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.”
Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands presents DAFFODIL FESTIVAL
Sun, April 27, 2014
Time: 12:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Ridgewood Train Station Plaza, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
SAVE THIS DATE, April 27, 2014 at 12:30pm
A celebration to thank the community for planting 7,000 daffodil bulbs and to showcase the parkland along North Broad Street.
Rain or Shine
Ribbon Cutting 12:30pm
Plant Sale-Annuals & Perennials
Fine Arts Show and Sale
Antique Classic Car Display
Daffodil themed crafts for children
Dog Parade for your favorite pooch
GM’s Barra got email in 2011 about steering problems
Paul A. Eisenstein | @DetroitBureau
10 Hours Ago
The Congressional committee investigating the long-delayed the recall of millions of vehicles equipped with a faulty ignition switch, released a flurry of internal General Motors documents Friday showing what it described as “failures within the system” that allowed critical safety issues to go unaddressed.
Exactly why the ignition switch problem went unresolved for as much as a decade has spurred a series of investigations by the Department of Justice, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and both houses of Congress. During two Capitol Hill hearings last week, GM CEO Mary Barra was repeatedly criticized for failing to offer clear answers about the ignition switch problem.
One of the documents released Friday showed that while in her previous job as GM’s global product development chief, Barra was kept clearly in the loop about a separate recall issue involving steering problems on the Saturn Ion and other GM products.
Voters in NJ split on whether to legalize recreational marijuana, poll shows
TRENTON — A poll released today shows New Jersey voters are evenly divided in their support for legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use — although the results show wide gaps among different sexes, age groups, and political affiliations.
The Quinnipiac University survey found that 48 percent of registered voters backed the idea, while the same number were opposed.
But gaps emerged when the groups were broken down:
• Men back legalization 54 percent to 43 percent, while women are opposed 52 percent to 43 percent.
• Voters 18 to 29 support legalization 56 percent to 43 percent, while voters over 65 disapprove 63 percent to 33 percent.
• Democrats are for it 55 percent to 41 percent, Republicans are against it 61 percent to 34 percent, and independents are divided, 48 percent to 48 percent.
“There’s enormous interest in the proposal to legalize marijuana, but voters split down the middle,” Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said. “Republicans say no, Democrats say yes, and the highest support comes from younger voters.” (Johnson/Star-Ledger)
Village of Ridgewood Green RME Wins Biogas Project of the Year
April 10, 2014
(GLOBE NEWSWIRE)
Ridgewood NJ, The American Biogas Council today awarded Ridgewood Green RME the “Biogas Project of the Year Award” for a renewable energy project implemented at the wastewater treatment plant owned by the Village of Ridgewood, NJ.
The American Biogas Council selected the project in the Municipal category because of its excellence in all of its criteria: Innovation, Technology, Collaboration and Complexity. The goal of the project was to enhance anaerobic digestion at a municipal wastewater treatment plant so that enough biogas is produced through the Combined Heat & Power (CHP), meeting almost the entire plant’s energy needs to run the plant. A 50KW solar array was included to meet the goal along with a 240KW engine/generator.
The overall objective is to improve affordability, resiliency and sustainability of wastewater treatment operations for the Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Ridgewood Village Project
A biogas production system was designed to optimize the production of electricity from methane, and was constructed through a retrofit at the existing Water Pollution Control facility. Ridgewood Green RME, an entity comprised of Natural Systems Utilities (NSU), Middlesex Water Company (MWC), and American Refining and Biochemical (ARB), through a 20-year public-private partnership with the Village of Ridgewood, made the up-front capital investment to retrofit the new equipment to optimize the anaerobic digestion process and convert methane gas to electricity. Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc. (partner with NSU) also assisted in the development of the project and continues to provide an enzyme product that increases biogas production. In addition, the production of electricity is enhanced through co-digestion with food wastes such as brown grease to increase biogas production. The heat required for anaerobic digestion is also generated by heat recovery off the engine, further increasing plant efficiency and reducing emission of greenhouse gases. In turn this biogas conversion facility now eliminates the need to flare the methane to the atmosphere, as previously required.
“Our public-private partnership among NSU, Middlesex and ARB makes Ridgewood a national leader in sustainable municipal wastewater treatment,” said Village of Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn. “Producing energy at our facilities reduces cost while powering the facility with approximately 100% renewable energy, and provides environmental benefits for the community. To be able to accomplish this at no capital cost to the taxpayer, while realizing substantial environmental benefits for the Village, is something we can all take pride in,” added Aronsohn.
