Autumn Years Summer 2024

Audrey’s role orchestrating the growth of Valley Health System does not end with the hospital’s move to Paramus. Her particular focus is now geared towards the development of programs and services to occupy the Ridgewood Campus. “In fact,” Audrey states, “the day after we moved, we started renovating in Ridgewood to create a space for our new Graduate Medical Education program.” There are plans for a summer start for medical residency programs in Internal Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology in partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “We never had the space for a residency program, and we now look forward to welcoming 15 residents in July,” she says. In addition to Graduate Medical Education, Valley Health System– Ridgewood Campus, the new name for the Ridgewood facility will house Valley’s Breast Center, the outpatient laboratory, diagnostic imaging, endoscopy services and Valley’s Community Care program. “Over time, we are working on a full repurposing plan for this campus. My goal is to see if I can broaden the array of services we provide,” says Audrey. “For instance, could we do skilled nursing in Ridgewood or long-term acute care? There are many services that we could consider,” Audrey says. “We will also be bringing some existing services from other Valley locations to the Ridgewood campus. One of these services is our Center for Sleep Medicine currently located on Franklin Turnpike in Ridgewood.

undertaken by thousands of members of Valley’s staff. “We have an incredible team,” says Audrey. “Joseph Lorino, Vice President of Facilities Management for Valley Health System, oversaw the design and construction of the hospital. When it came to the monumental task of planning for the hospital’s move, Dr. Robert Brenner, President

Audrey, husband Scott, daughters Mara and Jenna, and Audrey’s parents, Sue and Don Meyer. As a result of the technology, nurses document their patient care not only at traditional nursing stations but also at the computers located in each of the 370 single-patient rooms. The computers in patients’ rooms have been designed with a rotating keyboard so that staff never need to turn their back on the patient. “The design helps the staff ergonomically and ensures direct communication with their patient,” says Audrey. To further enhance patient communication, staff members have an RFID tag that automatically displays their name on the patient’s 75-inch digital screen, located at the foot of their bed, when they enter the patient’s room. In designing the hospital, patient comfort, convenience and staff efficiency were top considerations. Each room has a special closet for medications, and it can only be opened by the appropriate staff with an RFID tag. When patients are discharged, their medications can be packaged and delivered to their room. The features of the new hospital are the result of years of planning and teamwork

of Valley Health System, and Karteek Bhavsar, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, teamed up with a host of experts both internal and external to oversee logistics.”

Audrey delivering a speech on the day she was an nounced President and CEO of The Valley Hospital.

The planning included doing a mock move, a trial run where three ambulances brought hospital employees posing as patients from the Ridgewood Campus to the Paramus Campus to analyze the process and be ready to solve problems. The actual move took place on Sunday, April 14. A total of 195 patients were safely moved from Ridgewood to Paramus over several hours.

32

AUTUMN YEARS I SUMMER 2024