Philanthropists needed for hospitals looking to upgrade facilities, advance care
By Beth Fitzgerald
May 19, 2014 at 1:07 PM
For hospitals that depend on generous donations to modernize their facilities and deliver the latest advances in clinical care — philanthropists are a major lifeline.
This was underscored earlier this month when Ridgewood’s Valley Health System recognized David F. Bolger for giving $40 million in philanthropic gifts since 1999. And as the president of Bolger & Co. Inc., a real estate and investment firm in Ridgewood with real estate holdings throughout the U.S., he divides his time between Ridgewood and Sarasota, according to Valley.
Audrey Meyers, chief executive of the Valley Hospital and Valley Health System said, “Words cannot express how deeply appreciative we are of David’s extraordinary support. We thank him for the impact his incredible generosity will have on the hundreds of thousands of patients who will be treated at the hospital for years to come.”
“David Bolger has one guiding philanthropic principle: he wants to ensure his generosity benefits the greatest amount of people,” said Anastasios Kozaitis, president of The Valley Hospital Foundation. “His extraordinary support of Valley is only one facet of his philanthropy. His is a philanthropic spirit that looks to enhance and at times transform the communities for which he cares. David’s giving has allowed Valley to offer our patients the best technology that medicine has to offer. His philanthropy has saved countless lives.”
Bolger’s largest gift was $30 million in 2008 for the renovation of the main campus. Kozaitis said Valley is working with the Ridgewood Planning Board on a revised a redevelopment plan. The board had earlier rejected Valley’s original plan.
https://www.njbiz.com/article/20140519/NJBIZ01/140519798/Philanthropists-needed-for-hospitals-looking-to-upgrade-facilities-advance-care
Tag: Valley Hospital
Ridgewood Planning Board to open public comment on Valley Hospital plan
Ridgewood Planning Board to open public comment on Valley Hospital plan
MAY 8, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014, 4:13 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The experts are done, and the floor now belongs to the residents.
Beginning May 20, the hearing for The Valley Hospital master plan amendment proposal will be open to public comments, the penultimate phase of a process that recently passed the 14-month milestone. Each resident who speaks at the next Planning Board meeting will be afforded three minutes to offer commentary on the application and describe any potential impact that might result from the project.
Though speakers may address many topics, Planning Board Attorney Gail Price offered residents guidance on how to present their statements.
“Make it about you and your family, your thoughts and issues that affect your life in connection to the hospital,” Price said at Tuesday’s board meeting. “Those things should be personal to you, not what’s happening to your neighbor or third parties.”
At the conclusion of this week’s Valley hearing, in which municipal planner Blais Brancheau answered remaining questions regarding his March 31 report, Price and Planning Board Chairman Charles Nalbantian reviewed the hearing procedure going forward. At the May 20 meeting, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Ridgewood High School, the board will establish a speaking order for residents, all of whom will be sworn in prior to making their statements.
A June 2 meeting at Benjamin Franklin Middle School has already been scheduled to accommodate additional speakers.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-planning-board-to-open-public-comment-on-valley-hospital-plan-1.1012535#sthash.r4I08ttc.dpuf
Readers continue to question Gail Prices Objectivity
Readers continue to question Gail Prices Objectivity
On top of this conflict of interest, she is clearly not impartial and has allowed Valley and its disgraceful attorney to call all of the procedural shots.
It’s time to demand better.

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Reader says Planning Board Proceedings are a “Sham”
Reader says Planning Board Proceedings are a “Sham”

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Ridgewood Planning Board Continue public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment
Ridgewood Planning Board Continue public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment
PLANNING BOARD AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE
Special Public Meetings: Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Note Village Calendar says 12 noon the announcement says 730pm
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled a special public meeting for Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ.
The Board may take official action during this Work and Public Meeting at which time the Board will:
Continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.
Continue the public hearing concerning a proposed amendment to the Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan which would recommend changes in zone district classifications and boundaries within the Central Business District and surrounding area including AH-2, B-3-R, C-R and C Zone Districts.
All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.
Jane Wondergem
Secretary to the Board

