For a Urinary Tract Infection, A Trip to Urgent Care May Offer Relief

Posted on by John Williams

It’s 2 p.m. on a Sunday. After a big glass of water, you make your way to the bathroom. Once there, you’re struck by an all-too familiar feeling: a burning sensation when you pee followed by the dreaded ‘still-need-to-pee’ feeling after your bladder has emptied.

You know this feeling to indicate the arrival of a urinary tract infection and that only a swift course of antibiotics can help you now. To complicate matters, your gynecologist won’t be open until Monday, and you can’t know for sure how long you’ll wait for an appointment once they do open their doors.

Most women can recall a time in their lives—much like this one—when they needed quick attention for a health issue but could not see their regular doctors in a timely fashion. As we know, pregnancy, vaginal infections, pelvic pain, morning sickness, and menopause flareups wait for no woman.

When symptoms do arise outside of our doctor’s regular hours, many of us find ourselves in emergency rooms being treated for distinctly non-life-threatening illnesses.

Luckily, there is a third option other than your regular doctors and the emergency room. It’s a place that you’re probably forgetting to utilize when you need it most: urgent care.

“Urgent care offers a wide array of women’s health services, from pregnancy and STI testing, to the diagnosis and treatment of UTIs, vaginal infections and abdominal pain,” said Jacqueline R. Ysique, MD, a family medicine specialist at Englewood Health Urgent Care.

Urgent care centers specialize in the treatment of non-emergent illnesses and injuries—ones that require speedy intervention all the same. Though most urgent cares do not have a gynecologist or obstetrician on site, they do employ highly skilled, board-certified physicians, who are capable of diagnosing and treating all manner of health issues.

If need be, urgent care can share your test results with your current doctor or refer you to a new doctor or specialist, as well as assist you in scheduling an appointment that same day.

Englewood Health Urgent Care has the added benefit of being open late nights and weekends—the times when your normal doctors are probably closed. They welcome walk-in appointments and—most importantly—have an on-site provider who can provide diagnosis, treatment, or referral to a specialist.

Dr. Ysique is one such physician. She sees patients at four Englewood Health Urgent Care locations in Fair Lawn, Englewood, Cresskill, and Jersey City.

“If you’re ever wondering whether an ailment you’re experiencing can be treated at urgent care, it’s as simple as giving the office a call and asking,” Dr. Ysique said. “You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the range of health issues we’re able to help you with here.”

Posted April 28, 2022

Englewood Health Opens Urgent Care Center in Fair Lawn with Extended Weekday and Weekend Hours

Posted on by Keri Flaccomio

New Facility is One of Four Englewood Health Urgent Care Centers Located Across Northern NJ

April 11, 2022 — Englewood Health has opened an urgent care center in Fair Lawn, located at 22-18 Broadway. Englewood Health Urgent Care at Fair Lawn provides adult and pediatric urgent and non-urgent medical care seven days a week, with extended weekday and weekend hours available.

The new facility is one of four Englewood Health urgent care centers where patients with minor injuries and illnesses can conveniently access diagnostic services and treatment with no appointment needed, as well as referrals to other Englewood Health specialists.

“With locations across northern New Jersey, our urgent care centers round out Englewood Health’s capacity to care for our communities,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “We offer physician office visits, emergency medicine, hospital care, rehabilitation, urgent care, and home visits.”

He adds, “With the addition of our urgent care location in Fair Lawn, we strengthen our ability to provide quality care for every member of the family, at every stage of life.”

At Englewood Health Urgent Care at Fair Lawn, healthcare providers care for patients with non-emergent illnesses and injuries; pre-employment, school, and camp physicals; lab tests; and X-rays.

“We are committed to ensuring that our patients have access to quality urgent care in their local communities,” said Stephen Brunnquell, MD, president of the Englewood Health Physician Network. “In addition to benefitting our patients, urgent care is an important resource for physicians, who can direct their patients to urgent care when health services are needed outside of normal practice hours.”

He adds, “Urgent care does not replace your regular physician appointments. It fits in, when needed, as one part of an accessible, convenient, and comprehensive network of medical care options.”

Urgent Care in Fair Lawn is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Englewood Health accepts most insurance plans. The latest information is posted at englewoodhealth.org/urgent.

