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PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE CERTIFICATE OF NEED
APPLICATION FOR THE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF
CHILTON HOSPITAL TO ATLANTIC HEALTH SYSTEM
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6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
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B E F O R E:
DR. POONAM ALAIGH
CONNIE BENTLEY McGHEE, ESQ.
A T:
THE PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP
PUBLIC LIBRARY
477 NEWARK POMPTON TURNPIKE
POMPTON PLAINS, NJ 07444
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STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
P.O. BOX 227
ALLENHURST, NEW JERSEY 07711
732-531-9500 FAX 732-531-7968
ssrs@stateshorthand.com
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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MS McGHEE: Good evening.
I'm standing
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to read so that everybody can hear me but then I will
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be sitting down.
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attorney, a Board member here.
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Dr. Poonam Alaigh.
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staff member, and Carmen Wolfe, our stenographer.
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is a public hearing of the State Health Planning Board
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in relation to the transfer of ownership of Chilton
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Hospital to Atlantic Health System.
And I'm Connie Bentley McGhee,
And sitting with me is
We also have Eugene Brenycz, a
This
The Department
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deemed the application complete and in accordance with
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the requirements of law.
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Board is required to hold a public hearing on this
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application within 30 days of this action.
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notice of this hearing has been published in accordance
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with the provisions of New Jersey statutes annotated,
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26:2H-15.8.
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who posted the notice in a public place.
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hospital's Certificate of Need applications are
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available at the Pequannock Township Public Library,
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here, the State library in Trenton and the Department
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of Health.
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be reviewed by the State Health Planning Board in
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addition to reviewing the application from Atlantic
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Health System and the Department staff's analysis and
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recommendations in a public meeting.
The State Health Planning
Adequate
Notice was sent to the Secretary of State
Copy of the
Information gathered at this hearing will
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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Although not all of the Public State
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Health Planning Board members are present, this
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community public hearing is being transcribed.
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transcript along with any written comments submitted
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tonight will be made available to all Board members
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along with the transcript and written submissions prior
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to the meeting to review this application.
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also be limited time at the next public meeting of the
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State Health Planning Board to hear from members of the
And the
There will
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public.
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the application and answer questions that the Board
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members may have.
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And at that meeting the applicant will present
In the interest of making efficient use
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of time for tonight's meeting, each speaker will be
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limited to three minutes.
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comments with you, please provide a copy to us and they
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will be added to the record.
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speaking tonight should sign in on the speaker sheet at
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the entrance to the auditorium.
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here so far with 11 people.
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time, three minutes.
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warning.
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Anyone who wants to submit written comments after
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tonight's hearing and before the Board meeting is urged
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to do so.
If you have longer written
Anyone interested in
And I do have a sheet
Dr. Alaigh will be keeping
She'll give you a 30 second
And that's your cue to wrap it up.
Okay.
Such comments must be submitted no later
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than Tuesday, July 26th and should be addressed to the
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State Health Planning Board in care of the Department
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of Health.
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For those of you unfamiliar with the
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Certificate of Need process, the State Health Planning
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Board will vote on a recommendation as to the decision
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on this application and that will be submitted to the
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Commissioner of Health.
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Board's hearing is part of the Certificate of Need
The State Health Planning
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process.
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review issues related to health planning, hospital and
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related healthcare services and access to healthcare
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services.
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process.
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materials submitted by the applicant.
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recommend approval of the application, approval with
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conditions or denial of the application before it.
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Commissioner will make the final decision on the
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application after the Board makes its recommendations.
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Okay.
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And your comments will be considered as we
Your comments are an important part of this
And they will be considered along with the
The Board can
And to begin, we'll start.
The
I ask that
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you approach the lectern, podium.
Give your name and
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spelling, if necessary.
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Dr. Alaigh will let you know where you are when you're
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pretty close to your 30 seconds.
And then you may begin.
Okay?
And
So we'll start
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with I believe it’s Stefanie Mair.
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MS MAIR:
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
My name is
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Stefanie Mair.
I am the Associate Executive Director
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of Cedar Crest Village, a continuing care retirement
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community.
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have 1500 independent living apartments, 113 skilled
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nursing beds and 82 assisted living beds.
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2001.
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guess that 90 percent of them utilize Chilton Hospital.
We have approximately 2,000 residents.
We
We opened in
With 2,000 residents I would probably venture to
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We have had a very strong and productive relationship
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with our residents utilizing the emergency room,
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elective surgeries, the bariatric center, the wound
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center and just about all of the services that are
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offered by the hospital.
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meets on a regular basis with the hospital where we
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discuss any and all issues and resolve concerns in a
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very productive manner.
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Resident Advisory Council in the planning and
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development of their orthopedic unit which was
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tremendously well received.
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the unit, offer suggestions, some of which were
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implemented.
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that in the emergency room at one point our residents
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were concerned that while they were waiting they were
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hungry.
