise in the HEALTHYEDGE and reach over 55,000 households and over 5,000 physicians, healthcare professionals and decision-makers throughout Eastern and Central Union County! Start reaching the right people call our knowledgeable sales staff today. Call 908-337-3276 and ask for Robert Rubilla.

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Hospital. “This level of national recognition means that people in Union County can be confident that the care they get here at Trinitas, is as good as any of the cancer centers in the country.” In the past year, through the Press Ganey patient satisfaction surveys, Trinitas CCC has also earned some of the highest scores in the country. Trinitas CCC has consistently earned the top scores in at least one third of all of the 52 survey questions in each quarterly survey in a comparative group of 62 cancer centers throughout the United States which includes some of the most well-known names in cancer care. “Simply put, we are passionate about customer service,” said Mr. Horan. “Our goal is to give patients outstanding, comprehensive medical care, combined with the most compassionate and friendly customer service possible for the patient and their families.”

CANCER CENTER PARTICIPATES IN NEW CLINICAL TRIALS A multi-center nationwide clinical trial for previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma is currently offering hope for improved treatments in the future. As part of the Aptium Oncology Research Network, Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center is working in partnership with several US cancer centers and principal investigators. Gerardo Capo, MD, specialist in Medical oncology and hematology, is serving as the principle investigator. Participation in the 05-MM-01 study is currently available in 10 medical facilities in the United States accepting volunteers for this Phase II study. Multiple myeloma is a disease of malignant plasma cells. It affects about 5 in 100,000 Americans at a median age of 65 years and is still incurable. Multiple myeloma is the second most prevalent blood cancer and is approximately twice as prevalent in men as in women. It is also among the ten leading causes of death in African Americans. In the United States, more than 14,000 new cases of multiple myeloma are diagnosed every year and over 11,000 people die of the disease. Over the past three decades, the treatment for multiple myeloma has been mainly palliative, to provide comfort, with a median life expectancy of three years and

less than 10% living 10 years or longer. “Nearly all patients experience a relapse after their initial treatment, and unfortunately, there is still no cure,” said Dr. Capo. “The best therapies we have still only provide a controlled remission in the most successful instances. There is clearly an urgent need for more therapies. This clinical trial may offer an option for multiple myeloma.” In another clinical trial participation, Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center is among about 400 research sites nationwide that are partnering in a study to determine the prevalence of stem cell mutation in Gerardo Capo, MD patients with bone marrow failure syndromes. Dr. Gerardo Capo is in men and women, the average age for again serving as the principal investigator locally in this multi-center study. the diagnosis of PNH is 35 years. The The primary objective of the EXPLORE clinical study is to determine the percentage of patients with Aplastic Anemia (AA), Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), and other bone marrow failure syndromes, who also have PNH cells in their blood. Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an uncommon and potentially fatal blood disease that occurs at almost any age. Found equally

percentage of patients with AA, MDS, and other bone marrow failure syndromes who have PNH is unclear. However, the determination of this number through the clinical study could represent an opportunity to detect, diagnose, and potentially treat patients with unrecognized PNH disease within these populations. Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) is currently estimated to affect

• Radiology • Dialysis • Hospital Admissions & Discharges • Doctor Appointments

approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people in North America and Western Europe. PNH is a blood disorder that is caused by a mutation in the blood stem cells. Although PNH was named after the dark urine many patients experience, only 26 percent of patients have this symptom at the time of diagnosis. The only curative

Tel: 732-602-8939 Fax: 732-602-8940

888-272-0002

treatment option for PNH is a bone marrow transplant. FALL 2007

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VITAL SIGNS Jordan Fersel, MD

PAIN MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST JOINS STAFF Jordan Fersel, MD, Director of Pain Management Services at Trinitas Hospital, now heads the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center’s recently expanded Pain and Symptom Management Services. Successful new cancer treatments and innovative technologies have contributed to greater life expectancies among cancer patients. However, concerns about their quality of life continue to be a concern among medical professionals. Cancerrelated pain is a daily fact of life for more than 500,000 patients fighting cancer. In many cases, if not identified and treated properly, the pain can interfere with the patient’s overall response to the clinical treatment. Expert and aggressive pain management is important to the overall treatment process. “The goal of Pain and Symptom Management Services is to alleviate the patient’s pain, symptoms and discomfort, and thereby enhance the quality of life for both patient and his or her family members,” notes Dr. Fersel. “Cancer-related pain can manifest itself in a number of different ways. Chronic constipation, sore mouth, myofacial pain, joint pain (especially shoulder, hips and back pain) along with deep vein thrombosis are among the various manifestations of cancer-related pain.” Dr. Fersel, TCCC oncologists, and Pain & Symptom Program Coordinator and Advance Practice Nurse, Carol S. Blecher, RN, MS, AOCN, APN,C, coordinate each case with the patient’s family physician. They assess all pain and symptoms, including any non-cancer related conditions, to provide the best care possible. The result is an individualized pain and symptom management plan to meet the specific needs of each patient. In addition to drug treatments to manage pain, the team combines behavioral and supportive techniques such as relaxation therapy. By doing so, the medical team creates a comprehensive approach

