Betsy Ryan is president and CEO of the New Jersey Hospital Association. Her blog, Healthcare Matters, examines the many issues confronting New Jersey's hospitals and their patients. Readers are encouraged to join the discussion, because healthcare matters - to all of us.
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End-of-Life Care Issues Can’t Be Avoided - August 23, 2010
We in the hospital community were disappointed by the recent ruling of a New Jersey appeals court in which a panel of judges decided not to rule on a case that centered on some very difficult issues regarding end-of-life care for hospitalized patients. It was a 26-page opinion that essentially said “the case is moot.” (As a lawyer I can appreciate why it sometimes takes 26 pages to explain a non-decision.) Read the rest of this Entry
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The Boys of Summer - August 18, 2010
One of my best-read blog entries wasn’t about healthcare, but baseball. My husband and son are diehard Phillies fans. And while I truly love the Fighting Phils, I also love the New York Yankees. As I posted here last fall, the most recent World Series was hard to watch in my home. But we all joined together Monday night to root for the boys from Toms River, who beat an excellent team from Bucks County, Pa., to make it to Williamstown to the Little League World Series. I think it’s the 10th time a team from Toms River has advanced this far. There’s something special about watching kids play baseball. The Toms River team was down 4-1 early in the game but fought back to win 8-5. My son plays Little League so he could relate to the players from both teams. I watched as the moms in the stands clutched each other as their kids came up to bat, and we all watched the joy of the Toms River team as they celebrated their come-from-behind victory – as well as the sadness of the kids from Council Rock-Newtown as they looked on. Toms River is reportedly playing a team from Ohio this Saturday. Go Toms River, New Jersey!
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Healthcare Heroes are Everywhere - July 13, 2010
Even on vacation, healthcare can’t be taken for granted. I was reminded of that on a recent beach weekend “down the Shore.” Read the rest of this Entry
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Federal Proposal Piles On with More Cuts to N.J. Hospitals - June 16, 2010
New Jersey’s hospitals could be forced to shoulder an additional $120 million in Medicare cuts next year under a federal budget proposal put out by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, within the Department of Health and Human Services. Read the rest of this Entry
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N.J. Court Has Opportunity to Influence Compassionate End-of-Life Care - June 11, 2010
(This special edition of Healthcare Matters was co-authored by Betsy Ryan and Sister Patricia Codey, president of the Catholic HealthCare Partnership of New Jersey.) Modern medicine is amazing. We live in an age where life-saving organs can be transplanted, where intricate surgeries can be performed through an incision the size of a pinprick, where an implanted manmade device can do the body’s work. In short, we live in an age where medical marvels can and do occur. Read the rest of this Entry
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Healthcare Reform: Now What? - May 19, 2010
Like it or not, the healthcare reform bill is now law. Many presidents have tried to achieve reform, and they paved the groundwork for President Obama. But what does reform really mean? Read the rest of this Entry
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Cheers for Our Nurses and for NJ’s Great Strides in Cardiac Care - May 06, 2010
Great news for New Jersey: The state’s latest report card on cardiac surgery care in the state’s hospitals shows continued improvement. In fact, New Jersey’s mortality rate following heart surgery has now fallen to the lowest point since the state first started reporting the data in 1994-95. Read the rest of this Entry
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NJHA Goes to Washington – Day 2 - April 27, 2010
We wrap up our journey to the American Hospital Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., with a day packed with big-name policymakers and visits with members of the New Jersey congressional delegation. Yesterday we ended our day by having the full group of New Jersey hospital advocates hear from Congressman Frank Pallone, chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee. He spoke to a packed room and was gracious enough to spend a lot of time answering our questions. Congressman Pallone talked about the difficult road to health reform and the state implementation issues in the future. We thanked him for all of his help and leadership (and that of his staff) in achieving this landmark legislation and for helping us with some specific issues of importance to N.J. providers. We agreed to communicate any concerns we encounter as the new law is implemented. Read the rest of this Entry
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NJHA Goes to Washington - April 26, 2010
I'm blogging today from the American Hospital Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. While it's gray and gloomy here, we aren't getting the rain that my friends back home in New Jersey are getting.
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Take Action Today to Become an Organ Donor - April 08, 2010
Thank you, Grace Sato; thank you, Kellye Miller; thank you to the Bottino Family. And thank you to the many selfless New Jersey residents who have made the life-giving decision to donate an organ or tissue. Read the rest of this Entry
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