Patients can also call Englewood Health Urgent Care at 201-222-1234 with questions.

In addition to Urgent Care at Fair Lawn, Englewood Health has urgent care facilities in Cresskill, Englewood, and Jersey City. Walk-in appointments for primary care needs are also available at Englewood Health Physician Network Primary Care of Cliffside Park.

Englewood Health Named a Top Hospital in New Jersey

Posted on by John Williams

April 6, 2022 — Englewood Health has been named a top hospital in New Jersey by Jersey’s Best magazine.

This mark of distinction was awarded following a rigorous vetting process in which Jersey’s Best—in partnership with healthcare research companies Castle Connolly and IPRO—performed analytics on patients’ post-discharge evaluations and a nation-wide physician survey. The investigative outfit then ranked hospitals based on their ability to treat specific medical conditions and provide high-quality care across the board.

Englewood Health was named a top hospital overall, as well as a top hospital for the treatment of high-risk pregnancy and childbirth; prostate cancer; breast cancer; knee and hip replacement; stroke; congestive heart failure; neurological disorders; coronary artery bypass surgery; and pain management.

Patient evaluations for Englewood Health elicited high overall satisfaction rates, as well as special mentions of doctors’ excellent communication with patients and their families.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top hospitals in New Jersey,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “This reiterates what we know to be true: that we have highly-skilled, compassionate, and dedicated healthcare professionals here at Englewood Health.”

For the complete list and more information about the rankings and methodology, visit Jersey’s Best Hospitals List.

Englewood Health Takes a Novel Approach to Sanitizing Surfaces and the Air

Posted on by John Williams

March 31, 2022 — Englewood Health’s urgent care centers, physician offices and hospital lounge areas have been equipped with a powerful new sanitation tool. The MistShield is a device that mounts to any wall and emits a wide mist into rooms, killing 99 percent of airborne bacteria and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that can lead to COVID-19.

The mist contains hypochlorous acid, a non-toxic, salt-water-based disinfectant that the Environmental Protection Agency has recognized as effective in fighting emerging pathogens. Hypochlorous acid is naturally created by the human body when white blood cells fight off infections. Outside of the body, it is commonly used to clean wounds and promote skin healing. It’s also found in common sanitization products like Lysol and Scrubbing Bubbles.

The MistShield uses smart aerosol technology to distill hypochlorous acid into droplets so fine that they purify the air as they float through it. When these droplets meet their inevitable end on hard surfaces and furniture, they disinfect those areas as well—all without leaving a single damp spot in their wake. The mounted console is automated to release the mist at intervals designed to optimize sanitization based on factors like time of day and average foot traffic.

“We are very sensitive to the high-touch areas and, of course, the most visible areas of the hospital,” said Peter Lucey, the director of environmental services at Englewood Health.

Englewood Health has long used innovative approaches to sanitation, but expressly so since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of the MistShield in Englewood Health’s locations is an additional step toward raising standards of cleanliness in all public spaces, but especially those inside healthcare settings, where patients often seek care for viral illnesses.

“It takes only one person that is carrying a virus to infect many other people whenever they are within close proximity or in a confined environment,” said Avi Soffer, CEO of MistShield. “So, within a working environment like a hospital, office, manufacturing facilities, gym, or even shopping and retail environments, there must be a preset, constant disinfection program in place.”

How Carolina Dealt with a Diagnosis of Colon Cancer in Her 30s

Posted on by John Williams
Carolina Saenz

After being diagnosed with colon cancer in her 30s, Carolina Saenz reflects on an early sign she missed.

In her late 30s, Carolina Saenz was not on a look out for signs of colon cancer. That’s why when she began seeing small amounts of blood in her stool, she didn’t immediately seek out medical attention.

“I thought this was a disease that only affected people in their 70s and 80s. No one prepared me for the possibility that a young person could have colon cancer,” Carolina said.

It took a sudden burst of pain in her stomach and a trip to Englewood Health’s Emergency Department for Carolina to have her first colonoscopy. When the results came back, it was confirmed: she had a tumor in her colon roughly 7 centimeters in size.

“There are around 106,000 patients diagnosed with colon cancer each year and, recently, we’re seeing a shift towards an early onset of colon cancer,” said Minaxi P. Jhawer, MD, chief of hematology/oncology at Englewood Health and the associate medical director of the Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. She is also the doctor who would go on to treat Carolina’s cancer.

