Q&A: Jersey City Medical Center President And CEO Michael Prilutsky

Jersey City NJ

02 May, 2022

1:25 PM

Description

Press release from JCMC: May 2, 2022 Jersey City Medical Center has a wide-ranging commitment to healing, enhancing, and investing in Hudson County. Here, President and CEO Michael Prilutsky explains what that means for the community. What new investments or expansions can Hudson County residents expect in the next year or two?We have a comprehensive approach, so we're going to push into three different areas at the same time. They are: • Putting doctors where people live: That means establishing primary care locations, with behavioral and mental health support, registered dietitians, social work support, physical and occupational therapists—all the services that help people stay healthy. We're doing this in several locations, including Hoboken, Bayonne, and different neighborhoods in Jersey City. We don't want the people of our community to have to wait until they need to go to the Emergency Department for care. We want them to have primary care providers, a continuity of care and support for a healthy lifestyle. • Investing in state-of-the-art treatment, equipment and facilities: There are times when people need the most advanced care, and we're going to continue to invest in our partnerships with the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers Health and within RWJBarnabas Health. For example, we've made a $100 million investment on our campus by doubling the size of the Emergency Department, including building a new Pediatric Emergency Department—the only one of its kind in Hudson County—which will open later this year. We've also created new, high-end operating rooms. These investments are attracting the highly qualified workforce we need. No resident of Hudson County will need to leave the county to receive the most advanced care. • Addressing social determinants of health: It's well known that more than 70 percent of one's health is determined by factors other than physician and hospital care. We have long been, and will continue to be, a partner with other organizations and agencies in Jersey City as well as in Hoboken, Bayonne and other Hudson County municipalities, to drive better housing and food options. We have a Food FARMacy, which provides dietary support and free food options, we have supportive housing vouchers and we have Tiger's Den in Snyder High School, where we provide social and behavioral health support to drive up the graduation rate. But all those are just down payments. We're just getting started. What difference will these investments make in the lives of people in the community?I see a huge number of kids on the streets and in the parks. They're happy, healthy, and bouncing around, but I believe it's comforting for their parents to know that, should the need arise, one of the best Emergency Departments in the tristate area is available right in their town. As young couples move in and decide to begin families, they have the advantage of our truly amazing Lord Abbett Maternity Wing, which we opened in 2020 after a $13 million investment. We have great nurses and physicians, and provide a private, family-oriented experience. Plus, who else can offer views of the Statue of Liberty from a private room? I often hear people talk about their health issues. When they've traveled to New York City for oncology care, they talk about the inconvenience, the travel time, the parking costs and how hard it is on their families to visit. Cancer patients in Hudson County no longer have to do that. We've invested in the highest level of care, with a new Radiation Oncology center, the brand-new Madeline Fiadini LoRe Foundation Infusion Center and a tremendous expansion of services offered by top physicians. In your vision, how will healthcare in Hudson County evolve in the next five to 10 years? In five to 10 years, there's not going to be any healthcare service that Jersey City Medical Center does not offer. • New options for healthcare access: More and more services will migrate out of the hospital and into physician offices and ambulatory care centers, and we will also see more healthcare providers making visits to people's homes. At the same time, the hospital itself will continue to provide the most advanced care when there's a need for acute intervention. • Advances in technology: We'll continue to expand telemedicine. As we continue to invest in IT, patients will have access to all of their medical records and will also have the technology they need to monitor their own risk factors. Healthcare providers will have the information we need to create targeted, personalized interventions both on the treatment and preventive side. • Preventive care as a priority: We're stepping up our outreach to schools so that kids learn what they need to do to stay healthy. We're teaching anti-violence and conflict avoidance strategies so young people can avoid requiring treatment in our trauma center. The Jersey City area is one of the most incredibly dynamic and growing places in the country right now, and our community deserves the best. Jersey City Medical Center, with RWJBarnabas Health, is truly a complete healthcare enterprise for all seasons and all needs. HEALING, ENHANCING, AND INVESTING IN HUDSON COUNTY2019Pavonia Primary Care Radiation OncologyGreenville Primary Care and Retail PharmacyWomen's Health at Grove Street2020Lord Abbett Maternity WingOrthopedic Institute in Newport 2021Green Apple Rx Food FARMacyExpanded Cardiovascular Care (TAVR and FFR-CT)Madeline Fiadini LoRe Foundation Infusion CenterBarnabas Health Retail Pharmacy at Bayonne2022Primary care hubs in Hoboken, Colony Plaza, Exchange PlaceExpanded ED/Pediatric EDVascular Center To learn more about services available at Jersey City Medical Center, visit www.rwjbh.org/hudsoncounty This press release was produced by JCMC. The views expressed here are the author's own.