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Healthcare

Trump Taps Dr. Oz, Penn Alum, To Lead Medicare And Medicaid Services Trump Taps Dr. Oz, Penn Alum, To Lead Medicare And Medicaid Services
Trump Taps Dr. Oz, Penn Alum, To Lead Medicare And Medicaid Services President-elect Donald J. Trump has nominated Dr. Mehmet Oz to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), citing the Pennsylvania-educated heart surgeon’s decades-long dedication to healthcare innovation and public advocacy. The announcement came Tuesday, Nov. 19, as Trump highlighted Oz’s qualifications and ties to the Keystone State. Dr. Oz earned both his medical degree and MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine and Wharton Business School, making him an Ivy League-trained physician and business leader. Trump lauded his achievements in a statement, ca…
'Shocks The Conscience': Jersey Shore Doctor Who Exploited Undocumented Home Servants Sentenced 'Shocks The Conscience': Jersey Shore Doctor Who Exploited Undocumented Home Servants Sentenced
'Shocks The Conscience': Jersey Shore Doctor Who Exploited Undocumented Home Servants Sentenced A doctor from Tinton Falls will spend time in prison for the abusive exploitation of two undocumented women from India, including denying one woman lifesaving surgery for a brain aneurysm, authorities said. Harsha Sahni, 68, was sentenced on Monday, Oct. 28 to two years and three months in prison, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. The former rheumatologist with a practice in the Colonia section of Woodbridge Township previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens and filing a false tax return. According to cour…
CNAs Attack Patient At Jersey Shore Rehab Center: Prosecutor CNAs Attack Patient At Jersey Shore Rehab Center: Prosecutor
CNAs Attack Patient At Jersey Shore Rehab Center: Prosecutor A pair of certified nursing assistants are accused of beating a patient now listed in critical condition at the rehabilitation center they worked at, authorities in Ocean County said. Dhenmark Francisco, 28, of Toms River, and Jovi Esperanza, 31, of Beachwood, were each charged with aggravated assault in connection with the Sunday, Oct. 14 attack at Crystal Lake Rehabilitation Facility in Berkeley Township, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. The Berkeley PD was contacted by officials at the Crystal Lake Rehabilitation Facility regarding a patient that had been assa…
Nationwide Meat Recall Expands To 11.7M Pounds: Products Sold At Major Supermarkets Nationwide Meat Recall Expands To 11.7M Pounds: Products Sold At Major Supermarkets
Nationwide Meat Recall Expands To 11.7M Pounds: Products Sold At Major Supermarkets A nationwide recall of meat and poultry products over fears they may be contaminated with Listeria has been expanded to include 11,765,285 pounds. The initial recall involving the manufacturer, Bruce Pac, was for 9,986,245 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) products sold at Walmart, Target, Amazon, Trader Joe's, 7-Eleven, Aldi, and other stores. It was announced on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Late Tuesday night, Oct. 15, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced 1.8 million pounds of new products have been added to the recall. Info on …
'A Significant Milestone': State-Of-The-Art Veterans Medical Clinic Opening In Toms River 'A Significant Milestone': State-Of-The-Art Veterans Medical Clinic Opening In Toms River
'A Significant Milestone': State-Of-The-Art Veterans Medical Clinic Opening In Toms River A new medical clinic is about to open for Ocean County veterans, officials said. The new Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Toms River will open on Tuesday, Oct. 22, the VA said in a news release on Thursday, Oct. 9. The center is located at 1051 Hooper Avenue. The state-of-the-art facility will replace the James J. Howard Veterans' Outpatient Clinic in Brick Township, which will close on Monday, Oct. 21. All appointments after that day will be transferred to the Toms River clinic and vets will get new appointment cards with updated information. Ocean …
'Worst Pain Known To Humanity' Once Plaguing NJ Woman Now Controlled With Cellphone 'Worst Pain Known To Humanity' Once Plaguing NJ Woman Now Controlled With Cellphone
'Worst Pain Known To Humanity' Once Plaguing NJ Woman Now Controlled With Cellphone A New Jersey resident who one day woke up and began experiencing the most excruciating pain of her life is now able to manage it through a cell phone, thanks to physicians at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Mary Rice, 42, of Toms River, began experiencing the extreme facial pain one day in January 2018. She described it as electric shocks over her left eye, and almost anything set it off. "Healthcare professionals talk about a 10-point scale of pain with their patients," she said. "My pain was mostly a 10+, off the scale, leaving me unable to do the most simple of tasks and prevent…
