Tag: The Valley Hospital

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The Valley Hospital’s tax liability would be $4.5 million in Ridgewood if its main campus was not exempt

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N.J. towns may push hospitals to pay up; more could seek property tax deals with non-profits

NOVEMBER 11, 2015, 11:14 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015, 11:22 PM
BY LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Cash-strapped local governments around the state may be looking at non-profit hospitals with new eyes, now that the non-profit Morristown Medical Center has agreed to pay its hometown $15.5 million over the next decade to settle demands for property taxes.

A judge in state tax court took away the hospital’s property-tax exemption in June, declaring that it operated more like a for-profit company than a charitable institution. Rather than appeal the decision, the hospital negotiated an agreement with the town, which was approved Tuesday night.

“Clearly, this is an open invitation for a number of towns,” Frank Ciesla, head of the health-law practice at Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, said Wednesday. “I think you’re going to see a lot more in the way of litigation.”

Non-profit hospitals are among the largest landowners in some municipalities. Local governments could begin by assessing taxes on their property, leading to a series of appeals as hospitals seek to clarify their status, he said.

The Valley Hospital’s tax liability would be $4.5 million in Ridgewood if its main campus was not exempt, and $360,000 in Paramus, according to local records. (It already pays taxes on some other properties.) Hackensack University Medical Center reached a settlement this year of various tax issues that is to result in a $5.1 million payment to the city treasury over three years. Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Healthcare System’s hospitals in Paterson and Wayne all are exempt from local property taxes.

Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn said that it hasn’t been possible to raise the issue of taxes — or a payment in lieu of taxes — with Valley during the last few years because of the hospital’s pending application for approval of its building plans.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-towns-may-push-hospitals-to-pay-up-more-could-seek-property-tax-deals-with-non-profits-1.1453139

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The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood joined more than 450 other hospitals in 70 health networks to settle charges of improper billing

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N.J. hospitals, health system settle improper billing claims, feds say
By Tim Darragh | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
October 30, 2015 at 4:30 PM, updated October 30, 2015 at 7:01 PM

Five New Jersey hospitals and a health system are among hundreds across the United States that settled charges they improperly billed Medicare for implanting cardiac defibrillators, the Justice Department said Friday.

Cooper Health System in Camden, Deborah Heart and Lung Center in Browns Mills, Hackensack University Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick and The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood joined more than 450 other hospitals in 70 health networks to settle the charges. Catholic Health East, which operates in several states and includes St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark and Lourdes Health System in Camden, also settled for some of the hospitals outside New Jersey in its chain.

In total, the health systems repaid the federal government more than $250 million to settle the charges, which cover operations going back years.

“While recognizing and respecting physician judgment, the department will hold accountable hospitals and health systems for procedures performed by physicians at their facilities that fail to comply with Medicare billing rules,” Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, said in a news release. “We are confident that the settlements announced today will lead to increased compliance and result in significant savings to the Medicare program while protecting patient health.”

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/10/five_nj_hospitals_settle_improper_billing_claims_f.html

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Woman suing The Valley Hospital dies

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SEPTEMBER 12, 2015    LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

A woman who sued The Valley Hospital, her doctors and the maker of a medical device that she claimed caused the spread of her cancer has died, just days after providing videotaped testimony to be used when her lawsuit comes to trial.

Viviana Ruscitto, a radiology administrator and the mother of a 2-year-old boy, was 43.

Ruscitto was diagnosed with metastatic leiomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, a few weeks after undergoing surgery for uterine fibroids at the Ridgewood hospital last October.

During the minimally invasive procedure, a device known as a laparoscopic power morcellator was used to shred and grind the tissue to be removed so that the fragments could be sucked out through a small incision.

The morcellator’s spinning blade disperses particles from the shredded tissue throughout the abdomen and enables some cells to be absorbed and transported by the lymph system.