According to Dr. Jhawer, the best thing young people can do is pay attention to their bodies and see a doctor if something seems off. “It’s good for all of us to remember that we have methods to screen patients before they ever have symptoms and, if colon cancer is identified in an early stage, it’s curable almost 80 to 90 percent of the time,” Dr. Jhawer said.

When Carolina was diagnosed with colon cancer, she recalls her first thoughts being not about herself, but about how she could possibly break the news to her son, who was just turning 10-years-old at the time.

“I never used the word cancer with him. I told him that mommy has bad cells, and that the chemotherapy is going to kill those cells so that mommy can get better,” Carolina said.

It would take surgery to remove 14 centimeters of her colon and 12 rounds of chemotherapy administered over the course of a year, but Carolina did eventually get better. And when she did, she began to reflect on the acts of kindness she’d received during what she describes as one of the darkest years of her life.

“They treat you so well. The ladies in the infusion center brought me blankets, water, and juice. They connected me to my favorite TV shows—whatever I needed,” Carolina said. “Chemotherapy days can be long days. If you wanted to craft a bracelet with beads, if you wanted to color mandalas with crayon, if you wanted to pet an emotional support dog, they would make it happen for you.”

Of Dr. Jhawer, Carolina recalls her focus on Carolina and her son’s future after treatment being a source of great comfort. “She was always looking forward, talking about my next birthday, my next cat scan,” Carolina said. “She’s there for you. She’ll explain something to you again and again. She’ll give you a comfort that will carry you through the toughest times.”

Today, Carolina has passed an important personal milestone: she’s been cancer free for over five years. Her son, now 15 years of age, has a more mature understanding of what his mom went through all those years ago and it’s one of the reasons he helps his school raise money for St. Jude’s each year.

“Having cancer and being a cancer survivor is a roller coaster. I’m aware of my body in a way I wasn’t before. I’m watchful for anything abnormal, anything different,” Carolina said. “All I can say is that I take this thing one day at a time, but I am so thankful to be alive right now.

Posted March 30, 2022

Healthcare Technology Industry Leader Inderpal Kohli Joins Englewood Health

Posted on by John Williams

March 28, 2022 — Inderpal “Inder” Kohli has been named vice president of information technology and chief information officer at Englewood Health. Kohli, who came aboard in December of 2021, brings over 20 years of experience as a leader in the field of information and healthcare technology to his new post.

At Englewood Health, he will oversee all IT-related activities and strategy for the health system, including its acute care hospital, network of more than 100 physician locations, and several urgent care centers, all connected through one electronic medical record system.

“I’m thrilled to join the Englewood Health family and a team of incredible IT professionals. Together we will apply all existing and emerging tools to optimize the flow of information, help improve patient outcomes, and improve the user experience across the Englewood Health system,” said Kohli.

After earning his bachelor’s in computer science from North Maharashtra University in India, Kohli obtained his master’s degree in technology management from Columbia University. He would go on to serve as a manager of information systems at his New York alma mater, during which time he designed and developed a flexible information infrastructure for clinical research and helped conduct an epidemiological study that produced one of the nation’s largest databases of genetic material.

Most recently, Kohli served as the assistant vice president at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, where he led the implementation of several enterprise information systems, including Epic, to support clinical and business operations. Kohli was also instrumental in developing and deploying a first in the country digital pathology solution that enabled integrated diagnostics by capturing, sharing, and correlating high-resolution digital images of glass laboratory slides.

“We wholeheartedly welcome Inder to the team and are confident that his expertise in technology and health care will be invaluable in continuing to advance our tools used to deliver high-quality patient care to our community,” said Helene Wolk, senior vice president of operations and chief operating officer at Englewood Health.

Kohli also teaches at the master’s level. He oversees a curriculum on healthcare informatics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York; it is here that he transfers his knowledge to the next generation of IT professionals.

“Inder brings a wealth of experience from the world of IT to his work here at Englewood Health,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “We eagerly look forward to Inder’s invaluable guidance and leadership on IT-related activities.”

