Muhlenberg Prepares for the Future of Heath Care

BUILDS NEW NURSING SCHOOL, EXPANDS BARIATRIC PROGRAM

By Kim Ann Zimmerman

To continue its mission of offering quality care to all area residents, Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center is making a significant commitment to training the next generation of medical professionals. Muhlenberg is nearing completion of its new Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools of Nursing, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences, which will feature modernized classrooms, laboratories and dormitories to increase enrollment and enhance the educational experience for aspiring health professionals. The new school will be ready for occupancy this fall.

The project was funded in large part through an $8 million donation from the Snyder family. “The nice part about a situation such as this is that the building will last a long time and we will be able to help a lot of people,” says Judith Mathews, RN, PhD, dean of the Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder Schools of Nursing, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences.

“With a grant, you can help people until the money runs out. By putting the money into a building and programs, we can hopefully have a positive impact on the community for a longer period of time.”

The campus will include dorms designed for single parents and their school-aged children, while addressing the community’s urgent need for these caregivers. The Single Parent Program will offer financial assistance to five economically disadvantaged single mothers or fathers so that they may pursue a career in nursing on a full-time basis. This is a unique project that can serve as a national model to address the high drop-out rate of minority students experienced by many nursing schools across the nation. This program will also help to address the critical shortage of nurses that threatens New Jersey and the country over the next several years.

“In NJ, there is a predicted 49 percent shortfall in nursing by 2020, so it is important to encourage people to get involved and support medical training,” says Matthews.

“To offer single parents the chance to further their education and training while raising a family is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” says Matthews. The first five residents are all from Plainfield with children ranging in ages from 6 to 10. Aside from the medical training they will receive, the residents will work with a mentor to
help with career choices, study skills, financial matters, growth and development.

FOCUS ON FIGHTING OBESITY
Providing educational opportunities for single parents is just one way that Muhlenberg is focusing on issues in the community. This community hospital is also responding to the needs of area residents by adding a new medical director for its bariatric program.

Morbid obesity (a condition in which the body weight exceeds the medically recommended weight by 100 pounds) affects an estimated five to ten million Americans. By its very name, morbid obesity suggests significant, even life-threatening risks of obesity-related health conditions. These associated risks can result either in significant
physical disability or even death, making the need for a reduction in weight imperative.

“There are many ways to lose weight, most utilizing diet/behavior modification and regular exercise. But when all else fails, weight loss surgery stands as a final chance to lose the weight, an option hundreds of thousands safely choose every year,” explains Demesvar A. Jean-Baptiste, M.D., Director of the Bariatric Surgery Center at
Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center in Plainfield.

More people are becoming comfortable with the idea of weight loss surgery, according to Dr. Jean-Baptiste. “Weight loss surgery has definitely increased in popularity in recent years. More and more people have a better understanding of the health risks of obesity. Compared with an ongoing state of obesity and even the physical stress of yoyo dieting, surgery offers relatively low risk for complications and a better, longer-term outcome.”

Those choosing weight loss surgery realize, that most non-surgical weight loss programs prove ineffective in the long term. Less than 5 percent of individuals who participate in non-surgical weight loss programs lose a significant amount of weight and maintain that loss for a long period of time. More than 90 percent of all people in non-surgical programs regain their weight within one or two years. But weight loss surgery improves their odds for losing weight and keeping it off.

Dr. Jean-Baptiste is very clear when emphasizing that weight loss surgery is major surgery, but for many patients, the risk of death from not having the surgery is greater than the risks from the possible complications. “Most turn to weight loss surgery because diet and behavior modifications have repeatedly failed them,” says Dr. Jean-Baptiste. “But it’s important to understand that diet and behavior modification are critical to sustained weight loss even after weight loss surgery. The surgery is just the
beginning. It’s diet and behavior modifications that determine ultimate success.”

Potential candidates for bariatric surgery have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, according to Dr. Jean-Baptiste. Patients with a BMI of 35 accompanied by medical problems associated with obesity, such as hypertension, osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea, are also candidates for the procedure.

For more information, call The Bariatric Surgery Center at 800-234-9175.

EMOTIONAL HEALING
Because treating the mind is as important as treating the body, Muhlenberg offers a number of services to help keep people mentally and emotionally healthy. The
Behavioral Health and Social Work Department addresses the needs of individuals and families with mental health and/or substance abuse problems, providing necessary services to resolve significant emotional crises or help patients access programs in their own communities.

The unit was relocated to a new floor in the hospital about a year ago, offering additional space, safety and light for the patients and staff.

“The goal was to provide an environment that would enable patients to emotionally heal with more privacy,” says Elizabeth Thornton, RNC, assistant nurse manager.

“We’re dedicated to providing patients with a continuum of care to handle all of the emotional and physical needs of those who are facing a mental health crisis or are chemically addicted, ” adds Jim Cunningham, LCSW, director of behavioral health for Solaris Health System.

Behavioral health professionals include board-certified psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, trained registered nurses, certified alcohol/drug counselors and
certified occupational therapists.

Under the leadership of medical director Dr. S. Chezian, the 24-bed psychiatric unit has assembled a team of psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and other health care professional who specialize in treating psychiatric patients. Addiction services offer a range of outpatient treatment options for substance abuse patients and their families.

Muhlenberg recently began a program specifically for mothers with drug and alcohol dependency. The 16-week program, called Steps Recovery, was started last March.

“The goal is to reunite the family,” says Jill Remaykis, MS, LCADC, CJW, substance abuse supervisor involved in the program. “We provide them with the tools to address substance abuse, domestic abuse and even budgeting.”

Professionals from the Behavioral Health and Social Work Department also conduct a number of support groups for community members, including bereavement groups for those dealing with the death of a loved one, cancer support groups, and a group for individuals with kidney disease.

The medical center’s Behavioral Health and Social Work Department operates a mental health crisis hot line 24 hours a day. Mental health professionals work with
patients and families to assess problems and make referrals for ongoing treatment. The hot line number is 908-668-2244 – Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All other times, call 908-668-2599.