N ews aN d H e altH I N for matIoN from su m m It m edIc al G rou pWinter 2013www.summitmedicalgroup.com N ews aN d H e altH I N for matIoN from su m m It m edIc al G rou p
healthyconnectionsTaking a Look inside page 3
Which is Best for You: internal or Family Medicine?
Take a Bite out of Hearing Loss
Summit medical Group ServiceS At our state-of-the-art medical campus, patients of our multispecialty practice have ready access
to compassionate care from 300 highly qualified healthcare providers.
2 healthy connections winter 2013
} Acupuncture} Adolescent Medicine} Allergy} Ambulatory Surgery} Anesthesiology} Audiology} Aviation Medicine} Behavioral Health
Center} Breast Care Center} Cardiology} Chiropractic Medicine} Colon and Rectal
Surgery} Community Health
Lectures} Complementary
Medicine} Corporate Health} Cosmetic Dermatology} Coumadin Clinic} Dermatology} Diabetes Live Well
Program} Electrophysiology} Emergency Medicine} Endocrinology} Endoscopic Ultrasound} ENT} Evening Primary Care
} Executive Health} Facial Esthetics} Family Medicine} Gastroenterology} Geriatric Services} General Surgery} Genetic Counseling} Gynecology} Hematology} Hospitalists } Imaging} Immunology} Infectious Disease} Integrative Medicine} Internal Medicine} Laboratory Services} Laparoscopic Surgery} Laser Hair Removal} Laser Skin Resurfacing} LASIK} Male Infertility} Massage} Medical Spa} Nephrology} Neurology} Neurosurgery} Neurotology} Nutrition} Obstetrics} Occupational Health
} Oncology} Ophthalmology} Orthopedics} Otology} Pediatrics} Pharmacy} Physiatry} Physical Therapy} Plastic Surgery} Podiatry} Preventive Medicine
Program} Proctology} Pulmonology} Rheumatology} Sleep Disorders Center} Speech Therapy} Spine Surgery Center} Sports Medicine} Surgical Oncology} Therapeutic Massage} Thoracic Surgery} Travel Medicine} Urgent Care Center} Urodynamics} Urology} Vascular Screenings} Vascular Surgery} Vein Care Center} Weight Management
}} take a look at what we have to offer—you may be surprised! Visit our website, www.summitmedicalgroup.com, for information on more than 70 services and
specialties we offer, plus related links.
tell Us Your Story and Win a target Gift Card!Tell us how Summit Medical Group is
helping you live well and stay well, and
you will be eligible to win a $200 Target
gift card. In your letter, tell us which
members of our medical team have
gone above and beyond for you. Email
[email protected] or write to:
Summit Medical Group
Your Letters c/o Marketing Dept.
1 Diamond Hill Road
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
You must be at least 18 years old to enter.
Summit Medical Group employees and
their immediate families are not eligible for
the drawing. ALL submissions may be
reproduced in part or whole for any SMG
patient comment project.
Jeffrey Le Benger, MDChairman of the Board and CEOSummit Medical Group
A Message from the ChairmanThe end of this year brings lots of exciting
news about growth at Summit Medical
Group! Many new physicians have joined
us—see pages 6 and 7 for new and
returning faces. We’re also happy to add
nine pediatricians to our growing list of
SMG physicians named to state, regional
and national “top doctor” listings.
With so many Summit Medical Group
physicians to choose from, it may be
difficult to know where to start. Choosing
a primary care doctor—be it one of our
highly qualified internal medicine doctors
or one of our esteemed family medicine
doctors—is easier with the information on
page 4. To see how these and all our
providers continue to give you the highest
quality healthcare in the state, read about
our practice improvements on page 5.
Coordination of care is what SMG is all
about, so it is exciting to see technologies
come together. Endoscopic ultrasound
(page 3) is helping doctors save lives,
while Soundbite (page 8) is helping
patients hear and lead happier lives.
For 2013 and beyond, Summit Medical
Group is here to help you live well and stay
well.
Keep up with breaking health news, new physicians, new services, events, videos, and
more from Summit Medical Group.
