Saint Barnabas’ burn center restores victims to health
Jennifer Doherty only haD a few hours to enjoy her vacation in Jamaica in 2012. at dinner on her first night there, she approached a flaming dessert station. She doesn’t remember how, but the flames caught her, causing second and third degree burns on her face, neck, chest and arms. But she was airlifted to Saint Barnabas Medical Center, and today is back at work as a teacher. Doherty, 46, and her husband, hani Khoury, live in hackensack. She initially was treated at the resort and a local hospital, but “i was heavily medicated and only remember bits and pieces of it,” she says. She does remember the medical transport to Saint Barnabas, and being taken to the special “tank room,” where her wounds were cleaned. then she was fully bandaged from the waist up, including her whole face and ears. Doherty spent eight days in the intensive care unit, and the pain was well managed, she says. then came seven weeks of what’s
called step-down care, in which she slowly moved from critical care to more normal daily care. But she still needed regular treatments in the tank room and remained heavily medicated. about three weeks after the accident, she received skin grafts, taken from her leg, to her chest, arms and ears. “the care i received was phenomenal, and the nurses and technicians made the experience a bearable situation,” she says. She admits the scars left by the burns were “shocking” at first. Some scars are still evident today, but she doesn’t hide them under long sleeves or high-neck shirts. “i am always open and talk about it with people who don’t know,” she says. Doherty was so happy with her care, she shares her experience at support groups for other burn patients. She was trained in a program called Soar—Survivors offering assistance in recovery—by the Phoenix Society for burn survivors. “it is really great to share that common experience,” she says. to learn more about the burn Center at Saint barnabaS mediCal Center go to barnabaShealth.org/SbmC.
Kudos and Credentials Saint BarnaBaS Medical center earnS praiSe and diStinction in variouS areaS of Medical care. healthCare ProfeSSionalS Don’t ChooSe their line of work to win awards. they choose it because they are drawn to medicine’s important mission and want to make a difference in people’s lives. But it’s nice, once in a while, to win recognition or earn a new credential. Grade “a” for Patient Safety from the leapfrog Group, for the 10th consecutive survey. SBMC was one of 72 hospitals in the United States to achieve straight a’s since 2012. 2016 leapfrog top hospital–nationally recognized for patient safety and quality, one of only 29 teaching hospitals recognized in the U.S. in a recent national ranking in Consumer reports, the SBMC iCU placed in the top 32 of the highest scoring U.S. teaching hospitals at preventing central-line infections between 2011 and 2015. 2016 Most wired hospital from the american hospital association. three-year approval for the Cancer Center from the american College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
Below are just some of the awards, accreditations and accolades with which Saint Barnabas has been recognized recently. these honors show that it has met or exceeded the highest standards for quality care and service to patients.
academic Center of excellence in women’s health (the first in n.J.). Comprehensive Stroke Center designation by the new Jersey Department of health and Senior Services. the Joint Commission Certification for Primary Stroke Center. Designated level 4 epilepsy Center by the national association of epilepsy Centers. accreditation by the national accreditation Program for Breast Centers. Cancer Center certification from the Quality oncology Practice initiative Certification Program, an affiliate of the american Society of Clinical oncology. Verification as a Burn Center by the american College of Surgeons and the
american Burn association. new Jersey Bariatric and Metabolic institute is a Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and Quality improvement Program and Comprehensive Center with adolescent Qualifications. Studer Group healthcare organization of the Month (May 2016). Platinum recognition national hospital organ Donation Campaign – U.S. Department of health and human Services. Joint Commission Specialty Certification for: • heart failure • total hip replacement • total Knee replacement • acute Coronary Syndrome • Cardiac rehabilitation
to learn more about Saint barnabaS mediCal Center viSit barnabaShealth.org/SbmC or Call 1-888-724-7123. your partner in health toDay anD toMorrow
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