The federal Food and Drug Administration recently said that 1 in every 350 women who undergoes a hysterectomy for fibroids has a cancer that may not have been detected but would be spread through morcellation.

https://www.northjersey.com/counties/woman-suing-hospital-dies-1.1408599

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Judge rules Franklin Lakes parents must pay surprise out-of-network medical bill

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2015, 7:44 PM    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2015, 11:02 PM
BY LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

In a lawsuit that illustrates how inescapable surprise medical bills can be, a judge in Bergen County has sided with an anesthesiology practice that did not accept a patient’s insurance for emergency services at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood and sued the patient for payment.

The judge found that the bill was reasonable and that the doctor had no obligation to figure out — “at midnight” — whether the patient’s insurance would cover the anesthesia she needed to deliver her baby.

Brenda Cristiano, who lives in Franklin Lakes, chose the hospital and her obstetrician because they participated in her insurance plan, Cigna. But when she needed an emergency cesarean section to deliver GianLuca in October 2014, none of the anesthesiologists at the hospital accepted Cigna.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/judge-rules-franklin-lakes-parents-must-pay-surprise-out-of-network-medical-bill-1.1404150

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The Valley Hospital Receives Gold-Level Recognition from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Promoting Organ Donation

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August 22, 2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital was recently awarded gold-level recognition from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the hospital’s efforts in promoting organ donation. The hospital was recognized as part of the national Workplace Partnership for Life Hospital Campaign, sponsored by HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration.

The Valley Hospital’s awareness and registry campaigns educated staff, patients, visitors, and community members on the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donors and thereby increased the number of potential donors on the state’s donor registry.

“Organ donation is such an important issue,” said Bettyann Kempin, Assistant Vice President for Medical and Surgical Services at Valley. “We’re proud to partner with the NJ Sharing Network to be a part of this national campaign to increase awareness about the importance of organ donation.”

Of the 1,856 hospitals and transplants centers enrolled in the campaign, 736 were awarded gold, silver or bronze recognition for effort to promote organ donation during Phase IV of the campaign, between August 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015.

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The Valley Hospital Named 2015 Most Wired

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July 10, 2015

Ridgewood NJ,  For the 15th consecutive year The Valley Hospital has been recognized as one of the nation’s Most Wired Hospitals, according to the 17th annual HealthCare’s Most Wired™ Survey, released by the American Hospital Association’s Health Forum and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

The Most Wired distinction recognizes hospitals for successful health IT planning and implementation.  The survey examined how organizations are leveraging IT to improve performance for value-based healthcare in the areas of infrastructure, business and administrative management, quality and safety, and clinical integration.

“The Valley Hospital is proud to have once again made the Most Wired list,” said Eric Carey, Vice President of Information Systems and Chief Information Officer for The Valley Hospital. “Valley is committed to providing excellent clinical care and service, and we continue to invest in technology that helps us improve the quality and delivery of patient care,” he said.

HealthCare’s Most Wired™ Survey, conducted between Jan. 15 and March 15, 2015, is published annually by Health & Hospitals Network. Respondents completed 741 surveys, representing more than 39 percent of all U.S. hospitals. Last October, the AHA/Health Forum and CHIME announced the formation of a Most Wired partnership to enhance collaboration between the two organizations in the development and sustainability of the survey, and to collectively help meet the growing demand for useful data on health IT integration.

Detailed results of the survey and study can be found in the July issue of Health & Hospitals Network. For a full list of winners visit www.hhnmag.com.

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The Valley Hospital Named Among the Best Cancer Hospitals in America for Second Consecutive Year

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June 15,2015

Recipient of Women’s Choice Award® for Providing Exceptional Patient Care and Treatment in Cancer Care

Ridgewood NJ,  For the second consecutive time The Valley Hospital has been named a Women’s Choice Award® recipient as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Cancer Care, acknowledging Valley’s dedication to providing exceptional patient care and cancer treatment care for women and their families.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.  This award signifies Valley’s commitment and passion towards an extraordinary healthcare experience for women and all patients.  By carrying the Women’s Choice Award seal, Valley has joined an elite network of hospitals committed to a global mission to empower women to make smart healthcare choices.

“We are proud to be recognized as one of the nation’s best hospitals for cancer care for the second consecutive year,” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System.  “It’s a testament to the priority Valley nurses, physicians and staff place on delivering high-quality, compassionate care to our patients and their families.”

