TOTOWA, NJ (Aug. 22, 2022) – St. Joseph's Health and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department collaborated for an interactive training exercise to provide hospital employees with hands-on experience for an active shooter emergency. The exercise focused on patient and employee safety, communication, security and law enforcement response, and de-escalation protocols. 

“At St. Joseph’s Health, the safety of our employees and patients is our top priority,” said Chris Johnston, Director of Security and Safety, St. Joseph’s Health. “By working together with the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department we can ensure that we have a well-orchestrated plan should we ever need to respond to an active shooter situation.”

Passaic County Sheriff’s officers used the new health campus setting for their own training, in addition to teaching hospital employees how to react to a violent intruder. The scenarios were varied and often had multiple actors to test staff response. All involved a single shooter entering a clinical area on hospital property and employees responded based on their training.

“Although we hope to never experience an active shooter situation, we understand the importance of practicing these types of drills,” said Johnston. “By working closely with our emergency preparedness team and the sheriff’s department, we are able to not only train our employees to respond to an active shooter situation, but also recognize any areas that may need improvements.”

The contributions of the New Jersey State Police, Totowa Police Department, and Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office lent to the authenticity of the drill and helped ensure the municipal government and the hospital have a coordinated response plan.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH

Founded in 1867 by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, St. Joseph’s Health is a world-class hospital and healthcare network supported by more than 5,000 leading and renowned physicians, nurses and care teams. From its humble beginnings, St. Joseph’s Health has become one of the premier health systems in the state, serving more than 1.5 million patients annually. The organization continues to evolve as the leading health resource in the community, the largest employer in Passaic County, and one of the largest providers of charity care in New Jersey.

The St. Joseph’s Health system is one of the leading clinical teaching and academic centers in the country, and has been recognized for its innovative programs and cutting-edge services. The health system operates a full continuum of care, including a regional tertiary care medical center (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Paterson), an acute care medical center (St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center, Wayne) a state-designated children’s hospital (St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Paterson), a rehabilitation and long-term care facility (St. Joseph’s Healthcare & Rehab Center, Cedar Grove), an outpatient facility featuring an urgent care, primary and specialty services (St. Joseph’s Totowa Health Campus, Totowa) comprehensive home care (Visiting Health Services of New Jersey), an urgent care in Clifton and multiple ambulatory care centers located throughout Northern New Jersey. The system is further supported by St. Joseph’s Health Medical Group, which operates more than 100 physician medical and specialty practices across northern New Jersey.

Among its awarding-winning specialties, St. Joseph’s is home to the nationally acclaimed Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO®) program; the first accredited Geriatric Emergency Department in New Jersey; and recognized by US News with a top nursing home award and a five-star rating. In addition, St. Joseph’s University Medical Center is a five-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence, the profession’s highest honor

In September 2019, St. Joseph’s Health established a strategic and clinical partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive and integrated health networks. Together, the two health systems operate a jointly-owned home health and hospice agency, serving patients and families across Bergen, Passaic and Morris Counties. In addition, St. Joseph’s and Hackensack Meridian have collaborated on clinical affiliations in acute rehabilitation (with the HMH JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute) and comprehensive oncology care (with the HMH John Theurer Cancer Center).  For more information, please visit www.stjosephshealth.org.

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St. Joseph’s Health is pleased to announce that the organization received three 2022 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Awards. The Healthcare Heroes awards program was created to honor and recognize individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of Health Care in New Jersey.

“We are extremely proud of our NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes honorees who are dedicated to supporting our health system’s mission, visions and values,” said Kevin Slavin, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. “These awards represent our ongoing commitment to improving individual and community health with a special concern for those who are poor, vulnerable and underserved. Congratulations to all for these well-deserved recognitions.”

This year’s winners are as follows:

Physician of the Year - Silvio Podda MD, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery; Director of the Plastic Surgery Residency Program and Regional Craniofacial Team; and “Palestroni Birth Defects Center” Surgical Director at St. Joseph’s Health.  Dr. Podda has made more than 30 medical missions across the globe to Haiti, India, Philippines, Syria and several countries throughout Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia. He has treated nearly one thousand patients, mostly children suffering from cleft lip and palate, cranial deformities and repairing the damage caused by snipers’ bullets. 

Workplace Wellness – The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health and the Center for Innovation for the St. Joseph’s Health Good-to-Well employee mental health resources program.

The St. Joseph’s Health Center for Innovation was established through a grant from the Nicholson Foundation in 2019.  The Innovation Lab, or INLAB, is a multi-disciplinary group focused on improving systems through better healthcare. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the team created a single, online platform dedicated to providing employees with mental health services.

