Englewood Health and ColumbiaDoctors Announce Program for Advanced Heart Failure

Goal is to improve patient outcomes by extending advanced heart failure care to local communities

March 21, 2024 — Working in collaboration with cardiologists from Englewood Health, ColumbiaDoctors experts will be offering consultations to advanced heart failure patients hospitalized at Englewood Hospital. Outpatient care also will be provided by the two institutions, with ColumbiaDoctors providing heart failure care. The collaboration aims to reduce readmissions and improve outcomes for patients with advanced heart failure by expanding access to a world-class program in Bergen County.

“One of our goals is to work together to establish a robust remote patient monitoring program to track and effectively manage care for heart failure patients in the outpatient setting,” says Joseph De Gregorio, MD, Executive Director of Cardiovascular Services at Englewood Hospital. “This collaboration enables our health system to enhance our program by leveraging the expertise and resources of one of the world’s premier heart failure programs, benefiting some of our most critically ill patients.”

“There are many reasons to be excited about our collaboration with Englewood Health, chief among them the ability to bring advanced treatments to patients in need. Whether a patient requires a ventricular assist procedure or multi-organ transplantation, we are committed to delivering seamless world-class care,” says Nir Uriel, MD, Director of Advanced Heart Failure Services and Cardiac Transplantation at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“The launch of the Englewood Health and ColumbiaDoctors advanced heart failure collaboration exemplifies the dedication of our medical staff and community physicians to advancing cardiac care,” says Hillary Cohen, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Englewood Hospital. “Through this initiative, our patients will benefit from all the expertise, research, and technology of Columbia’s heart failure program right in their own community.”

“The intention of this collaboration is to bridge the gap between expertise and accessibility. We are proud to bring our institution’s decades of experience in advanced heart failure care to patients at Englewood Hospital and the communities they serve,” says Allan Schwartz, MD, Chief of the Division of Cardiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

“The Englewood Health and ColumbiaDoctors advanced heart failure collaboration represents a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing cardiac care for our communities,” says Dennis Katechis, DO, Chief of Non-Invasive Cardiology at Englewood Hospital. “We have been at the forefront of advanced cardiac care for northern New Jersey and the surrounding regions. Through this collaboration with ColumbiaDoctors, we will continue to strive to deliver the best possible care to our patients.”

Advanced heart failure is a progressive and debilitating condition that requires strict adherence to therapies and lifestyle changes. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in the United States for adults 65 and older, and patients with heart failure are frequently readmitted to a hospital.

Text Messaging Gets Patients to Schedule Overdue Mammography

Englewood Health Study Findings Presented at National Cancer Conference

March 19, 2024 — A retrospective study conducted by Englewood Health demonstrated that text messaging communications can impact patient compliance with screening and potentially improve outcomes. Englewood Health’s findings were included in the American College of Surgeons’ ACS Cancer Conference 2024, as a poster presentation at the national conference, held in Austin, Texas.

Englewood Health implemented its Overdue Screening Mammogram Campaign in 2023, which used two-way text message reminders for women who were overdue for their screening mammography. The objective was to close care gaps and improve health outcomes using a personal outreach approach that specifically targeted patients with a gap in recommended breast cancer screening. The text message campaign emphasized the importance of mammography screening, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which significantly impacted patient compliance with annual screenings. In the campaign, patients received a two-way text message reminding them of the need to schedule their overdue mammogram. The message included a link to allow for self-scheduling of appointments.

Of the more than 7,000 women who received a text message, close to 20 percent of patients scheduled a breast imaging appointment. Breast cancer was detected in 0.5 percent of patients.

The team’s research indicates that digital outreach, including text reminders, can enhance early diagnosis and patient outcomes in conditions such as breast cancer. Englewood Health has expanded the text reminder campaign to other screenings, such as lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

Englewood Health Announces New Trustee Appointments

February 22, 2024 — Three business leaders and a nonprofit executive have been named to the Board of Trustees of Englewood Health and its fundraising organization, the Englewood Health Foundation. Joining the health system board is Kalpana Bains; community members David Plutzer, Michael J. Rhee, and Elizabeth Seth have joined the foundation’s board.