We have a committee that
Chilton has also involved our
The residents got to tour
Another example of the collaboration is
Chilton Hospital immediately responded and now
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provides a healthy snack for everybody waiting with
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much appreciation by our residents.
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doctors who utilize Chilton are also affiliated with
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Atlantic Health Systems.
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So it is a very productive relationship.
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to the clinical aspect of the collaboration, we've also
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participated with the hospital in multiple educational
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wellness and preventative programs for the greater
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community.
Many of the
And our doctors work for us.
In addition
Some of them through the NICHE program and
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others in our facility.
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programs for nurses in which we're very, very pleased
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about.
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merger of Atlantic Health Systems with Chilton
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Hospital.
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utilize both hospitals, will benefit from the merger.
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We feel that the alliance with Atlantic Health will
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ensure that the residents will continue to have access
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to the most advanced care possible.
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There have been educational
We strongly and enthusiastically support the
We feel that the residents, many of whom
MS McGHEE:
Thank you.
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for our healthy snacks.
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this is Ms. Margaret Nolan.
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MS NOLAN:
Thank you.
And thank you
It's appreciated.
Correct.
I believe
My name is Margaret
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Nolan, M-A-R-G-A-R-E-T N-O-L-A-N.
And I'm Vice
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President for the Care One Organization concentrating
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on clinical program development implementation.
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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One at Wayne which is a hop, skip and a jump from
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Chilton, literally a few minutes, is a campus of 132.
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We have 73 sub acutes, SNF.
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facility apartments and a 17 memory impairment unit.
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Care One offers personalized, attentive and expert
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care.
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community with spacious, comfortable apartments and a
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perfect blend of independent living and daily support.
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In addition, our Harmony Village Memory Care Unit meets
We have 42 assisted living
Our center includes an active assisted living
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the unique medical, emotional and social needs of
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patients who have Alzheimer's disease, dementia or
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related conditions.
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level of acuity typically seen in hospitals not long
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ago.
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Hospital is one of only 280 facilities worldwide
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certified as nurses improving care for the health
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systems elderly, which Stefanie had mention.
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referred to as NICHE.
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Chilton is committed to employing best practices in
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nursing care that are proven to benefit the
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hospitalized older adults.
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equipped to handle a vast array of the life-threatening
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conditions that surface for our residents.
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instance, Chilton is designated as a Primary Stroke
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Center by the New Jersey State Department of Health and
And our sub acute care delivers a
So it's very high levels of acuity.
Chilton
It's
This designation means that
Chilton is also well
For
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Senior Services and the Joint Commission.
This
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partnership with Atlantic Health, a regional leader in
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stroke care, will strengthen the care provided and ease
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the transfer of critical stroke patients to Overlook
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Medical Center, which is the comprehensive stroke
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center for advanced treatment if needed.
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enable Chilton to create new protocols and services
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such as video teleconferencing in which the
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neurosurgeons at Overlook's neuroscience center can
It will also
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diagnose stroke patients at Chilton remotely and advise
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on their care.
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the better part of 30 years.
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was the first hospital to form a vehicle to communicate
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across the continuum with all of the extended care
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facilities.
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assisting livings, the home care agencies.
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referred to as MFCCA, the Multi-Facility Continuum Care
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Alliance.
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work on systems that would benefit the patients that we
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are all caring for.
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all hospital systems embarking on as it is more
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important for us to transition effectively together.
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fully support the merger.
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a family member who went to Chilton a few years ago for
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epilepsy who was referred to Overlook with this merger
I personally worked with Chilton for
Aging myself.
Chilton
The sub acutes, the nursing homes, the
And that's
This form allows all entities to discuss and
This is a strategy we see today
I
And I have to also just add
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would be able to go to our neighborhood community
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hospital and be afforded the same high level services.
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Thank you.
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MS McGHEE:
Thank you.
If you have
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written testimony that you'd like to leave with us
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we'll take it.
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MS NOLAN:
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MS McGHEE:
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MS MAIR.
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I can forward it to you.
I
did not bring it with me.
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Ms. Mair, I didn't know if
you have anything.
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Sure.
MS McGHEE:
Anderson.
Okay.
Thank you.
Bethann
Ms. Anderson.
MS ANDERSON:
Hi.
My name is Bethann,
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B-E-T-H-A-N-N, Anderson, A-N-D-E-R-S-O-N, RN of the
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MotherBaby Center at Chilton Hospital.
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years I've worked as a labor and delivery nurse in the
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MotherBaby Center at Chilton Hospital.
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learned I was pregnant with my first child, but at
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31 weeks I was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a condition
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that threatened my health and the life of my baby.
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Suddenly it wasn't safe for me to be pregnant anymore.
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And I knew the nurses and physicians at Chilton were
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well equipped to handle babies delivered at 32 weeks
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gestation and older.