Healthcare Professionals - The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth who founded St. Joseph’s Hospital, played an integral part of the history of Paterson and New Jersey for more than 150 years. In the 1860’s, the Sisters petitioned the City to build a hospital and reached out to area residents to gain financial support for the fledgling hospital.  Since that time, the Sisters have continued the legacy of serving the localcommunity. Today, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth are engaged in education, health care, social justice and ecological integrity, and pastoral and social service ministries in 13 dioceses within the United States, El Salvador, and Haiti.

Photo caption:

St. Joseph’s Health is pleased to announce that the organization received three 2022 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Awards in the following categories:  Physician of the Year, Workplace Wellness and Healthcare Professionals.  From left to right: Kevin Slavin, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health; Carlos Rueda, MD, Chief Innovation Officer and Chairman of Psychiatry; Sister Judith Mertz, Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth; Silvio Podda, MD, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, St. Joseph’s Health; and Jennifer K. Mendrzycki, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, St. Joseph’s Health.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH

Founded in 1867 by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, St. Joseph’s Health is a world-class hospital and healthcare network supported by more than 5,000 leading and renowned physicians, nurses and care teams. From its humble beginnings, St. Joseph’s Health has become one of the premier health systems in the state, serving more than 1.5 million patients annually. The organization continues to evolve as the leading health resource in the community, the largest employer in Passaic County, and one of the largest providers of charity care in New Jersey.

The St. Joseph’s Health system is one of the leading clinical teaching and academic centers in the country, and has been recognized for its innovative programs and cutting-edge services. The health system operates a full continuum of care, including a regional tertiary care medical center (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Paterson), an acute care medical center (St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center, Wayne) a state-designated children’s hospital (St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Paterson), a rehabilitation and long-term care facility (St. Joseph’s Healthcare & Rehab Center, Cedar Grove), an outpatient facility (St. Joseph’s Totowa Health Campus, Totowa) comprehensive home care (Visiting Health Services of New Jersey), and multiple ambulatory care centers located throughout Northern New Jersey. The system is further supported by St. Joseph’s Health Medical Group, which operates more than 100 physician medical and specialty practices across northern New Jersey.

Among its awarding-winning specialties, St. Joseph’s is home to the nationally acclaimed Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO®) program; the first accredited Geriatric Emergency Department in New Jersey; a five-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence (the profession’s highest honor - an accomplishment reached by only 15 hospitals nationwide); and recognized by US News & World Report with a Top Nursing Home award and a five-star rating.

In September 2019, St. Joseph’s Health established a strategic and clinical partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive and integrated health networks. Together, the two health systems operate a jointly-owned home health and hospice agency, serving patients and families across Bergen, Passaic and Morris Counties. In addition, St. Joseph’s and Hackensack Meridian have collaborated on clinical affiliations in acute rehabilitation (with the HMH JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute) and comprehensive oncology care (with the HMH John Theurer Cancer Center).  For more information, please visit: www.stjosephshealth.org.

PATERSON, NJ (August 12, 2022) — St. Joseph’s Health is pleased to announce that the organization received three 2022 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Awards. The Healthcare Heroes awards program was created to honor and recognize individuals and organizations making a significant impact on the quality of Health Care in New Jersey.

“We are extremely proud of our NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes honorees who are dedicated to supporting our health system’s mission, visions and values,” said Kevin Slavin, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health. “These awards represent our ongoing commitment to improving individual and community health with a special concern for those who are poor, vulnerable and underserved. Congratulations to all for these well-deserved recognitions.”

This year’s winners are as follows:

Physician of the Year - Silvio Podda MD, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery; Director of the Plastic Surgery Residency Program and Regional Craniofacial Team; and “Palestroni Birth Defects Center” Surgical Director at St. Joseph’s Health.  Dr. Podda has made more than 30 medical missions across the globe to Haiti, India, Philippines, Syria and several countries throughout Africa, including Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Ethiopia. He has treated nearly one thousand patients, mostly children suffering from cleft lip and palate, cranial deformities and repairing the damage caused by snipers’ bullets. 

Workplace Wellness – The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health and the Center for Innovation for the St. Joseph’s Health Good-to-Well employee mental health resources program.

The St. Joseph’s Health Center for Innovation was established through a grant from the Nicholson Foundation in 2019.  The Innovation Lab, or INLAB, is a multi-disciplinary group focused on improving systems through better healthcare. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the team created a single, online platform dedicated to providing employees with mental health services.

