• Having a “medical home” provides individuals a coordinated and holistic approach to healthcare, leading to improved health outcomes, reduced costs and better patient experiences. The Community Outreach Team at Hunterdon Health embarked on a comprehensive effort to connect community members to a medical home, after local data revealed that certain populations were lagging behind in preventive care. Barriers included lack of insurance coverage, difficulties getting time off work for appointments, language differences and a general lack of understanding of the important role of a medical home. Through a communications campaign, webinars and direct outreach to members of the community, Hunterdon Health helped more individuals find a primary care medical home and benefit from affordable, accessible preventive care.

• Health screenings are one of the most effective and efficient tools to catch illness early. When cancer and other conditions are found and treated at earlier stages, there’s a greater chance of survival and better overall quality of life. Yet, many people in the community don’t have access to these simple and vital tests due to obstacles like lack of transportation or scheduling conflicts due to job demands or childcare. Virtua Health is closing the health screening gap in South Jersey by driving its Mobile Health and Cancer Screening Unit into the communities where it’s needed most. The state-of-the-art, 40-foot vehicle is staffed by a board-certified clinician and a technologist who provide onsite screenings and health education for breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer and more.

• In the midst of a health crisis, having a stable roof over your head is a critical part of healing and recovery. Through its Healing Homes initiative, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset provides two homes in Somerville for area individuals or families facing a major illness and unable to afford housing. A case manager works with the families to refer them to resources to help them manage their health issues and address needs such as employment, transportation and social services, with the goal of helping them transition to permanent housing within 18 to 24 months. “To help people lead healthier lives, we need to look at all factors that contribute to their overall health, including housing insecurity, said Deirdre A. Blaus, the hospital’s interim chief administrative officer. “Through Healing Homes, we not only offer a stable, safe place to live but are helping participants become financially independent and giving them the tools to take care of their health.”

• AtlantiCare recognizes the tremendous impact that school gardens can have on children and their community. School gardens provide a wealth of learning experiences as the “outdoor classrooms” enhance and strengthen the learning process, while encouraging healthy eating, physical activity and connectivity to our natural environment. To date, AtlantiCare has provided mini-grants to over 52 schools throughout Atlantic, Southern Ocean and Cape May counties to support school gardens. Preschool children are harvesting and eating carrots grown at their center; elementary school students are preparing meals with spinach, basil and beets; and high school students are learning the numerous health benefits to be derived from eating the plant-based foods which they grew from seeds. Through these efforts, AtlantiCare promotes healthy lifestyle behavior changes to help build healthier school communities – one child at a time.

• When mobility challenges prevented homebound residents from getting critical vaccinations, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center took the vaccines to them. Since 2022, the hospital’s Community Health team has administered over 550 vaccines to homebound individuals, focusing on flu and COVID protection for the most vulnerable residents. In addition, the hospital provided nearly 550 vaccines to veterans through targeted outreach at VFWs and veteran events and provided pop-up mobile clinics in schools and day programs, creating familiar, supportive settings for individuals with special needs to receive vaccinations comfortably. In three years, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center has delivered more than 35,000 vaccine doses at sites ranging from churches to college campuses, protecting individuals – and the broader community – from preventable disease.

• More than 2,800 New Jerseyans lost their lives to drug overdose in 2023. While that’s an improvement from the 3,100 OD deaths recorded in 2022, illicit drug use continues to take a terrible toll on New Jersey families. Inspira Health’s approach to substance abuse prevention is rooted in comprehensive community outreach and proactive intervention. Through education and awareness, Inspira empowers individuals, families and organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to recognize the signs of substance use disorder early on. Partnerships also are key. The health system offers community organizations a no-cost drug deactivation program for the safe disposal of unused prescription drugs, reducing the risk of misuse and substance abuse. It also provides Narcan through New Jersey’s Naloxone365 program. This initiatives gives patients who are prescribed a controlled substance a second prescription for the overdose-reversal drug Narcan that can be filled at no cost, empowering them to respond effectively to opioid emergencies and potentially save lives.

• Capital Health’s EMT Academy is a first-of-its-kind in New Jersey, training future EMTs and transitioning them to become full-time employees. The EMT Academy addresses multiple community health needs, including an EMT shortage and a pathway to give Capital Health employees professional development opportunities. The academy enrolls, trains and outfits a new class of trainees roughly every 12 weeks. The program is open to anyone who wants to pursue a new career or those who are just starting out. Those who participate in the training are paid as Capital Health employees and can move on to a full-time job with the hospital following certification.

• Project SEARCH at Atlantic Health System is helping young people find what they’re looking for: an opportunity to pursue a meaningful career. It’s part of a nationwide employment preparation program for young adults with intellectual and developmental differences. Since 2016, Atlantic Health has helped nearly 100 neurodiverse young people gain the skills and confidence they need to be employable. In fact, 80% of the program’s graduates are gainfully employed — with one-third of them working within the Atlantic Health organization. "The main goal of Project SEARCH is to help students with varying disabilities develop transferrable and marketable job skills — but it does more than that. The program empowers our students to become more independent and self-determined," said Program Director Josh Bornstein at Overlook Medical Center.