For the past 14
In 2008 I
So I decided to stay where I was
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most comfortable, my community hospital.
My Chilton
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obstetrician kept me in the hospital for a few days and
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gave me steroids to help develop my baby's lungs.
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32 weeks my son, Andrew Joseph, was born.
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3 pounds, 9 ounces.
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without him, but I felt very comfortable because he was
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in good hands with my coworkers at the MotherBaby
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Center.
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level two nursery was a long standing partnership with
At
He was
It was really hard to go home
The staff is wonderful and the hospital's
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Morristown Medical Center to provide Chilton patients
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access to a talented team of neonatologists right at
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Chilton.
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Orsini were both very caring and understanding.
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they explained everything to me and my husband, Gary.
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Because he was so premature Baby Andrew had some
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problems with breathing, but several hours after the
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Chilton staff was able to help him to breathe on his
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own.
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to a crib.
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Andrew came home with us.
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at Chilton and the competence of the neonatologists at
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Morristown Medical Center today Andrew's a very active
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five-year old who loves to play soccer and swim.
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has no lingering medical issues and would never know he
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was born premature.
In fact, Dr. Calvin Shen and Dr. Anthony
And
He was in an incubator first and then graduated
Two and a half weeks later at 4 pounds
Thanks to the amazing staff
He
He will be entering kindergarten
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in the Fall.
I work as a staff nurse at the MotherBaby
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Center and teach baby care classes to expectant parents
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who sometimes ask if they will be in good hands in case
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something happens to their baby.
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reassure them.
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Morristown with my care and the life of my precious
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baby boy and they delivered.
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else.
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story.
I never hesitate to
I entrusted the team at Chilton and
I wouldn't go anywhere
Thank you for this opportunity to share my
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MS McGHEE:
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DR. NEIGHER:
Mr. William Neigher.
Good evening.
I'm Dr.
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William Neigher, N-E-I-G-H-E-R.
I'm Chief Strategy
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Officer and Vice President for System Development for
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Atlantic Health.
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Atlantic Health, thank you for the opportunity to
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express our support to integrate these two exceptional
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healthcare providers.
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have a long standing relationship of clinical
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collaboration.
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System have been working together since 2005.
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Integration will also strengthen the financial
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viability of Chilton Hospital as a general acute care
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hospital and extend and enhance the scope of services
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offered.
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community residents and medically indigent without any
On behalf of the senior management at
First, you should know that we
Chilton Hospital and Atlantic Health
The hospital would continue to serve its
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disruption in services.
Clinical integration provides
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a special opportunity in five service lines in addition
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to cardiovascular and orthopedics and neurosciences.
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Chilton and the neurosciences department at Overlook
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Medical Center as you just heard have had a long
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collaboration.
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program will improve diagnostic and treatment response
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times.
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at Morristown Medical Center, a focus on services
The implementation of a tele-stroke
In women's health we have high acuity services
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integration for high risk patients, midwifery options,
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doula services and integrative medicine initiatives.
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And in oncology clinical integration with the Carol G.
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Simon Cancer Center will bring strategies to align
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medical oncologists an improved access to leading
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specialists in melanoma, gyn-oncology, thoracic surgery
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and neurooncology.
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clinical trials will extend the options for cancer
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patients.
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mission to promote wellness and provide compassion,
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care and healing and the Atlantic Health mission of a
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healing culture have a common bond.
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expression of our mission and values are enabled
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through a healing culture in which we share
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responsibility with patients' families in the
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community, demonstrate respect for diversity through
In addition, access to cutting edge
Most importantly, the Chilton Hospital
At AHS the
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cultural competence, embrace synergies among physical,
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emotional and spiritual connections and recognize
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optimal well being, prevention and health promotion as
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integral parts of the healing process.
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five shared values with pride, professionalism,
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respect, involvement, dignity and excellence.
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Chilton Hospital values of collaboration, ownership,
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excellence, innovation and compassion reflect a similar
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and consistent respect for their patients and their
We speak to our
The
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families.
We can combine our efforts in another
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important way.
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nearly $84,000,000 in community benefits.
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programs with Chilton initiatives we can focus our
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joint efforts on population healthcare.
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Hospital and Atlantic Health have already been
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collaborating on a community health needs assessment
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for the past five years.
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have been identified.
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address common elements which include behavioral
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health, nutrition, substance abuse and access to
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services.
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strategic partner with Chilton.
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mission, vision and values, a long history of service
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to their respective communities, natural referral
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patterns and inpatient transfers and a fundamental
In 2011 Atlantic Health contributed
Combining
Chilton
The needs of the community
And we will work together to
Atlantic Health System is a natural and
There is symmetry of
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commitment to improving the health of the communities
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we serve for generations to come.
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thank and acknowledge Dr. Poonam Alaigh, former
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Commissioner, currently a State Health Planning Board
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member and a colleague of ours at the Atlantic System.
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Thank you very much.