Englewood Health Appoints New Physician Leaders in Three Specialties

Posted on by John Williams

New medical staff president also elected

March 24, 2022 — Englewood Health has appointed three new chiefs to lead neurosurgery, otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat), and plastic surgery. Drs. Kevin Yao, Bryan Ho and Troy Callahan will serve three-year terms as chiefs of their respective divisions.

“Drs. Yao, Ho and Callahan are not only accomplished clinicians in their fields, but respected leaders who will help ensure that Englewood Health remains a top hospital in the nation,” said Hillary Cohen, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Englewood Health.

“We thank our former chiefs, Drs. Marc Arginteanu, David Henick, and David Abramson, for their years of dedicated service to Englewood Health, our patients, and the communities we serve,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “Their accomplishments and contributions to Englewood Health and the field of medicine over the years are numerous and impactful.”

New Physician Leaders

Troy Callahan, MD

Troy Callahan, MD, has been named chief of plastic surgery at Englewood Health. A board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Callahan specializes in reconstructive and cosmetic surgical procedures, including breast reconstruction and hand surgery; trauma and burn recovery; and plastic and reconstructive microsurgery.

Dr. Callahan received his MD from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan, followed by a general surgery residency at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn and a post-doctorate fellowship at the University of California in San Francisco. Subsequently, Dr. Callahan completed his plastic surgery training at Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, Long Island. He went on to obtain additional fellowship training with the Long Island Plastic Surgical Group.

Dr. Callahan is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the New Jersey Society of Plastic Surgeons. At Englewood Health, he is also a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Education Council. In his new role, Dr. Callahan follows David Abramson, MD, who served as Englewood Health’s chief of plastic surgery for 10 years.

Bryan Ho, MD

Bryan Ho, MD, has been appointed chief of otolaryngology. Dr. Ho is a board-certified otolaryngologist, as well as a head and neck surgeon. His clinical expertise includes image-guided endoscopic sinus surgery, thyroid surgery, and parathyroid surgery.

Dr. Ho received his MD from the Icahn School of Medicine, followed by an otolaryngology/head and neck surgery residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He has served as a clinical instructor at both Harvard Medical School and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and has mentored medical students and residents during their clinical rotations at Englewood Health.

Dr. Ho also serves on the board of the Foundation of Photo/Art in Hospitals, a nonprofit organization dedicated to placing carefully chosen art and photography in hospitals to give comfort to patients and their families. As chief of otolaryngology, Dr. Ho follows David Henick, MD, who led the department as chief for 10 years.

Kevin Yao, MD

Kevin Yao, MD, was appointed chief of neurosurgery in 2021 and continues his current term leading the department. Dr. Yao is board certified in neurological surgery. His clinical expertise includes complex brain and spine surgery to remove tumors; spinal surgery for herniated discs and stenosis; endoscopic pituitary surgery; and radiosurgery.

Dr. Yao received his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, followed by a neurosurgery residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center and a neurosurgical oncology fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

He is a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons, as well as a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Additionally, Dr. Yao is chair of Englewood Health’s Cancer Committee at the Lefcourt Family Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center. Dr. Yao succeeds Marc Arginteanu, MD, who served as chief of neurosurgery for nearly a decade.

Englewood Health Announces New Medical Staff President

Ana Maria Burga, MD

Ana Maria Burga, MD, was elected president of Englewood Health’s medical staff. In this post, Dr. Burga leads Englewood Health’s medical staff of more than 1,150 physicians and other providers. The medical staff executive board is responsible for medical staff governance; physician credentialing and privileging; and quality assessment and improvement.

Dr. Burga also serves as chief of pathology at Englewood Health. She is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology and received her MD from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. Dr. Burga completed her residency in anatomic and clinical pathology at the Icahn School of Medicine; followed by additional fellowship training in oncology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan; as well as training in breast and gynecologic pathology at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Bethesda, Maryland.

Englewood Health Receives Healthgrades’ 2022 Patient Safety Excellence Award

Posted on by John Williams

March 15, 2022 — Healthgrades has named Englewood Health a top hospital in the U.S. for patient safety. This is the second consecutive year that Englewood Health has received the Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, an online resource for information about physicians and hospitals.

The award places Englewood Health among the top 10% of all short-term acute care hospitals evaluated by Healthgrades for patient safety.

