Robert Bullaro, a husband and father, was completely unaware of his dire heart condition. He credits outstanding cardiac care at Englewood Health with saving his life. Watch his amazing story.
Robert’s Story – Cardiac Care
Englewood Health Physician Network Primary Care of Cliffside Park Opens
New Practice Offers Walk-in Appointments
February 16, 2022 — Englewood Health is expanding its footprint in Cliffside Park and has opened a new primary care practice in Cliffside Park. Located at 695 Anderson Avenue, Englewood Health Physician Network Primary Care of Cliffside Park features both family practice and internal medicine physicians and offers walk-in appointments for immediate medical care needs.
“Our goal is to make a visit to your primary care doctor even more convenient by providing care in one’s own community and neighborhood,” says Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “In Cliffside Park, we’re improving access for patients and, at the same time, we’ve opened up more space for seeing our specialists.”
The practice is situated in The Towne Centre building, which already houses Englewood Health Physician Network–Cliffside Park, a multispecialty practice of more than 20 physicians covering a range of specialties, such as behavioral health, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, pulmonary medicine, orthopedics, rehabilitation, and rheumatology. The location has parking and is accessible by public transportation.
“We’ve assembled an outstanding team of highly compassionate primary care doctors,” says Stephen Brunnquell, MD, president of the Englewood Health Physician Network. “As a patient, your primary care physician’s clinical focus is on you as a whole person and helping you manage your health. When you choose Englewood Health Physician Network for your primary care, you’ll additionally benefit from a shared electronic health record system, which helps improve timely communication between your Englewood Health physicians, as well as with Englewood Hospital.”
He adds, “In our new practice, patients can also access walk-in appointments. This means if you feel sick, or have other immediate medical care needs, you can get in quickly to see a doctor and if your condition requires a follow-up with a specialist, they are located within the same familiar building. All of this leads to improved local access and quality care for our patients.”
To make an appointment with a family practice or internal medicine doctor at Englewood Health Physician Network Primary Care of Cliffside Park, call 551-234-3040.
Englewood Health Urgent Care Opens in Jersey City, One of Several Urgent Care Sites Across Northern New Jersey
Extended Weekday and Weekend Hours Available
February 14, 2022 — Englewood Health has opened an urgent care facility in Jersey City, located at 2 Journal Square in the Englewood Health ZT Systems Outpatient Center. The new urgent care site provides adult and pediatric urgent and non-urgent medical care seven days a week, with extended weekday and weekend hours available. Englewood Health Urgent Care at Jersey City is one of four Englewood Health urgent care locations across northern New Jersey 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.
“The addition of urgent care makes Englewood Health’s ability to care for you truly comprehensive,” says Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “In Jersey City, we’re right in your neighborhood to help with unexpected urgent, non-life-threatening injuries or illnesses.” He adds, “With locations across northern New Jersey, our urgent care centers round out Englewood Health’s capacity to care for our communities. We offer physician office visits, emergency medicine, urgent care, hospital care, rehabilitation, extended care facilities, and home visits to ensure safe, quality care for every member of the family.”
At Englewood Health Urgent Care at Jersey City, healthcare providers are available to assist with illnesses and injuries; pre-employment, school, and camp physicals; lab tests; X-rays; vaccinations; and other urgent and routine care. The center, located at 2 Journal Square, First Floor, Suite A, in Jersey City, is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Englewood Health accepts most insurance plans. For more information, call 201-222-1234.
“At Englewood Health, we are ensuring access to quality urgent care for our patients,” says Stephen Brunnquell, MD, president of the Englewood Health Physician Network. “An urgent care visit with Englewood Health also opens the door to our many specialists. Our physicians share a common electronic medical record system, which means that your urgent care visit report can be viewed by your affiliated primary care provider or a specialist if follow-up care is needed.”
Dr. Brunnquell adds, “Urgent care does not replace your regular physician appointments for routine primary care or chronic condition management. It is a part of comprehensive care when needed. If you or a loved one is having a true medical emergency, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or signs of a stroke, call 911.”