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MS McGHEE:
We also want to
Thank you, Doctor.
Ms. Anne
Rooke.
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MS ROOKE:
Hello, my name is Anne Rooke.
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It's A-N-N-E R-O-O-K-E.
Thanks for the opportunity to
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speak tonight and express why I feel the partnership
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between Atlantic Health and Chilton Hospital will be
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beneficial to both the Morris and Passaic County
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communities.
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Health System.
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Masters degree in nursing.
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general surgeon.
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a great volunteer for the local hospital where I grew
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up.
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hospital was instilled in me at a very early age.
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Since I moved to Morris Township in 1982 I've directed
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most of my volunteer efforts to Morristown Medical
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Center.
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with Atlantic Health which became the parent
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organization for Morristown and Overlook Hospitals in
I'm on the Board of Trustees of Atlantic
I'm a registered nurse with an advanced
My father was a retired
My mother an operating room nurse and
The importance of giving back to our community
It is with great pride that I'm associated
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1996.
And in 2011 Newton Medical Center joined the
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Atlantic Health System.
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trustee I want to ensure that all of our hospitals will
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continue to serve their local communities and have
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access to the best clinical care.
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difficult economic times and with all the uncertainty
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of what health reform can bring, the Board of Trustees
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has been exploring possible partners with other
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hospitals.
During my tenure as a hospital
During these
The main reason for this is to ensure
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financial viability for our hospitals.
As
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reimbursements are reduced and fewer patients need to
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be admitted we needed a way to flourish.
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-- we needed targeted sustainable growth during times
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of pressing resource constraints.
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reputation to uphold.
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search we had certain criteria and standards that had
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to be met.
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mission, vision and values.
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to be a hospital that placed the emphasis on
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exceptional care and services.
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Hospital.
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was a shared synergy.
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vital component to the integration of our systems.
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Another factor that we considered was how well we could
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work together.
We targeted
However, we had a
And while we conducted our
These included a hospital that shared our
More specifically, it had
We considered Chilton
There was a similarity in our values.
There
We know that this will be a
This is usually difficult to gauge in
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advance.
Of course, sharing similar values would
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increase our chances of working well together, but it's
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no substitute for the real thing.
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fortunate to have a good working relationship since
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2005.
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certain services.
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Health has been a service that we provided for many
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years.
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quickly through the coordination services of the
Once again, we were
As a community hospital Chilton does not provide
Transferring patients to Atlantic
And most recently and more efficiently and
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Atlantic's Patient Transfer Center.
They make all of
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the arrangements for a complicated cardiac patient to
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be transferred to the Gagnon Cardiovascular Institute
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at Morristown Medical Center including the ambulance
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transportation.
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complications needing specialty treatment gets
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transferred to the Atlantic Neuroscience Institute at
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Overlook.
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received the benefits of timely transfers in highly
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specialized care available at Atlantic facilities.
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addition to the transfers to the Atlantic Health
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Medical Center Chilton has relied on Atlantic Health
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ambulance to transport over 1400 patients to other
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healthcare facilities.
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relationship the Board of Trustees of Atlantic feels
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confident that this partnership will be successful.
Moreover, a patient with neurological
And since January 2012 161 patients have
In
Based on our positive working
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Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
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that you, too, will see the partnership of these two
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institutions will strengthen and expand access to the
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best clinical care for our communities while maximizing
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cost efficiencies.
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Thank you.
MS McGHEE:
Thank you.
Mr. Eliot
Chodosh.
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And I trust
DR. CHODOSH:
Good evening.
My name is
Dr. Eliot Chodosh, E-L-I-O-T C-H-O-D-O-S-H.
I'm a
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neurologist at Chilton and I'm Chairman of the Board of
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the hospital.
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support of Chilton's proposed merger with the Atlantic
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Health System.
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months of collaborative deliberation the Board of
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Directors of both Atlantic Health System in Morristown
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and Chilton Hospital and Health Network based in
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Pompton Plains have agreed to merge.
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worked together to assess how our hospitals might
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partner to best serve our current and future patients,
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as well as how to enhance the health status of the
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communities we serve.
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was the best option for us to deliver the highest
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quality of care to our patients and to this region.
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This merger will provide many benefits to our
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communities that will help advanced healthcare in New
I'm here this evening to speak in
After careful consideration and many
Our boards have
We've concluded that a merger
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Jersey.
Some of these anticipated benefits include
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significant clinical and economic efficiencies to lower
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the cost of healthcare while providing the highest
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quality services, broader patient access to coordinated
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primary pediatric and specialty care such as clinical
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trials, state-of-the-art oncology services, advanced
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neonatal care, leading edge orthopedics and sport
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medicine and the most immediate access to specialized
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emergency care including complex stroke care, as well
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as the latest cardiac and thoracic, diagnostic and
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treatment interventions.
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outpatient and preventative medicine services within
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the region.