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d i g e s t i v e h e a lt h
In the 1960s movie Fantastic Voyage, scien-tists shrink a submarine and its crew and
inject them into a man’s body to destroy a life-threatening blood clot. Modern medicine isn’t quite there yet. But tools such as endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) can take doctors deep inside your body.
souNd waves usedA regular endoscope is a thin, flexible tube with a camera. The doctor passes this tube through your mouth or rectum to inspect the lining of your esophagus, stomach, or intestines.
An EUS device is similar, but it emits sound waves. These waves bounce off the structures in your body. Then they’re translated into a picture. Instead of showing only the surface of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, EUS provides a deeper view.
“The main uses of EUS are to look at lumps within the wall of the GI tract found during regular endoscopy and to investigate problems in nearby structures—like the pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts,” says Tamir Ben-Menachem, MD, Summit Medical Group gastro- enterologist.
“Usually it’s done after another procedure—like an endoscopy CT scan or MRI—shows something suspicious that requires a clearer look. We can also put a needle through the endoscope to take a sample of cells for a biopsy, if needed.”
EUS can be used in treatment, too. For example, with this type of endoscope doctors can give numbing medicine to block pain caused by pancreatic cancer and other types of cancer affecting upper abdominal organs. It can also direct removal of early cancers of the stomach or intestine, thus avoiding surgery for some patients.
step by stepBefore having an endoscopic ultrasound, patients prepare by fasting for several hours. The EUS procedure takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Down the TubesE n d o s c o p i c U l t r a s o u n d S h o w s D o c t o r s Y o u r I n s i d e s
Patients are sedated, so they feel comfortable and usually don’t remember the process.
“The reliability of EUS depends on the doctor’s experience. It’s important to choose a doctor who has done frequent high-quality EUS for many years. Dr. Ben-Menachem has been doing EUS regularly for 18 years, and I’ve been doing it for 12 years. More patients are referred to us for EUS than to anywhere else in the state,” says Hazar Michael, MD, Summit Medical Group gastroenterologist.
Need Help witH diGeStive HealtH? Call the Summit Medical Group Gastroenterology Department at 908-277-8940.
908-273-4300 | www.summitmedicalgroup.com 3
tamir Ben-Menachem, MD
Hazar Michael, MD
m a n a g i n g y o u r h e a lt h
i n t e r n i s t s s e e pat i e n t s 1 8 a n d o l d e r f a m i ly m e d i c i n e c o v e r s a l l a g e s
If you’re looking for a new primary care physician, you may wonder how
an internist is different from a family practice doctor. Both internal and family medicine doctors can take care of much of what ails you, but their approach, expertise, and patients may differ.
INsIde aNd out“Internal medicine doctors, or inter-nists, are trained to prevent, diagnose, and treat a range of health conditions. After medical school, we complete a three-year residency in adult diseases. Some internists then spend another one to three years studying a subspecialty, such as cardiology or gastroenterology,” says Richard J. Lesko, MD. Dr. Lesko is chair of internal medicine at Summit Medical Group.
Summit internists see patients age 18 or older. Their special focus is on making sense of complex diagnoses. This may be most helpful if you’re dealing with several conditions or if short-term problems affect a chronic illness, such as diabetes or heart disease.
“Many people, especially older people, have five or six chronic health problems and take multiple medications. Inter-nists are well-versed in handling all this along with acute problems,” explains Dr. Lesko. “If you need to see specialists or receive hospital care, your internist helps you navigate.”
a doctor for all aGesFamily medicine doctors have much the same training as internists, but they’re also trained in pediatrics. “In many
cases, we care for children, their parents and their grandparents,” says Richard T. Paris, MD. Dr. Paris is a Summit Medical Group family medicine doctor.
“We think about the family as a whole. If a mother brings in her sick child and isn’t feeling well herself, we can address that at the same time. If a father smokes and his child has asthma, we can work on helping him to quit smoking. That’s healthier for the father and may help with the child’s breathing problems.”