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Cardiologist allegedly fondled two New Jersey women during exams
Cardiologist allegedly fondled two New Jersey women during exams
Dr. John Stroback was indicted this week on two counts of criminal sexual contact. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.
Two women say they visited a New Jersey doctor for cardiology exams, but were groped instead of evaluated.
Dr. John Stroback, 67, was indicted Tuesday on two counts of criminal sexual contact after two women claim he fondled them during separate exams. Stroback, of Hawthorne, is a nationally renowned doctor and the director of the Heart Failure Program at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ.com reported.
Readers are not sympathetic with Valley’s business plans
Valley was told that they could not expand the campus years ago. If only Valley had developed a strategic plan at that time we wouldnt be blogging about this.
Why are Valley’s expansion plans somehow given equal status to the land owned by the BOE and the Village residents?
I do not care if Valley never expands. Their business plan is not my problem. They have no special rights. Expand in Paramus.
No matter what Valley has been given in the past, they always want more. The BF field purchase would not have been the last thing they wanted they still would want to modernize their buildings and they would have needed more space to do that. They were told 20 years ago that enough is enough and yet they haven’s gotten the message. It is so frustrating that this is Ridgewood’s problem and not Valley’s problem.
Valley can remain where and how it is, if they (valley) don’t like it let them move elsewhere.!!

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Valley Expansion Supporters Resort to Fear mongering
Anonymous
0 approved
108.59.11.116
Submitted on 2014/04/21 at 4:00 pm
#8, Think you are unhappy with Valley now….You are going to be more unhappy if the secret talks with https://cca.com/locations results in Valley selling their Ridgewood Property.
The Valley Hospital Adds State-Of-The-Art Truebeam™ Radiation Oncology System to Its Arsenal of Cancer-Fighting Technology
The Valley Hospital Adds State-Of-The-Art Truebeam™ Radiation Oncology System to Its Arsenal of Cancer-Fighting Technology
TrueBeam is used for conventional radiation therapy, 3-D radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery. The technology delivers radiation therapy more safely and efficiently for patients by integrating:
• the powerful treatment of tumors with pinpoint precision;
• real-time imaging so clinicians can “visualize” the tumor they are targeting for treatment; and
• safety features and communication technology that enable radiation technologists to monitor patients at all times and interact with them via three closed-circuit television systems.TrueBeam’s real-time imaging enables clinicians to manage one of the challenges of radiation therapy: targeting the tumor precisely with high doses of radiation even when a patient breathes. “Even the slightest movement a patient makes — even when they take a quick breath — can move a tumor slightly out of place and jeopardize the ability to target the tumor with precision,” says Deborah Panetta, BS, RRT, Director of Radiation Oncology. “TrueBeam’s real-time imaging enables the linear accelerator to be programmed during certain times of a patient’s breathing cycle so that targeted treatments can be synchronized with respiration. This feature is especially useful in treating tumors of the lung, chest, esophagus, and liver.”
Panetta adds that the use of electronic medical records at the Blumenthal Cancer Center and throughout The Valley Hospital is a major component of the Department of Radiation Oncology’s ability to provide seamless radiation therapy communication and services.
Reader claims had the BF field been sold and leased back to the BOE under the long-term lease, as proposed the entire need for Valley to expand with taller structures today would have been avoided
Reader claims had the BF field been sold and leased back to the BOE under the long-term lease, as proposed the entire need for Valley to expand with taller structures today would have been avoided
Had the BF field been sold and leased back to the BOE under the long-term lease, as proposed, Valley would have placed parking under ground and the entire need for Valley to expand with taller structures today would have been avoided. But, the same NIMBYs, who prevented that plan, are the ones opposing Valley’s expansion plans today.
BTW, part of that proposal was to provide a turf facility at BF for free, which would have saved the BOE (taxpayers) almost $1mm. Go over and look at the “recently improved BF field” today. It is a dirt lot!!! And, the spring season is only 3 weeks old.
In retrospect, working with Valley to create a win/win for the village back when they presented the BF field proposal would have been a pretty good/smart idea. Anyone, who is proud of shooting that idea down is part of the group who is responsible for the current state of Ridgewood
Reader says all we have been saying for 7 years is Valley’s proposal is too big for Ridgewood
Reader says all we have been saying for 7 years is Valley’s proposal is too big for Ridgewood
If, FOR SEVEN YEARS, you had been attending meetings, spent hours on your computer trying to educate and inform people on the issue and get them to meetings, fundraised to pay lawyers and planners to get a reasonable proposal and donated thousands of dollars of your families hard earned money towards getting a reasonable proposal, you’d be a bit venomous too.
I think it would be a great idea for you to attend an upcoming Planning Board meeting and tell the Planning Board (and Valley Hospital) exactly what you just said…”You’re a friend/supporter of the hospital, but their proposal is too big for Ridgewood.” That’s all we have been saying for 7 years!!!