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facilities and new medical technologies and equipment
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will become available.
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to tertiary care and strengthen primary care network
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which will make it easier to cope with increased demand
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for services that healthcare reform is expected to
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generate.
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development of population based initiatives including
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participation in Atlantic's Accountable Care
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Organization.
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evidence based care and quality assurance activities
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within and across our medical staffs.
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merger will not only allow the hospital to continue its
There will be expanded
Upgrades to information technology,
There will be expanded access
Greater community benefit through the
And lastly, best practices, best
This projected
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mission of providing the community with the highest
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qualify care, but to enhance its medical services
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through the added benefit of a comprehensive and
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expanded healthcare network.
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MS McGHEE:
Thank you.
Thank you, Dr. Chodosh.
Next we have Mr. Dave Washburn.
MR. WASHBURN:
Good evening.
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Dave Washburn, W-A-S-H-B-U-R-N.
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me to speak tonight.
My name is
Thank you for allowing
I've been on the Chilton
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Foundation Board of Trustees for over four years.
I'm
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currently in the second year of a two-year term as the
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Chairman of the foundation.
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proposed intent to merge with Atlantic Health System.
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It is a proactive outcome not really a reaction of a
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process that the Chilton executive team and the Board
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of Trustees undertook several years ago.
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plan was developed based on external scans of the U.S.
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healthcare community, of the local community needs and
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a scan of the internal strengths and weaknesses of
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Chilton's staff and professionals.
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a plan of action to address and monitor the rapidly
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changing healthcare landscape which involves
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technology, science, healthcare delivery and economics.
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So again, tonight's meeting is about a planned activity
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that Chilton understood was very necessary to continue
I support Chilton's
A five year
The end result was
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to meet the needs of the local community.
The
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foundation is a not for profit 501(c) (3) fundraising
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organization for Chilton Hospital specifically.
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foundation's philanthropic efforts provide vital
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funding for programs, construction, renovation of
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facilities and the purchase of state-of-the-art
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technology.
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Board of Trustees that has ranged in numbers from 14 to
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25 trustees over the years since its inception.
The
The foundation is led by a volunteer
The
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Board through bylaws, policies and committee structures
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oversees the raising and use of the philanthropic
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donations, and also directs the organization in
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partnership with the hospital and representative of our
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community.
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hospital CEO also sits on our Board.
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Chair sits on the Chilton's Board of Trustees.
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the past two decades the foundation has raised more
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than $39 million for Chilton Hospital.
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have benefited an array of essential services.
20
example, our community based cancer center, our breast
21
center, our MotherBaby Center that you heard about
22
earlier, the access center, emergency department and
23
several other clinical and community outreach programs.
24
We currently have net assets of $11,000,000 under our
25
direction of which 60 percent are restricted and
To ensure alignment with the hospital the
And our Board's
Over
These funds
For
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40 percent unrestricted.
As with hospitals throughout
2
the nation, profit margins are at their lowest level in
3
decades.
4
support of the hospital's mission, especially in the
5
area capital spending needs.
6
Chilton into the Atlantic Health System will serve to
7
help the foundation continue our mission.
8
believe this.
9
funding to the Chilton Health Network.
Chilton relies upon the foundation for
The integration of
We fervently
And continue to provide the vital
During our
10
preclosing phase of the projected merger both Chilton
11
and the AHS representatives have worked together to
12
update the foundation charter and bylaws to ensure our
13
current mission and our purpose will continue after the
14
merger.
15
that a merger with Atlantic Health System will serve to
16
bolster the foundation's fundraising efforts.
17
Atlantic is considered a premier heath system in New
18
Jersey.
19
provided -- that has proven success reassures the
20
public that Chilton will remain a thriving community
21
hospital and will be able to serve our community needs.
22
In conclusion, the foundation is ready to move forward
23
with Chilton on this merger.
24
reach to the community.
25
able to keep the funds in the Chilton community.
The foundation believes and I certainly do
And that
Aligning ourselves with a system that has
We are enhancing our
And most importantly, we'll be
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
Thank
22
1
you.
2
3
MS McGHEE:
I mistakenly skipped over Ms.
Deborah Zastocki.
4
MS ZASTOCKI:
I'm Deborah Zastocki,
5
Z-A-S-T-O-C-K-I.
I'm the President and Chief Executive
6
Officer at Chilton Hospital.
7
nurse and have been very committed to our community.
8
For the last 57 years Chilton has been an integral part
9
of northwest New Jersey's exceptional care services to
I'm a doctorally prepared
10
our patients.
Our focus has been on personalized care.
11
And although we're located in Pompton Plains, Chilton
12
is the lifeline for our communities.
13
areas cover more than 350 square miles comprising 33
14
towns for the combined population of over 366,000
15
people.
16
And have provided more than $10,000,000 in community
17
benefit last year in the form of free or low cost
18
healthcare, community programs, health education,
19
screenings and classes.