“At Englewood Health, patient safety is our highest priority,” said Kathleen Kaminsky, MS, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer. “Receiving the Patient Safety Excellence Award speaks to our commitment to ensuring that each of our patients receives the safest, most personalized medical care possible.”

From 2018 through 2020, there were 170,231 potentially preventable safety events among Medicare patients reported in U.S. hospitals. Healthgrades found that patients treated in hospitals receiving the 2022 Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average*:

  • 55.8% less likely to experience an in-hospital fall resulting in a hip fracture, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
  • 52.6% less likely to experience a collapsed lung resulting from a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
  • 66.2% less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
  • 65.8% less likely to experience catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at nonrecipient hospitals.

“Through our 2022 Patient Safety Excellence Awards, we seek to recognize hospitals that excel in providing top-quality care for their patients while preventing serious injuries during hospital stays,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades. “We are proud to name Englewood Health as a 2022 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient and look forward to their continued efforts to make patient safety a priority.”

*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award™ methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2021.0.1) for MedPAR data years 2018 through 2020 and represent 3-year estimates for Medicare patients only. For more information on how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and to access the complete methodology, visit: View the complete methodology

Englewood Health Named One of The World’s Best Hospitals

Posted on by John Williams

March 2, 2022 — Englewood Health has been named one of the world’s best hospitals in Newsweek’s 2022 Best Hospitals list.

This mark of distinction was awarded following a rigorous vetting process in which Newsweek—in partnership with consumer data company Statista—performed analytics on patient satisfaction, safety, hygiene measures, and quality of care.

The investigative pairing surveyed over 80,000 doctors, hospital managers, and healthcare professionals, asking which hospitals they most-commonly recommend. In total, over 2,000 hospitals world-wide and just 414 in the United States were counted among the list.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top hospitals in New Jersey,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “This reiterates what we know to be true: that we have highly-skilled, compassionate, and dedicated healthcare professionals here at Englewood Health.”

For the complete list and more information about the rankings and methodology, visit: newsweek.com/worlds-best-hospitals-2022

Englewood Health Announces Two Trustee Appointments

Posted on by John Williams

February 24, 2022 — Two local community and business leaders have been named to the Boards of Trustees of Englewood Hospital and its fundraising organization, the Englewood Health Foundation. Joining the hospital board is Barine Tee; and joining the foundation’s board is Gayle Gerstein.

“The appointment of our new trustees comes at a time of incredible growth for our organization,” said Richard Lerner, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Englewood Health. “We welcome both Barine and Gayle to our team and look forward to collaborating with them on our upcoming endeavors.”

“We are confident that both Barine and Gayle will apply their vast talents garnered in the worlds of philanthropy and business to the mission of strengthening our healthcare system,” said Michael Gutter, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Englewood Health Foundation.

“We’re excited to add new talent to our governing boards. Barine and Gayle both bring a unique vision that will no doubt assist in moving our mission forward,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “Their insight and guidance will allow us to build upon our medical excellence and innovate further to benefit the communities we serve.”

Barine Tee

Barine Tee

Barine Tee is a resident of Alpine, New Jersey, and a business leader with over 20 years of experience developing global products within Fortune 500 companies. Tee’s career began in the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a Sergeant. Tee went on to work with Goldman Sachs, where he ascended the ranks to vice president of core infrastructure within financial risk technology. Tee has spent the last 10 years with Google, currently serving as director of engineering for Google Finance. Tee’s career reflects a dedication to technical innovation, scaling teams and launching novel ideas in various industries—all talents he intends to bring to his work with the hospital board. Tee graduated with a degree in computer science from NYU Polytechnic.

Gayle Gerstein

Gayle Gerstein

Gayle Gerstein is a resident of Alpine, New Jersey, and a community leader with over 40 years of experience leading charities, organizations, and philanthropic ventures. Gerstein currently serves as a trustee of various organizations, including the Kaplen Jewish Community Center, the United Jewish Appeal, and the Jewish Home at Rockleigh. Since 2005, Gerstein has served as a councilwoman of Alpine. She is also a liaison to the Planning Board of Alpine and has led fundraising efforts for the expansion of the Alpine school system. She has previously served as a member of the Englewood Board of Health and is currently on the Committee of Professional Affairs.