In addition to Englewood Health Urgent Care at Jersey City, other Englewood Health Urgent Care locations include Cresskill, Englewood, and a new site in Fair Lawn opening in March. Walk-in appointments will also be available at Englewood Health Physician Network Primary Care of Cliffside Park in 2022.
About Englewood Health ZT Systems Outpatient Center at Jersey City
In 2021, the Englewood Health Foundation received a historic philanthropic pledge from ZT Systems, an international leader in the IT sector with headquarters in Secaucus, NJ. The $4 million pledge is the largest corporate pledge in the Englewood Health Foundation’s history. In recognition, the outpatient center in Jersey City was named the Englewood Health ZT Systems Outpatient Center at Jersey City. The three-floor, 73,000+ square-foot medical facility serves as a centralized medical hub for the health system in Hudson County, providing increased access to medical expertise, services, and screenings for the community.
Englewood Health Receives Prestigious National Certification for Heart Valve Program
Bergen County’s first hospital to earn recognition from the American College of Cardiology for Transcatheter Valve
February 1, 2022 — Englewood Health has been recognized by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) with the Transcatheter Valve Certification. This mark of distinction reflects the accomplishments of the Structural Heart and Valve Program at Englewood Health in treating patients with valve disease such as aortic stenosis using innovative, minimally invasive procedures. Englewood Health is the first hospital in Bergen County, and among just three in the state and 70 in the country, to earn this honor.
The Transcatheter Valve Certification was awarded following a months-long process in which Englewood Health’s Structural Heart and Valve Program was evaluated for its ability to meet high standards for multidisciplinary teamwork, formalized training, shared decision-making, and high-quality performance as measured in national registries.
“Englewood Health has demonstrated its commitment to providing northern New Jersey with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Englewood Health with the Transcatheter Valve Certification.”
Englewood Health was one of the first hospitals in the country to begin offering transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)—a minimally invasive heart valve replacement procedure—following its FDA approval in 2011. The procedure is used to treat aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the heart valve that often leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and fatigue.
“Initially, the developers of the TAVR device were very conservative in identifying medical centers with which they wanted to be involved,” said Joseph De Gregorio, MD, executive director of cardiovascular services at Englewood Health. “We had what they were looking for and fit the bill.”
“The obvious benefit of the TAVR procedure is that there is no need for open heart surgery or the use of a heart/lung machine,” said Ramin Hastings, MD, medical director of the Structural Heart and Valve Program and interventional cardiologist at Englewood Health. “In the TAVR procedure, we use a thin tube to guide a new, artificial aortic valve into the heart to replace the damaged valve. TAVR has a shorter recovery time than open-heart surgery, the traditional method of valve replacement surgery, and gives patients a much-improved quality of life.”
The TAVR procedure was originally offered as an alternative treatment for patients who were not candidates for open-heart surgery due to their age or risk for complications. Since then, it has become a desirable treatment for lower risk patients as well.
“At first, we were performing the TAVR procedure mostly on patients in their 70s, 80s, and well into their 90s, as these patients had no options to resolve symptoms from aortic stenosis,” said Adam Arnofsky, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Englewood Health. “Based on the procedure’s success, and with the FDA’s expanded approval, we’ve been able to offer this approach to a large group of patients for whom open heart surgery was the only option when medical therapy was not effective. We can now take into account patient preference in addition to risk factors and other considerations when reviewing treatment options.”
The TAVR team at Englewood Health—consisting of interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, and other practitioners and clinical staff who work together to perform the procedure—has observed a high success rate in patients, with outcomes better than the national average.
“The success of our program is in large part a result of our ability to provide excellent multidisciplinary care,” said Denise Goldstein, APN, the program coordinator for the Structural Heart and Valve Program at Englewood Health. “So much of what we do with TAVR patients comes before and after the actual procedure, so this achievement could not be possible without the teamwork among our professionals in the valve program and our community cardiologists.”
