Cherry Hill Sun

Tag: Jefferson Health

  • Jefferson gets $4 million for mental-health unit

    Abigail Twiford/The Sun
    Local and state officials join Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital administrators as they accept a check for the construction of the new unit.

    The township has taken a step toward making behavioral and mental health-care more accessible with a new unit at Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital.

    The addition of the Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing (EmPATH) unit will help address the influx of mental-health patients in the emergency department and offer a new way to guide theose patients through a crisis.

    In order to implement EmPATH, the hospital will create a 4,000-square-foot facility adjacent to the existing emergency department, with private mental- and behavioral-health bays and living room-style waiting areas to create a calming atmosphere. 

    The new unit will be financed by a $4-million grant from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.

    To celebrate the addition, Jefferson Cherry Hill hosted a recent check presentation with state and local officials who played a role in bringing the unit to fruition. Aaron Chang, president of Jefferson Health-East, was there to explain the need for EmPATH, including the fact that Camden County has seen a 400% increase in behavioral-health patients in the last decade. 

    “They’ll receive treatment, support and, most importantly, dignity in their most vulnerable moments,” he explained, “and they will leave not only stabilized, but with a plan for what comes next.” 

    Chang added that area residents report some of the highest levels of mental-health distress in the state, with 22% saying they frequently experience days when their mental health is questionable.

    Jefferson’s CEO, Dr. Joseph Cacchione, emphasized the strain emergency departments and health-care providers have been under as the demand for mental-health care continues to rise in the wake of COVID.

    “What we’re launching here today is not simply a new program,” he noted. “It’s really a new approach, and this EmPATH model … allows us to rethink how we deliver mental-health care. It represents a shift from reactive care to more proactive and specialized intervention.”

    Cacchione also expressed gratitude to the government, public, private and nonprofit organizations and partnerships that helped create the EmPATH model and the new Jefferson facility.

    Assemblywoman Melinda Kane was on hand for the check presentation and expressed her appreciation for the new unit.

    “As a longtime resident of Cherry Hill,” she said, “I’m so proud to be here today … For residents of Cherry Hill, we know how much it has grown … To be here today for the opening of this department, this unit, it’s wonderful, because we know that you can come to this facility and be treated for everything that you need.”

    Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald talked about how the more patient-centered approach of EmPATH not only results in better outcomes, but also less cost and strain on the overall system.

    “The reality is that this program takes that patient and puts them in a better setting that has a better patient experience,” he observed, “with a better patient outcome … ”

    The new unit is expected to be completed in 2027.

  • Jefferson awards DAISYs and busy BEEs

    Jefferson Health has announced the latest winners of its DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses and Being Extraordinary Every Day (BEE) award. The awards recognize staff who’ve gone above and beyond to deliver patient-centered care.

    Kimberly Johnson

    Kimberly Johnson, BSN, RN, OR Resource Nurse, was honored with the DAISY. A Jefferson Hospital Stratford patient experiencing pre-surgery anxiety described Johnson, a Pennsauken resident, as “the kindest and most compassionate” nurse. To ease nerves, she shared her talent for Latin music and offered to teach dance moves to lift spirits.

    Rebecca Phillips

    Glassboro resident Rebecca Phillips, BSN, RN, CAPA, CMSRN, of the Short Procedure Unit, was recognized with a DAISY Award after a grateful patient praised her exceptional support and advocacy during a difficult recovery from kidney stone surgery at Jefferson Washington Township Hospital.

    Althea Graham

    At Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, Althea Graham, Patient Care Technician, received a BEE Award for her preparedness; compassion; and ability to form connections, including with a young patient who admired her as a trusted, supportive figure.

    DAISY Awards honor nurses who profoundly impact patients and families, while BEE Awards recognize staff who work alongside nurses. Winners are selected by Jefferson’s Clinical Recognition Committee. The nonprofit DAISY Foundation was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of an autoimmune disease.

    For more information, visit www.DAISYfoundation.org.

  • Cancer donation

    Courtesy of Jefferson Health
    Bill Bottino Jr. (far right, bottom row), of the Bill Bottino Cancer Foundation in Bridgeton, poses with several Jefferson Health leaders and clinicians. The foundation recently donated $40,000 to the Patient Assistance Fund at Jefferson’s Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center locations in Cherry Hill and Washington townships.

  • Jefferson Health gala raises $475K

    Courtesy of Jefferson Health
    Dr. Kelly Schiers received a Healthcare Hero Award at the 2025 New Jersey gala from Jefferson Health. She is shown with Jefferson officers Aaron Chang (left) and Dr. Baligh Yehia.

    More than $475,000 was raised at Jefferson Health’s recent New Jersey Gala at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, an event that drew some 400 guests.

    Winners of the 2025 Giving Tank – a Jefferson initiative – were announced at the gala and grants totaling $110,000, funded by the Jefferson Health Foundation-New Jersey, were awarded to support employees’ best ideas to elevate patient care or staff well-being:

    • The top $50,000 grant will fund sensory-friendly resources for emergency department patients who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
    • A $35,000 grant will supply hand-held ultrasound machines for each of Jefferson’s emergency departments in the state.
    • A $15,000 grant will be used for employee wellness initiatives.
    • A $10,000 grant will provide Compassion Carts of clothing, toiletries and food for discharged patients in need.

    Dr. Kelly Schiers, medical director of critical care services for Jefferson in New Jersey, was honored at the Gala as a Healthcare Hero for her patient care and for mentoring future clinicians.

