Washington Twp NJ, Washington Township PD, FD, and EMS units responded to a two (2) vehicle rollover crash at the intersection of Van Emburgh and Washington Avenues on Friday morning, 08/06. Three (3) adult females involved in the collision were evaluated at the scene by Washington Township EMTs and a paramedic team from The Valley Hospital, but all three(3) refused to be transported to a hospital. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by flatbed tow trucks. Several traffic detours were put into place until the intersection was cleared of debris and wrecked vehicles. No word from police on the scene as to whether any summonses were issued.
Ridgewood NJ, The federal government released its first overall hospital quality rating on Wednesday, giving some of the best known local hospitals in New Jersey an average or below average scores .
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rated 3,617 hospitals on a one- to five-star scale . While the hospital industry pressured the Obama administration and Congress to block the ratings and argue the ratings will make places that treat the toughest cases look bad, but Medicare has held firm, saying that consumers need a simple way to objectively gauge quality.
Just 102 hospitals received the top rating of five stars.Nearly half the hospitals or 1,752 received an average rating of three stars. While another 1,042 hospitals were not rated, including all hospitals in Maryland.
Medicare based the star ratings on 64 individual measures that are published on its Hospital Compare website, including death and infection rates and patient reviews. Medicare noted that specialized and “cutting-edge care,” such as the latest techniques to battle cancer, are not reflected in the ratings.
Here are some of our local hospitals and how they ranked:
VALLEY HOSPITAL
223 N VAN DIEN AVENUE
RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450
(201) 447-8000
3 out of 5 stars
BERGEN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
230 EAST RIDGEWOOD AVE
PARAMUS, NJ 07652
(201) 967-4000
3 out of 5 stars
HACKENSACK-UMC AT PASCACK VALLEY
250 OLD HOOK ROAD
WESTWOOD, NJ 07675
(201) 383-1074
3 out of 5 stars
ST JOSEPH’S REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
703 MAIN ST
PATERSON, NJ 07503
(973) 754-2010
1 out of 5 stars
HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
30 PROSPECT AVE
HACKENSACK, NJ 07601
(201) 996-2000
2 out of 5 stars
HOLY NAME MEDICAL CENTER
718 TEANECK RD
TEANECK, NJ 07666
(201) 833-3000
4 out of 5 stars
ST MARY’S GENERAL HOSPITAL
350 BOULEVARD
PASSAIC, NJ 07055
(973) 365-4300
2 out of 5 stars
GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL OF SUFFERN
255 LAFAYETTE AVENUE
SUFFERN, NY 10901
(914) 368-5000
2 out of 5 stars
ENGLEWOOD HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER
350 ENGLE ST
ENGLEWOOD, NJ 07631
(201) 894-3000
3 out of 5 stars
CHILTON MEDICAL CENTER
97 WEST PARKWAY
POMPTON PLAINS, NJ 07444
(973) 831-5000
2 out of 5 stars
Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital was recently recognized by the White House for its participation in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Workplace Charging Challenge. The Workplace Charging Challenge encourages America’s employers to commit to providing electric vehicle charging access for their workforce.
Earlier this year, Valley installed five electric vehicle charging stations at its main campus, and is considering installing charging stations at satellite locations as well. Valley became a DOE Workplace Charging Challenge partner in June of this year. The hospital is now among the more than 350 national partners who have made a pledge to participate in the Challenge. The DOE is on track to meet its goal of having 500 United States Challenge partners by 2018. This is crucial, according to a White House press release, because “vehicles are parked at homes and workplaces most of the time, making the Workplace Charging Challenge a significant opportunity to expand our nation’s charging infrastructure. In fact, charging at work can potentially double an EV driver’s all-electric daily commuting range.”
The use of electric vehicles is a key component the Obama Administration’s goal “to combat climate change, increase access to clean energy technologies, and reduce our dependence on oil,” according to the release.
The Valley Hospital is the first hospital in the area to acquire the next generation in robotic surgical technology, the da Vinci® Xi Surgical System. It provides surgeons with high definition 3-D visualization and intuitive motion and ergonomic design for unmatched precision during surgical procedures.