The Englewood Health Structural Heart and Valve Program team has performed nearly 1,200 TAVR procedures.
“Thanks to the efforts of Englewood Health’s staff of cardiology experts and the hospital’s reputable surgical infrastructure, the Structural Heart and Valve Program has become a major hub for patients with heart valve disease,” said Samuel Suede, MD, chief of cardiology at Englewood Health.
“This achievement reinforces our belief that residents of Bergen County and the surrounding area can stay in their own community to get top-notch care from a certified program,” said Richard S. Goldweit, MD, chief of interventional cardiology at Englewood Health. “It’s no longer necessary to cross the George Washington Bridge for this level of care.”
“We congratulate our entire team on this national honor, and thank them for the outstanding and transformative care provided in this important program,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “Their care and commitment allow us to do what we do best: care for our community.”
Englewood Health Opens Urgent Care Center in Englewood
Extended Weekday and Weekend Hours Offered
January 3, 2022 — Englewood Health has opened an urgent care center in Englewood. Located at 35 Nathaniel Place, Englewood Health Urgent Care at Englewood provides adult and pediatric urgent and non-urgent medical care seven days a week, with extended weekday and weekend hours available. Patients with minor injuries and illnesses can now conveniently access diagnostic services and treatment with no appointment needed, as well as referrals to other Englewood Health specialists.
“In our new facility in Englewood, our outstanding medical team provides convenient urgent care in the community,” says Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “Our doctors and team members are available to help with unexpected urgent, non-life-threatening injuries or illnesses. For example, if your child twists an ankle on the soccer field on a Sunday morning, or your spouse comes down with strep throat, our team is at the ready with diagnostics, immediate care, and referrals to specialists.”
At Englewood Health Urgent Care at Englewood, healthcare providers are available to assist with illnesses and injuries; pre-employment, school, and camp physicals; lab tests; X-rays; vaccinations; and other urgent and routine care. The center, located at 35 Nathaniel Place in Englewood, 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. For more information on Englewood Health Urgent Care, call 201-222-1234.
“At Englewood Health, we are ensuring access to quality urgent care for our patients,” says Stephen Brunnquell, MD, president of the Englewood Health Physician Network. “Urgent care is also an added resource for our physicians, and other local medical providers, because immediate care is available for their patients, including before and after practice hours, to address any urgent medical needs including X-rays or lab tests.”
Dr. Brunnquell adds, “It is important for patients to understand urgent care does not replace your regular physician appointments for routine primary care or chronic condition management, rather it is a part of comprehensive care when needed. Most importantly, if you or a loved one is having a true medical emergency, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or signs of a stroke, call 911.”
In addition to Englewood Health Urgent Care in Englewood, Englewood Health offers an urgent care location in Cresskill.
Englewood Health Nationally Recognized as a Top Hospital for Outstanding Quality and Safety
December 7, 2021 — Englewood Health was named a Top Teaching Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization dedicated to healthcare quality and safety. The Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. Englewood Health is one of only 72 hospitals in the country, out of 2,200 considered, to receive the 2021 Top Teaching Hospital distinction.
“We are so excited to be recognized as a 2021 Top Hospital nationally,” says Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “To be among the top teaching hospitals is a testament to the commitment to safety and high-quality care from all members of our team, including trustees, physicians, leaders, and staff at all levels. I applaud and appreciate our team’s unwavering dedication to our patients and our communities.”
Englewood Health’s distinction as a Top Hospital follows its recent achievement of an “A” Hospital Safety Grade, also from The Leapfrog Group. This is the 17th “A” Hospital Safety Grade for Englewood Health since 2012.
“We are pleased to recognize Englewood Health as a Top Hospital this year,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Even with the continued strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, Englewood Health has demonstrated an extraordinary dedication to excellent health care in the northern New Jersey community. We congratulate the board, leadership, staff and clinicians who put their patients first.”
To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must rank top among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.
