Good News For Community Medical Center

(The Hometown View returns Monday, November 24)

Community Medical Center got some long-awaited good news last week when they were granted permission to begin offering elective Angioplasty, something they could previously do only on an emergency basis. Community was among 12 hospitals in New Jersey chosen to take part in a clinical study to determine the success rate of angioplasty performed at hospitals without a cardiac surgery unit. It’s not surprising Community Medical was among them when you consider they treat more adults diagnosed with heart disease than any other hospital in the state and more Ocean County residents are treated for heart attacks as well.

Angioplasty is a surgical procedure in which a small balloon is inserted to open a blocked artery and restore blood flow to the heart. Community has been doing them on an emergency basis for two years but prior to this recent announcement patients having the procedure done on an elective basis had to go to other facilities. Mark Pilla, Executive Director of Community Medical Center said he was gratified with the recent announcement and elective angioplasty will be available “as soon as possible” as the process to begin the service is already underway. Pilla in a release also said he was thrilled that Community recently earned the highest possible ratings for the treatment of heart attack and heart failure from HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings company.

With apologies to the Toms River North football program and their fans, you had to be somewhat happy that Southern beat the Mariners in a first-round state playoff game over the weekend. The Rams have had success the past couple of years but always came up short when they played North and it cost them the American Division title the last two years and it was the Mariners who also bounced them from the state playoffs in 2007. However Southern made the big plays when they had to and came away with the biggest victory in the 11 years Chuck Donohue has been the coach in Manahawkin. Donohue, a true gentleman and class coach will now take his Rams to Cherokee with a huge monkey off their back.

For what it’s worth I will have knee surgery tomorrow and be out the rest of the week. The Hometown View returns next Monday.