Palisades Medical Center
Encyclopedia
Palisades Medical Center is a regional hospital in North Bergen, New Jersey
. The hospital has approximately 202 beds and serves approximately 350,000 people in Southern Bergen
and Hudson
counties. It has been a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
network since 1999, and is affiliated with the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.
Hospital in Weehawken, New Jersey
. In 1978, the hospital was relocated to the North Bergen and renamed Palisades Medical Center. It is situated on the Hudson Waterfront
at the site of Bulls Ferry
.
The hospital's location on the waterfront, across from Manhattan
, and situated between the Lincoln Tunnel
and George Washington Bridge
, makes it a vital component of the area's emergency response in the event of disasters in the Hudson River area, or widespread disasters in the surrounding urban areas, including New York City. This was demonstrated on January 15, 2009, when 57 of the survivors of the Flight 1549 crash landing were taken to Palisades Medical Center following their rescue, where they were treated for hypothermia
and other injuries. On July 28, passengers Dave Sanderson and Barry Leonard organized a thank you luncheon on Center's shores for the hospital staff and emergency responders from Hudson County
who had rescued them and treated them.
The Palisades Medical Center Fashion Show raises funds for Guardians of Healing, a group of local health care professionals who serve in countries in need of medical assistance.
In 2009, the hospital began carrying out renovations and remodeling of its Emergency Department, the first phase of which was completed at the end of July 2010. The renovations were implemented to improve capacity, community access, patient safety and quality of health care delivery. The changes included reconfiguration of the nursing station to improve workflow and augment patient privacy, the presence of all board certified physicians, renovated patient rooms, waiting areas, pediatric care unit and digital radiology, and improved communication to track emergency patients during critical periods and provide medical staff updated status reports, including laboratory and radiology results. The upgrades were made amid a declaration from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies that the United States is experiencing an epidemic of overcrowded emergency departments, a problem particularly severe in New Jersey, due to its high population density (New Jersey has the highest in the county), and a poverty rate in the North Hudson and South Bergen Counties
that is four times the New Jersey average. Future renovations will allow walk-in patients direct access to the Emergency Room from the waiting area.
. The reduction was attributed to the a mid-2009 update to PMC's emergency room, specifically, the construction of a Rapid Evaluation Unit (REU), in which patients are asked questions and treated by two nurses: a technician and a physician. The REU features digital radiology
, a Picis computer system that permits rapid delivery of a patient's history, a Vital Works computer system that provides staff with up-to-the-minute updates, new cardiac, stroke and ventilator equipment, a renovation of patient waiting rooms and staff facilities, and a pneumatic tube that can vacuum specimens directly to the hospital's lab. The REU was implemented by clinical coordinator of the emergency room Gladys M. Sillero and consultant Dr. Todd Warden, with the support of President and CEO Bruce J. Markowitz and E.R. Medical Director Dr. Alvin Goldberg and vice president of nursing Rueben Fernandez and her staff.
Palisades Medical Center received among the highest scores in Hudson County in the New Jersey Department of Health's 2009 Hospital Performance Report. The Center scored in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the state for their care of heart attacks, surgical improvements, and heart failure, receiving 100, 98 and 100 in those areas, respectively, percentages which represent the number of patients treated properly and released. PMC received 98 percent for pneumonia
, greater than 50 percent of hospitals in the study. Its performance in pneumonia was due to a 98 percent correct preventative antibiotic
timing, and 93 percent blood culture
rate. Beginning and ending antibiotic treatment at the right time crucial to prevent infection. PMC's rating in patient safety was also positive, with only .03 patient receiving accidental punctures or lacerations, compared to a national average of 3.6. PMC did not, however, do as well in post-operative sepsis
, another patient safety indicator area, scoring a high post-operative sepsis rate of 42 per 100, compared with a 2004 national average of 11.4 cases per 1,000 patients treated, and a 2007 statewide rate of 13.9 cases per 1,000 patients.
In October 2010, Lori-Ann Ligon, the director of Respiratory Care at PMC, was given the 2010 Instrumentation Laboratory (IL) Achievement Award by the New Jersey Society for Respiratory Care (NJSRC) at the NJSRC's annual conference at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. The IL Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to both the state society in general, and the Respiratory Care profession in general.
and a companion were taken to Palisades Medical Center for treatment after a motorcycle accident. Information that Clooney was a patient at the hospital was disseminated to the media before any official hospital statement, leading officials to suspect an internal leak. The hospital conducted an audit and announced that 27 employees had accessed Clooney's information without prior authorization. All 27 employees were suspended for one month without pay. The employees included nurses, support staff, and security guards, but no physicians. A union representing some staff is challenging seven of the suspensions.
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
. The hospital has approximately 202 beds and serves approximately 350,000 people in Southern Bergen
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
and Hudson
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
counties. It has been a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital is a prominent university hospital in New York City affiliated with two Ivy League medical schools: Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons and Cornell University's Weill Medical College. It is composed of two distinct medical centers, Columbia...
network since 1999, and is affiliated with the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.
History
Palisades was formerly known as North HudsonNorth Hudson, New Jersey
North Hudson is the collective name of the municipalities of Weehawken , Union City , West New York , Guttenberg and North Bergen in Hudson County, New Jersey...
Hospital in Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken, New Jersey
Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 12,554.-Geography:Weehawken is part of the New York metropolitan area...
. In 1978, the hospital was relocated to the North Bergen and renamed Palisades Medical Center. It is situated on the Hudson Waterfront
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
at the site of Bulls Ferry
Bulls Ferry
Bulls Ferry is the area along the Hudson River in the North HudsonCounty, New Jersey municipalities of West New York, Guttenberg, and North Bergen....