A recent study from the Center for Talent Innovation showed that women make the majority of health care decisions for themselves (94 percent) and also make choices for others (59 percent).  It also indicated that they often lack confidence in the decisions they are making due to hectic schedules, lack of reliable information and a general sense of distrust in the industry.  More than half of women (53 percent) think they can get the best health information from the Internet, but 31 percent of these women do not trust the information they receive online.

“Now more than ever, the Women’s Choice Award seal serves as a validation to women that they are selecting the best hospitals for their own care and that of their family,” said Sharyn S. Lee, RN, MS, FACEHP, President of the Women’s Choice Healthcare Division.

The Valley Hospital is among the elite group of 331 hospitals who have earned the 2015 Women’s Choice Award by meeting the highest cancer care accreditation standards of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, as well as for their excellence in clinical performance with regard to patient safety measures, and for their high recommendation rate, a measure that is very important to women in choosing a hospital.

Studies have shown that each patient who is dissatisfied will inform up to 10 other people of this dissatisfaction (Health Administration Press).  This evidence further exemplifies the important focus on keeping as many people satisfied with their care as possible.

“Women have many choices when it comes to cancer care, but now they can make informed choices based on rigorous evidence based criteria.  As a cancer survivor who faced a challenging journey to recovery, I wish I had the Women’s Choice Award as a resource to spare me unnecessary fret and error,” said Delia Passi, Founder and CEO of the Women’s Choice Award. “When faced with cancer you owe it to yourself and your family to get the best treatment,” added Passi.

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The Valley Hospital Recognized for both Patient Safety and Patient Experience

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Among the Top 2 Percent of Hospitals in the Nation

April 7, 2015

RIDGEWOOD, NJ., The Valley Hospital announced today that it has achieved two distinctions of quality excellence from Healthgrades – the Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ and the Healthgrades 2015 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™.

Only 93 out of the 3,558 hospitals evaluated for both patient safety and experience excellence had the superior performance to be recipients of both achievements. This places The Valley Hospital among the top 2 percent of all hospitals in the nation for excellent performance in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stays, as well as providing a positive experience for patients during their hospital stays.

“I am very proud that Valley has received these recognitions,” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. “We understand that patients today have options when it comes to choosing a healthcare provider and it is our goal to be the hospital of choice for the communities we serve. These recognitions of quality excellence are a wonderful reflection of the standard of care we provide to all our patients and a testament to the priority Valley staff and physicians place on achieving the highest-quality clinical outcomes, while delivering the most compassionate care.”

Patient Safety
On average, 133,896 patient safety events could have been avoided if all hospitals, as a group from 2011 from 2013, performed similarly to hospitals performing better than expected on each of 13 Patient Safety Indicators evaluated by Healthgrades.

In addition, during this study period, patients treated in hospitals receiving Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award were, on average:
• 43.9 percent less likely to experience an accidental puncture or laceration during a procedure, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
• 53.6 percent less likely to experience a collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
• 47.4 percent less likely to experience catheter-related blood stream infections, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.
• 43.8 percent less likely to experience pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital, than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

During the study period (2011-2013), Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient hospitals performed with excellence in providing safety for patients in the Medicare population, as measured by objective outcomes (risk-adjusted patient safety indicator rates) for 13 patient safety indicators defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Patient Experience
In addition to being recognized as one of Healthgrades 2015 Patient Safety Excellence Award, The Valley Hospital also out-performed peer hospitals in patient experience.

Healthgrades evaluated performance by applying a scoring methodology to 10 patient experience measures, using data collected from a 27-question survey of the hospital’s own patients. The survey questions focus on patients’ perspectives of their care in the hospital. Question topics range from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to factors such as pain management and responsiveness to patients’ needs. The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends or family.

“We commend all recipients for their achievements and for demonstrating an organization-wide commitment to delivering high-quality care, protecting patients from potentially preventable complications and ensuring a safe and positive experience for patients,” said Evan Marks, Chief Strategy Officer, Healthgrades.

