(Courtesy of HRH) Let’s hope you never have an emergency requiring you to be taken to a hospital, but if you do, consider the services offered by Hudson Regional Hospital.
Hudson Regional Hospital Emergency Department is a full-service emergency department with the ability to care for all medical emergencies. HRH has a staff of doctors, including an on-site pediatrician, each having at least a decade in treating emergencies. The ED has the latest technologies in imaging, including ultrasound, CAT scan, and MRI available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Success in HRH has been attributed to the executive and management team that they have been assembling, and the ER is no exception. Alexander Sarenac, MD, emergency department medical director, is a graduate of Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. He trained at one of the largest and oldest emergency medicine residencies in the country at Montefiore and Jacobi Medical Center and he is board certified in emergency medicine. He previously served as the vice chair of emergency medicine at Raritan Bay Medical Center.
Dr. Sarenac has been overseeing a medical staff with extensive experience in the ER, in addition to AIDET® training. AIDET® is a communication framework for healthcare professionals to communicate with patients and each other in a way that decreases patient anxiety, increases patient compliance and improves clinical outcomes. The acronym AIDET® stands for five communication behaviors: Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation and Thank You. They all do their very best to keep their patients healthy and happy.
“We are adding on new providers and staff to handle the increasing volume of patients faster and to take the time to educate our patients about their medical condition and follow-up,” said Dr. Sarenac. “We pride ourselves on fast access to a nurse and physician generally in less than 30 minutes. Also, our wait times are very low from triage to admission, and we offer fast follow-up appointments and assistance in providing appointments by our staff.”
Not all patients come to the emergency room on their own. And Hudson Regional Hospital, which serves as the 911 response for Secaucus, is well equipped for those emergencies, with a 24/7 EMS staff of 45 and nine vehicles.
More important is the philosophy of Kristin Hyman, chief of EMS, who believes education is key for a healthy community. So far this year the EMS team has trained more than 1,000 people in the life-saving skill of CPR, in addition to the seminars, like Survival Training and Stroke Awareness, given in the community. “A person can be in cardiac arrest, and you can still revive that patient with CPR if you possess the knowledge of how to do so,” says Hyman. “Which is why we emphasize community education. We can get to these patients incredibly quick—our average response time is under four minutes. But with cardiac arrest, every second counts, and having a bystander or family member perform CPR while we are en route can make the difference between life and death.” Hyman, and HRH, believe that the foundation of a healthier community lies in empowering them with the knowledge to take charge of their own health. “Recognizing the signs and symptoms of some of the most critical events, like stroke and heart attack, is the first step. Knowing how to prevent these events through better self-care is the more challenging part, and that is a message we have been working diligently to deliver to our community. We believe that when it comes to wellness, knowledge is power.”
And education is not just for the communities: all EMS staff at HRH are constantly being trained and educated on new procedures that will help them improve their skills and offer better service to the communities. This is what differentiates HRH from other facilities: the high emphasis on education.
Hyman has been at the hospital for six years, with the last two years as EMS chief. Since new ownership, EMS has seen many changes including more EMTs, upgrades to equipment, new AEDs and anything else that the department needs. “The new owner has granted us everything we have asked for this year,” she said. “Management understands the important role of EMS in the communities.”
Hudson Regional Hospital offers preventive and other services both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Patients can inquire about these services or schedule appointments by contacting the hospital directly, either via telephone at 201-392-3100 or email at [email protected]. Patients facing medical emergencies should proceed directly to the emergency room. The emergency room contact number is 201-392-3210.
