Healthcare

New Jersey Hospitals Offer State-of-the-Art Technologies

Local hospitals are using the latest medical devices and advanced testing procedures to provide quality care to patients.

By Shameyka McCalman On Jun 6, 2024

New Jersey hospitals incorporate state-of-the-art technologies into their daily treatments and diagnoses to offer the best care to the most vulnerable. Specialists in thoracic surgical care, cancer care, maternal-fetal health, cardio health, and others are making strides to ensure patients receive the best possible health outcomes.

Breast and Lung Cancer Care

Advanced imaging is the latest state-of-the-art technology implemented at RWJBarnabas Health for lung cancer diagnosis and treatment. Physicians are turning two-dimensional, black-and-white CT scans into three-dimensional models, closely analyzing the relationship between the heart, arteries, and lungs, creating a blueprint for lung cancer surgeries.

Dr. Richard Lazzaro, a thoracic surgery specialist at RWJBarnabas, finds this instrumental in his work, especially when using ion robotic bronchoscopes, which utilize imaging for patients who might have a nodule in their lungs. He feels that “[though it’s] underutilized in our field, [it helps doctors with] operative planning and intraoperative decision making – a super valuable tool.”

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) also aims to use the latest technologies when treating breast cancer patients at its facilities. Dr. Michael Horton, vice president of radiology at HMH, credits two new technologies with interpreting breast cancer images faster and more accurately.

“We have, from a technology standpoint, modernized and upgraded every one of our mammogram machines to the most superb technology: 3D high resolution and Genius AI. Before this, only some sites had high-resolution imaging, and none had Genius AI.”

Blood Testing and Vascular Disease Devices

Dr. Kintur Sanghvi, interventional cardiologist at Virtua Health, who performed the first renal denervation case in New Jersey, highlights a new device as one of the latest groundbreaking procedures in his field: “It’s a breakthrough procedure because in the last 35 to 40 years, there has been no new medication or treatment for high blood pressure,” Dr. Sanghvi says. “This new treatment is a one-time minimally invasive procedure where we enter the groin artery, go to the kidney artery, and use one of two FDA-approved devices.”

Dr. Edwin Guzman, medical director of perinatology at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, who works with high-risk pregnancies and fetus complications, notes that current blood-drawing technologies at his hospital are making strides in his field.

“We can detect many conditions through blood draw, rather than an invasive genetic procedure. We have situations where a woman might have been sensitized to an antigen, and the antibodies that are produced can cross the placenta and attack the baby’s blood. We can draw the baby’s blood to see if there’s a risk,” he continues. “It’s pretty accurate and beneficial.”

Discovering New Technologies

Across the board, medical professionals find new technological advancements in their field in similar ways; they stay abreast of the latest innovations by attending conferences, visiting vendor demonstrations, and reading journal articles.

“[Technology companies] send representatives to inform hospitals and physicians about what they offer,” Dr. Guzman says.

Doctors mostly agree to use financial analysis when reviewing new technologies, which involves administrators in finance, accounting, and upper management. Doctors need to weigh in, assuring them that the technology might be the most expensive, but delivers the best outcomes.

Depending on the innovation, once a new technology is approved for use in a hospital, it can sometimes take five months to even five years before doctors can use it on patients. The time span depends on what doctors and administrators are reviewing and learning.

Are New Technologies Worth Their Price?

Should medical institutions purchase the best technologies on the market to provide premium healthcare to their patients? Dr. Darius Sholevar, a cardiac electrophysiologist and colleague of Dr. Sanghvi’s at Virtua Health, thinks so.

“One of the things that’s unique about healthcare is the philosophy that if there is something that is going to improve patient care, even if it costs [a lot of] money, we’re going to do it if it improves patient care.”

He continues, “We have to figure out how to pay for it. However, while everything we implement undergoes cost analysis, the focus has to stay on the patient,” he says.

According to Dr. Lazzaro from RWJBarnabas, hospitals ultimately review and make decisions in favor of the patient, above all else. It’s a no-brainer for our administrators to align with clinical leadership to say a [certain] technology is needed for our community.”

Making Technologies Accessible to Everyone

As new technologies continue to roll out throughout the state, hospitals are diligently removing any barriers that may make them unaffordable or unobtainable.

One of Virtua Health’s most significant and accessible innovations is a mobile mammogram van that travels through Camden, offering free mammograms to people who cannot travel to a nearby radiology center.

“One mobile mammogram van costs more than a million dollars,” says Virtua Health’s Dr. Sholevar. “These mammograms are free, but the Virtua Foundation and much of the charitable work done because of our non-profit status allow the hospital to do these things.”

Dr. Horton shares that Hackensack Meridian Health invested upwards of $10 million to update its mammography machines throughout its healthcare network so that no two patients receive a different level of care.

Conclusion

While rapid technological advancements may be costly and time-consuming, hospitals are constantly updating their devices, imaging, and AI systems to ensure one standard of care. These technologies make procedures and diagnostics faster, safer, and more efficient for doctors and patients.

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