“We welcome our new trustees and the fresh thinking they bring, as we pursue meeting the health care needs of our community,” says Richard Lerner, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Englewood Health. “We rely on these volunteers and their stewardship to help ensure that our health system consistently delivers quality care and meets the philanthropic goals that support our mission.”

“It is important to have diverse points of view contributing to our boards,” says Michael Gutter, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Englewood Health Foundation. “We are pleased that Ms. Bains, Mr. Plutzer, Mr. Rhee, and Ms. Seth are volunteering their time and energies to help Englewood Health continue to evolve as an exceptional health care system. Their perspectives and expertise will be invaluable.”

“We are fortunate to have such extraordinary individuals, with a depth and range of experience in finance, law, risk management, nonprofit management, and fundraising, joining the boards of Englewood Health and the Englewood Health Foundation,” says Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “As we expand services across northern New Jersey and ensure that wellness, mental health services, primary care and top-quality tertiary services are readily available for all members of our communities, we know that having strong leadership to help steer the institution into the future is a key component to our success.”

Joining the Englewood Health Board of Trustees is:

Kalpana Bains

Kalpana Bains

Trustee, Englewood Health

Kalpana Bains most recently served as the Director of Global Commercial Credit Strategy and Integration at American Express, where, through a variety of roles, she was responsible for risk management, governance, credit strategy, and customer service for over a decade. Bains is a dedicated volunteer and board member of the Dwight-Englewood School Parents Association and serves on several committees for the school. Bains has a BA in economics from Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York.

The following community members have joined the Englewood Health Foundation Board of Trustees:

David Plutzer

David Plutzer

Trustee, Englewood Health Foundation

David Plutzer is General Counsel for the Asset and Wealth Management business at Goldman Sachs. He is a partner with the firm and has been a leader in its legal department for close to 20 years. Plutzer received a BA in political science and government from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a JD from Fordham University School of Law. An experienced board member, he has served as president of the Alpine Country Club for three years.

Michael J. Rhee

Michael J. Rhee

Trustee, Englewood Health Foundation

Michael J. Rhee is Senior Vice President and General Counsel for The Durst Organization, a world leader in the development of high-performance and environmentally advanced commercial and residential buildings. A practicing attorney for over 25 years, he also serves as an advisory board member of St. John’s University School of Law–Mattone Family Real Estate Law Institute and as a member of the Board of Trustees for The Dwight-Englewood School. Rhee received a BS from Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York and a JD from St. John’s University School of Law, in Queens, New York.

Elizabeth Seth

Elizabeth Seth

Trustee, Englewood Health Foundation

Elizabeth Seth is Vice President of Resource Development at Habitat for Humanity, New York City and Westchester County, where she leads philanthropic fundraising for this nonprofit organization that seeks to build and preserve affordable housing in pursuit of a more equitable New York. She is also a board member for American Jewish World Service, an international human rights organization. Seth received a BA in biology and religion from Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and a MA in philosophy of religion, from Columbia University, in Manhattan.

Michael’s Story – Aortic Stenosis

“There are too many other things to do than worrying about having heart problems,” says 86-year-old Michael Tully from Rutherford.

This past year, when Michael went for his check-up with his interventional cardiologist, Dr. Joseph De Gregorio, he learned he had tightening of his aortic valve.

“If I didn’t do anything about the it, I might eventually have issues with my heart. So, I figured it was better to be proactive now. I wasn’t going to have this done when I was 100 years old,” Michael says.

Michael trusted Dr. De Gregorio. “Back in my day, there used to be an expression: when you’re comfortable with someone they feel like an old shoe. I felt very comfortable with Dr. De Gregorio.”

Dr. De Gregorio recommended a TAVR, which stands for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. TAVR is a minimally invasive option to aortic stenosis.

“The procedure went perfectly,” says Michael. “I had no issues and was able to go home the next day.”

“I’ve had so many family members who have had heart problems. I’m just relieved that we addressed this issue before it came to that. Now I wake up in the morning and I’m not always worrying. It sets the tone for the whole day,” says Michael, adding: “I can go another 20,000 miles.”