Like internists, family doctors complete a three-year residency. The focus is more on office-based care and less on hospital-based care. Their residency includes training in obstet-rics, too. If a pregnant woman gets ill, a family doctor is well prepared to work closely with her obstetrician.
internal medicine or family medicine: which is righT for you?
FiNd aN iNterNiSt or Family doctorVisit www.summitmedicalgroup.com/doctors to find internal medicine and family medicine doctors who are accepting new patients.
4 healthy connections winter 2013
free lecturesAll lectures are held at Summit Medical Group, 1 Diamond Hill Road, Lawrence Pavilion, Conference Center (near Café), Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922, unless otherwise noted. For your convenience, please park in lot 1 or 2 and enter through the Lawrence Pavilion. Reservations required: 908-277-8889 or www.summitmedicalgroup.com/events.
January intimate Considerations for People with Heart DiseaseWednesday, January 16, 7 p.m.William tansey, MD, CardiologistJoin us for a discussion about sex, sexual side effects and coping strategies if you have heart disease. Learn what you can expect, and what’s safe. Our discussion will include recently published American Heart Association guidelines and pharmacologic options.
necessary nutrition and Healthy eating Habits for KidsWednesday, January 30, 7 p.m.David Levine, MD, Pediatrician and Adolescent Medicinenew and experienced parents are invited to join us and learn about good nutrition and healthy dietary habits that can help children achieve and maintain a healthy weight for life.
FEBruaryAtrial Fibrillation: new treatment OptionsWednesday, February 13, 7 p.m.roy Sauberman, MD, electrophysiologistAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently diagnosed cardiac rhythm disorder. Affecting 2.5 million people in the United States, it can be associated with an increased risk for death, congestive heart failure, and stroke. Join cardiac electrophysiologist roy Sauberman, MD, for his review of the latest effective treatment options to help patients with AF.
improving Self-esteem in Children and teensWednesday, February 27, 7 p.m.Angela Adamson, LCSW, ACtthe way children think about their experiences influences how they feel about themselves and the way they cope with challenges in life. Learn effective strategies to help build your child’s self-esteem and help prevent childhood/teen depression and anxiety.
MarCHDisk Herniations: Causes, Symptoms, and treatment OptionsWednesday, March 6, 7 p.m.ilya Kupershtein, MD, Spine Surgeonif you have had back and/or leg pain, this lecture might be just what the doctor ordered. in addition to an explanation about how disk herniations can irritate your spinal nerves and cause back and leg pain, the lecture will include important information about treatment options to ease your pain and get you back in action.
Spring Cleaning Your BodyWednesday, March 20, 7 p.m.richard nitzberg, MD, internistVictor Zirul, Vascular technicianronna Sherman, MD, internal Medicinerobert Slama, MD, Cardiologisteager to feel renewed now that it’s spring? Join us to learn more about your body and its needs, the importance of having a primary care doctor, why you need routine health exams, and the four tests that can help save your life.
For Girls: the Social JungleWednesdays, 6 to 7:15 p.m. (Seven-week program beginning February 13)Jamie Schwartz, MSW, LCSWthis workshop will help girls in grades six to eight navigate social issues unique to their age and life stage. topics covered include friendships, mean teens (bullying), social media, showdowns (conflicts), and the silent treatment.
Smoking-Cessation Programtuesdays, 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.Summit Medical Group’s Behavioral Health and Cognitive therapy Center offers a smoking-cessation program modeled after the American Lung Association’s Freedom from Smoking® initiative. During the seven-week program, learn how to stop smoking and develop strategies to remain smoke-free. For more information or to register, please call 908-277-8900.
series
Save & poSt
the Best ideas Come from Youwe’re asking for your suggestions on topics for videos, lectures, live chats, and more. Scan this mobitag with your smart device for a link to a brief survey. Your input is greatly appreciated.