.
The hospital's location on the waterfront, across from Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and situated between the Lincoln Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
The Lincoln Tunnel is a long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.-History:...
and George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
, makes it a vital component of the area's emergency response in the event of disasters in the Hudson River area, or widespread disasters in the surrounding urban areas, including New York City. This was demonstrated on January 15, 2009, when 57 of the survivors of the Flight 1549 crash landing were taken to Palisades Medical Center following their rescue, where they were treated for hypothermia
Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
and other injuries. On July 28, passengers Dave Sanderson and Barry Leonard organized a thank you luncheon on Center's shores for the hospital staff and emergency responders from Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
who had rescued them and treated them.
The Palisades Medical Center Fashion Show raises funds for Guardians of Healing, a group of local health care professionals who serve in countries in need of medical assistance.
In 2009, the hospital began carrying out renovations and remodeling of its Emergency Department, the first phase of which was completed at the end of July 2010. The renovations were implemented to improve capacity, community access, patient safety and quality of health care delivery. The changes included reconfiguration of the nursing station to improve workflow and augment patient privacy, the presence of all board certified physicians, renovated patient rooms, waiting areas, pediatric care unit and digital radiology, and improved communication to track emergency patients during critical periods and provide medical staff updated status reports, including laboratory and radiology results. The upgrades were made amid a declaration from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies that the United States is experiencing an epidemic of overcrowded emergency departments, a problem particularly severe in New Jersey, due to its high population density (New Jersey has the highest in the county), and a poverty rate in the North Hudson and South Bergen Counties
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
that is four times the New Jersey average. Future renovations will allow walk-in patients direct access to the Emergency Room from the waiting area.
Performance
Waiting times at Palisades Medical Center were reduced to nine minutes, with a maximum of 11 minutes, according to a September 20, 2009 report in the Union City ReporterUnion City Reporter
The Union City Reporter is a weekly community newspaper serving Union City, in Hudson County, New Jersey. The newspaper is one of nine weekly publications produced by The Hudson Reporter Assoc., L.P. and is covered by reporter Gennarose Pope. The company's main office is located in Hoboken.Hudson...
. The reduction was attributed to the a mid-2009 update to PMC's emergency room, specifically, the construction of a Rapid Evaluation Unit (REU), in which patients are asked questions and treated by two nurses: a technician and a physician. The REU features digital radiology
Radiology
Radiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
, a Picis computer system that permits rapid delivery of a patient's history, a Vital Works computer system that provides staff with up-to-the-minute updates, new cardiac, stroke and ventilator equipment, a renovation of patient waiting rooms and staff facilities, and a pneumatic tube that can vacuum specimens directly to the hospital's lab. The REU was implemented by clinical coordinator of the emergency room Gladys M. Sillero and consultant Dr. Todd Warden, with the support of President and CEO Bruce J. Markowitz and E.R. Medical Director Dr. Alvin Goldberg and vice president of nursing Rueben Fernandez and her staff.
Palisades Medical Center received among the highest scores in Hudson County in the New Jersey Department of Health's 2009 Hospital Performance Report. The Center scored in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the state for their care of heart attacks, surgical improvements, and heart failure, receiving 100, 98 and 100 in those areas, respectively, percentages which represent the number of patients treated properly and released. PMC received 98 percent for pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, greater than 50 percent of hospitals in the study. Its performance in pneumonia was due to a 98 percent correct preventative antibiotic
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
timing, and 93 percent blood culture
Blood culture
Blood culture is a microbiological culture of blood. It is employed to detect infections that are spreading through the bloodstream...
rate. Beginning and ending antibiotic treatment at the right time crucial to prevent infection. PMC's rating in patient safety was also positive, with only .03 patient receiving accidental punctures or lacerations, compared to a national average of 3.6. PMC did not, however, do as well in post-operative sepsis
Sepsis
Sepsis is a potentially deadly medical condition that is characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state and the presence of a known or suspected infection. The body may develop this inflammatory response by the immune system to microbes in the blood, urine, lungs, skin, or other tissues...
, another patient safety indicator area, scoring a high post-operative sepsis rate of 42 per 100, compared with a 2004 national average of 11.4 cases per 1,000 patients treated, and a 2007 statewide rate of 13.9 cases per 1,000 patients.
In October 2010, Lori-Ann Ligon, the director of Respiratory Care at PMC, was given the 2010 Instrumentation Laboratory (IL) Achievement Award by the New Jersey Society for Respiratory Care (NJSRC) at the NJSRC's annual conference at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. The IL Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to both the state society in general, and the Respiratory Care profession in general.
Medical record controversy
On September 21, 2007, actor George ClooneyGeorge Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
and a companion were taken to Palisades Medical Center for treatment after a motorcycle accident. Information that Clooney was a patient at the hospital was disseminated to the media before any official hospital statement, leading officials to suspect an internal leak. The hospital conducted an audit and announced that 27 employees had accessed Clooney's information without prior authorization. All 27 employees were suspended for one month without pay. The employees included nurses, support staff, and security guards, but no physicians. A union representing some staff is challenging seven of the suspensions.
Staff
- Bruce J. Markowitz, President and CEO (As of July 2009)
- John Meditz, Chair of the Board (As of July 2009)
- Dominic Ruocco, Medical Director of the Emergency Department (As of July 2009)
- Anca Popa, President of the Medical Staff (As of July 2009)