Holy Name Press Releases

Holy Name Opens New Emergency Care Center

August 20, 2008

Holy Name Hospital opened its George P. Pitkin M.D. Emergency Care Center, the newest hospital emergency facility in northern New Jersey, to patients on August 20.  As one of the most progressive ERs in the entire tri-state region, Holy Name's Emergency Care Center addresses increasing patient volume, as well as the need for a more cutting-edge physical environment and a hospitality-oriented atmosphere that is patient-, family- and staff-friendly.

The $22 million facility, built over the last two years, achieves three primary goals: a larger, more commodious space that can flex with patient volume and acuity, as well as with special accident, illness and disaster situations; more efficient patient care with greatly reduced wait time during all phases of the patient visit; and a more positive guest experience, overall. In a phrase: "Bigger, faster, better."

"As a reflection of Holy Name's mission and values, the George P. Pitkin M.D.  Emergency Care Center represents a major institutional commitment to the future," says Michael Maron, President/CEO of Holy Name Hospital. "After years of increasing patient volume in our emergency department, we are now poised to handle significant growth well into the future, while delivering the utmost in patient, family and care-provider satisfaction."

It's bigger

Sheryl Slonim, R.N., Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services, notes, "A huge amount of research and planning has gone into designing this facility. The result is a unique blend of our industry's best practices, as they relate to construction and design, staffing, and technologyall the while, giving care with compassion and respect for every individual."

With 21,000 square feet, Holy Name's new Emergency Care Center has more than double the capacity of its previous facility. There are 41 patient treatment areas, each equipped with leading-edge technology, including state-of-the-art monitoring and integrated bedside information system.  One of the Center's key design features is its flexible layout. It provides distinct treatment areas for major specialty services like orthopedics, pediatrics, chest pain and stroke, which can be reconfigured for any clinical application, when necessary.  

It's faster

"Reducing the wait time for people with a wide variety of illnesses and injuries is one of the biggest challenges we face in the ER," says Richard Schwab, M.D., Medical Director of Emergency Services. As patients move through the systemfrom triage to evaluation by a physician, to the prescribing and administering of tests and medications, and on to discharge from or admittance to the hospitalbottlenecks can develop, greatly detracting from that patient's satisfaction with his or her visit.

Holy Name has addressed this issue, explains Dr. Schwab, by developing and implementing entirely new processes, systems and strategies. "Our objective," he says, "is to achieve a model of efficient service that honors our patients' time constraints and personal comfort by significantly cutting the amount of time they spend waiting."

Technology further expedites the patient visit. For example, mobile bedside computers provide instant access to the patient's online paperless medical record by the healthcare team, and wireless staff-to-staff communication speeds messages to personnel. There is also a dedicated fast-track area with a separate staff, affording more timely treatment of minor injuries and illnesses; and radiology services are adjacent to the Center, reducing the time and anxiety associated with a protracted transport.

It's better

In the new Emergency Care Center, dedicated clinical teams for pediatrics, geriatrics and the critically ill will tailor care to those populations. As a certified Primary Stroke Care Center, the hospital's emergency physicians lead dedicated stroke teams to hasten intervention and provide improved patient outcomes for those patients. Similarly,  as an accredited Chest Pain Center, Holy Name meets or exceeds stringent criteria for heart-related diagnosis, treatment and education.

Physical and emotional well-being was a major consideration during the design of the building. For patients and their visitors, the new emergency center features soothing interior finishes and colors, and comfortable furnishings. Skylights that allow sunlight to flood the entrance atrium and ceiling art in the treatment area create a calming aesthetic. The treatment room layout lends itself to patient and family privacy and, at each bedside, the flat-screen TV monitor features Internet access, entertainment and communication capabilities.

Retaining that special character

There's one thing, emphasizes Dr. Schwab, that won't change at Holy Name's Emergency Care Center: "What makes us special is that our staff operates from the philosophy that we should treat everyone the way we would want our own mother, father, brother and sister to be treated. I see that happening every day here. The new efficiencies and ultramodern design we've brought to the ER will only help to further support that approach. "

Donna Gorglione, R.N., Director of the Emergency Department, calls the ER "a safe haven for everybody." She says, "The community looks to the ER to be prepared for anythingand we are. It's an awesome job, and we're up for it. Twenty-four-hours-day, seven-days-a-week we treat everyone with respect and dignity, and give them the care they need to get better."

Holy Name's Emergency Care Center is named in memory of George Philo Pitkin, M.D., a renowned New Jersey physician, surgical innovator, medical author, celebrated researcher, and one of the physician-founders of Holy Name Hospital in 1925. The entrance to the Emergency Care Center is at the rear of the hospital and is accessible to private vehicles via Vandelinda Road.