Save & poSt
classes & eventsClasses and events take place at Summit Medical Group, 1 Diamond Hill Road, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
CLaSSESBasic YogaWednesdays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Chair YogaMondays, 11 a.m. to noon
Dina Leyden, Pt, teaches both Basic Yoga and
Chair Yoga in the exercise room in the
Lawrence Pavilion, ground floor. A $100
10-class card is good at either Basic or Chair Yoga
class. to register for either class, please call
908-277-8936.
tai ChiMondays and thursdays, 10 to 11 a.m.
risa Silverstein, MS, LAc
exercise room in the Lawrence Pavilion,
ground floor
$80 for 10 classes. to register, please call
908-277-8936.
Breast Cancer Support Group for newly Diagnosed PatientsMondays: January 14, February 11, and March 11Carol Boyer, APn-C, Clinical Program Manager/Breast nurse Specialist; elizabeth nikol, LCSW, ACt this program is for those who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Patients are able to share concerns and advice about their experience with breast cancer treatments and more.
Breast Cancer Survivorship Group for Patients Who Are a Year or More PostdiagnosisMondays: January 28, February 25, and March 18Carol Boyer, APn-C, Breast nurse Specialist; Jamie Schwartz, MSW, LCSW this group is for those who have experienced breast cancer and wish to receive support from others who have similar experiences and to share information about ways to manage common concerns.
The breast cancer support groups meet from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Berkeley Heights Campus, Breast Care Center Waiting Area. For more information or to register, please call 908-277-8670.
Look Good, Feel BetterMondays: January 14 and April 8, 10 a.m. to noonthis free program teaches beauty techniques to women who are actively undergoing cancer treatment, to help them combat the appearance-related side effects of radiation and chemotherapy. to register, please call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-277-2345.
Moving On: An exercise Class for Breast Cancer Patients and SurvivorsWednesdays: January 9 through February 27 Lockey Maisonneuve, instructor, certified cancer exercise specialist, personal trainer, and breast cancer survivorthis outstanding weekly exercise program can help you gently stretch your chest muscles and strengthen your back muscles to help restore your preoperative flexibility. the program and exercises are designed to meet your individual needs and allow you to progress at a rate that is right for you. $10 per class. For more information or to register, please call us at 908-277-8670.
BrEaST CanCEr PrOGraMS
o u r s e r v i c e s
Keeping health care AccountableAs healthcare changes, medical
practices like Summit Medical Group are being tasked with achieving ever-increasing improvements in finan-cial and patient outcomes. To meet these challenges and continue to pro-vide the highest level of coordinated patient care, Summit Medical Group has formed a Department of Practice Transformation (DPT).
Begun in 2012, the department is designed to guide Summit Medical Group through the transition to a value-based reimbursement market. For the average healthcare consumer, this means that the way patients access care and the way that insurers pay physi-cians is changing from a system that rewards volume to one that rewards quality-based outcomes at a lower cost.
To succeed in this transformation, SMG will invest in both technology and people.
SMG’s investment in technology will include these key areas:• A fully capable electronic health
record for documenting patient care and streamlining the increased docu-mentation
• A data analysis capability to under-stand what is driving costs
• Easy-to-use point-of-care aids for the physician and care team to pro-vide comprehensive care based on evidence-based guidelines
Likewise, SMG’s investment in people has three major elements:
• Physician champions to lead the care team and set the pace and clinical direction
• Team-based care with staff adopting new tasks and modifying others
• Introduction of the care coordination function
Care coordinators are registered nurses who support a number of physi-cians. Their role is to look at the popula-tion as a whole and identify patients who are at high risk for diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or those who may be due for preventive care services, such as mammography, colonoscopy or other preventive screen-ings and tests. Care coordinators also provide patient education about self- management of chronic diseases.
Insurers are now recognizing the need to reimburse for these efforts outside routine visits and are beginning to include monthly care coordination fees to support a practice’s transformation efforts. By the end of 2012, SMG expects to
have more than 20,000 patients in value-based contracts with Medicare and two or three other commercial payers.
These changes will be a collaborative process designed to propel SMG, already a recognized healthcare leader, to continued evolution as “best in class.” As we continue to expand, practice transformation will be a major element of our success.
our commitmeNt to youSummit Medical Group is devoted to providing the highest standard of care to every patient. to ensure that you live well and stay well, we monitor your patient experience, track your satisfaction, and improve our services accordingly. Learn more about our commitment to Quality Health Care services at www.summitmedicalgroup.com.