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Reader says Ms. Hauck has a long and close involvement with Valley Hospital and should recuse herself on any Valley vote
Reader says Ms. Hauck has a long and close involvement with Valley Hospital and should recuse herself on any Valley vote
A perceived conflict of interest by legal definition need not entail any financial or business relationship to make it appropriate for an elected or appointed official to recuse on a vote.
Ms. Hauck accepted over $800 on the day of her election from an officer of Valley Hospital. So there’s a little financial hit–not much, but it’s telling. She says she paid it back–so what? It’s on her official campaign contribution list that must be submitted and is posted online.
Before Aronsohn tapped her, no doubt to her amazement, to run for council and become his lapdog in exchange for a vote on Valley, she spoke publicly at a village council hearing, saying that she would trust Valley implicitly to do whatever they wanted.
There are many more indications of her long and close involvement with Valley, notably when she was vice chair of its women’s auxiliary, fundraising to the tune of millions of dollars–a financial relationship that did not put money in her pocket (she didn’t need it) but did put a ton of money in Valley’s. Suddenly she was running for council and abruptly ceased all Valley fundraising and social events. Very convincing.
In short, this was hardly supporting AIDS funding or any real charity, although Valley continues to call itself nonprofit with a treasure chest of many millions.
Officials have recused themselves from votes for much, much less. She may yet see the wisdom of doing so and should be so advised by the Village attorney–he’s paid to advise the council for the good of the Village, right?–since a vote on Valley from her would have serious ramifications, including opening the Village to lawsuits.

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Valley Hospital to Offer Free Lung Cancer Screening
Valley Hospital to Offer Free Lung Cancer Screening
Is Lung Cancer Screening Right for You?
Earlier this year the United States Preventive Services Task Force, a government panel, recommended annual low dose computed tomography (CT) scans for current and former smokers at high risk for developing lung cancer. The recommendations and the screening guidelines apply to current heavy smokers and to those who have quit within the last 15 years.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women. An estimated 160,000 people die from lung cancer every year. Many of these deaths could be prevented by following these screening guidelines. Studies have shown that treatment for lung cancer can be highly successful if the tumor is detected in its earliest stages, before there are any signs or symptoms of the disease.
The Valley Hospital is currently offering a limited number of free, low-dose CT scans to those who are eligible based on the screening guidelines. The test is painless and only takes about 15 or 20 minutes. Click here to request an opportunity to be considered for a free screening, or you may call 201-634-5757.
Reader says Beneficial Use Doctrine dictates that even hospitals must demonstrate that the benefits to the community
Reader says Beneficial Use Doctrine dictates that even hospitals must demonstrate that the benefits to the community
Inherently Beneficial Use Doctrine dictates that even hospitals must demonstrate that the benefits to the community resulting from development projects must outweigh the detriments.
Valley has yet to prove that doubling in size will benefit Ridgewood at all (less than 10% of Valley patients actually live here), and it is VERY CLEAR that the detriments will be enormous.
The Valley Hospital Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Patient Experience
The Valley Hospital Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Patient Experience
April 8, 2014
Recognition Places Valley Among Top 10 Percent of U.S. Hospitals
Ridgewood NJ, For the fifth time, The Valley Hospital has been recognized with the Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ (2014, 2011, 2010/2011, 2009/2010, 2009). This distinction places Valley among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient experience. Valley is the only general, acute-care hospital in New Jersey to receive this recognition.
The award recognizes The Valley Hospital for outstanding performance in the delivery of positive experiences for patients during their hospital stay, as measured by Healthgrades, an online resource for information about physicians and hospitals.
Healthgrades evaluated 3,582 hospitals that submitted patient surveys to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, covering admissions from March 2012 through April 2013. To be eligible for the patient experience award, hospitals had to meet additional clinical quality requirements. This ensures recipient hospitals are delivering strong outcomes in addition to an excellent patient experience during hospitalization. Only the top 15 percent of this national group — or 447 hospitals — received the 2014 award. Valley’s recognition places the hospital in the top 10 percent in the nation.
“We are very pleased to once again receive this recognition,” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. “I think it’s 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.”
Healthgrades evaluated Valley’s performance as assessed by the hospital’s patients across 27 different questions that roll up to ten distinct measures. Ranging from cleanliness and noise levels in a patient room to factors such as pain management and responsiveness to patient’s needs, the measures also include whether a patient would recommend this hospital to friends or family.
“As consumers are becoming more active participants in their healthcare, measured performance surrounding the patient experience at a hospital is an increasingly important consideration for patients in choosing where to receive their care,” said Evan Marks, EVP Informatics and Strategy. “Consumers can rest assured that those hospitals that have achieved the Healthgrades 2014 Patient Experience Award demonstrate a commitment to exceptional focus on the needs of the patient during their stay at the hospital.”

