Asbury Park Artist With 'Light-Filled Soul' Critically Stabbed On Labor Day: Fundraiser Asbury Park Artist With 'Light-Filled Soul' Critically Stabbed On Labor Day: Fundraiser
Asbury Park Artist With 'Light-Filled Soul' Critically Stabbed On Labor Day: Fundraiser An Asbury Park photographer was critically injured when she was stabbed while walking with a friend on Labor Day, according to a fundraising campaign. A GoFundMe page said Andrea Laign was the victim of the afternoon Asbury Avenue stabbing on Monday, Sept. 2. The fundraiser called her a "beloved member of our creative family" in the city. The GoFundMe had raised more than $4,200 from at least 59 donations as of Thursday, Sept. 5. "It is devastating that this sweet, talented, light-filled soul is a victim of such a violent crime," wrote Michaela Murray, the fundrais…
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say
Boy Airlifted After Stepping On Hot Coals Illegally Dumped On NJ Beach, Officials Say A boy was airlifted to a hospital after officials say he stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped on a New Jersey beach. Paramedics and EMTs from Sea Bright and Robert Wood Johnson were called to Sandy Hook near Guardian Park, where they found the boy with burns to both feet around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 13, Gateway National Recreation Area spokeswoman Daphne Yun said. Witnesses said the child had stepped on hot coals that had been illegally dumped between rocks in the area, Yun said. The child was flown by Hackensack Meridian to a local burn center, and the area wher…
Biden Withdraws From 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses VP Kamala Harris To Be New Nominee Biden Withdraws From 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses VP Kamala Harris To Be New Nominee
Biden Withdraws From 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses VP Kamala Harris To Be New Nominee President Joe Biden has just announced he is pulling out of the 2024 race against Republican nominee Donald Trump. In a letter to "My Fellow Americans" released just before 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21, Biden said: “It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your president. “And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for the remainder of my term.” The news comes amid concerns over the 81-year-old Biden's health, which were loudly …
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say Jersey Shore Man Admits To Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say
Jersey Shore Man Admits To Attacking 70-Year-Old Bicyclist Who Died, Prosecutors Say A Seaside Heights man admitted to attacking a bicyclist who died from his injuries two weeks later, authorities said. Anthony Collins, 41, pleaded guilty on Monday, June 10 to manslaughter, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release. He was charged in the death of 70-year-old Robert May of Seaside Heights. Prosecutors said they're seeking three years in state prison for Collins. "Certain proof problems in this case resulted in the state entering into a plea agreement with a recommended sentence that is below the normal sentencing range for manslaughter," Billhime…
Yamileth D. Marenco, Operating Room Nurse, 41 Yamileth D. Marenco, Operating Room Nurse, 41
Yamileth D. Marenco, Operating Room Nurse, 41 Yamileth D. Marenco, of Pennsauken, died on March 26, according to an obituary published by Falco, Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home. She was 41 years old. Yamileth was the first in her family to graduate from college and was a surgical technologist for over 15 years, working as an operating room nurse at Cooper Hospital, where her compassion and dedication touched the lives of countless patients and colleagues, her obituary said. Beyond her work at the hospital, Yamileth made a lasting impact by collecting donations for the children of her home country, Nicaragua. "Her commitment to improv…
Evelyn Renee Galarza, Nurse From Willingboro, 55 Evelyn Renee Galarza, Nurse From Willingboro, 55
Evelyn Renee Galarza, Nurse From Willingboro, 55 Evelyn Renee Galarza, of Willingboro, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on April 5, according to an obituary published by Pennchief Chapels. She was 55 years old. Evelyn Renee worked as a registered nurse at Vitrua Memorial Hospital, her obit said. For nearly 17 years, Evelyn Renee was a tireless caregiver. "Evelyn Renee has touched and positively affected so many lives," her obituary said. Click here to read Evelyn Renee Galarza's complete obituary.