John’s Story – Peripheral Arterial Disease

For author John Lowe, it was as if he were writing one of his novels, but now the story was real, and he was the main character.

John can remember exactly what he was doing the moment he realized something was wrong. Late one night, while watching an old Cary Grant movie, he picked up the TV remote to get more information on the movie, as he had done so many times before. Suddenly, he could not remember how to operate the remote. 

“I was worried that I might be having a mini stroke,” John says.

Without hesitation, John reached out to his primary care doctor at Englewood Health, Dr. Disha Patel.

“She’s so thorough. She’s phenomenal. She told me, ‘We’re going to do everything right here.’”

John’s real-life story unfolded quickly after that. Dr. Patel referred him to cardiologist Dr. Andrew Weissman, who ordered some tests. A CT scan showed that John had a massive iliac artery aneurysm in his left leg. Next, he was referred to Chief of Vascular Surgery at Englewood Health, Dr. Thomas Bernik.

“Dr. Bernik didn’t mince words,” John says. “He told me this thing had a very high risk of rupturing.”

John was immediately scheduled for aorta iliac bypass surgery and a resection of the aneurysm. 

“Dr. Bernik and his staff make you feel comfortable right away. Dr. Bernik has a way about him. The way he spoke to me, I trusted him immediately and had no second thoughts about him being my doctor.”

According to John, his surgery “went perfectly.”

John’s story has a great ending. He’s back to living his life, still writing books, and doing everything his doctors promised he’d be able to do.

“They saved my life. I wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for each of my doctors and the team at Englewood Health,” John says.

Horace’s Story – Coronary Artery Disease

It is said that the heart is the body’s fuel pump. And like with a car, if the heart cannot pump blood efficiently, the body doesn’t work well. 

If anyone can relate, it’s Horace Ragbir, who has owned an auto repair shop in Englewood for 35 years. “I’ve been diagnosing problems in cars for a very long time,” he says. But when his heart needed a tune-up, he came to Englewood Health.

 “I’ve been going to Englewood Hospital for 35 years. In that time, I’ve seen it evolve into one of the leading hospitals in the state of New Jersey,” Horace says.

It all started with chest pain that would radiate through his back and shoulders, go away and then come back. After a visit to the Emergency Department, cardiologist Dr. Aron Schwarcz put in a stent.

But the pain persisted, and an echo performed in August of 2022 revealed the presence of two additional blockages.

Horace had triple bypass surgery in October 2023 with the cardiothoracic team at Englewood Health. After several days in the hospital and a few more days to recover, Horace says he felt good. “Every day was a little better than the day before. I was moving forward not backwards, so I knew that was good.”

Horace is particularly thankful to the team in the intensive care unit (ICU), who looked after him for six days after his surgery. In fact, he was so appreciative that one day during his stay, he bought the entire ICU staff lunch. 

Now, several months later, Horace is feeling good and is back at work in his auto repair shop. He is still doing cardiac rehabilitation at Englewood Health, learning ways to take care of his heart, just the way he would the engine of a car.

“Cardiac rehab is a very monitored atmosphere. You have the wireless transmitter around you that does your EKG, and the staff can look at your blood pressure and everything that’s going on. I feel comfortable testing my limits and learning what I am capable of in such a controlled environment, where the team can intervene if there are any issues.”

Englewood Health Among First in New Jersey to Enroll Patients in Global Study on Women’s Heart Surgery

Molly Schultheis, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Englewood Health, serves as a principal investigator for the trial

February 21, 2024 — Englewood Health is among the first health systems in New Jersey to enroll patients in ROMA: Women, an international research study on coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in women.

Molly Schultheis, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Englewood Health, is a principal investigator for the trial and leads the health system’s participation in the multi-site initiative. To date, Englewood Health has enrolled the highest number of trial participants among all health systems in New Jersey.