For more information about Healthgrades or to download a full copy of the report or to receive information about hospital and physician quality, visit:www.Healthgrades.com/quality today.

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The Valley Hospital Among America’s Best Hospitals to Have a Baby

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The Valley Hospital Among America’s Best Hospitals to Have a Baby
January 14, 2015

Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital has received the 2015 Women’s Choice Award® as an America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics . This evidence-based designation is the only award that identifies the country’s best healthcare institutions based on criteria that consider female patient satisfaction, clinical excellence, and what women say they want from a hospital.

The list of 371 award winners represents hospitals, including The Valley Hospital, which women can feel confident in choosing for their maternity needs.

“We are very pleased to receive this recognition,” said Claire Grande, Assistant Vice President of Women’s and Children’s Services at Valley. “We are gratified that so many new moms choose Valley for their care.”

“We understand that the birth of a child is a special time for patients and families, and that they require special care,” Grande said. “I think this recognition is a wonderful reflection of the standard of care we provide to all our patients and a testament to the priority Valley staff and physicians place on achieving the highest-quality clinical outcomes, while delivering the most compassionate care.”

“New moms have many choices when it comes to obstetrics. Now they can make informed decisions based on the recommendations of other moms who have experienced that hospital first hand,” says Delia Passi, CEO and Founder of the Women’s Choice Award, and former publisher of Working Woman and Working Mother magazines. “Most importantly, when a woman sees the Women’s Choice Award at her local hospital, she’ll know the hospital values her experience as a critical component of care for her and her loved ones,” added Passi.

The America’s Best Hospitals for Obstetrics scoring process is unique in that it is the only national list that focuses on female patient satisfaction. Only the hospitals who qualify for this highly selective designation provide the highest level of obstetric services based on their exceptional scores for patient recommendation, as provided by data reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) surveys, as well as an analysis that weighs criteria identified as the most important to women for patient satisfaction, including early elective deliveries.

About The Valley Hospital
The Valley Hospital, a 451-bed, acute care, not-for-profit hospital located in Ridgewood, NJ, is part of Valley Health System, which also includes Valley Home Care and Valley Medical Group. Valley is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. These include 10 consecutive recognitions for service excellence by J.D. Power and Associates for inpatient care, six consecutive awards for patient safety and quality care from the Leapfrog Group, and Gold Seals of Approval from the Joint Commission in 12 clinical areas, including six for cancer care, more than any other hospital in the nation. Valley has also been recognized by Healthgrades as one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for joint replacement and orthopedic surgery. Valley has also been honored three times with “Magnet” designation – the nursing profession’s highest honor. Key services include cardiology, oncology, women’s and children’s services, emergency care, orthopedics, and neurosciences.

For more information please visit www.ValleyHealth.com.

Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems

About the Women’s Choice Award®
The Women’s Choice Award sets the standard for helping women to make smarter choices for themselves and their families. The company and its awards identify the brands, products and services that are most recommended and trusted by women. The Women’s Choice Award is the only evidence-based quality designation that drives consumer and patient appreciation through education, empowerment and validation. Additionally, they recognize those that deliver a recommendation-worthy customer experience. Visit www.WomensChoiceAward.com to learn more.

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Audrey Meyers, of The Valley Hospital the Highest Paid Non-Profit hospital CEO in New Jersey?

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Audrey Meyers, of The Valley Hospital the Highest Paid Non-Profit hospital CEO in New Jersey?

From the article ; Medical millionaires: The compensation packages of hospital heads are drawing attention by Beth Fitzgerald , Among other notable 2012 paychecks for New Jersey hospital system CEOs:

Such salary figures are not limited to the heads of giant health care systems. All these CEO’s came out as salary winners, تنزيل BetWinner . NJBIZ found the leaders of other well-known hospitals around the state earned similar salaries in 2012.

Audrey Meyers, the CEO of The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, earned $2.18 million.

Michael Maron, the CEO of Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, was paid $1.83 million.

Barry S. Rabner, the CEO of Princeton Healthcare System, received $1.35 million.

