November 2016

ONE Organization: Many Voices

Thank you to our entire Hackensack Meridian Health team for your enthusiasm

and professionalism as we’ve continued to merge our two great organizations

into ONE! We truly have an amazing team, and we are always seeking ways to

create an even better place to work. Now, more than ever, we want to hear your

thoughts, suggestions and concerns, and our Trust Index survey will offer everyone

the chance to be heard.

This year’s survey, administered by Great Place to Work®, will take place from November 3 through

Monday, November 17. This feedback will help guide us as we set the course for our future. Team

members will have the chance to provide insight from two points of view – assessing your own

department, and assessing Hackensack Meridian Health.

Providing a best-in-class workplace has been a strategic priority since the inception of Hackensack

Meridian Health. As health care professionals, we have the distinct honor of working for an organization

that saves and improves lives every day. We understand that providing an environment where our team

feels appreciated and satisfied with their work will translate into a happier, more enthusiastic workforce.

This is reflected within the hallways of our hospitals, at the bedside of our patients, and throughout our

community events.

As always, we are grateful to our Hackensack Meridian leaders for their support and advocacy of the

survey. They will provide all team members with ample time to complete the survey. Survey participants

will also be entered into a random raffle drawing for some great prizes.

We want to hear your opinions – including our challenges and successes. As always, your answers are

completely anonymous and the survey is designed in such a way that individuals cannot be identified.

Let’s make Hackensack Meridian Health the very best it can be. We can only do that with input from all

of you!

John K. Lloyd Robert C. Garrett Co-CEO Co-CEO

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HackensackUMC Foundation Hosts a Record-Breaking Gala

Congratulations to Jon Fitzgerald, president and chief development of the HackensackUMC

Foundation, and the entire Foundation team for hosting its Annual Recognition Gala and raising a

record-breaking $4 million with an historic 1,600 friends and supporters in attendance! The black-tie

event took place at the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, where guests were treated

to an unforgettable performance by Grammy award-winning artist Sting.

Proceeds from the gala will support and advance pediatric cancer research and the Regenerative

Medicine Institute at HackensackUMC. Click here to view the Gala highlight video.

Guests and entertainers enjoying themselves at the

HackensackUMC Foundation Annual Recognition Gala.

Dr. Ihor Sawczuk, president of HackensackUMC, enjoys

the Gala with guests, including Darlene Cox,

administrator of Service Excellence, HackensackUMC,

and television host Steve Adubato.

Jon Fitzgerald, president and chief development officer,

HackensackUMC Foundation; Helen Cunning, vice

president, Development – Strategic Campaigns; Dr. Mark

Schlesinger, chairman, Department of Anesthesiology,

chairman, Special Events, HackensackUMC Foundation

Board of Trustees; and guests attend the Annual Gala.

Anne Litwin; Gordon Litwin, co-chair,

Hackensack Meridian Health Board of Trustees;

Laura Coti Garrett; Bob Garrett; John Lloyd;

Maureen Lloyd; Joseph Simunovich, co-chair,

Hackensack Meridian Health Board of Trustees;

and Pam Simunovich attend the Annual

Recognition Gala.

Grammy-award winning artist Sting performs

at the David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center.

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Hackensack Meridian Health to Participate in Cutting-Edge GPS Cancer Test

Across Hackensack Meridian Health, we remain ahead of the curve in providing cutting-edge care that

is specific to each patient. This not only improves outcomes, but can help us predict any future health

concerns. We are proud to announce that the cost of a genetic test — a test not yet covered by

insurance because of its investigational stage — will be covered for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of

New Jersey members enrolled in the clinical study throughout our health network. The test, called “GPS

Cancer,” allows cancer specialists to treat certain late-stage cancers based on a patient's individual

DNA with more precision.

“All of us at Hackensack Meridian Health are so excited to have one of our own leaders, Dr. Andrew

Pecora, pioneering cancer research and writing protocols that allow us to partner with a major payor

like Horizon and a forward thinking company like NantHealth, so we can bring precision medicine to

people facing cancer,” says Robert C. Garrett, co-CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health.

“Just as the Hubble telescope gave us an unprecedented first look at space and changed our

understanding of the universe, GPS Cancer gives us a whole new level of vision of a patient’s cancer so

we can personalize treatment strategies,” says Andrew Pecora, M.D., president of Physician Services

and Chief Innovation Officer at Hackensack Meridian Health.

“Taking into account the differences among patients is becoming increasingly important. This is the

promise of precision medicine,” adds Andre Goy, M.D., chairman and executive director of John

Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center and director of Medical Oncology at

Hackensack Meridian Health. “Having the ability to sort out patients based on their clinical, biological

and molecular features will help better stratify patients and predict their outcome.”

As part of the study, participating health systems who order GPS Cancer will also track cost and

outcomes through COTA, a leading oncology analytics software platform founded by Dr. Pecora. We

are truly proud to be an international leader in cancer care and delivery. Congratulations to Drs.