20
challenging times medical centers across the nation,
21
and especially in northern New Jersey, are forming
22
partnerships that enhance the effectiveness of
23
providing care.
24
criteria based process in evaluating our options going
25
forward and our partners.
And our service
Each year we serve more than 160,000 people.
Obviously, in these enormously
Chilton engaged in the deliberative
Atlantic Health System was
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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the chosen partner.
Atlantic and Chilton Hospital are
2
planning to join together to meet the needs and the
3
challenges facing our healthcare environment and to
4
better serve current and future patients.
5
convergence of our hospitals will enable us to provide
6
more affordable care, expand our healthcare outreach,
7
improve the health of our communities we serve and
8
strengthen the overall organization.
9
fit and have a long history of working together.
The
We have a natural
As
10
has been mentioned, we share similar mission values and
11
vision and have been collaborative for many, many
12
years.
13
benefitting our patients for those needing advanced
14
cardiovascular, neuroscience, perinatal and neonatal
15
care.
16
Chilton side as well as ongoing care between transfers
17
to the various Atlantic sites as well as transfers back
18
to the hospital.
19
partnership assures that Chilton will continue to serve
20
as the licensed acute care hospital maintaining the
21
breadth and scope of medical services currently offered
22
at the hospital campus and its network sites.
23
also bolster Chilton's financial stability and ensure
24
patients are granted easier access to world class care
25
in the comforting arms of their community.
Our strong clinical affiliations have been
They've received enhanced services on the
It's been very effective.
This
It will
There's no
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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better time than now for Chilton to pursue this merger
2
with Atlantic Health System which will clearly provide
3
enhanced healthcare benefits to the communities we
4
serve and in coming years to advance healthcare in New
5
Jersey.
6
firmly believe this endeavor is the right step for
7
Chilton and will assure it continues to fulfill its
8
founding mission for the good of the patients,
9
employees, physicians and families for our community.
10
As president and CEO of Chilton Hospital I
Thank you.
11
12
13
MS McGHEE: Thank you, Ms. Zastocki.
Joanne Reich.
MS REICH:
I am Joanne Reich,
14
J-O-A-N-N-E R-E-I-C-H.
And I am the chief nursing
15
officer at Chilton Hospital.
16
nursing at the hospital.
17
at Chilton emphasizes a supportive holistic approach to
18
providing care for our patients.
19
new child into the world, compassionately caring for
20
patients with cancer, helping patients with joint
21
replacement, supporting patients through minimally
22
invasive surgery or performing life saving emergency
23
angioplasty, Chilton Hospital calls upon its dedicated
24
nursing staff 24/7 to deliver the highest quality care.
25
As the facility grows and evolves involves nursing
I oversee the practice of
And the philosophy of nursing
Whether it's bring a
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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1
professionals are needed to maintain high clinical
2
standards throughout the continuum of the experience
3
from admission through discharge and education that's
4
needed along the way.
5
physicians, participation with and implementation of
6
performance improvement measures, use of evidence based
7
practice and involvement with patient safety initiative
8
are some of ways in which nursing contributes to
9
quality care.
Our collaboration with
Assuring excellence means empowering our
10
healthcare team to do their best.
We have over 400
11
nurses.
12
at children.
13
resources and opportunities to be successful at the
14
bedside providing timely education so that they stay
15
abreast of the latest clinical developments.
16
of nurses holding certification in their specialty
17
areas of practice is above the national average.
18
have close to 30 percent of our nurses certified.
19
the national average is 20 percent.
20
on one of the numerous councils that are part of our
21
shared governance structure.
22
cohesive spirit of respect and collaboration.
23
governance enables our nurses at the bedside to
24
participate and drive implementation of best practice
25
with the guidance of our nursing leadership.
And most have well over ten years of service
We provide them with the tools and
Our level
We
And
Nurses participate
Thereby, creating a
Shared
And it
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has resulted in commendable achievements.
Chilton
2
Hospital in January of this year became the first acute
3
care hospital in New Jersey to achieve national Pathway
4
to Excellence designation from the American Nurses
5
Credentialing Center.
6
program provides evidence based standards to sustain a
7
supportive practice environment for nurses.
8
standards help nurses to help patients attain the best
9
outcome of their care.
The Pathway to Excellence
The
This is made possible by the
10
opportunity and more importantly the expectation that
11
our direct care nurses participate in reviewing and
12
improving nursing practice at the bedside.
13
improving practice doesn't end with our designation
14
through Pathway to Excellence.
15
And the partnership with Atlantic Health, a system that
16
also values and nurtures its nursing professionals will
17
offer continued support on the collaboration in our
18
pursuit of excellence.
19
been a leader in the pursuit of excellent care and also
20
received national designation for nursing practice by
21
the Magnet organization.