John T. Gribbin, the CEO of CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, earned $1.2 million.

Gary S. Horan, the CEO of Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, was paid $1.19 million

Douglas Duchak, the former CEO of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, made $999,023.

The compensation comes at a time when the Affordable Care Act has the health care industry searching for ways to cut the ever-expanding cost of care.

Industry insiders will point to this idea as a reason for such salaries, saying these leaders are driving the search for such savings — and doing it at a time when some hospitals in the state are on the verge of bankruptcy and in danger of closing.

The salaries of the hospital heads are not unusual for CEOs in New Jersey. In fact, they are far below what others are earning.

The NJBIZ list of the highest-paid CEOs of public companies lists 25 making more than $7 million annually — and 45 making more than $3 million.

The difference, Berger said, is that these salaries were earned at public for-profit companies.

“I have no problem with people becoming millionaires if they’re not working for a tax-subsidized nonprofit,” he said.

Medical millionaires: The compensation packages of hospital heads are drawing attention

By Beth Fitzgerald
March 5, 2014 at 1:02 PM

https://www.njbiz.com/article/20140305/NJBIZ01/140309913/Medical-millionaires:-The-compensation-packages-of-hospital-heads-are-drawing-attention

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The Valley Hospital Earns 12 Gold Seals of Approval for Patient Care

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The Valley Hospital Earns 12 Gold Seals of Approval for Patient Care

September 5, 2014
Ridgewood NJ,The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce that it has earned an impressive 12 Gold Seals of Approval™ for healthcare quality from the Joint Commission, placing it among an elite group of hospitals to achieve this number of Disease-Specific Care Certifications.

Valley holds Gold Seals of Approval for acute myocardial infarction, breast cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colorectal cancer, heart failure, hip replacement, knee replacement, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, stroke, and uterine-ovarian cancer.

Earning Disease-Specific Certification in 12 clinical areas places Valley among the top tier of hospitals in the country for this Joint Commission recognition. Of particular note, Valley holds more Gold Seals of Approval in cancer care than any other hospital in the country

To earn these distinctions, Valley underwent extensive, on-site evaluations by Joint Commission reviewers.  The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care.

“These recognitions are reflective of the quality and clinical excellence found in these programs,” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO.  “In addition, they are indicative of the overall emphasis on high-quality patient care and service that have come to be the hallmark of The Valley Hospital.”

The Joint Commission launched its Disease-Specific Care Certification program in 2002.  According to the Joint Commission, it is the first program of its kind in the country to certify disease management programs.

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The Valley Hospital’s First Annual “Teddy Bear Clinic”

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The Valley Hospital’s First Annual “Teddy Bear Clinic”
April 29, 2014

Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital recently held a “Teddy Bear Clinic” to help familiarize young children with the care they may experience if they have to make a trip to the hospital.  Children and parents were encouraged to have fun while learning about procedures or tests they might encounter at the hospital.

“The clinic is an opportunity for kids to be empowered and have fun learning about the hospital,” said Katie Maraventano, Volunteer Resources Supervisor at Valley.  “We wanted to introduce them to and involve them in the procedures to give them a greater sense of control and alleviate some anxieties.”

During the “Teddy Bear Clinic,” which was held on Saturday, April 26, children ages 3 to 8 and their teddy bears (or other type of stuffed animal) visited nine medical stations set up at the hospital.  Each stuffed animal received a hospital ID band before getting its blood pressure and temperature taken.  The stuffed animals also received CAT scans and x-ray.  The kids and their teddy bears also were able to tour an ambulance.  Many Valley patients receive no -sew fleece blankets, and the clinic also showcased a workshop where volunteers taught children to make blankets for their stuffed animal.

The hospital plans to make the “Teddy Bear Clinic” an annual event

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Ovarian Cancer Care Too Often Substandard: Our Doctors Weigh In

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Ovarian Cancer Care Too Often Substandard: Our Doctors Weigh In
By William Burke, M.D., Director, and Noah Goldman, M.D.
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, The Valley Hospital.

Continue reading Ovarian Cancer Care Too Often Substandard: Our Doctors Weigh In