July 21,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce it is the first hospital in the area to acquire the next generation in robotic surgical technology, the da Vinci® Xi Surgical System. This cutting-edge surgical system is the latest addition to the advancements available at The Valley Hospital’s Institute for Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery.
“We are proud to be the first and only hospital in Bergen County to offer the da Vinci® Xi Surgical System,” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. “This acquisition further establishes Valley as one of the leading robotic surgery programs in the region.”
The da Vinci® Xi Surgical System was designed with the goal of further advancing the technology used in minimally invasive surgery. It provides robotically-trained surgeons with high definition 3-D visualization and intuitive motion and ergonomic design for unmatched precision during surgical procedures. The da Vinci® Xi Surgical System can be used across a spectrum of minimally invasive surgical procedures and has been optimized for multi-quadrant surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, thoracic, cardiac and general surgery.
“In 2001, Valley was among the first hospitals in the country to adopt the first generation da Vinci robotic system for minimally invasive surgeries; over the years, the use of this technology has yielded excellent outcomes for our patients,” says Anusak Yiengpruksawan, M.D., Medical Director of Valley’s Institute for Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery. “We are pleased to continue this tradition with the most advanced da Vinci Xi® Surgical System. Our robotically-trained surgeons will be using the system to treat broad-spectrum of diseases, both benign and malignant, of gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, hepatobiliary organs, lungs, urology, and gynecology.”
For more information on minimally invasive surgical options at The Valley Hospital, contact us at 201-447-8012 or visit www.valleyroboticsurgery.com.
Ridgewood NJ, The Village Council repealed an ordinance that has in many residents eyes opened the door to unpopular village master plan amendments that included clearing the way for The Valley Hospital’s expansion and construction of high-density housing downtown.
The ordinance, No. 3066, was adopted in 2007 and states that “any interested party” can formally request amendments to either the master plan or its development regulations. The requests must be reviewed by the village, and the ordinance also outlines how a party must file such requests, as well as the fee structure for doing so.
Village Planner Blais Brancheau authored the ordinance nine years ago and has steadfastly claimed it was to “establish a clear procedure” for handling amendment requests and let the village charge the requesting party the cost of the professionals involved. Brancheau claims that without the ordinance, those costs would be carried by Ridgewood taxpayers.Critics of 3066 have long felt the Village had lost control of the planning process.
It was introduced by the Village Council under Mayor Pfund in 2007 (https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/minutes/07RPMJUN13.pdf ). Chapter § 190-143 of the amended Village Code is the kicker; it established procedures for interested persions (i.e. developers) to request amendments to the Village Master Plan or development regulations.
Council members Mancuso, Ringler Shagin, Wiest, and Pfund all voted in favor of the ordinance. Chapter § 190-143 is here https://ecode360.com/6694062 .
Over the years many residents argue that this should be repealed to ensure that we don’t see overdevelopment at Valley and in the CBD in terms of densities and building scale. It’s felt this will better protect our property values.
But last night the council agreed to repeal Ordinance 3066 once and for all in all its glory which will allow the Village to once again gain control of its own destiny and close the door on incongruous non conforming development. The final repeal will come in the August public meeting.
BY ALEXANDRA HOEY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
RIDGEWOOD – Ridgewood’s new governing body laid the groundwork for pressing issues in their first meeting on Wednesday. Parking, budget approvals and Ridgewood Water were top items.
Parking
The council openly brainstormed different ideas to fix parking in the central business district. Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon, who kicked off the conversation, said the village should explore creating more one-way streets, which will increase on-street parking spots.
Another hospital has dropped out of a lawsuit mounted by several New Jersey hospitals against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. Capital Health joined Trinitas Regional Medical Center and St. Luke’s Warren Campus in withdrawing from the lawsuit over the insurance giant’s new tiered hospital networks, leaving only four complainant hospitals. JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more
Ridgewood NJ, Just a quick take on last night first council meeting with the new council , if tonight is any indication of things to come, so much is going to be accomplished. Ordinance 3066 is to be repealed.There was real talk about Ridgewood Water,even addressing the law suit.