Healthcare Professionals - The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth who founded St. Joseph’s Hospital, played an integral part of the history of Paterson and New Jersey for more than 150 years. In the 1860’s, the Sisters petitioned the City to build a hospital and reached out to area residents to gain financial support for the fledgling hospital.  Since that time, the Sisters have continued the legacy of serving the localcommunity. Today, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth are engaged in education, health care, social justice and ecological integrity, and pastoral and social service ministries in 13 dioceses within the United States, El Salvador, and Haiti.

Photo caption:

St. Joseph’s Health is pleased to announce that the organization received three 2022 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes Awards in the following categories:  Physician of the Year, Workplace Wellness and Healthcare Professionals.  From left to right: Kevin Slavin, President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health; Carlos Rueda, MD, Chief Innovation Officer and Chairman of Psychiatry; Sister Judith Mertz, Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth; Silvio Podda, MD, Chief of the Division of Plastic Surgery, St. Joseph’s Health; and Jennifer K. Mendrzycki, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, St. Joseph’s Health.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH

Founded in 1867 by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, St. Joseph’s Health is a world-class hospital and healthcare network supported by more than 5,000 leading and renowned physicians, nurses and care teams. From its humble beginnings, St. Joseph’s Health has become one of the premier health systems in the state, serving more than 1.5 million patients annually. The organization continues to evolve as the leading health resource in the community, the largest employer in Passaic County, and one of the largest providers of charity care in New Jersey.

The St. Joseph’s Health system is one of the leading clinical teaching and academic centers in the country, and has been recognized for its innovative programs and cutting-edge services. The health system operates a full continuum of care, including a regional tertiary care medical center (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Paterson), an acute care medical center (St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center, Wayne) a state-designated children’s hospital (St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Paterson), a rehabilitation and long-term care facility (St. Joseph’s Healthcare & Rehab Center, Cedar Grove), an outpatient facility (St. Joseph’s Totowa Health Campus, Totowa) comprehensive home care (Visiting Health Services of New Jersey), and multiple ambulatory care centers located throughout Northern New Jersey. The system is further supported by St. Joseph’s Health Medical Group, which operates more than 100 physician medical and specialty practices across northern New Jersey.

Among its awarding-winning specialties, St. Joseph’s is home to the nationally acclaimed Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO®) program; the first accredited Geriatric Emergency Department in New Jersey; a five-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence (the profession’s highest honor - an accomplishment reached by only 15 hospitals nationwide); and recognized by US News & World Report with a Top Nursing Home award and a five-star rating.

In September 2019, St. Joseph’s Health established a strategic and clinical partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive and integrated health networks. Together, the two health systems operate a jointly-owned home health and hospice agency, serving patients and families across Bergen, Passaic and Morris Counties. In addition, St. Joseph’s and Hackensack Meridian have collaborated on clinical affiliations in acute rehabilitation (with the HMH JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute) and comprehensive oncology care (with the HMH John Theurer Cancer Center).  For more information, please visit: www.stjosephshealth.org.

St. Joseph’s Health has received four American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

St. Joseph’s Health received the following achievement awards in 2022:

• 2022 Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Receiving Center GOLD PLUS (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center)
• Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center)
• Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center)
• Get With the Guidelines®- Stroke Gold PLUS with Target Stroke Honor Roll and Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center)

These recognitions from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® further demonstrates St. Joseph’s commitment to delivering advanced treatments to patients safely and effectively.

The American Heart and American Stroke Associations’ expertise and Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® programs help hospitals nationwide ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.

About Get With The Guidelines®

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

About Mission: Lifeline®

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines.  For more information, visit heart.org.

According to the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth cause of death and a leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds, someone dies of a stroke every four minutes, and nearly 800,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.  In addition, nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have experienced some form of cardiovascular disease – including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. For patients with conditions that are severe enough to be transported or admitted to a hospital, time is critical. 

St. Joseph’s Health has received four American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® achievement awards for demonstrating a commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.

St. Joseph’s Health received the following achievement awards in 2022:

• 2022 Mission: Lifeline® STEMI Receiving Center GOLD PLUS (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center)
• Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center)
• Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus with Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite with Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center)
• Get With the Guidelines®- Stroke Gold PLUS with Target Stroke Honor Roll and Target Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll (St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center)

These recognitions from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines® further demonstrates St. Joseph’s commitment to delivering advanced treatments to patients safely and effectively.

The American Heart and American Stroke Associations’ expertise and Get With The Guidelines® and Mission: Lifeline® programs help hospitals nationwide ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence- and research-based guidelines.

About Get With The Guidelines®

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 12 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

About Mission: Lifeline®

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps hospitals and emergency medical services develop systems of care that follow proven standards and procedures for STEMI patients. The program works by mobilizing teams across the continuum of care to implement American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation clinical treatment guidelines.  For more information, visit heart.org.