  • Learn about NJSave

    Jefferson Health’s Community Outreach team invites area social workers and case managers who serve residents of low-income housing complexes – along with faith- and community-based organizations, to take advantage of a free presentation about NJSave, a program that lets low-income older adults and those with disabilities apply for programs to save money on Medicare and Medicaid premiums, prescription costs, utilities and other living expenses.

    Jefferson also offers health screenings, vaccination clinics, language access workshops, and educational programs at no cost to the community, according to a press release through Jefferson Health.

    Through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Human Services’ Division of Aging Services, Jefferson will offer assistance to those who want to enroll in initiatives through NJSave. Those who qualify and register for the program – finalized by a Jefferson representative – can get a gift card.

    Jefferson’s outreach team consists of health-care and social workers who attend hundreds of community events per year, sharing health resources with diverse populations through educational presentations, pop-up vaccine clinics, mobile health screenings and follow-up calls and care. The goal is to enroll at least 2,000 eligible individuals in NJSave.

    To learn more, email projecthope@jefferson.edu or call (856) 239-0418.

  • ‘It takes a conscious effort’

    Attention to heart health is the goal of the annual American Heart Awareness Month in February, with its focus on raising awareness and promoting healthy lifestyles.

    One in five deaths each year is the result of heart disease, according to “2025 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of U.S. and Global Data from the American Heart Association,” an article published in Circulation, the association’s scientific journal. The problem is anticipated to worsen in the next 25 years.

    Heart disease, noted Dr. Brett A. Sealove, chief of cardiology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, is the number one killer in the western world.

    “American Heart Awareness Month is a time to promote prevention, screening and awareness to empower patients,” he said. “Heart disease is, however, 70 to 80% preventable with changes to overall physical and mental health.”

    The heart association report, written in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, also states that the surge of cardiovascular risk factors such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity could lead to heart disease and stroke affecting at least 60% of U.S. adults this year. 

    Heart disease is “the consequence of many things, not one thing,” explained Jefferson Health cardiologist Dr. Mark Zucker.

    To combat it, Americans should adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious foods and maintaining a healthy weight, among other suggestions from Dr. Howard Weinberg, a Virtua Health cardiologist.

    “Managing stress; controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes; and attending regular medical checkups are essential for prevention,” he urged.

    Both men and women are at risk for heart disease, disproving the “stigma that heart disease is an old man’s disease,” according to Sealove, who added that women, in fact, are at greater risk than men.

    “The literature is abundant that women come in with less classic symptoms,” he pointed out, “but their risk for heart attack is greater … Women are a challenge because they need to realize that heart disease is the number one killer of them.”

    Weinberg maintained that a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity contribute greatly to the development of conditions associated with heart disease.

    “It is essential for individuals to remain active and be mindful of their diet, as the food we consume directly impacts our overall health,” he stated. “Moreover, consistent and intentional exercise plays a crucial role in promoting both physical and mental well-being.”

    Acknowledging that human behaviors are hard to change, Sealove emphasized that he looks at each patient and asks how they can be healthier by setting realistic expectations with “baby steps.”

    The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offer the following “baby steps”: 

    • Eat a heart-healthy diet.
    • Get active. 
    • Stay at a healthy weight. 
    • Quit smoking and stay away from second-hand smoke. 
    • Control cholesterol, blood glucose (sugar) and blood pressure. 
    • Drink alcohol only in moderation. 
    • Manage stress. 
    • Get enough sleep.

    “It takes a conscious effort to be healthy,” Sealove said, emphasizing that there is no easy way out.

    “There is no better time than now, American Heart Awareness Month, to make that conscious effort for improved heart health,” Zucker offered. “This special month spotlighting heart health is an opportunity to ‘educate the public, so they don’t show up late.’”

  • Hospital staffers cited for Bee-ing ‘extraordinary’

    The respiratory team at Jefferson Washington Township Hospital that includes Richie Augustine and Matthew Morris was recognized for dedication and teamwork in managing complex cases during a demanding weekend.

    Four Jefferson Health employees in New Jersey were recognized recently with Being Extraordinary Everyday (BEE) Awards for their commitment to exceptional care and the positive impact they have on patients, families and colleagues.

    The honorees include Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital patient care technician Melissa Chalfant, of the intensive care unit; Jefferson Stratford Hospital patient care technician Sarah Flaer, of the ER; Jefferson Washington Township Hospital’s intensive care unit secretary Dawn Valora; and its respiratory team, according to a release from Jefferson Health.

    Atco resident Chalfant was described as a “lifesaver” by a patient’s family for her compassionate care and support during a challenging time. Flaer, of Cinnaminson, showed exceptional leadership by guiding two newer staff members after a challenging code. Valora, a Gloucester City resident, provided comfort to a patient’s family during a difficult day, staying beyond her shift to offer support. The respiratory team that was cited included Richie Augustine and Matthew Morris, who were recognized for dedication and teamwork in managing complex cases during a demanding weekend.

    BEE honorees – nominated by patients, visitors, nurses, physicians and fellow employees – are non-nursing employees who work side by side with clinical nurses to provide exemplary patient care and improve the patient experience.

    For more information on the BEE awards, visit www.JeffersonHealth.org.

    Jefferson Stratford Hospital Patient Care Technician Sarah Flaer, of the Emergency Department, showed exceptional leadership by guiding two newer staff members after a challenging code.
    Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital Patient Care Technician Melissa Chalfant, of the Intensive Care Unit was described as a “life-saver” by a patient’s family for her compassionate care and support during a challenging time.
    Jefferson Washington Township Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit Secretary Dawn Valora provided comfort to a patient’s family during a difficult day, staying beyond her shift to offer support.