Growing up, Dr. Douglas Mazzuca Jr. watched his father — Dr. Douglas Mazzuca Sr. — heal his patients’ eyes and help them see the world much more clearly. While as a boy he admired his father’s work, Dr. Mazzuca Jr. decided to take a different path in life. He graduated from Villanova University with a…Read More

Saida S. Abdul-Aziz — Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Nurse Director Saida S. Abdul-Aziz, DHA.c, MSN, MBA-HCM, RN, FCN, is responsible for clinical, educational, planning, development, implementation and evaluation of all components of behavioral health services at SMC. Abdul-Aziz comes to SMC most recently from Haven Behavioral Hospital of Eastern Pennsylvania in Reading, PA, where she served…Read More

For the second consecutive year, SMC’s Pharmacy Department was recently honored by the Communicable Disease Service of the NJ Department of Health with a Silver Antimicrobial Steward Award for its success with the antimicrobial stewardship program at SMC. According to John Ferreria, PharmD, BCPS, the program allows multiple disciplines throughout the hospital to work together…Read More

Open Enrollment continues through Dec. 11. This year is a passive enrollment — which means unless you are making changes, you will be rolled over to the same plan options/elections as you elected in 2020. However, employees must re-enroll in Flexible Spending Accounts and Dependent/Day Care Programs. Also, Met Life Dental has been replaced by…Read More

SMC continues to expand its clinical services with the addition of neurosurgeons from Princeton Brain, Spine and Sports Medicine (PBSSM) — one of the state’s leading groups in neurosurgery. PBSSM has locations throughout New Jersey including one in Mullica Hill — home to Richard J. Meagher, MD, FACS — who, along with five colleagues, recently…Read More

Enjoying a holiday dinner with family is a traditional part of the season. SMC Director of Food and Nutrition Services Andrew Aquino said to follow these simple steps to avoid food poisoning or foodborne illnesses during the celebration. “Food poisoning can occur when a holiday buffet is left sitting out too long, or meats are…Read More

Director of Case Management Carol Klessel, RN, MSN, was recently faced with the challenge of helping a Florida truck driver who was sick and far from home. “He was COVID-19 positive, but ready to be discharged,” she explained. Due to travel restrictions, Klessel contacted the state Department of Health for guidance. “They said he couldn’t…Read More

The New Jersey Hospital Association has created a color-coded policy to set standard safety precautions for patients, visitors and staff based on the severity of COVID-19 cases at the facility. The policy deals with four areas: COVID-19 levels in the community, in the hospital, healthcare staffing levels, and PPE supplies. The goal is to balance…Read More

In the United States, someone dies by their own hand every 12 minutes, according to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). One staggering statistic is that Caucasian men average 22 suicides per 100,000 people, with those aged 45 to 64 representing the fastest-growing group, up from 20.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 30.1…Read More

For a suicidal patient, one of the most important elements of care occurs after the patient overcomes the acute crisis and is ready to leave the Unit. Inpatient Adult Psychiatric Unit Medical Director Bradford Bobrin, MD, FASAM, said outpatient care — which will be provided by Legacy Treatment Services — is essential in a successful…Read More