Remembering and Honoring Dr. Eric Munoz at Rededication of Trauma Center in his Name ˜

New Jersey State Assemblywoman Nancy F. Muñoz speaks at the rededication of the Trauma Center named after her late husband, Dr. Eric Munoz.

For longtime friend and colleague Dr. David Livingston, the opportunity to honor the late Dr. Eric Muñoz was a chance to look back and to look forward at the re-dedication of The Eric Muñoz Trauma Center at the University Hospital.

“I worked with Eric for nearly 15 years and know he would have been incredibly proud of the way trauma care has evolved here at University Hospital, in the Greater Newark Community and in New Jersey,” said Dr. Livingston, Professor, and Chief of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care.

Dr. Muñoz, trauma surgeon and former Chief Medical Officer at University Hospital, devoted his life and career to medicine and public policy representing the 21st District in

“I am honored to be here today at the rededication of the ‘Eric Muñoz Trauma Center’ at the University Hospital. The tenth anniversary of my husband’s passing is of course a difficult time for our friends and family. But the hard work of the doctors and the medical team at the Eric Muñoz Trauma Center provide a daily testament to my husband’s legacy. The countless lives that have been saved here is truly humbling.”

New Jersey State Assemblywoman Nancy F. Muñoz

the New Jersey General Assembly. He attended Assembly meetings adorned in his University Hospital surgeon’s white coat and a bow tie.

Judith Persichilli, then University Hospital Acting President and CEO, said the Hospital is proud to rededicate the Trauma Center in the name of Dr. Muñoz, “as we work to expand and enhance the Hospital’s physical space and emergency services. Dr. Muñoz was an example to us all. He dedicated himself to saving lives and saving the people of our community and New Jersey.”

Dr. Adam Fox, Associate Professor of Trauma, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said, “The celebration of National Trauma Awareness Month makes it rather fitting that we spend some time recognizing the Eric Muñoz Trauma Center and the outstanding people who make it function on a day-to-day basis.” Dr. Livingston recalled his friend Dr. Muñoz as “an incredible guy. He and I arrived together in 1988. Eric was hired as both chief medical officer at UH and one of the trauma surgeons, which was very unusual at the time to have both roles.”

A prolific academic researcher with an interest in health care financial policy, Dr. Muñoz authored more than 80 publications, according to Dr. Livingston.

“He coined the term ‘Surgeonomics’ in 1984 in the journal Surgery in a study evaluating the costs associated with cholecystectomy and he wrote some of the very early and seminal publications involving health care economics throughout the 1980’s when no one was talking about it. He was very ahead of his time and was even a member of the Federal ProPac (prospective payment) system.”

When Dr. Livingston became Trauma Director in 1995 while Dr. Muñoz still was Chief Medical Officer, he had the opportunity of transitioning from a colleague to Dr. Muñoz’s ‘boss’ on the trauma service. “Eric was very supportive of me in that leadership position. That support was invaluable to help me make the changes I felt the service needed at the time. He was a very good surgeon and pretty unflappable; no matter what walked through the door. When he was on-call he always greeted everybody warmly and jovially even at two in the morning.”

The legacy of Dr. Muñoz is more than a sign bearing his name on the Trauma Center said Dr. Livingston. “There is a Trauma Lectureship in his name that focuses on public policy. Soon after his death, we created a trauma award for the best third year resident on the Trauma Service and given his optimistic outlook on life and medicine named it the ‘Eric Muñoz Future is Bright Award’. The awardee not only gets a check, but a pair of sunglasses. For the dedication, we also restarted an annual Trauma Service Award and recognized the Trauma Nurses, past and present. I think Eric would have definitely endorsed this choice,” Dr. Livingston said,

“There are so many Eric stories. He was just a wonderful man. Like a lot of people, when you look backwards at what he accomplished and how he navigated a very complicated political arena, you realize how smart and savvy he was.”

“I miss him greatly. Since the politics in health care have not gotten easier, I wish he was around when I have things that I would want to bounce off him. His input and advice would be invaluable.

Everyone needs people like Eric for some part of your life. That’s just the way it is. When they are gone, there is a hole that can’t be filled.”