Newswise — More than 70 family members, friends and colleagues recently gathered together for the formal dedication and ribbon-cutting celebration at the John Apovian, M.D. Cardiac Surgery & Structural Heart Center at the Heart & Vascular Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center.
“Dr. Apovian joined the staff of Hackensack University Medical Center on June 22, 1961 and he certainly made a huge difference to this hospital and the community,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, co-CEO, Hackensack Meridian Health. “There are four words that we use to describe our culture at Hackensack Meridian Health. They are compassionate, collaborative, courageous and creative. These words really describe Dr. John Apovian and his approach to patient-centered care.”
“I don’t think there was a committee that Dr. Apovian did not serve on during his career at our medical center,” said Ihor S. Sawczuk, M.D., FACS, president of Hackensack University Medical Center and the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital. “He rose up to be a leader amongst leaders on the medical staff and served with distinction as vice president and president of the Medical Staff. It is truly fitting that the Cardiac Surgery & Structural Heart Center at the Heart & Vascular Hospital is named in his honor to recognize a lifetime of outstanding commitment to his community.”
The ribbon-cutting was attended by members of the Apovian, J. Fletcher Creamer and Hekemian families to celebrate Dr. Apovian’s lifetime of service and giving.
“Dr. Apovian, whose decades of service is unparalleled, and dedication to his patients was extraordinary, supported so much of Hackensack University Medical Center’s growth into becoming one of the nation’s leading health care providers,” said Helen A. Cunning, north regional president, Foundation chief development officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. “The number of people and generations of families for whom he provided outstanding care through his practice and longtime oversight of the outpatient clinic is remarkable, with an impact felt to this day.”
The John Apovian, M.D. Cardiac Surgery & Structural Heart Center is located near the main lobby of the medical center. The program is overseen by Carlos Ruiz, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Structural and Congenital Heart Center at the Heart & Vascular Hospital and Mark Anderson, M.D., vice chair, Cardiac Surgery Services at the Heart & Vascular Hospital.
The new outpatient environment allows for the cardiac surgery and structural heart teams to continue to enhance the services offered by the Heart & Vascular Hospital, and see patients in collaborative consultation to evaluate the best approach for care.
“The cardiac surgery and structural heart programs function in a team-based approach utilizing Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings to discuss all cases being referred,” said Joseph E. Parrillo, M.D., chair, Heart & Vascular Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center; Justice Marie L. Garibaldi endowed chair; professor and chair, Department of Cardiology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. “This allows all specialties, including the cardiac surgeon, interventional cardiologist, referring cardiologist and critical care team to discuss the best option for each patient’s care, whether it is surgery or an interventional cardiology approach.”
About the Heart & Vascular Hospital
The Heart & Vascular Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center is a state-of-the-art “hospital within a hospital.” This facility houses the latest equipment and programs, and integrates preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services, with a special focus on cardiovascular disease management and breakthrough research. Inpatients and outpatients are treated for all types of cardiac and vascular diseases, including heart problems, such as blocked arteries and irregular heartbeats, peripheral vascular disease and neurovascular diseases, such as stroke and aneurysm.
About Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center, a 781-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, NJ, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. Founded in 1888 as the county’s first hospital, it is now part of one of the largest networks in the state comprised of 33,000 team members and more than 6,500 physicians. Hackensack University Medical Center was listed as one of the top two hospitals in New Jersey in U.S. News & World Report’s 2018-19 Best Hospital rankings. It was also named one of the top five New York Metro Area hospitals. Hackensack University Medical Center is one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more years in a row. Becker’s Hospital Review recognized Hackensack University Medical Center as one of the 100 Great Hospitals in America 2018. The medical center is one of the top 25 green hospitals in the country according to Practice Greenhealth, and received 25 Gold Seals of Approval™ by The Joint Commission – more than any other hospital in the country. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet recognized hospital for nursing excellence; receiving its fifth consecutive designation in 2014. Hackensack University Medical Center has created an entire campus of award-winning care, including: the John Theurer Cancer Center; the Heart & Vascular Hospital; and the Sarkis and Siran Gabrellian Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, which houses the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital, which was designed with The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center and listed on the Green Guide’s list of Top 10 Green Hospitals in the U.S. Hackensack University Medical Center is the Hometown Hospital of the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls and is Official Medical Services Provider to The Northern Trust PGA Golf Tournament. It remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events especially the Tackle Kids Cancer Campaign providing much needed research at the Children’s Cancer Institute housed at the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital. To learn more, visit www.HackensackUMC.org.
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