Newswise — Verda J. Hicks, M.D., FACS, FACOG has joined Hackensack Meridian Health as chief of Gynecologic Oncology at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. She also is medical director of Gynecologic Oncology for Hackensack Meridian Health Cancer Care in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties.

Dr. Hicks is fellowship trained and board-certified in obstetrics, gynecology, and gynecologic oncology. She has taken on leadership and clinical roles, and joins associates James R. Bosscher, M.D., and Karim ElSahwi, M.D. to bring exceptional experience and expertise to the three-county region. Drs. Hicks, Bosscher and ElSahwi see patients at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge and at Hackensack Meridian Health Village in Jackson.

“The depth of knowledge and skill set that Dr. Hicks brings to our organization is a wonderful addition to the comprehensive services that we offer local residents,” says Thomas Bauer, M.D., interim medical director of Hackensack Meridian Health Cancer Care in Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties. “The gynecologic oncology team blends personalized, compassionate care with the latest techniques and technologies for diagnosis and treatment. This is part of our ongoing commitment to offer quality cancer resources, close to home.”

The gynecologic oncology team provides treatment for a wide range of malignant and non-malignant conditions affecting women’s reproductive system. They are skilled in performing a variety of procedures, including robotic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, procedures for ovarian, cervical and endometrial cancer, pelvic surgery, lymph node procedures, removal of reproductive organs, and more. Their efforts are supported by a multidisciplinary team of experts including gynecologists, medical and radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, nurse navigators, and a host of other support services. Patients also have access to the latest clinical trials, as well as genetic counseling and testing.

Dr. Hicks earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa. She attended medical school at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She completed her surgical internship at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, and then went on to complete her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at the Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. She has served on the faculty for obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Kansas, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In addition, Dr. Hicks has also received multiple honors and awards, including consecutive acknowledgements as “Best Physicians of Kansas City,” as chosen by her peers in KC Magazine.

To learn more about gynecologic oncology services or to reach a physician, visit Hackensackmeridianhealth.org/cancer

# # #

About Hackensack Meridian Health

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals, including three academic medical centers, two children's hospitals and nine community hospitals, two rehabilitation hospitals, physician practices, more than 160 ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care facilities. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, more than 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

 

The Network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals ranked among the top 10 in New Jersey, including Hackensack University Medical Center, the No. 1 hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center at No. 4 and Ocean and Riverview Medical Centers tied at No. 8., as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.