Health Research & Educational Trust of New Jersey (HRET)
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HRET Community Outreach Awards
Awards 2003
Hospital Association Presents Awards For Commitment To Healthcare
PRINCETON, May 16, 2003 - Several individuals and organizations committed to healthcare in New Jersey were honored at the 85th Annual Meeting of the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) today at the Princeton Hyatt-Regency.
NJHA's annual Distinguished Service Award was presented to
Richard A. Pitman president and CEO of Shore Memorial Health System in Somers Point. Pitman, of Linwood, was honored for his more than 30 years of service to Shore Memorial and for his leadership and relentless commitment to healthcare and the communities served by the hospital.
The NJHA Special Recognition Award was presented to
Robert S. Rigolosi, MD, president of the Medical Society of New Jersey. Rigolosi, of Teaneck, is director of Holy Name Hospital’s Regional Dialysis Center. He was honored for his tireless work on behalf of the medical society and physicians throughout the state and for his continued crusade for change in the healthcare community.
NJHA presented three Trustee of the Year awards in recognition of outstanding leadership within hospital or health system board of trustees, which are comprised of community members volunteering their time.
John Makel, of Moorestown, and
Harry D. Ambrose Jr., Esq., of Collingswood, both trustees at Virtua Health in Marlton, were honored for their shared vision of the future of healthcare that helped forge the merger of The Memorial Hospital of Burlington County and West Jersey Health System into Virtua Health. With more than 50 years of combined service as board members, Makel and Ambrose were also honored for their longstanding commitment to meeting community needs.
James J. Mancini, of Beach Haven, board chairman at Southern Ocean County Hospital in Manahawkin for more than 30 years, received the Trustee of the Year award for his invaluable role in making Southern Ocean County Hospital a reality in the 1970s and for his longstanding commitment to the residents of Ocean County.
NJHA also annually recognizes hospitals with unique and effective methods of identifying and reaching out to better serve the healthcare needs of area residents. These Community Outreach Awards were presented to three New Jersey hospitals.
Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital, Cape May Courthouse, received the Community Outreach award for its Volunteers in Medicine of Cape May County program, providing access to medical care to the uninsured and underinsured residents of Cape May County. Thanks to the volunteer services of physicians and nurses, both retired and actively practicing, the community clinic operates as an independent not-for-profit organization that was generously supported by Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital.
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Health Care System, received the Community Outreach award for its Newark Head Start Dental Screening program. The program provides dental screening and treatment to Newark Head Start children as a step to improve the health of inner city children. Through this program, more than 10,000 children in all Newark Head Start programs have been screened.
Irvington General Hospital, Saint Barnabas Health Care System, in collaboration with Jewish Family Service of Metro West, received the Community Outreach award for its Ivy Hill Primary Care Program, a comprehensive and culturally based program addressing both medical and social service needs of a frail elderly group of Russian immigrants. Patients too weak to visit the clinic are visited at home by an advanced practice nurse and transportation for other medical services is provided using a van with a hospital-employed driver.