Frances Palm Named Zufall Health’s New President and Chief Executive Officer
Zufall Health announced today the appointment of Frances L. Palm, MPA, as president and chief executive officer (CEO). Palm, who currently serves as Zufall’s chief operating officer, will succeed outgoing president and CEO Eva Turbiner, effective February 1, 2023. The change marks the first time since 2006 that the health center will operate under a new president and CEO. Palm’s appointment follows a rigorous national search and selection process conducted by...
Ask Dr. Bob: Reflect on the Meaning in Your Life for a Happier 2023
Ending the year and beginning a new one is a time to look back on the experiences we’ve had and give some thought to what we’d like our lives to be like in the future. Most people want the year ahead, and their lives in general, to have some meaning or importance. Although you are probably not going to change the world in 2023, now is a good opportunity to...
2023 Construction Activity to Improve Patient Experience
Zufall Health’s ability to deliver high-quality health care to our 42,000 patients will be enhanced during the coming year through the completion of a number of new construction, renovation, and expansion projects. “The mid-year opening of our new West Orange site and improvements at our existing facilities will better serve our current patients and accommodate future growth,” explained Eva Turbiner, Zufall’s president and chief executive officer. Replacing our modest West Orange office...
At Zufall Health, Substance Use Recovery is Part of Primary Care
Providing support for substance use disorders (SUDs), which involve the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs despite harmful consequences, is one of the many ways that Zufall Health helps patients achieve better health. Though SUDs can be managed, most people do not get help. Only 1.4 percent of the 41 million people in the U.S with a SUD in 2020 received treatment. Misconceptions about people with SUDs – that they are...
Zufall Health Awarded More than $650,000 to Confront the HIV Epidemic in Essex County
Zufall Health’s HIV Services program is implementing a new, status neutral system of HIV care in Essex County, New Jersey, thanks a grant of more than $650,000 from the New Jersey Department of Health’s Division of HIV, STD, and TB Services. The grant program, Comprehensive Status-Neutral HIV Services for Focus Populations, is part of the state’s efforts to elevate HIV strategy in line with efforts to end the epidemic nationally....
Zufall and NJ Department of Health Rural Oral Health Conference Draws 300-Plus Learners
Zufall Health, in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), hosted virtually the Fourth Annual Rural Oral Health Conference (ROHC), on Friday, November 18. The day-long continuing education (CE) program provided more than 300 registrants in 45 U.S. states and around the world with expert insights about oral health in rural communities. Why does oral health in rural communities matter? Three of Zufall’s seven counties (Hunterdon, Sussex, and Warren)...
Meet Your Provider: Patricia Kao, M.D.
Pediatricians have a big responsibility to the littlest members of our community: they help patients ages birth to 21 grow into healthy adults. For Zufall Health’s Patricia Kao, M.D., being a pediatrician also means helping young patients overcome barriers to care. As the lead physician at Zufall’s Plainsboro site for the last year and, previously, a physician at our Somerville location for five years, Kao uses a person-centered, trauma-informed approach to...
Zufall Health Creates Healthy Smiles in Time for Veterans’ Day, and All Year-Round
Dozens of low-income military veterans received no-cost dental care at Zufall Health’s “Smiles for Our Heroes” event, sponsored by Delta Dental and the New Jersey Dental Association, on Saturday, November 5 in Dover and Morristown. Zufall provided a full range of services including dental exams and cleanings, oral cancer assessments, x-rays, fillings, and dentures, as well as refreshments, goodie bags, and nutrition education. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), a former U.S. Navy...
American Academy of Pediatrics Publishes Advice from Zufall Pediatrician Christine Pagano, M.D., About Keeping Kids Safe from Batteries
Christine Pagano, M.D., a pediatrician in Zufall’s Dover location, was published in October 2022 in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ digital publication HealthyChildren.org. Dr. Pagano’s article, “How can I protect my child from the dangers of lithium coin and button batteries?” addresses the growing problem of kids being admitted to emergency rooms for swallowing batteries, which are harmful to the body. Dr. Pagano writes: “In just 2 hours, lithium coin batteries can...
How Telehealth Transformed Our Delivery of Care
When Zufall Health’s clinical leadership first began discussions about telehealth with the New Jersey Primary Care Association (NJPCA), COVID-19 had yet to enter anyone’s vocabulary. Three years later, Zufall providers, including the Assistant Medical Director and family medicine physician Douglas S. Bishop, M.D., agree that telehealth has been essential for providing accessible and excellent health care delivery during the pandemic and beyond. In addition to mitigating the spread of the virus...