Woman Used Sister's Identity To Steal Opioids From Central Jersey Nursing Home: Prosecutors Woman Used Sister's Identity To Steal Opioids From Central Jersey Nursing Home: Prosecutors
Woman Used Sister's Identity To Steal Opioids From Central Jersey Nursing Home: Prosecutors Two sisters from Atlantic County were accused of stealing prescription drugs from a Shrewsbury nursing home, authorities said. Deborah Baskerville, 38, of Galloway, and Shonte Hall, 36, of Egg Harbor City, were facing charges, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Tuesday, Mar. 26. Their arrests came after an investigation into a theft at Complete Care at Shrewsbury, a skilled nursing facility on Avenue at the Common. Shrewsbury police investigated a theft at the nursing home on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. Investigators said Baskerville used Hall's identity …
NJ Hospitals Named Among Best In World By 'Newsweek' NJ Hospitals Named Among Best In World By 'Newsweek'
NJ Hospitals Named Among Best In World By 'Newsweek' Some of the best hospitals in the world are right in the Garden State. Newsweek, partnering with Statsia, released its annual list of the World's Best Hospitals, with six hospitals in New Jersey making the cut.  Morristown Medical Center was ranked 47th, while Hackensack University Medical Center was right behind at 58th.  Valley Hospital in Ridgewood (soon Paramus) and Overlook Medical Center in Summit were ranked 137th and 174th, respectively.  Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch were ranked 329th and 411th, respectively. Dr. …
NJ Family Of Toddler Battling Brain Tumors Rallying For Support: Campaign NJ Family Of Toddler Battling Brain Tumors Rallying For Support: Campaign
NJ Family Of Toddler Battling Brain Tumors Rallying For Support: Campaign A Hazlet family is rallying for support after a three-year-old boy was diagnosed with brain tumors, a fundraising campaign said. Mick Augustitus has four brain tumors and several tumors on his spine, according to a GoFundMe page set up for his family. The boy started having headaches and after several hospital visits, doctors discovered the tumors. The GoFundMe page has raised more than $32,000 from at least 330 donations as of Monday, Mar. 11.  The money will go toward helping Mick's parents Mike Augustitus Jr. and Allison Augustitus. "Dad has been out of work to be with his family,…
$200 Million Healthcare Center Breaks Ground At NJ Transit Station $200 Million Healthcare Center Breaks Ground At NJ Transit Station
$200 Million Healthcare Center Breaks Ground At NJ Transit Station A new $200 million health and wellness center is hours away from breaking ground at none other than a NJ Transit station. The Hackensack Meridian Health facility will break ground Friday, March 8 at the New Jersey Transit Metropark Station in Iselin. The first of its kind, the center is expected to be completed by 2025. Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to join hospital, transportation and other elected officials as well as developers at an 11 a.m. ceremony, according to a hospital press statement. It's billed as the first accessible health and wellness center at a major transit hub nation…
NJ Addiction Centers Victim Of Data Breach NJ Addiction Centers Victim Of Data Breach
NJ Addiction Centers Victim Of Data Breach Addition centers in five locations have suffered a data breach that may compromise patients' private information, officials said. Maryville, a nonprofit addition agency, is offering credit monitoring services for those who may have had their Social Security numbers and other private details exposed as a result of the incident, according to spokesman Bill Crowe. The centers affected are in Williamstown, Turnersville, Pemberton, Vineland and Franklinville. "We have no indication that any information has been misused for identity theft," the agency said. On or around August 22, 2023, Maryvil…
Heartbreaking Final Facebook Post Shared By NJ Woman Day Before Being Fatally Struck By Car Heartbreaking Final Facebook Post Shared By NJ Woman Day Before Being Fatally Struck By Car
Heartbreaking Final Facebook Post Shared By NJ Woman Day Before Being Fatally Struck By Car "You can get more money, but you can't get more time." That's part of the quote shared on Facebook by Heather Steinklein, 61, of East Brunswick, on Feb. 11. On Feb. 12, just before 6 p.m., Steinklein was struck and killed by a vehicle on Russ Lane. The quote appears to be from Winnie the Pooh. "Time is more valuable than money," it reads. "Spend your time wisely. Use your time on the people and things that matter most to you. You can get more money, but you can’t get more time." Steinklein's Facebook page shows she is widowed, and originally from Brooklyn. She appeared to have graduated …
New Jersey Is Second-Worst State To Retire In, Study Says New Jersey Is Second-Worst State To Retire In, Study Says