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that involves the patient and family through appropriate education. “By developing a caring and comprehensive understanding of the symptoms and factors that lead to each patient’s unique issues, we can help patients get through their treatments with less pain and symptoms than they would otherwise experience,” said Dr. Fersel. “That alone is a testament to the success of the program here at Trinitas.” Dr. Fersel is Board certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology and is a Diplomate of the Academy of Pain Medicine. With over 20 years of experience in pain management, Dr. Fersel is a highly-regarded specialist in his field. He is

a 1984 graduate of Mount Sinai Medical School, served his residency at Mount Sinai, and later completed his fellowship at the Pain Management Center at UMDNew Jersey Medical School. For more information about cancer care at TCCC, call (908) 994-8000 or visit www.TrinitasHospital.org or www.trinitasccc.org

Hospital Beat:

People and Events of Note

by Kathryn Salamone

ANDREW H. CAMPBELL PAVILION DEDICATION There was not a cloud in the September azure sky as guests assembled on the Rooftop Gardens of the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Williamson Street campus for the formal dedication of the hospital’s newest building as the Andrew H. Campbell Pavilion. Colleagues and friends joined members of the Campbell family and the Trinitas Hospital family in celebrating the life and legacy of the former Chairman of Elizabeth General Medical Center who also served as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trinitas Health and Hospital. Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President & CEO, remarked that the lasting imprint of Andrew Campbell upon Trinitas Hospital will continue through the newly-named Pavilion, noting that “Andy was a man who exerted a profound influence upon healthcare in the City of Elizabeth at a unique time when discussions were underway to consolidate Elizabeth General Medical Center and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. His pivotal role led to the

creation of Trinitas Hospital in 2000. It is extremely fitting then that this building bear his name.” Mayor J. Christian Bollwage of Elizabeth recalled the energy of Andrew Campbell, describing him as “someone who gave a lot Gary S. Horan, FACHE, president & CEO, Cindy Campbell, of time and effort to make other people’s lives and Maureen Shaughnessy, SC, Chairperson, Board of Trustees of Trinitas Health and Hospital, posed with membetter. He truly cared bers of the Campbell family at the Andrew H. Campbell about his family, other Pavilion dedication. people, and the general community of Elizabeth. deal to Andy. He once told me that of all I’d like to congratulate Trinitas Hospital on the volunteer work he had ever done, he the occasion of the dedication of this was most proud of what he did for Trinitas building to a man who gave so much to Hospital.” this hospital.” Andrew Campbell, Jr. concluded the Maureen Shaughnessy, SC, Chairperson, formal part of the program by expressing Board of Trustees of Trinitas Health and the pride of the Campbell family “in the Hospital, echoed those sentiments as she honor being paid to the man who played such a pivotal role in this hospital. It was recalled meeting Andrew Campbell in the never my father’s goal to be recognized for Fall of 2003. “He was welcoming as he his volunteer work. That is why the renamshared information about Trinitas Hospital ing of this building in his honor is so spewith me. He loved the City of Elizabeth cial to all of us in the family. Our Dad’s and wanted the best possible health care vision and legacy will live on through the available for the people of this city and its Pavilion and through the Andrew H. surrounding communities.” Campbell Endow-ment Fund. We express Cynthia Campbell, Andrew’s wife, reitour profound gratitude for this wonderful erated that Trinitas Hospital “meant a great tribute.”