“For women who have significant narrowing of the arteries in their heart and require cardiac surgery, our intention is to ensure long-term improvement of blood flow to the heart muscle,” says Dr. Schultheis. “Understanding how women’s physiology uniquely responds to procedures used to restore blood flow is incredibly important as we focus on continuously improving outcomes for women with heart disease.”

CABG surgery is used to improve blood flow to the heart. The graft uses blood vessels from other parts of the body, such as the arm, chest, or leg, to bypass the blockage in the artery, allowing cardiothoracic surgeons to “revascularize” one or more arteries in the heart. Traditionally, studies on arterial revascularization have been based on data from surgeries on men or studies including both men and women.

The ROMA: Women study aims to compare two methods of performing CABG in women: multiple arterial grafting (MAG) and single arterial grafting (SAG). SAG refers to the use of one arterial vessel to bypass a coronary artery, while MAG refers to the employment of two or more arterial vessels.

The study hypothesizes that MAG will yield better clinical outcomes than SAG. Investigators in the trial are assessing the impact these methods have on cardiac and cerebrovascular events, quality of life, and symptoms in different subgroups.

“This is an international study of vast importance,” says Adam Arnofsky, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Englewood Health. “Dr. Schultheis is among few female cardiac surgeons in the U.S. Her contributions to the data in this first-of-its-kind clinical trial to determine the best surgical approach for women with coronary artery disease is significant.”

According to the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, women make up only five percent of cardiothoracic surgeons in the U.S. Dr. Schultheis is the only female cardiothoracic surgeon in Bergen County and among just 125 in the nation.

Sponsored by Weill Medical College of Cornell University, ROMA: Women is an international, multi-center, randomized clinical trial nested in the ROMA trial and includes all women enrolled in the parent ROMA trial. The seven-year ROMA: Women study, seeks to enroll 2,000 patients.

To learn more, visit clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04124120.

Klark’s Story – Aortic Stenosis

Throughout 2019, Klark Gabrielsen, a 71-year-old retiree from Chester Township, New Jersey, became increasingly short of breath when walking uphill or climbing stairs. 

“My primary care physician recommended seeing a cardiologist,” Klark says. “I told him I preferred to see a cardiologist at Englewood Health because, regardless of where this situation might lead, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I wanted to be at a facility where bloodless surgery was the standard of care.”

Treatment on Pause

In January of 2020, Englewood Health cardiologist Dennis Katechis, DO, diagnosed Klark with aortic stenosis—narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve that can force the heart to work harder to pump blood—and an aortic aneurysm, which is a bulge in the body’s largest artery. He needed valve replacement surgery.

“While we have choices when it comes to valve surgery—the traditional, open surgery, and a less invasive procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement—that’s not the case for fixing an ascending aortic aneurysm,” says Adam Arnofsky, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Englewood Health. “Therefore, we planned an open-heart surgery to address both the aortic stenosis and aneurysm.” 

A diagnosis of a nonaggressive form of leukemia foiled the plan for Klark to have heart surgery in short order. Just days after an oncologist gave Klark the green light to proceed with his surgery, in March 2020, the State of New Jersey suspended elective procedures, such as Klark’s, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“My Englewood Health physicians monitored my medications and stayed in touch throughout the spring and summer,” Klark says. “They kept me away from the hospital as much as possible because of COVID-19, so we had several telemedicine conferences. I appreciated how the team stayed in contact with me.”

Perfect Timing 

Klark finally had surgery on August 18, 2020, one day after Englewood Health released its last COVID-19 patient. Klark’s operation was a success. He went home five days later. 

“I feel wonderful,” Klark says. “I didn’t realize how sick I was until I felt better. My energy is much higher, and I can be more active with my grandchildren. I’m so glad I had the surgery when I did. Aortic stenosis can get worse and worse, but I was able to get treatment when I was still, basically, pretty healthy.”

Frances’s Story – Coronary Artery Disease

A week before Frances Olenik learned she would need open heart surgery, she was helping organize a fundraiser for her granddaughter’s Girl Scout troop.   

“My daughter and I were loading and unloading the truck all day during the event. I had zero symptoms. I was completely fine,” Frances says. 