New Jersey Is Second-Worst State To Retire In, Study Says New Jersey's great for many things. But apparently not retirement. A new study said New Jersey is the second-worst state to retire in 2024, pointing to the Garden State's high costs for taxpayers and lack of healthcare facilities. WalletHub released a study about the best and worst states to retire on Monday, Jan. 22. New Jersey ranked 49th on the list, finishing only ahead of Kentucky. The study said New Jersey is second worst in affordability for retirees. WalletHub's affordability rank includes metrics like adjusted cost of living, which New Jersey was 37th. It also factors in the …
Juanita Kato, Camden HS Basketball Star, Health Care Worker, Dies Juanita Kato, Camden HS Basketball Star, Health Care Worker, Dies
Juanita Kato, Camden HS Basketball Star, Health Care Worker, Dies Juanita Lynn Kato died on Jan. 3 at the age of 46, according to an obituary published by May Funeral Home. She was a basketball star at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden where she was born and raised, her obituary said. "Her passion was sports" and she also was a member of the high school track and field team, the obit said, adding she graduated and earned a college scholarship in basketball. "Kata" or "NIta" as her family and friends called her was a healthcare worker. She also worked for a while as a coordinating auditor at J&J Snacks. Nita loved cooking: "That's what made her ha…
'AI Moonshoot' Among Murphy's Ideas To Make Life More Affordable For NJ Residents 'AI Moonshoot' Among Murphy's Ideas To Make Life More Affordable For NJ Residents
'AI Moonshoot' Among Murphy's Ideas To Make Life More Affordable For NJ Residents Gov. Phil Murphy sees New Jersey as a future global leader in artificial intelligence, while balancing the urgent financial needs of families during his 2024 State of the State Address. In his speech on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Gov. Murphy spoke about "an era of unease and uncertainty" defined by economic recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with wars in Israel and Ukraine.  He also talked about how higher costs of living are the biggest challenges for many families. "Making life more affordable for more families is our highest priority," said Gov. Murphy. "We need to recognize t…
Hospital ERs in Bergen, Montclair Closed By Nationwide Ransomware Attack Hospital ERs in Bergen, Montclair Closed By Nationwide Ransomware Attack
Hospital ERs in Bergen, Montclair Closed By Nationwide Ransomware Attack The latest in a continuing series of nationwide ransomware attacks closed two hospital emergency rooms in New Jersey. Authorities haven't disclosed what's been demanded by the cybercriminals who forced ambulances to divert to other hospitals from Pascack Valey Medical Center in Westwood and Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair beginning on Thanksgiving evening. Lab work, radiology, scheduling, billing -- basically anything involving computer software -- apparently were affected. "No one can use the computers in the buildings," a source said. "The hospitals are doing everything by paper…
NJ Essential Worker, 46, Loved By Countless Patients Dies After Asthma Attack NJ Essential Worker, 46, Loved By Countless Patients Dies After Asthma Attack
NJ Essential Worker, 46, Loved By Countless Patients Dies After Asthma Attack Support is soaring for a 46-year-old essential worker from the Jersey Shore who died on May 26, after suffering an asthma attack, loved ones say. Monique Lubrano, a phlebotomist for LabCorp. and nursing home worker, suffered the attack while shopping, and later was placed on life support suffering from coronavirus, her son, Luciano wrote on a GoFundMe page. Monique's closest family members weren't allowed to visit her until the very last goodbyes due to the COVID-19 diagnosis, the page says. Known as the "Croc Queen" for her interesting collection of the footwear, Monique's patients a…
Hospital Patient Data Stolen in CentraState Cyberattack Hospital Patient Data Stolen in CentraState Cyberattack
Hospital Patient Data Stolen in CentraState Cyberattack Patient data was stolen from CentraState Medical Center in a ransomware attack on the Freehold hospital's computer systems, officials said. In a statement released on Friday, Feb. 10, the health system said the December attack included the theft of patients’ names, addresses, birthdays, social security numbers, health insurance information, medical records and patient account numbers. The cyberattack occurred on the morning of Dec. 29, when the hospital “detected unusual activity involving its computer systems,” the statement said. “Additionally, some information related to care received a…
Federal Inspection Finds More Issues At NJ Veteran's Home, Murphy Deploys Army To Help Federal Inspection Finds More Issues At NJ Veteran's Home, Murphy Deploys Army To Help