Pecora and Goy, as well as our entire team dedicated to improving the lives of our cancer patients.

Meeting of the Minds

Robert C. Garrett and Dr. Andrew Pecora were recently

featured in an article in NJBIZ to discuss their participation in

an invite-only four-day event at The Vatican earlier this year.

The Regenerative Medicine international conference

focused on scientific advancements “with a particular focus

on adult stem cell therapies and the interconnection

between research, faith, ethics and culture.”

Please click here to view the entire article.

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HackensackUMC Receives the Gold Seal of Approval in Hip Fracture

We are pleased to announce that HackensackUMC received a new Gold Seal of Approval for Hip

Fracture from The Joint Commission Disease-Specific Care Certification program. This brings

HackensackUMC’s total to 25—the most in the country! And – we’re honored to be the first hospital in

New Jersey to receive a Gold Seal for a Hip Fracture program.

The Joint Commission’s Disease-Specific Care Certification program evaluates clinical programs across

the continuum of care. Certified programs must demonstrate a systematic approach to care delivery

and a commitment to performance improvement. Our Hip Fracture team voluntarily participated in a

rigorous full-day survey, and rose to the occasion!

Congratulations to the entire Hip Fracture Team, led by Dr. Julie Keller and Samantha Rodgers, APN.

Special thanks as well to Tom Flynn, vice president and chief compliance officer of Hackensack

Meridian Health; Renee Harvey, director of Regulatory Affairs, HackensackUMC; and everyone involved

in receiving this new certification.

Hackensack Meridian Health is proud to be a national leader in patient safety and quality. Keep up the

good work!

Governmental Guidance: Keeping our Network Updated During a Time of Transition

This is an historic time in politics! In the coming days, we’ll find out who the next American President will

be and if there will be changes in the leadership of Congress. Regardless of your political party, you

may not realize how this will directly affect Hackensack Meridian Health. In fact, well over 50% of our

revenue comes from governmental sources at both the federal and state level. To stay updated in this

ever-changing landscape, Hackensack Meridian Health’s Office of Government Relations dedicates

itself to monitoring, communicating and influencing important legislative and regulatory issues that

impact our health network.

The Government Relations team acts as a liaison and advocate for Hackensack Meridian Health and

pursues strategies to strengthen HMH’s relationships at the local, state and federal levels. They provide

counsel on health policy and the external forces that could affect our network and communicate key

issues internally.

There are surprisingly few areas where we are not affected

by governmental decisions as health care is the most

heavily-regulated industry in the nation. Regulatory and

legislative proposals can be helpful to the network or

incredibly damaging. Our Government Relations team

focuses on identifying these proposals and pursuing

strategies to protect and advance HMH’s mission. They

identify any potential obstacles and opportunities, and

communicate these to the appropriate team members

within HMH. They also coordinate the appropriate

responses and collaborate with external parties to promote

our network position.

The Office of Government Relations is comprised of Russ Molloy,

Esq., senior vice president; Kevin DeSimone, vice president; and Carol Paul, director.

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About Government Relations

In a recent interview, Russ Molloy provides an inside perspective to Government Relations at

Hackensack Meridian Health and the impact of the upcoming election.

How will the presidential election’s outcome immediately affect Hackensack Meridian Health?

The future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a key issue that depends on the outcome of the national

election. The Republicans want to repeal and replace the law while Democrats seek to make

amendments but keep the bulk of the law intact. In either scenario, we can expect some changes to

occur. New Jersey has benefited from the expansion of Medicaid under the ACA as some 566,000

individuals, many of whom were formerly uninsured or charity care patients, have been added to the

program. This will not likely change after the election, but budget pressures at the state level may lead

to a tightening of reimbursement for charity care.

What are the long-term effects that the election’s results will have on our health network?

The shift from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement in health care delivery will continue

regardless of the outcome of the election. The question is really one of timing. The Affordable Care Act

has been in effect for six years so any significant changes will require careful attention. Meanwhile, the

regulations that have been adopted are likely to remain in effect for quite some time.

How much of a role does Hackensack Meridian Health have in developing new policies? What does this

process entail?

We have quite a large role in developing new policies at both the state and federal level. We work

closely with national and state organizations and encourage them to adopt positions that we believe

benefit our patients and our network. We are very active in most of the major health care organizations

that represent health systems (e.g., the American Hospital Association, Association of American Medical

Colleges, the Children’s Hospital Association, the Trauma Center Association of America, etc.).

Does Hackensack Meridian Health’s Office of Government Relations work with government relations

teams from other hospitals/health systems?

As the principal liaison to governmental entities at the state and federal level, the Office of Government

Relations promotes strategic partnerships with external organizations to advance our mission. The Office

actively participates with many state and federal associations and collaborates with hospitals in New

Jersey and across the country. We lead the Academic Health Centers of the Mid-Atlantic as well as the

Integrated Health Care Collaborative, comprised of many of the nation’s premier health systems, and

serve on numerous committees within other organizations.