A total of four solar generation facilities were constructed on several properties throughout the Village of Ridgewood to provide renewable energy. Installations at Village Hall, the Fire Department, the EMS Building and the Water Pollution Control Facility, have been producing electricity since February 2013. The biogas engine, the workhorse of the project, has undergone energy optimization testing and has since been successfully integrated into the wastewater treatment process. The facilities are being operated by Village employees in concert with Ridgewood Green RME.
In addition to cost savings from the utility bill, additional income is generated by selling all the renewable energy certificates (RECs) to 3Degrees, a leader in the renewable energy marketplace. RECs produced by the biogas technology at Ridgewood and the related solar projects have a relatively high value because of their unique characteristics, compared to other Green-e Certified National RECs. 3Degrees is purchasing Ridgewood’s premium RECs and, in turn, supplying Ridgewood water pollution control plant with lower cost Green-e Certified National RECs, equivalent to almost the entire plant’s energy needs, thereby ensuring the plant is powered with renewable energy, while maximizing the return on investment in the project. The sale of these RECs is part of the overall economic package that allows for the supply of lower cost electricity, ultimately benefiting Ridgewood utility customers.
“Many municipalities are struggling with aging infrastructure, underperforming utility facilities and severely constrained municipal budgets. This project demonstrates how partnerships with municipal and industrial leaders can achieve a lower carbon footprint while converting wastes to valuable resources for use in the local community. By repurposing an existing facility in this way, everyone benefits — the environment, the Village residents and our renewable energy investors,” said Chuck Gordon, CEO Natural Systems Utilities.
“Optimizing energy production in this manner demonstrates the unique relationship between water, wastewater and renewable energy where the integration of these commodities has resulted in environmental and economic benefit for all parties,” said Dennis Doll, Middlesex Water President and CEO. “In addition to helping the Village realize cost savings, the project is improving air quality and lowering energy costs, truly helping the Village to become more sustainable,” added Doll.
NSU, MWC and ARB worked with several key partners on various components of the project including Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc., HDR-HydroQual Engineers and Advanced Solar Products. Bio-Organic Catalyst, Inc., (partner with NSU) provides optimization of the anaerobic digestion process with addition of an enzyme product which increases biogas production. HDR-HydroQual Engineers provided engineering design services and construction assistance for the project. Advanced Solar Products provided turn-key installation of the solar panels at the four Village locations.
Charter School Applications Remain Strong, Despite Few Approvals by State
Administration’s reluctance to sign off on new charters doesn’t do much to discourage nearly 40 new applicants
Even as the Christie administration approves fewer new charter schools, interest in opening these facilities remains high, with nearly 40 applications coming in last week for the latest round of review.
Thirty-eight applications were received in all, although that number may be culled after preliminary reviews are conducted by the state Department of Education to determine if the proposals are complete.
The high number of applications reflects the enduring interest in operating these schools, even as the state throttles back on approvals. In the round of applications this past March, 38 proposals yielded just three approvals.
Overall, 14 of this year’s applications are repeat submissions; nearly a dozen come from the larger education management organizations that are coming to dominate New Jersey’s charter landscape. (Mooney/NJSpotlight)
Analysis: Wall Street skeptical of N.J.’s pension reforms
APRIL 10, 2014, 10:15 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014, 10:20 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
THE RECORD
Governor Christie is calling for pension reforms, but analysts from the Wall Street ratings agency Standard & Poor’s said on Thursday that it’s unclear if that will put the state on a better financial footing.
Their concerns came a day after the agency lowered New Jersey’s bond rating, making it third worst among U.S. states.
In major speeches this year, and at many public events lately, Christie has said he wants to work with lawmakers to come up with new reforms, changes like those he negotiated with Democrats in 2011.
During a town-hall-style event in Fairfield on Wednesday, Christie said he would “force this discussion” again with lawmakers.
“I’m going to put a plan out there, and they’re going to have to deal with it,” Christie said.
But on Thursday, spokesman Kevin Roberts would not say exactly what Christie is considering at this stage.
“The governor has been clear that he is engaging the Legislature, and absent an indication from them that they are willing to recognize reality and negotiate next-step reforms in a bipartisan way, he will put forward a proposal of his own,” Roberts said.
Roberts also disputed the notion from the ratings agency analysts that recent changes to the pension formula and debt restructurings have pushed costs on to future budgets.
And it’s that uncertainty from Christie, along with his recent budget practices, like over-eager estimates for tax revenues that fall short, that have analysts concerned.
After years of skipped or only partial contributions from the state, the public employee pension system remains grossly underfunded and continues to weigh down New Jersey finances.
The burdensome pension payment — Christie’s latest spending plan calls for a record, $2.25 billion contribution that is still only a fraction of what actuaries say the state should be spending on an annual basis to bring the fund closer to solvency — was among the factors cited by Standard & Poor’s in announcing its move on Wednesday.