Federal Inspection Finds More Issues At NJ Veteran's Home, Murphy Deploys Army To Help An army of specialists were deployed by the Murphy administration to help combat health issues that riddle a New Jersey veteran's home. The "Mission Critical Team" members were deployed to the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home to "improve quality of care through mentoring, coaching, and sharing of operational and clinical best practices," the Murphy administration said in a release. The home is apparently "not in substantial compliance" and funding may be withheld for new admissions by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services unless gaps in infection control and resident care …
Shutdown Of NJ Hospital Puts Mercer County Patients At Risk: Report Shutdown Of NJ Hospital Puts Mercer County Patients At Risk: Report
Shutdown Of NJ Hospital Puts Mercer County Patients At Risk: Report Trinity Health and Capital Health in Trenton have made an agreement for the sale of St. Francis Medical Center, which is owned by Trinity Health, causing a massive potential shift in the area's healthcare landscape, NJ.com reports. If the sale moves forward, some of the medical services that St. Francis currently offers will relocate to Capital Health Regional Medical Center, while the remainder would be removed, according to the report. The abrupt shift would cause Trenton’s approximately 90,000 residents to feel a resounding impact in terms of quality and type of care, Health Care Co…
This NJ Hospital Is Getting $2 Billion Expansion This NJ Hospital Is Getting $2 Billion Expansion
This NJ Hospital Is Getting $2 Billion Expansion A major $2 billion expansion to Cooper University Hospital was announced Monday, Sept. 19 in Camden.  Gov. Phil Murphy and former Gov. Chris Christie were among the prominent officials at a ceremony welcoming the new venture that will take a decade to complete, hospital officials said. The new investment – the largest in Camden County’s history – will dramatically expand the academic health system’s Camden campus to meet the current and future projected demand at Cooper University Hospital and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. The $2 billion expansion will add three new clinical to…
NJ Hospitals Graded From Safest To Least Safe NJ Hospitals Graded From Safest To Least Safe
NJ Hospitals Graded From Safest To Least Safe A website dedicated to analyzing and publishing data on safety and quality  of hospitals in the US has released new findings. New Jersey comes in at No. 12 in the country, and has 30 hospitals that were graded an A by the Leapfrog study. Each hospital is graded A through D on infections, problems with surgery, safety problems, practice to prevent errors, and doctors/nurses/hospital staff. Click here for the full list of Leapfrog's NJ Hospital Safety Grades.
'Even In Death,' Tow Truck-Driving NJ First Responder Will Continue To Save Lives 'Even In Death,' Tow Truck-Driving NJ First Responder Will Continue To Save Lives
'Even In Death,' Tow Truck-Driving NJ First Responder Will Continue To Save Lives The Stars & Stripes were raised and then lowered to half-staff in honor of a tow truck-driving first responder from Bergen County who was taken off life support this weekend after being gravely injured while responding to a call. Robert Thornton, 31, of Ridgefield Park, was officially pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 27, loved ones said. Even in death, Thornton "will now save many lives," Moonachie First Aid & Rescue Squad Lt. Chris Yuhasz said. Thornton's organs were harvested following a solemn ceremony Sunday that drew a large cr…
North Jersey Rugby Player Critical After Suffering Heart Attack During Game North Jersey Rugby Player Critical After Suffering Heart Attack During Game
North Jersey Rugby Player Critical After Suffering Heart Attack During Game Rugby player Tevita Bryce moved to the US after his mom died of cancer over the summer. But things are only getting more challenging for him.  The Montclair Rugby Football Club player, 28, collapsed during a game against Morris Mens Rugby Saturday, according to an Instagram post by MRFC. Trained first responders on the opposing team began CPR as ambulances arrived. Bryce's pulse was lost several times during the 28 minutes of CPR, according to a GoFundMe page launched by his brother-in-law, Lopei Tuipulotu. BryceTevita Bryce He was rushed to St. Clare’s Denville Hospital, where doctors…
No Vaccine, No Job: 118 NJ Hospital Network Employees Fired No Vaccine, No Job: 118 NJ Hospital Network Employees Fired
No Vaccine, No Job: 118 NJ Hospital Network Employees Fired More than 100 employees of New Jersey's largest health care system were fired for refusing to comply with its COVID vaccination policy, officials said. RWJBarnabas Health gave employees a deadline of Oct. 15 to receive the shots, and 118 of them apparently did not, news reports say. “Regrettably, and despite all best efforts, 118 staff members have not complied with the mandate and are no longer employees of RWJBarnabas Health, per our vaccine mandate policy,” a spokeswoman told NJ Advance Media in a statement. Of those employees, 62 were per diem who worked occasional shifts throughout th…