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Newark Beth’s COO Darrell K. Terry, Sr. is photographed with Councilman Ras Baraka, Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, NBI Chairman Marc Berson, Executive Director, John A. Brennan, MD, Chairman and Medical Director of the NBI Emergency Department Eric Wasserman, MD, Congressman Donald M. Payne and former Board Chairman Lester Bornstein. |
Newark, NJ—November 7, 2011--Newark Beth Israel Medical Center (NBI) has become one of the few hospitals in the nation to open a geriatric emergency department unit to treat New Jersey’s growing elderly population. The newly opened 8-bed Geriatric Unit features geriatric-specific equipment and offers tailored care to those 65 and older. NBI Executive Director John A. Brennan, MD, MPH, led the official opening in the 110 year old hospital. He was joined by Congressman Donald M. Payne, who secured funding for the construction, NBI Board Chairman Marc Berson, former NBI Chairman Lester Bornstein, for whom the Emergency Department is named, South Ward Councilman (Newark) Ras Baraka, Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, and Eric Wasserman, MD, NBI’s Chairman and Medical Director of the Department of Emergency Medicine.
“Our new Geriatric Emergency Department will provide seniors specialized emergency care that will help us determine the best care for them in a caring and compassionate environment.” said John A. Brennan, MD, MPH, Executive Director, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey. “The Geriatric Emergency Department is the first in a series of strategies to connect patients to the latest in cutting edge clinical care and the best in innovative technology, combined with a caring and attentive emergency staff.”
Dr. Brennan also thanked Congressman Donald M. Payne for his support and leadership in obtaining federal funding to construct the project. “Congressman Payne knows and understands the needs of the senior community, particularly in Newark and Essex County. Funding for the new ED is a direct result of his leadership in Washington and his commitment to the people of Newark and New Jersey.”
Congressman Payne said, “I commend Dr. Brennan and the Board for their vision of a better hospital for seniors from Newark and surrounding communities.” He said, “Twenty percent of our population is going to be elderly-it is important that we undertake measures to improve health care service to seniors-the new Geriatric Department accomplishes that.”
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| Speakers share a moment with members of The Beth Geriatric Center. |
Senior citizens comprise 14 percent of the population of New Jersey and nearly 12 percent in Essex County. As a result of shifting demographics and an increase in longevity resulting from changes in lifestyles, health, and medical advances, one in five Americans will be aged 65 and older in 2030. After an ED visit, older adults are often at greater risk for medical complications and functional decline. Approximately 27 percent of older adults discharged home from the ED experience revisit, hospitalization, or death within three months of discharge.
Chairman of the NBI Board Marc Berson said, “We must continue to reinvent the hospital and its services to focus on all age groups and health care for the entire community. Today, our focus is on the seniors – they are an important part of The Beth’s heritage and history. We are committed to moving The Beth forward.”
“As the nation's baby boomers reach their senior years, there is a growing need for emergency care that meets the complex needs of this population,” according to Eric J. Wasserman, MD, Chairman and Medical Director of NBI’s Emergency Department (ED). Elder ED patients typically present with multiple conditions, stay longer, have more extensive diagnostic testing and require special needs during their visit. Addressing these needs in a dedicated space like ours, equipped with resources that are focused on chronic illnesses and impairments, home medications, and outside support networks can reduce the likelihood of a repeat ED visit.”
In the new Geriatric Emergency Department, physicians and nurses care for seniors in the specialized unit which offers many extras for the elderly:
- Geriatric-trained staff specializing in the needs of seniors
- Case managers, social workers and rehabilitation experts
- Dedicated pharmacists to review all medications to minimize the likelihood of drug interactions
- Special senior-friendly lighting, soft colors and noise abatement features
- Non-slip, non-glare flooring that makes missteps less likely
- Footstools with handrails for extra stability when transferring
- Thicker mattresses, twice the thickness of regular hospital mattresses, to reduce pressure ulcer injuries
- Wider stretchers that easily convert to a chair-like configuration for added comfort
- Blanket and intravenous fluid warmers
- A layout specifically designed to reduce anxiety, confusion and risk of falling
Councilman Baraka said, “Historically, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has been the community’s partner for a better Newark and a better South Ward going back many years. Today’s opening is an example of their response to the community’s needs-I believe for our seniors; if you are blessed to be here this long, then you deserve the best-the new Geriatric Emergency Department is the best in healthcare for our seniors.”
Even something as simple as a floor can be a hazard to the senior patient in an emergency department. Floors in the ED typically consist of slippery linoleum or hard vinyl components designed for easy cleanup of spills and body fluids, which creates fall hazards for geriatric patients with walking impairments.
Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins attended the opening saying, “When Orange Memorial Hospital closed, many residents of Orange were looking for an alternative hospital-that is when our partnership with Newark Beth Israel began-their commitment to excellence goes beyond the borders of Newark-they have filled in the gap and made a big difference for residents of Orange, particularly for our seniors. The Beth and the city of Orange partner with the OHWA, Orange Health and Wellness Alliance.
Newark Beth Israel’s ED treats 60,000 adult patients and 30,000 pediatric patients annually. Roughly 60 percent of patients arriving at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center’s Emergency Department fall into the Level 3 category, not as serious as a heart attack but more serious than a laceration.
Lester Bornstein, former Chairman of NBI and for whom the Emergency Department is named, talked about the history of construction at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. He thanked Congressman Payne and long-time Beth employee and Vice President of Community Affairs, Alma Beatty, for their support in moving Beth forward to become the center of clinical excellence it is today.
“The Geriatric Emergency Department is part of an overall strategy to expand emergency services for people of all ages in Newark and Essex County according to Dr. Brennan. The Department has 14 adult physicians and 7 pediatric physicians the Pediatric Emergency Department, specializing in emergencies such as heart attack, stroke and childhood diseases. The Beth also has emergency residency and fellowship programs that provide the latest in training, marrying academic and clinical excellence to seniors and others presenting in the Emergency Department.”
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| Beth Geriatric Center member and volunteer Ana Laura Uzzell, speaks on behalf of the group, thanking Dr. Brennan and staff for building the Geriatric Emergency Room. |
Ana Laura Uzzell, representing the NBI Center for Geriatric Healthcare said, “On behalf of the seniors at the Center, we are very happy about the new emergency room – we want to thank Dr. Brennan and his staff for creating a space just for us when we have to come to the emergency room.”
For a referral to a Newark Beth Israel Medical Center physician, please call 1-888-724-7123.
About NBIMC
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, (NBIMC), a 673-bed regional care teaching hospital, provides comprehensive health care to its local communities and well beyond. NBIMC has more than 800 physicians, 3,200 employees and 150 volunteers with over 300,000 outpatient visits and 25,000 admissions annually. NBIMC is fifth in the nation in the number of heart transplants with better than expected outcomes, has the only lung transplant program in New Jersey, and combined with Saint Barnabas Medical Center, both Saint Barnabas Health Care System affiliates, is third in the nation for kidney transplants, by volume. To learn more, visit us on line at www.newarkbeth.com
About CHoNJ
Children's Hospital of New Jersey, located at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and part of the Barnabas Health, is the state's premier hospital caring for children, with specialized services to treat ill and injured children from newborn to adolescent years and has the most comprehensive pediatric cardiac care program in the region as well as preventive programs that promote wellness in the community. For a referral to a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, please call 1-888-724-7123.
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Date: November 7, 2011
Contact:
Tracy Munford
Public Relations and Marketing
973-926-4398
tmunford@barnabashealth.org
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