Englewood Health Named a High Performing Hospital for the Best Hospitals for Maternity by U.S. News & World Report
December 7, 2021 — Englewood Health has been recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care (uncomplicated pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report in its inaugural “Best Hospitals for Maternity” list. “High Performing” is the highest rating U.S. News awards for maternity care and only one-third of the hospitals evaluated by U.S. News for maternity care earned a ‘High Performing’ rating.
“We are very proud to be recognized nationally among the best hospitals for the care we provide,” says Valerie M. French, MBA, BSN, RNC, senior director of nursing for maternal/child health at Englewood Health. “At Englewood Health, we strive to meet or exceed families’ expectations to provide the best possible birthing experience. This high performing ranking attests to our team’s commitment to providing safe, quality, and personalized care.”
To be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, hospitals had to excel on multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, including complication rates, C-sections, whether births were scheduled too early in pregnancy, and how successfully each hospital supported breastfeeding.
“All families deserve to be informed on how hospitals perform on key indicators of quality, which is why U.S. News has compiled and published a trove of maternal health data from hospitals across the country,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News & World Report. “The hospitals we’ve recognized as High Performing meet a high standard in caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies.”
The evaluation looked at hospital data relating to only uncomplicated pregnancies, not high-risk pregnancies. Participating hospitals responded to a survey from the U.S. News health analysis team in spring of 2021, which reflects data from 2019.
Englewood Health delivers over 2,800 babies annually. At Englewood Health’s Karen and Gary Singer Family Birth Place, moms and babies receive expert care and attention, as well as a full spectrum of services including prenatal care, high-risk testing and monitoring, childbirth education, and post-pregnancy resources and support. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists, who have completed advanced training in the treatment of high-risk pregnancies, are available on-site to care for high-risk mothers and newborns and provide timely, high-quality care in a modern neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Englewood Health Nationally Recognized with an ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for Fifth Consecutive Rating Period
November 10, 2021 — Englewood Health has received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2021. This national distinction from The Leapfrog Group recognizes Englewood Health’s achievements in patient safety, and is the fifth consecutive A rating for Englewood since 2019.
“We are proud to again receive an ‘A’ rating from the Leapfrog Group, which reflects our entire health care team’s daily commitment to patient safety,” says Kathleen Kaminsky, MS, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president, patient care services and chief nursing officer at Englewood Health.
“At Englewood Health, our top priority is patient safety,” says Jamie Ketas, vice president for quality at Englewood Health. “Our team’s dedication to ensuring the best possible patient outcomes is once again reflected in Leapfrog’s A designation.”
“An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I thank the leadership and workforce of Englewood Health for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”
To see Englewood Health’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
Englewood Health Receives 5-Star Quality Recognition In Multiple Categories from Healthgrades
Hospital Excels in Hip Fracture Treatment and Gallbladder Removal Surgery for 4th Year in a Row, Spinal Fusion Surgery Two Years in a Row and Repair of Abdominal Aorta and Defibrillator Procedures
October 19, 2021 – Englewood Health has received a 5-star rating in five categories from Healthgrades, including Hip Fracture Treatment, Gallbladder Removal Surgery, Spinal Fusion Surgery, Repair of Abdominal Aorta and Defibrillator Procedures. It is the fourth year in a row that Englewood has achieved this recognition for hip fracture treatment and gallbladder removal surgery, and the second year in a row for Spinal Fusion.
“Quality is always the top priority at Englewood Health,” said Jamie Ketas, vice president of quality at Englewood Health. “This recognition speaks to our entire team’s commitment to deliver safe, high-quality care, every day.”
Every year, Healthgrades evaluates hospital performance at nearly 4,500 hospitals nationwide for 31 of the most common inpatient procedures and conditions.* This analysis shows that patients treated at hospitals receiving a 5-star rating have a lower risk of mortality and a lower risk of experiencing one or more complications during a hospital stay than if they were treated at hospitals receiving a 1-star rating in that procedure or condition.
“Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the differences of care provided by different hospitals. Consumers can feel confident that hospitals receiving a Healthgrades 5-star rating have demonstrated exceptional outcomes and their ability to provide quality care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades.