The downgrade was bad news for Christie, a Republican who has tried to portray his administration as having improved New Jersey’s finances after years of Democratic mismanagement. But the analysts said New Jersey is still dealing with some economic struggles while most other states have enjoyed fuller recoveries that have put their budgets back on solid ground.
The lower rating for New Jersey’s debt also comes just as state lawmakers are reviewing Christie’s latest spending plan, a $34.45 billion budget that is the largest in state history. The credit rating is an important factor in the budget talks because it helps determine how costly any future borrowing or refinancing will be.
Christie used the downgrade’s announcement to apply more pressure on Democratic lawmakers to enact new pension system changes, something they are reluctant to do yet again.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/analysis-wall-street-skeptical-of-n-j-s-pension-reforms-1.898753#sthash.A1QigG3e.dpuf
Ridgewood council members, school board trustees talk taxes
APRIL 10, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014, 2:46 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
After receiving a short presentation on next year’s preliminary school budget, members of the Village Council questioned the Board of Education (BOE) on Monday about “efficiencies” and expressed an interest in more collaboration to potentially save taxpayers money.
District officials, meanwhile, highlighted the high performance level of Ridgewood’s schools and several already-existing fiscal efficiencies, while noting that Ridgewood’s school district receives relatively little state aid in comparison to poorer districts.
The two elected bodies have collaborated in several ways in the past year. In September, the council confirmed that the district owned Heermance Place and could therefore reserve it for Ridgewood High School faculty parking. In February, the council extended a smoking ban in village parks to sidewalks outside of BOE properties (including fields and schools). Now, the council is also discussing the potential of allocating the district a police officer specifically entrusted to the schools, known as a school resource officer, or SRO.
After Monday’s budget presentation in the BOE building, some council members, all of whom but Councilman Tom Riche were present, suggested there may be future ways to increase the district’s efficiency. Last year, the council managed to present taxpayers with a flat budget increase, and is working on doing the same this year. Ridgewood’s school budget for next year, which accounts for about two thirds of residents’ property taxes, includes a 1.908 percent local tax levy increase.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/ridgewood-council-members-school-board-trustees-talk-taxes-1.898582#sthash.Dfi1OmS6.dpuf
WASHINGTON — Kathleen Sebelius, the health and human services secretary, is resigning, ending a stormy five-year tenure marred by the disastrous rollout of President Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act.
Mr. Obama accepted Ms. Sebelius’s resignation this week, and on Friday morning, he will nominate Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to replace her, officials said.
The departure comes as the Obama administration tries to move beyond its early stumbles in carrying out the law, convince a still-skeptical public of its lasting benefits, and help Democratic incumbents, who face blistering attack ads after supporting the legislation, survive the midterm elections this fall.
Officials said Ms. Sebelius, 65, made the decision to resign and was not forced out. But the frustration at the White House over her performance had become increasingly clear, as administration aides worried that the crippling problems at HealthCare.gov, the website set up to enroll Americans in insurance exchanges, would result in lasting damage to the president’s legacy.
Menendez campaign donor and Fla. eye doctor is nation’s highest paid Medicare physician
TRENTON — A West Palm Beach ophthalmologist and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez’s close friend and major benefactor is Medicare’s $21 million man.
That’s how much Salomon Melgen, a retinal specialist, earned from treating elderly and disabled patients in 2012. He is Medicare’s highest reimbursed physician in the nation, according to never-before disclosed billing information released today by the Obama administration.
Ophthalmologists like Melgen were among the most highly compensated on the list of 770,000 physicians and health care organizations in the database. But Melgen earned more than 60 times than his average peer, taking in $20.8 million to treat 894 patients who underwent 94,000 procedures, according to the federal database.
Melgen’s relationship with Menendez came under scrutiny last year when New Jersey’s senior senator acknowledged he had accepted trips to the Dominican Republic in the doctor’s personal jet without reporting them on his campaign spending reports. Menendez went to bat for Melgen when Medicare audited the doctor and questioned $8.9 million in services billed from practice, according to a report in The Washington Post. Quoting Menendez aides, the Post said Menendez initially contacted federal officials in 2009 about the government’s audit of Melgen, complaining to the director overseeing Medicare payments that it was unfair to penalize the doctor because the billing rules were ambiguous, the aides said.
FBI agents raided Melgen’s office, Vitreo-Retinal Consultants Eye Center, last year. (Livio/Star-Ledger)
Reader says The taxes and mandates placed upon private enterprise make doing business in NJ uncompetitive with other states
As a business owner in the private sector, let me add to it from that perspective.
The taxes and mandates placed upon private enterprise make doing business in NJ uncompetitive with other states.
The foolish Democrats that control Trenton kill the economy here every time they pass another law with the stroke of a pen.