BENEFIT PERFORMANCES ADD TO A.H. CAMPBELL MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT Special performances of the Spoon Theater’s production of William Shakespeare’s Richard III were held recently to benefit the newly-created Andrew H. Campbell Memorial Endowment of the Trinitas Health Foundation. Campbell, who passed away in April 2007, was Vice Chairman of Trinitas Health and Hospital. The Endowment was established to fund several important initiatives at Trinitas Hospital including the palliative care program, whose goal is to prevent and relieve suffering and to improve the quality of life of those facing serious, complex illness. More than 40 people attended the benefit performances. Fifty percent of the ticket sales were donated to the Endowment that has now raised more than $35,000. Among those who attended the Spoon Theater benefit were, from left to right, Katharine and David Outcalt, Margaret Campbell, Cynthia Campbell, James Campbell and Andrew Campbell.

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FROM THE IVY LEAGUE TO TRINITAS HOSPITAL ment. She also became interested in pre-med, thanks to a number of her friends who were in pre-med studies. Through them, she gained exposure to clinical encounters while “shadowing” doctors.

Through a Princeton University Fellowship Program, 2007 Princeton graduate Tse-Shuen “Jade” Ku recently joined Trinitas Hospital as Assistant to the Vice President, reporting to Laurie Westra, Vice President, Quality Management. The oneyear appointment will provide Jade with experience in health care management as she supports various quality management programs and other programs for the medical staff. Post-graduate fellowships such as Jade’s were created by Princeton University alumni of the Class of 1955 as the Princeton Project 55 and are funded by the host organization where the fellowship is completed.

“It’s funny how I finally started to think seriously about medicine after all the coaxing from my father,” she admits.

Jade freely admits that when she started her college studies, she was much like many other college students —- she wasn’t sure exactly what path of study she wanted to pursue. “My parents came from Taiwan to attend graduate school in the States. My father earned his doctorate, and is a researcher at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in Princeton. He urged me to consider pre-med, but I was resistant and decided to enroll as a biology major instead since my major interest has always been in the research sciences,” she explains.

Post-graduate felLaurie Westra, Vice President of Quality Management and lowship opportunities Princeton graduate Jade Ku attended the recent dedication ceremony of the Oncology Patient Care Unit at the with other organizations simply didn’t offer Williamson Street campus. her the right circumstances, Jade says. “I wanted to be in an as quality of care issues and how social urban hospital, to see how aspects of workers are important to the discharge health care policy that I learned about in process. The extensive outreach of Trinitas the classroom play out in the real world,” Hospital also offers plenty of opportunities notes Jade. “For instance, my year at for volunteering after work and on weekTrinitas will allow me to see how treatment ends —- another plus, notes Jade. for congestive heart failure is delivered to the Black and Latino patient populations.” “This Fellowship gives me the opportu-

While at Princeton, she joined the research lab in the molecular biology depart-

She is also learning about other functions and activities within the hospital such

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nity to get a more complete picture of the health care environment,” Jade explains, adding, “At Trinitas Hospital, I’m learning that there is much more beyond the traditional medical and nursing career paths.” Under the mentorship of Laurie Westra, Jade intends to devote time to the Value Project which is designed to measure health care services in terms of the health outcomes of the chronically ill. “I hope to become involved in research and background reading at the early stages of a project. I look forward to identifying a project on which I can make a true, personal contribution,” Jade adds.

COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY PROPELS APPOINTMENT SETTING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY In a world in which many people work full time and often overtime, it is often difficult to find time to arrange for diagnostic or pre-admission tests that doctors require. It seems that there are just not enough hours in the day to deal with important health matters. At Trinitas Hospital, awareness of that issue has resulted in a service that makes life easier for patients and their doctors. For the past year, Trinitas Hospital has been at the forefront of customer service through its new, efficient service that benefits both physicians and their patients. The Trinitas Hospital eScheduling program, found on the hospital’s user-friendly website, has helped make it much easier for patients to be in contact with their physicians and with the hospital to arrange appointments for diagnostic or pre-admission tests. eScheduling can replace or reduce the busy signal at the other end of the telephone line by saving time for patients trying to contact receptionists or other schedulers in the doctor’s office. Medical office staff members who schedule tests and procedures for patients are under tremendous daily pressure, dealing with dozens of concerns at the same time throughout the day. By reducing the number of in-coming calls, eScheduling makes it easier for them to do their work, which then translates into improved patient experiences. Also by using the online option, the number of patients standing in a doctor’s office, and others waiting for their questions and concerns to be resolved is dramatically reduced. Lastly, the eScheduling option helps physicians expedite the process of helping their patients with their testing needs. “Before the eScheduling program was launched, patients customarily spent time either on the phone with a busy reception-