• Your eyes are not deceiving you. That is indeed a giant inflatable colon at Saint Peter’s University Hospital. Colorectal cancer is the 4th most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer death. But this particular cancer can be prevented with screening and is highly treatable when detected early. Enter the super-sized colon – a central part of Saint Peter’s Colorectal Cancer Education and Awareness Program. With Saint Peter’s gastroenterologists on hand to answer questions, members of the community can walk through the colon to learn more about human physiology and the importance of identifying and detecting pre-cancerous polyps. The medical team also discusses the importance of early screening, the impact of family history and other factors that contribute to optimal colon health. And before they head home, attendees at these learning sessions can make an appointment for their next colonoscopy.

• The Center for Discovery, Innovation and Development at Children’s Specialized Hospital, part of RWJBarnabas Health, offers a disability education service called IncludED. With over 20% of the nation’s population living with a disability, IncludED collaborates with national disability leaders, people with disabilities and members of the hospital team to provide training opportunities for area businesses and community organizations. Through disability awareness building and an accessibility evaluation, the IncludED team helps organization reimagine their offerings, create more inclusive environments and establish a high standard of trust, equity and respect for people with disabilities.

• Hackensack Meridian Health is innovating to give patients convenient, connected healthcare access in the palm of their hand. Its HMH 24/7 app is an AI-driven solution that connects patients to primary care through a seamless integration of virtual and in-person care – one that meets the shift in how patients connect with healthcare. HMH 24/7 offers patients quick and easy access to clinicians for all their primary care needs—sick, chronic and preventive care—right from their phones. Patients receive a dedicated clinician on the platform to oversee their care journey, with every touchpoint captured in the medical record, resulting in a truly connected, personalized primary care experience. It also streamlines tasks for healthcare teams. Automating intake and data entry frees doctors to focus on what matters most: personalized patient care.

• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but Atlantic Health System is driving critical advancements — in diagnostics, intervention and treatment — that offer new hope for patients. With an ultrathin maneuverable catheter, new bronchoscopy technology called Ion uses robotics to help surgeons reach small lesions anywhere in the lungs for a minimally invasive biopsy. Building on the technology, Morristown Medical Center became the state’s first hospital to utilize Ion robotic bronchoscopy in conjunction with the Aliya Pulsed Electric Field Energy Platform for a less invasive treatment for advanced lung cancer. The regimen uses electrical pulses to remove soft tissue tumors, but unlike traditional methods that rely on extreme heat, this novel treatment uses a lower temperature, minimizing damage to surrounding tissue, reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of lung collapse and bleeding. It’s now also offered at Overlook Medical Center and CentraState Medical Center.

• St. Joseph’s Health has adopted the Blue Campaign, a national awareness and education initiative designed to prevent human trafficking and protect exploited persons. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, team members in the hospital’s Emergency Department receive training and implement protocols on detecting and preventing human trafficking, protecting victims and prosecuting traffickers. Human trafficking affects an estimated 27.6 million people worldwide. Many trafficked persons in the United States may interact with the medical system, especially in the Emergency Department, because they lack medical insurance or access to other care. With the fourth busiest ED in the country, the Blue Campaign at St. Joseph’s provides clinicians and other staff the tools to engage with victims and get them the help they desperately need.

• The healthcare field accounts for nearly 9% of the nation’s carbon emissions – a fact that inspired Hackensack Meridian Health to become the first in the nation to achieve Sustainable Healthcare Certification from the Joint Commission. Four of the system’s hospitals have met rigorous standards and elements of performance to prioritize greener practices and lead the way in sustainability by inspiring and guiding others. As one of the original signatories to the federal government’s Climate Pledge, Hackensack Meridian Health and The Joint Commission have each pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050. The system’s leadership in sustainability reflects “our dedication to protecting the health of our patients, communities and planet for generations to come," said Hackensack Meridian Health President and CEO Robert C. Garrett.

• Cooper University Health Care’s Project Imagine is the largest expansion in Camden County history dedicated to the region’s health needs, and it comes with an added bonus: an apprentice opportunity for Camden residents to learn a trade and be part of the construction team. Cooper is partnering with labor unions for carpenters, electricians, sheet metal workers, plumbers and pipe fitters, painters, laborers, tile setters, drywall finishers, operating engineers, roofers, iron workers, masons and glazers in a program exclusively for local residents. Project Imagine is designed to meet the needs of an aging population and a growing demand for healthcare services – while also creating job opportunities in a city with a poverty rate of 35.5%.

• The HELIX is coming to New Brunswick, and two New Jersey healthcare systems are among the first partners helping to make the New Jersey Health + Life Sciences Exchange a reality. The HELIX will bring together New Jersey’s public, private, and academic sectors to create a world-class hub of innovation and talent pipeline to attract innovation, investment and jobs to the Garden State. RWJBarnabas Health and Hackensack Meridian Health, along with Rutgers University, are anchor tenants for this ambitious initiative. The project positions New Jersey as a top destination for clinical researchers pioneering transformative approaches to life sciences and creating countless opportunities for a healthier New Jersey.