Are there any exciting new laws/regulations on the horizon that can potentially benefit Hackensack

Meridian Health and our patients?

We have aggressively sought support for legislation on the state and federal level to enhance the

availability of behavioral health services and to provide better care for our patients. The recent surge in

substance abuse and opioid addiction has highlighted the gaps that exist in the delivery of this care to

our communities. A number of measures are moving at the federal and state levels to address these

concerns. In addition, we have been engaged in pursuing regulatory and legislative changes in support

of our clinically integrated network of physicians. Artificial barriers that restrict our ability to coordinate

care are now receiving attention on Capitol Hill and we look forward to legislation that will help

eliminate outdated restrictions that limit the ability of our physicians to collaborate with our hospitals.

Please remember to vote on Tuesday, November 8!

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Rocking Our Communities with Health and Wellness

On October 15, iconic Convention Hall on the Asbury

Park Boardwalk was rocking out to a different type of

lineup than the music venue is used to hosting.

Hackensack Meridian Health’s first-ever Women Rock

event, part of the Lyrics for Life event series, debuted

with a score of health and wellness rock stars. The event

featured services available right in the community and

was a great venue for attendees to shop with over 30

health and wellness vendors.

Included in the afternoon’s lineup were food and

mixology demos, beauty and fitness demos,

presentations by distinguished “womenologists,” and free

health screenings, all which harmonized beautifully within

the five pillars of wellness (sleep, activity, purpose, nutrition,

and resilience) – the foundations of Hackensack Meridian’s Integrative Health & Medicine Program. Also

starring at the event were the Women Who Rock Hall of Fame winners, who were local superstar women

who have triumphed a health challenge, inspired others in the community through service or

generosity, or just simply made a major impact on someone else’s life. Thanks to the hard work of the

team and great participation from this year’s vendors, over 700 community members attended this free

event.

Join President of Our Financial Services Division and Chief Financial Officer Robert

Glenning for a CFOrum!

Do you want to learn about our operating margins and improvements being

made to our facilities and services, as well as other important investment

decisions? Please join us for a CFOrum at one of the below sessions to learn

about these important topics and more!

ALL Hackensack Meridian Health team members are invited – no RSVP

necessary.

Monday, November 21, 2016 Monday, December 5, 2016

8:30 – 9:15 a.m. OR

10 –10:45 a.m.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center

Lance Auditorium

8:30 – 9:15 a.m. OR

10 – 10:45 a.m.

Ocean Medical Center

East Wing

Conference Rooms A, B, and C 2:30 – 3:15 p.m. OR

4 – 4:45 p.m.

Riverview Medical Center

Rechnitz Conference Center

Attendees had the opportunity to walk around the room and explore different vendors and activities

at each pillar of health and wellness.

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Tickets are Still Available to Buy your Chance in Advance!

Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations’ Gala 50/50 Raffle Tickets are still available! Purchase

your 50/50 raffle tickets today and support Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations’ Annual Gala.

Proceeds raised will benefit critical services at Hackensack Meridian Health’s Monmouth,

Ocean and Middlesex County hospitals. The drawing will take place at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday,

November 19 – the evening of the Gala. The winner does not need to be present. Last year’s

winner received nearly $16,000! 50/50 tickets are available at $100 per ticket and can be

purchased individually or as a group by visiting MeridianHealth.com/Gala.

HackensackUMC is the Only Hospital in NJ Named as One of the 50 Greenest Hospitals

in America!

We are pleased to announce that

HackensackUMC is the only hospital in

New Jersey to be named to the “50 of

the greenest hospitals in America” list, by

Becker’s Hospital Review. This marks the

second consecutive year that the

medical center has been recognized for

our work in creating a sustainable,

environmentally-friendly campus.

To compile its nationwide list, Becker’s Hospital Review considers nominations and conducts editorial

research, looking at awards won from Practice Greenhealth, the U.S. Green Building Council, the

American Society for Healthcare Engineering and the Environmental Protection Agency.

HackensackUMC was the only hospital in the New Jersey/New York area to win the Practice

Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Award three years in a row.

Working with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center, we are proud to offer a safe, healthy

campus featuring some of the “greenest” initiatives in the country, including antibiotic-free meat, the

significant reduction of medical waste, energy-efficient lights, and the use of “green” cleaning

chemicals. We have led the way in initiatives, and will continue to do so throughout our health network.

Congratulations to our entire team and The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center, led by Deirdre

Imus!

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Stay in the Know as We Continue to Grow

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Health. With 28,000 team members, you know there is a lot going on. Like. Follow. Subscribe. Share

along with us using #HMHisOne and #HackensackMeridian.

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We’re Here to Help!

Do you have a merger-related question or can’t find something you need on the brand center?

Please email mythoughts@hackensackmeridian.org and a member of our team will email you

back or forward your inquiry to an appropriate team to address.