The parking issues were addressed with real common sense and many new ideas as well as recognition of the immediacy of getting things done quickly. Roberta didn’t run the meeting and actually did what she is supposed to do, inform the council!
Rurik Halaby could not help himself. He had to praise the past council and once again went on and on about how there has never been anyone like Roberta. He gave Susan a mild lecture and talked about his belief that Valley is a done deal and to fight this would be the equivalent of endangering lives( lifes?)He cautioned Susan not to base her decisions on a few disgruntled neighbors and move Ridgewood forward into the future embracing change and growth. I might have made this sound better than it actually did! But she was very polite as usual.
Hopefully we go forward with a suit against Valley. maybe it would tie things up long enough for them to start developing all the other properties they have purchased and their argument that their expansion is for the greater good will not have as much impact in a court of law as it seems to have done with the current judge.
Appeal, yes, but the town may also wish to obtain a stay the part of the ruling that requires the Council to adopt the specified ordinance. The latter is no mean feat. Final judgments and orders from New Jersey Superior Court trial court judges are extremely difficult to “dislodge”. Appellate Division judges have to practically be charmed to within an inch of their lives before agreeing to block implementation of a trial court’s judgment pending final appellate disposition. The whole system is more or less designed to front load power at the trial court level rather than at the apellate level. Hard to see why things must be arranged this way but thems the facts and Ridgewood must deal with them squarely.
RIDGEWOOD – Superior Court Judge Lisa Perez Friscia issued an opinion last Thursday, which gives the village 90 days to adopt an ordinance consistent with The Valley Hospital 2016 master plan amendment adopted in April by the Planning Board.
Valley Hospital, which is surrounded by homes in an otherwise residential neighborhood, plans to nearly double in size, from 565,000 square feet to 961,000 square feet, which will create 451 one-patient rooms.
Valley has already lost – Hackensack is the regional hospital of choice. Valley (and their arrogant supporters) just seem to want to win their battle with Ridgewood. Fact is, in order to have had any shot against Hackensack, they needed to have finished this expansion years ago but they’re still battling that handful of pesky neighbors that don’t know what’s good for them.
We all appreciate the uphill battle against a major business and the law that Corzine pushed through that eliminates any sort of evaluation of whether an institution with an “inherently beneficial ” usage is necessary.
Previously, it was a factor but not THE factor in zoning decisions. Clearly in this case it doesn’t make sense. There are multiple fine hospitals within 10 miles of here. There is clearly no lack of need.
Valley is a tough adversary. Clearly money is of no object to them. They buy up millions of dollars of languishing real estate and then they complain they are struggling.
Come on.
They have the real estate they need in Paramus now They should use it. It makes more sense for a “regional” hospital to build between two major highways in a commercial zone rather than on a small lot in a residential neighborhood. Princeton is the best example of what a good neighbor hospital would do- move to the highway when they outgrew their lot a few years ago.
Let’s bring this fight to the next level. Maybe now we can get Hackensack to chip in some more money, if they haven’t already.
Ridgewood NJ, according to state Superior Court Judge Lisa Perez Friscia Ridgewood now has 90 days to clear way for Valley Hospital expansion . The local reactions were swift.
CRR ‘s Pete Mckenna said , “I think this decision should have a chilling impact on municipalities across the state. If this decision is upheld it would indicate that localities have no say in controlling land-use within their borders if a hospital is involved.”
Ridgewood Attorney John Hersperger said ,” What was perhaps most disappointing was Judge’s remark (paraphrased) from the bench, in which she described that last decade of Valley’s applications as a “saga” for Valley, but just “history” for Ridgewood. Clearly, the judge saw the Village as the bad guys in this case . Honestly, after 60 or so public hearings and all the time and stress that residents endured, it was most painful to hear that kind of comment from a presiding Judge of this County.”
Councilmen Jeff Voigt said at the Village REORG, “Valley Hospital needs to be a better neighbor and come up with solutions that actually make sense for our neighbors in the surrounding Valley area.”
Which brings us once again back to the question of Valley Hospital being assessed property taxes.