908-273-4300 | www.summitmedicalgroup.com 5
o u r d o c t o r s
6 healthy connections winter 2013
Nine Summit Medical Group physi-cians are listed among “New
Jersey’s Favorite Kids’ Docs” in an upcoming issue of New Jersey Family magazine. Readers of the magazine named more than 380 of their favorite doctors, dentists, speech/language therapists, and many other health care professionals. The winners work hard to keep kids healthy and also respond to parents’ concerns. This year’s list includes these Summit Medical Group pediatricians:
summit Medical group welcomes the Physicians of Allied surgical groupAllied Surgical Group has joined Summit Medical Group. In addition to access to Summit Medical Group’s multidisciplinary team of medical experts, state-of-the-art diagnostic technology, imaging and laboratory, Allied physicians will now be in network with most insurance providers. Allied Surgical Group will continue to see their patients at their current location, 261 James Street, Suite G, Morristown, N.J.
To find out more or to schedule an appointment with any of the surgeons at Allied Surgical Group at Summit Medical Group, please call 973-267-6400.
Mitchel S. Carter,MD, FACSGeneral Surgery
William L. Diehl, MD, FACSSurgical Oncology
Carey Dolgin, MD, FACSVascular Surgery
Kennedy O. Gabre, MD, FACSColorectal Surgery
Nine Named “favorite Kids’ Docs”
Stacy Bernstein, MD
Marnie J. Cambria, MD
Daniel E. Hermann, MD, MPH
Howard Kornfeld, MD, FAAP
Donna L. Lupski, MD, FAAP
John O. Percy Jr., MD
Kristen M. Shapren, MD
Beth Singer, MD, FAAP
Alan E. Thomas, MD, FAAP to f ind out more about our pediatr ic care, v isit w w w.summitmedicalgroup.com/ser vice/Pediatr ics--Adolescent-Medicine
Michael Most, MD, FACSHead and Neck Surgery
In 1988, I stood next to my dear father’s hospital bed as he took his last breath. My father had numerous health issues, including five heart attacks in his lifetime.
Despite all my father went through, being a slender female, I never gave my health a second thought. I remem-ber many nights sitting in front of the television and eating a whole pint of Häagen-Dazs ice cream.
X-Ray Shows TroubleThen several years ago, after a bad case of bronchitis, an X-ray showed I had atherosclerosis of the aorta. Results of a lipid profile were awful. Given my family history of heart dis-ease and the frightening X-ray results, I decided to consult a cardiologist and
called Summit Medical Group. They referred me to Dr. Avinash Kothavale, and I liked him right away. I could see that he knew his stuff and was more than willing to answer my long list of questions with patience, knowledge and a good sense of humor.
Dr. Kothavale told me I had risk factors for heart disease and he wanted to put me on a statin. “I’ll change my diet and get my numbers down,” I promised. I got my numbers down, but not enough, and he still urged me to use a statin. My resistance was finally overcome after Dr. Kothavale referred me to adult nurse practitioner Kimberly Prado.
Skeptic Turns ‘Poster Girl’I’ve been on statins for several years, and was delighted last year when Dr.
Kothavale referred to me as “the poster girl for good cholesterol numbers.”
I will never be able to change my family history for heart disease. However, thanks to the fine work of Dr. Kothavale, I feel that I am now doing my best to take good care of my health to prevent future cardiac problems. How grateful I am to Summit Medical Group for pointing me in the right direction.