ist or had to make a special trip to their doctor’s office to get information about setting up an appointment for testing,” explains Hilda Artesona, Director of Patient Access Services and Central Scheduling. “Now, with eScheduling, patients have the option of filling out a simple form online whenever they need to schedule an appointment for a test at the hospital.” On the user-friendly eScheduling form, patients provide necessary information including the name of their physician, the test or procedure they need to have done, and alternate convenient dates and times. Patients also provide a contact number so that the Central Scheduling staff can review appointment availability. Patients are reminded that eScheduling is limited to generating a request for an appointment or test. Availability of the date and time and other patient information must be verified before an actual appointment or test can be scheduled. Thanks to a welcome customer service element, if a patient has a problem completing the form online, they can engage

in an online chat with a Central Scheduling agent who can assist in completing the form. A variety of customized features make the appointment setting process easier for all as patients, medical office staff members, and physicians now find that is a much less complicated and stressful activity than it was before. After its first year, the eScheduling program has been a great success, with well more than 1,000 requests initiated via eScheduling. To take advantage of this innovative customer service program designed to make appointment setting less stressful in this fast-paced world, visit the hospital’s website, www.trinitashospital.org, for further information about eScheduling. • Oil Tank Testing, Removal, Installations & Sand Fill, DEP Approved You’ll Lo • Tank Protection Plan

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NEW ONCOLOGY PATIENT UNIT DEDICATED More than 150 dignitaries, guests, physicians and employees attended the dedication of Trinitas Hospital’s newest inpatient care unit as Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President and CEO, unveiled the state-of-theart oncology inpatient unit at the Williamson Street campus in August. The new unit will complement the full range of outpatient services currently available to patients at the Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center where more than 43,700 outpatient visits have provided compassionate care since 2005. This new Oncology Patient Care unit is a significant part of the Trinitas strategic plan to provide an environment conducive to the healing process by using all that can be brought to bear that is technologically current. The newest cancer care facility in the state, it will complement the full range of outpatient services currently available to patients at the Comprehensive Cancer Center. All members of the nursing staff of the Oncology Patient Care Unit are trained in oncology nursing and certified to administer chemotherapeutic agents. They will deliver care in a state-of-the-art setting outfitted with beds specially-designed to distribute weight evenly over the entire mattress, plasma screen monitors, and the utmost of comfortable amenities, in the newest, most aesthetically pleasing and patient-friendly patient care unit in the state. The 23 private rooms of this new unit — featuring plasma screen monitors, specially designed beds, and other amenities — were designed for optimal patient comfort and safety. The facility furthers our commitment to the treatment of individuals with cancer and other serious illnesses.

The dedication ceremony concluded with a traditional ribbon-cutting. From left to right: Bernadette Countryman, Senior Vice President, Clinical Operations and Chief Nursing Officer, Gary S. Horan, President & CEO, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Mayor J. Christian Bollwage of Elizabeth, Union County Sheriff Ralph Froelich, Michael McIntyre, Director, Support Services, Nadine Brechner, Executive Director, Trinitas Health Foundation, Mort Gershman, Trinitas Health and Hospital Trustee, Maureen Shaughnessy, SC, Chairman of the Board of Trinitas Health and Hospital, and William Gallman, Elizabeth Council Member.

TRINITAS IDENTIFIED AS A NATIONAL MENTOR HOSPITAL In recognition of its exemplary treatment of pressure ulcers as demonstrated by its excellent outcomes in the New Jersey Hospital Association’s Pressure Ulcer Collaborative, Trinitas was recognized for having no pressure ulcers in a three month period among its study population. The hospital’s performance resulted in a 25% reduction in pressure ulcers. “The campaign to replace all of the beds in the hospital with pressure-redistributing surfaces is helping dramatically as we make strides in this area of patient care,” explains Deborah Durand, RN, APN, CCRN, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Intensive Care. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, also invited Trinitas to participate as a Mentor Hospital in the Institute’s “5 Million Lives Campaign” to improve the treatment of pressure ulcers in hospitals throughout the US. The new beds are also designed to reduce caregiver injury since they can be easily elevated and lowered as needed.

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Debbie Durand, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Intensive Care (left) and Cathy Tenore, RN, BSN, CWOCN, Inpatient Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse, demonstrate the patient-friendly controls on one of the hospital’s new beds to Hillside resident Fleurette Vice.

225 Williamson Street Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207