PERTH AMBOY, August 2, 2010… Raritan Bay Medical Center (RBMC), with locations in Old Bridge and Perth Amboy, has received the Get With The Guidelines^SM – Heart Failure Silver Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. The recognition acknowledges that during the past year RBMC has met or exceeded the evidenced-based guidelines for the optimal care of heart failure patients as outlined by the American Heart Association / American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients. During this time RBMC met the aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients with 85 percent compliance to these core standard levels of care.

“Raritan Bay Medical Center is dedicated to making our care for heart failure patients among the best in the country,” said Raritan Bay Medical Center President and CEO Michael R. D’Agnes. “We will continue our efforts and build off the success of this award by continuing to implement the Get With The Guidelines – Heart Failure program that assisted us in accomplishing this goal.”

Get With The Guidelines is a quality improvement initiative that provides hospital staff with tools that follow proven evidence-based guidelines and procedures in caring for heart failure patients to prevent future hospitalizations. According to Get With The Guidelines’ treatment guidelines, heart failure patients are started on aggressive risk-reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics and anticoagulants in the medical center. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.

“The full implementation of national heart failure guideline recommended care is a critical step in preventing recurrent hospitalizations and prolonging the lives of heart failure patients,” said Gregg C Fonarow, MD, national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee and director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. “The goal of the program is to help hospitals like Raritan Bay Medical Center implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce disability and the number of deaths in these patients.”

Get With The Guidelines also helps RBMC’s staff develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality-improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools will enable RBMC to improve the quality of care it provides heart failure patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by lowering the recurrence of heart attacks.

-RBMC-

Hospital Based Wound Center Saves Patient from Amputation

-The Center for Wound Healing at Raritan Bay Medical Center Specializes in Healing Chronic Wounds-

PERTH AMBOY, August 31, 2010… The 10-day vacation began innocently enough for Robert Murray, but when he returned with foot blisters that later developed into non-healing wounds that he was told could only be treated by amputation, he turned to the Center for Wound Healing at Raritan Bay Medical Center. There he received treatments for his wounds that alleviated the need for amputation.

Robert and his wife Paula visited their daughter Shanna in Florida last summer, where she was enrolled in the Disney College Program and working at Disney World in Orlando. “Shanna is working towards a degree in hospitality management at Middlesex County College and jumped at the chance to intern for eight months at the world-renowned tourist attraction,” said Robert. “My wife and I thought this trip would be a great way to enjoy some sunny weather and spend some time with Shanna.” The Old Bridge residents had a great time on the trip and during the last days they decided to visit a water park to help cool off from the heat. “While we were at the park I lost my water shoes in Typhoon Lagoon, I had to go the rest of the day barefoot,” said Robert. “That night my feet were pretty beat up and blistered. So, I cleaned them and bandaged some of the larger blisters and we returned home a few days later.”

Unfortunately over the next few weeks the blisters developed into wounds, and despite continuous treatment from his podiatrist and Robert’s best efforts, they would not heal and soon looked like they had become infected. He made an appointment with a local physician, who discovered he had developed an infection and prescribed a six-week course of daily IV antibiotic therapy at Raritan Bay Medical Center’s (RBMC) Medical Day Stay Unit at Old Bridge.

“After a couple weeks of IV therapy my wounds were not responding and my doctor was afraid that my toe would have to be amputated to stop the infection,” said Robert. “But, the nurse who was taking care of my therapy suggested I contact the medical center’s Center for Wound Healing to see if I was a candidate for their services.”

The Center’s clinical staff develops individualized treatment plans for each patient to prevent lasting, painful and debilitating wounds through a variety of treatment methods, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HbOT). HbOT is used to heal wounds by placing a patient in a high pressure, high oxygen environment. “Robert was understandably scared when he was told by multiple physicians that amputation was his only option,” said the Center for Wound Healing’s John Kramer, DPM. “Unfortunately, Robert’s condition is far too common. Thankfully, we have the knowledge and resources to turn what is often a negative outcome into a positive one.”

Upon his initial evaluation of Robert, Dr. Kramer believed amputation wouldn’t be necessary, so he continued his IV therapy, began traditional wound care treatment and HbOT therapy. Robert followed the prescribed combination of therapies unfailingly and within the first two weeks his foot greatly improved. Dr. Kramer then confirmed his initial evaluation; amputation was not necessary.

“I’m very grateful for the care I received from the RBMC’s nurses and especially from Dr. Kramer. I was very upset when I learned that I may have to have my toe or maybe even my foot amputated. But the staff’s positive and encouraging attitude put me at ease and the excellent treatment I received removed the possibility of amputation,” said Robert. “I recommend the Center to anyone with any stubborn wounds.”

For more information about RBMC’s wound healing services, visit Center for Wound Healing.  The center is currently being expanded and renovated and will celebrate a grand re-opening in the Fall. To schedule an appointment, call 732.324-4941.

-RBMC-