—Gail Elias, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Gail Elias is the latest winner of a $200 Target gift card in our “Tell Us Your Story” initiative. Share your story about how Summit Medical Group helps you live well and stay well. See page 2 for details.
taking Cardiologist’s Advice to Heart—At Last
o u r d o c t o r s
908-273-4300 | www.summitmedicalgroup.com 7
Your Letters:
four New DocTors JoiN suMMiT MeDicAl grouP
Shari C. Flowers, MDRheumatology908-277-8640Berkeley Heights
David B. Levine, MD, FAAPPediatrics/ Adolescent Medicine908-228-3620Westfield
Garth Turner, MDNeurology908-277-8639Berkeley Heights
suMMiT MeDicAl grouP welcoMes BAcK NeurosurgeoNs
Please join us in welcoming back the following outstand-ing neurosurgeons to our medical team. Drs. Baskin, Chun, and Zampella will be located at the Spine Center, third floor of Bensley Pavilion at our 1 Diamond Hill Road campus. Call 908-277-8646 or check out www. summitmedicalgroup.com to find out more.
Please join us in welcoming these specialists.
Jay Young Chun, MD, PhDNeurosurgery
Jonathan Baskin, MD, FACSNeurosurgery
Lowell E. Gurey, MDEar, Nose and Throat908-277-8681Berkeley Heights
Edward Zampella, MD, FAANSNeurosurgery
PRSRT STDU.S. Postage
PAIDSummit
Medical Group
summit medical group1 diamond hill roadBerkeley heights, nJ 07922
He ALt HY COnneC t iOnS Jeffrey Le Benger, MD, chairman of the board of directors. For more information or suggestions concerning this publication, please call the Marketing Department at 908-277-8834 or email [email protected]. Healthy Connections is published by Summit Medical Group. The information within this publication is intended to educate readers about subjects pertinent to their health and is not meant to be a substitute for consultation with a personal physician. © 2012. Printed in U.S.A.
postmaster: please deliver within december 10-14
816M
Are you one of the almost 60,000 people in the U.S. who experienced a sudden inner-ear hearing loss this past year
leading to a condition called single-sided deafness? Or do you need a hearing aid, but you can’t use one because of
the shape of your ear canal or because of a chronic infection in the area?
If you find yourself saying yes to either question, there is a new option for you to consider. Soundbite, which uses the well-established principle of efficient sound transmission to the cochlea through direct bone vibration, is now available at Summit Medical Group.
Soundbite overcomes the problems of previous devices, such as the CROS aid (which requires wearing two hearing aids even if only one is needed) or BAHA (which requires a surgical proce-dure to implant a permanent titanium connector into the skull).
Soundbite is the world’s first removable and noninvasive solu-tion for patients with single-sided deafness or chronic ear canal problems.
Designed by the people who developed the Invisalign braces system, Soundbite consists of a small microphone worn in the ear and a custom-made vibrating device that fits around the back upper molars.
Several recent articles in the journal Otology and Neurotology have detailed patient comfort with the device and hearing improvement, especially in situations where there is background noise. Patients can eat with the device in place, and sounds—such as teeth clicking together when chewing—are not heard. Also, since no surgery is involved, there is no risk of infection and no waiting period for an implant to become fixed in the skull. These are issues with the BAHA option.
“Soundbite is a very clever advance in hearing rehabilitation, and patients with SSD or chronic ear canal problems love the idea that they can avoid surgery and still hear better,” says Jed Kwartler, MD, MBA, director of Summit Medical Group’s Ear Specialty Center.
take a Bite out of Hearing loss
curiouS? Find out more or make an appointment for a hearing evaluation by calling Summit Medical Group Audiology, 908-277-8868.
With So Many Top Doctors Covering So Many Specialties,
You Can Trust Your Family’s Care To Us.
70+ coordinated medical specialties and services
System-wide electronic health records
On-site digital imaging/pharmacy/lab
Multiple appointments in one day
Summit Medical Group is committed to providing the highest quality health and medical services for you and your family. In fact, 90% of our medical specialties are provided by physicians with Top Doctor rankings by New Jersey Monthly and nationally recognized Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., among other ratings providers.
As part of New Jersey’s largest multispecialty care network, Summit Medical Group doctors can focus on what’s most important: delivering integrated, comprehensive care to you and your family.
Contact us today: 908-273-4300
Berkeley Heights summitmedicalgroup.com
Bayonne • Millburn • Morristown New Providence • Short Hills • Springfield
Warren • Westfield