In June of 2015 a tax court judge ruled that Morristown Medical Center should pay property taxes on virtually all of its 40-acre property in town.Tax Court Judge Vito Bianco ruled that the hospital failed to meet the legal test that it operated as a non-profit, charitable organization for the tax years 2006 through 2008. Only the auditorium, fitness center and the visitors’ garage should not be assessed for property taxes, he said.
The ruling noted that President and CEO Joseph Trunfio, who recently retired, made more than $5 million in 2005 and other executives made well more than $500,000 a year during the period under review.
Bianco ruled that the hospital failed to establish the “reasonableness” of the salaries it paid to executives. By comparing hospital executive salaries only to those of its peer group hospitals creates a “wholly self-serving” justification for its executive salaries.
Bianco went on , “Non-profit hospitals have changed significantly, however, from their early origins as charitable alms houses providing free basic medical treatment to the infirm poor,” he wrote. “Today they are sophisticated centers of medical care, and in some cases, education, providing a litany of medical services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.”
Furthermore Bianco’s ruling said,” the medical center failed in its legal burden to show where its non-profit activity ends and where it for-profit activity with physician groups begins.
“The hospital had intermingled interests with other for-profit operations as well, he said, saying it failed to draw a clear line between those operations.”
Clearly Valley Hospital would meet all the court litmus tests to be required to pay property taxes in Ridgewood.
Superior Court Judge Lisa Perez Friscia, told the Bergen Record , “the council ordinance must be consistent with April Planning Board approvals allowing the hospital to nearly double in size, from 565,000 square feet to 961,000.
If the judges ruling holds the hospital should be paying taxes on the new assessed value of the hospital after construction .
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood blog consulted Ridgewood Attorney John Hersperger on the judges “90 days to clear way for Valley Hospital expansion”, and this is a verbatim quote:
“I completely expected this. I attended most of the hearings, and it was clear from the start that the Judge was convinced that the public interest outweighed Ridgewood’s interest, and she was going to contort the law and the facts to support Valley’s expansion. I won’t expound on this now, but with respect to the law, the cases the Judge cites do not back up her reasoning, and in fact, would support the Village’s right to zone the property as the Village sees fit. On the facts, respectfully, she cherry-picked what she needed and ignored decades of evidence clearly indicating that the Village never wanted a giant hospital at the site.
What was perhaps most disappointing was Judge’s remark (paraphrased) from the bench, in which she described that last decade of Valley’s applications as a “saga” for Valley, but just “history” for Ridgewood. Clearly, the judge saw the Village as the bad guys in this case . Honestly, after 60 or so public hearings and all the time and stress that residents endured, it was most painful to hear that kind of comment from a presiding Judge of this County.
So consider this, over the course of decades, Ridgewood has accommodated Valley’s multiple expansions (except for this last one), which has allowed Valley to grow and become one of the busiest and most profitable hospitals in the state. And when we finally say “no”, we’re the bad guys. And consider further we’re saying “no” to an expansion that would more than double the size of the facility. I’d say that contrary to the Judge’s ruling, Valley and the region actually owe Ridgewood a big “thank you” for being the municipality that took the brunt of Valley’s growth for all these years. I agree with the Judge that Valley serves a regional public need. But the delivery of that regional service, on our small local roadways, in a confined residential neighborhood, next to a middle school, should no longer be the sole obligation of Ridgewood. It’s time for a truly regional location for Valley, such as the 26.5 acres they own in Paramus, right between the Garden State Parkway and Route 17.”
Ridgewood NJ, CRR ‘s Pete Mckenna commented to the Ridgewood blog on the recent ruling ,that Ridgewood has 90 days to clear way for Valley Hospital expansion .
“The Judge’s decision is disappointing, but not surprising given the way she conducted these hearings.
I think this decision should have a chilling impact on municipalities across the state. If this decision is upheld it would indicate that localities have no say in controlling land-use within their borders if a hospital is involved.
If Ridgewood isn’t permitted to determine that 1 million square feet of building is too much for this sensitive site, than what are municipalities to do when applicants come forward with plans that are completely out of sync with their surroundings?
The Judge relied on the flawed 2016 Master Plan Amendment that is the subject of CRR’s current litigation.”