In fact, Frances reports never having experienced symptoms that would raise concern in the months and years leading up to a diagnosis of four blocked coronary arteries. Nevertheless, as a lung cancer survivor who underwent chemotherapy and had a family history of cardiovascular disease, she regularly saw a cardiologist.  

At an appointment with Razan Shamoon, MD, an interventional cardiologist at HVA Medical Group, part of the Englewood Health Physician Network, an elevated calcium score became the first and only sign that Frances was in trouble.  

“This is why calcium scoring is so important,” explains Dr. Shamoon. “It can serve as an early warning sign of coronary artery disease. We often see elevated calcium levels before patients begin to experience typical symptoms of heart disease such as fatigue, chest pain, and shortness of breath.”  

According to Frances, Dr. Shamoon had been encouraging her for some time to undergo a follow-up cardiac catheterization procedure to further evaluate her heart’s function. 

“I kept putting it off,” Frances says. “Eventually, Dr. Shamoon made me promise that when I came back from my upcoming vacation, I would get it done.” 

When Frances finally came in for the procedure, Dr. Shamoon discovered that her arteries were extensively obstructed, rendering it impossible to proceed with intervention. Suddenly realizing the severity of Frances’ blockage, Dr. Shamoon’s first call was to Molly Schultheis, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon at Englewood Health. 

“I went in for the test with Dr. Shamoon on a Friday, and by the following Monday I was in surgery with Dr. Schultheis,” Frances says. 

On October 23, 2023, Frances underwent an open-heart, quadruple bypass surgery at Englewood Health. In doing so, she made history as a contributing patient in ROMA: Women, a global study on heart surgery in women, for which Dr. Schultheis serves as a principal investigator. 

“As a participant in the trial, Frances’s experience will contribute to an international body of research that aims to deepen our understanding of coronary artery bypass surgery in women,” says Dr. Schultheis. “Women who have yet to be diagnosed with coronary artery disease will benefit from what we’ve learned from Frances, and we are immensely grateful for her important contributions to this research.” 

Today, Frances is much recovered from surgery and going to cardiac rehabilitation three times a week. She has been able to return to her daily life, which consists of walking her dog, bringing her granddaughters to dance, soccer, and Girl Scouts, and caretaking for close members of her family.  

More than anything, Frances is relieved that her blockages were detected before the onset of a heart attack. 

Reflecting on the experience now, she says, “everyone took such good care of me. From Dr. Shamoon making sure I got the cardiac catheterization, to Dr. Schultheis staying with me throughout surgery and recovery, to the nurses who treated me like I was their own mom—I really would not be here today without the incredible care I received from everyone at Englewood Health.” 

Posted February 9, 2024

Cardiothoracic Surgery Program at Englewood Health Receives Top Overall Quality Score from Society of Thoracic Surgeons

February 6, 2024 — The cardiothoracic surgery program at Englewood Health has achieved a three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

In its 2023 public report, STS reported that less than 20 percent of participating programs nationwide received a 3-star rating. Englewood Health is among just six programs in New Jersey to achieve the highest quality rating.

The recently published data covers CABG cases from July 2020 through June 2023. In addition to the 3-star composite score, the team achieved a near perfect score (99.76) for medication use. Englewood Health performed better than the STS average score in all CABG Composite Quality Rating categories.

“We extend our congratulations to our dedicated team of cardiothoracic surgeons and practitioners, whose remarkable expertise and collaborative efforts consistently achieve the best possible outcomes for our patients,” said Adam Arnofsky, MD, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Englewood Health. “Englewood Health’s cardiothoracic surgery team is at the forefront of healthcare, employing cutting-edge technologies and advanced surgical techniques to enhance and safeguard the lives of individuals facing heart disease.”

The STS National Database is the premier cardiothoracic surgery clinical outcomes registry. The STS helps hospitals and CT surgeons assess and benchmark their performance to improve quality, safety, and patient outcomes. Englewood Health voluntarily submits CABG surgery clinical data to the STS. The STS calculates performance scores and star ratings for isolated CABG using 3-year analytic data windows.