22
our physicians and professional colleagues and the new
23
opportunities available as a result of the affiliation
24
with Atlantic Health we will continue to elevate our
25
nursing practice standards to ensure continued
And our
It's a new beginning.
Atlantic Health nurses have
Together with the support of
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excellence in the care of our patients.
2
forward to the merger and is excited to work with our
3
colleagues at Atlantic Health.
4
MS McGHEE:
Nursing looks
Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Reich. If
5
you'll notice when the timer goes off we're not exactly
6
stopping you at three minutes because we realize that,
7
you know, we've got another, what, two people and then
8
we're going to be here for two hours.
9
and a half.
10
Anyway.
Thomas Scott.
MR. SCOTT:
So another hour
Mr. Scott.
Good evening.
My name is
11
Tom Scott, T-O-M S-C-O-T-T.
I'm the chief operating
12
officer at Chilton Hospital.
13
support for Chilton's proposed intent to merge with
14
Atlantic Health System.
15
cost efficient care close to home is a challenging
16
mission and requires substantial resources and funds.
17
For this reason and more we are confident that our
18
decision to pursue partnership with a strong health
19
system is the right thing to do for the hospital's
20
future and the health for our communities.
21
was reinforced by the rating agency Standard and Poor's
22
which recently revised our outlook from negative to
23
stable and affirmed our triple B plus bond rating.
24
their public report they commented that part of that
25
decision to partner with Atlantic is a promising
I'm here to state my
Delivering the most advanced
This fact
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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development.
Partnership between Atlantic and Chilton
2
will allow both institutions to be better positioned
3
for future growth, vitality and stability.
4
will ensure that Chilton remains a vital community
5
health resource for years to come.
6
today the collaboration between hospitals hopes to
7
realize potential cost savings.
8
integration of services and economies of scale which
9
will likely result in the reduction of healthcare costs
The merger
As most mergers
Through the
10
and operate more efficiently.
11
offer Chilton better access to financial capital which
12
will support the hospital's sustained growth.
13
enable Chilton to fulfill its longstanding strategic
14
goals and initiatives to provide the most advanced
15
care, the latest technology and modernized facilities
16
to the community.
17
complex medical facilities independently now through
18
the merger we also expect to see cost savings related
19
to purchasing of drugs, medical supplies, equipment and
20
information technology.
21
Partnership will also
Having borne the costs of running
Thank you.
MS McGHEE:
Thank you.
23
DR. AMOR:
Yes.
24
MS McGHEE:
Mr. Amor.
25
DR. AMOR:
Thank you very much.
22
It will
And I have is it
Jorge Amor?
Thank you.
My
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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name is Jorge Amor, A-M-O-R.
I'm a pediatrician and
2
President of the medical staff at Chilton Hospital.
3
I'm also a resident in the community for -- in this
4
community for more than 20 years.
5
my support to the proposed merger of Chilton and
6
Atlantic Health System.
7
of view it gives our patients access to a comprehensive
8
array of services including specialty consultation,
9
advanced cardiac and neurology services and the latest
And I'm here to give
I believe from a patient point
10
in neonatal care.
In our changing medical environment
11
it also gives patients access to enhanced outpatient
12
services from nutritional counseling, visiting nurses,
13
centers for health excellence.
14
us have now the opportunity of following our patients
15
at Atlantic Health System and Morristown Memorial
16
Hospital and become members of their medical staff.
17
also have access to advanced medical research and the
18
ability to join accounting care organizations from
19
Atlantic Health which is one of the largest in the
20
country.
21
possible medical care to patients.
22
community I feel it enhances the choices for medical
23
care and opens the doorway into some of the most
24
advanced techniques and equipment in the country.
25
that I give my unconditional support.
As a physician all of
We
And their only goal is to provide the best
As a member of this
For
Thank you very
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much.
2
MS McGHEE:
3
these are all the names.
4
MR. BRENYCZ:
5
MS McGHEE:
6
you.
Craig Ollenschleger.
7
name for, me, sir.
8
9
THE COURT:
C-R-A-I-G.
Thank you, Dr. Amor.
Now
Did others sign in?
One more.
One more.
All right.
Thank
You'll have to say your
For the record it's
Middle initial A.
And the last name is
10
O-L-L-E-N-S-C-H-L-E-G-E-R.
Madam Secretary and members
11
of the State Health Planning Board, my name is Craig
12
Ollenschleger.
13
to have served two four-terms as the elected Mayor of
14
my hometown, Bloomingdale, which is one of the
15
communities lying at the heart of Chilton Hospital's
16
service area.
17
both a member and chairman of the Chilton Neighbors For
18
Better Health Advisory Board.
19
and Board chairman I come before you this evening to
20
give you my full-throated endorsement of Chilton
21
Hospital's proposed merger with Atlantic Health System.
22
If my own family's experiences are any indication I can
23
honestly say that Chilton plays a vital role as my
24
community's provider of critical healthcare services.