According to Healthgrades, from 2018 through 2020, if all hospitals as a group performed similarly to hospitals receiving 5-stars as a group, on average, 218,141 lives could potentially have been saved, and complications in 156,050 patients could potentially have been avoided.*
For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 45 million Medicare inpatient records for nearly 4,500 short-term acute care hospitals nationwide to assess hospital performance in 31 common conditions and procedures and evaluated outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 16 states. Healthgrades recognizes a hospital’s quality achievements for cohort-specific performance, specialty care performance, and overall clinical quality. Individual procedure or condition cohorts are designated as 5-star (statistically better than expected), 3-star (not statistically different from expected), and 1-star (statistically significantly worse than expected).
* Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2018 through 2020 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. For appendectomy and bariatric surgery, Healthgrades used inpatient data from 16 states that provide all-payer data for years 2017 through 2019. Due to the highly variable impact of the pandemic on hospital outcomes, Healthgrades made the decision to exclude cases with a COVID-19 diagnosis from the 2020 data in order to preserve the statistical integrity of our models and fairly evaluate clinical outcomes at all hospitals. View the complete methodology
Englewood Health Named One of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery By Healthgrades
October 19, 2021 — Englewood Health is one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery, according to new research released by Healthgrades, an online resource for information about physicians and hospitals. According to Healthgrades, hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery have demonstrated exceptional quality of care. Englewood Health is also a 5-star recipient for Spinal Fusion Surgery for the second year in a row.
“Englewood Health has established itself as a leading center for spine surgery through advanced diagnostics, modern surgical techniques, comprehensive services, and a commitment to safe, quality patient care,” said Kevin Yao, MD, chief of neurosurgery. He added, “Our team is at the forefront of spine care. We recently expanded our spine surgery team with additional spine surgeons in both orthopedics and neurosurgery, who are highly trained subspecialists and emerging leaders in their field.”
“At Englewood Health, our commitment to quality spine care includes top-notch surgeons, advanced surgical and imaging technology, and continuous quality improvement measures to ensure consistency of care and outcomes,” said Asit Shah, MD, PhD, chief of orthopedic surgery. “It is an honor for our team to be recognized as one of the country’s best hospitals for spine surgery and a leader in the region.”
Englewood Health treats patients with spine injuries and back pain, providing a full range of medical, surgical, and rehabilitative services for all types of spine disease and disorders, from acute episodes of back pain to degenerative spine disease to complex spinal deformities. The hospital offers expertise in minimally invasive procedures, which are associated with lower postoperative complications and quicker recoveries.
For its 2022 Report to the Nation, Healthgrades compared America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery Award recipients as a group, to all other hospitals, and found that from 2018-2020, patients treated at hospitals receiving the America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery Award have, on average, a 39.7% lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award.*
“Consumers can feel confident in the America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Spine Surgery for their commitment to quality care and exceptional outcomes. This recognition helps provide peace of mind when selecting a place for care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data and science at Healthgrades.
For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 45 million Medicare inpatient records for nearly 4,500 short-term acute care hospitals nationwide to assess hospital performance in 31 common conditions and procedures and evaluated outcomes in appendectomy and bariatric surgery using all-payer data provided by 16 states. Healthgrades recognizes a hospital’s quality achievements for cohort-specific performance, specialty area performance, and overall clinical quality. Individual procedure or condition cohorts are designated as 5-star (statistically significantly better than expected), 3-star (not statistically different from expected), and 1-star (statistically significantly worse than expected).
* Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2018 through 2020 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. For appendectomy and bariatric surgery, Healthgrades used inpatient data from 16 states that provide all-payer data for years 2017 through 2019. Due to the highly variable impact of the pandemic on hospital outcomes, Healthgrades made the decision to exclude cases with a COVID-19 diagnosis from the 2020 data in order to preserve the statistical integrity of our models and fairly evaluate clinical outcomes at all hospitals. View the complete methodology