Nobody ‘mandates’ that private enterprise make a profit (which is taxed), yet the morons who are elected from the big cities (Newark, Camden, Paterson etc) that milk the funds from the state treasury continue to pass rules that hurt businesses.
Many businesses will never expand here, and move new operations to more ‘tax friendly’/’regulation friendly’ states.
No large business would ever consider moving here.
The state is broke due to ‘obligations’ to the unions as mentioned in the previous post.
Further draining the state treasury are the billions of dollars that get flushed down the toilet in the “Abbot’ school districts (thanks to the left wing activist NJ supreme court).
It should come as no surprise that the ‘big earners’ make sure they do their ‘time’ out of state….spend 181 days per year in FLA and vote there… so NJ can no longer pick their pockets… and the rest of us will have to make up the difference in higher taxes..
Try to explain logic such as that to the Dumbocrats in Trenton… good luck.
Ridgewood officials discuss safety plans for ‘Backwoods’ student dance
APRIL 7, 2014 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014, 5:05 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The reported numbers of unruly teens observed at each of the semiannual RHS Backwoods dances have raised safety concerns among the Ridgewood Council, but police officials believe that the overall positives outnumber any negatives that result from the organized gatherings.
With preparations under way for the next Backwoods dance, typically held in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square every June and September, members of the Ridgewood Police Department last week discussed the trends as well as the pros and cons of the event with Village Council members.
Police also recommended additional officers to staff the upcoming dance.
53% Expect Quality of Care To Suffer Under Health Care Law
Monday, April 07, 2014
Unfavorable opinions of the new national health care law are at their highest level in several months, while the number who think the quality of care in this country will get worse is at its highest level in over three years.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of Likely U.S. Voters have at least a somewhat unfavorable opinion of the health care law, with 43% who view it Very Unfavorably. Just 39% have a favorable view of the law, including 16% with a Very Favorable one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Despite the Obama administration’s claim that it has exceeded its March 31 goal of signing up seven million Americans through new health insurance exchanges, overall unfavorables for the health care law are up from 54% two weeks ago. Most voters have had an unfavorable opinion of the law in regular surveys since the beginning of last year. But the latest finding matches the all-time high first reached in mid-November. Favorables fell to a record low of 36% in that same survey.
APRIL 8, 2014, 8:06 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014, 8:11 PM
BY PATRICIA ALEX
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Students on Tuesday asked Rutgers’ governing board to consider freezing tuition, saying that the cost of the state university is exceeding the grasp of the state’s middle class.
“My mother makes as much as Rutgers costs,” said Margarita Rosario, a junior. “Every semester I’ve had to rely on the generosity of others.”
About a dozen students spoke at a sparsely attended hearing in New Brunswick on Tuesday evening that drew about 40 people. The university’s board of governors took the testimony in advance of setting tuition and fees this summer.
Tuition and fees at Rutgers now tops $13,000 for state residents, making it one of the most expensive public universities in the nation. For students who live on campus, a year at Rutgers costs more than $25,000.
“I work 40 hours a week and even with aid it’s difficult to afford this education,” said Joe Fisher, a student from Matawan. “It’s a lot of stress.”
Fisher and others noted a spate of building projects around Rutgers campuses and questioned whether the administration was more concerned with the Rutgers brand than students.
Daffodil Festival – Fine Art Show and Sale – April 27th
Artists specializing in watercolors, acrylics, photography, oils, pen and ink and jewelry will exhibit their talents at a Fine Art Show and Sale set to be held in conjunction with the Daffodil Festival on Sunday, April 27th. This special event will be held at the Ridgewood Train Station and Plaza, between the hours of 12 noon and 3 pm. Artist will be displaying their works inside the plaza building as well as the area adjacent to facility, rain or shine.
Last fall, the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands and volunteer residents of the Village purchased 7,000 daffodil bulbs as an enhancement and beautification project for the entire Village to enjoy. In celebration of the hard work and anticipated beauty, a Daffodil Festival is being planned. In addition to the Fine Art Show and Sale, additional activities include a 12:30PM ribbon cutting ceremony rededicating the renovation of the Broad Street gardens, a classic antique car show, a spring plant sale, a 1:00PM “Daffy Dog Parade”, children’s arts and craft projects and a variety of refreshments.
The mission of the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands is to provide funding and support to restore and enhance the Village parklands in accordance with the Master Plan for development. Now, three years in existence, the Conservancy has fundraising and a few major projects accomplished. Please refer to the website www.cfrpl.org for further information or to become a member.
The Fine Art Show and Sale is co-sponsored by the Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Department and the Conservancy. To obtain additional details or to join as an artist, please contact the Recreation Office at The Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, 201-670-5560. Several spaces are still available for interested artists.