25
Years ago it was the trusted physicians and skilled
And it has been my honor and privilege
During that time I have also served as
And as a former Mayor
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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1
nurses of Chilton Hospital who delivered my little
2
sister into this world.
3
some professionals who responded to my need for help
4
following a vehicular accident.
5
family members' arrival on the night of a blizzard
6
after he experienced a sudden medical emergency.
7
just a couple of years ago it was these same dedicated
8
men and women who tended to one on my parents when his
9
retirement was unfortunately and rudely interrupted by
And years later it was the
And who awaited my
And
10
a broken hip.
My family like other families who call
11
Bloomingdale and its neighbors home knows only -- one
12
and only one community hospital.
13
In my opinion all of our communities will benefit from
14
the formalization of Chilton's relationship with
15
Atlantic Health System bringing Morristown Medical
16
Hospital and other Atlantic facilities into the
17
vanguard of the programs and services already provided
18
by Chilton will enhance both the breadth and depth of
19
those offerings.
20
mission of promoting community health.
21
a major life line through which Chilton has gained
22
valuable insight into community health needs has been
23
the Chilton Neighbors For Better Health Advisory Board.
24
The Chilton Neighbors For Better Health Advisory Board
25
is funded through Chilton's community outreach
And that's Chilton.
And thereby, promote Chilton's core
In particular,
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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1
department and is comprised of the social activists,
2
cultural advisors, spiritual figures, governmental
3
leaders and concerned citizens who form the backbone of
4
our communities.
5
convene to discuss how Chilton can better fulfill its
6
critical mission of promoting better health and
7
wellness in our communities.
8
their time, talents and thoughts to share their
9
experiences and perspectives in order to enable Chilton
10
to better focus and target its community health efforts
11
by identifying unmet needs, establishing important
12
health priorities and planning new health initiatives
13
for the benefit of Chilton communities.
14
Chilton's advisory Board optimizes community input to
15
address the spectrum of needs that are the keys to
16
improving individuals' health status and wellness in
17
our communities.
18
has addressed a host of timely community health issues
19
including eating disorders, depression, prescription
20
drug abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, caregiver
21
issues, teenage designer drug and alcohol use and
22
obesity.
23
and chairman I welcome Chilton's formulization of its
24
partnership with Atlantic Health System, one that is as
25
community minded as Chilton.
Six times per year Board members
Our members volunteer
In this manner
In fact, in recent years the Board
As a retired Mayor and former Board member
Atlantic Health has shown
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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1
a true commitment to improving the health of its
2
communities including by launching a new vision
3
statement.
4
healthiest in the nation, close quote.
5
vision is precisely aligned with Chilton's longstanding
6
commitment to community health and wellness, and will
7
ensure that our residents continue to receive the
8
healthcare and support that they need and deserve to
9
lead healthy, productive lives.
Quote, Empowering our communities to be the
This innovative
One final paragraph,
10
if I might.
Through my experience with the Chilton
11
Neighbors For Better Health I am firmly convinced that
12
Chilton will be better able than ever before to extend
13
its reach beyond the hospital's walls to facilitate
14
community based health and wellness which is an
15
imperative objective in this day and age of ever rising
16
healthcare demand and costs.
17
Atlantic Health System will expand the panoply of
18
health screening, lectures and educational classes that
19
our communities long enjoyed.
20
community health and well-being by ensuring that
21
underserved populations and less privileged citizens
22
gain access to healthcare and educational services that
23
they otherwise would not receive.
24
affording me this opportunity to explain how Chilton's
25
proposed merger with Atlantic Health will positively
Linking Chilton with the
These events maximize
And I thank you for
STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
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1
impact our local communities and their residents.
2
MS McGHEE:
Thank you.
That concludes
3
this part of our hearing, our public hearing.
4
no names.
5
until more people should come forward but we will be
6
here until 8 o'clock.
So at this point we'll simply have a recess
7
(Whereupon there is a recess.)
8
MS McGHEE:
9
please?
We have
May I have your attention,
Your recess is now over.
And at this point
10
are there any other persons who wish to speak?
11
none, I declare his meeting over.
Hearing
Thank you very much.
12
13
(Whereupon the matter is adjourned.)
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STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.
1
CERTIFICATE
2
3
4
I, CARMEN WOLFE, a Certified Court
5
Reporter and Registered Professional Reporter and
6
Notary Public of the State of New Jersey hereby certify
7
the foregoing to be a true and accurate transcript of
8
the proceedings as taken stenographically by me on the
9
date and place hereinbefore set forth.
10
11
12
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14
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C:\TINYTRAN\CARMEN.BMP
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CARMEN WOLFE, C.C.R., R.P.R.
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19
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Dated: July 26, 2013
License No. 30XI00192200
Notary Commission Expiration Date:
July 29, 2016
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STATE SHORTHAND REPORTING SERVICE, INC.