(New Brunswick, NJ) - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Chief Echocardiography Technologist Bharat Patel, RDCS, FASE, was recently honored by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Foundation with a 2021 Biggest Heart Award.
Patel, who has been the ASE Foundation’s Annual Appeal Committee Co-Chair since 2019, was recognized for being the organization’s Top Solicitor last year.
“Bharat has been very involved and a tremendous advocate for our Foundation for many years,” said Robin Wiegerink, CEO, ASE Foundation. “He has supported the Foundation with his own personal contributions as well as seeking support from donors. We are deeply grateful for the support of individuals like Bharat who generously give their time and talent to ensure that we achieve our goals.”
Partho Sengupta, MD, FACC, FASE, Henry Rutgers Professor of Cardiology and Chief of the Division of Cardiology at RWJUH and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, added, “Bharat’s commitment to the ASE, the professional advancement of his colleagues in his field, and global medical outreach missions to address the needs of underserved communities serves as an inspiration for us all.”
The ASE Foundation is ASE’s charitable arm, helping to assure the viability and visibility of cardiovascular ultrasound. The ASE Foundation was created to provide support for initiatives, such as training scholarships and scientific research, not supported by membership dues. The scope and success of these projects are completely dependent on donor giving. Each year, the ASE Foundation looks to ASE members, the greater community of health care providers, corporate and industry partners, and other foundations to secure the funding needed to realize these goals.
A Nutley resident, Patel has been an ASE Fellow since 2002 and has served on the ASE Foundation Annual Appeal Committee since 2013. For Patel, his ASE involvement has allowed him to give back to other professionals in his field, as well as medically underserved individuals around the world.
“I have gained so much knowledge about technology, that I felt it was time to give back to the community, especially the underserved,” Patel explained. “You get to meet people from all over the world and learn new things. It really helps you spread your wings and build your career.”
For example, Patel has worked closely with Dr. Sengupta on medical outreach events both in the United States and abroad. One of the goals of these events is to give severely medically underserved communities access to cardiac ultrasound scanning capabilities. The events have included visits to communities in West Virginia, India and Argentina over the years.
An ASE Foundation event serving indigenous people in a remote area of Argentina stands out to him. Clinicians were able to detect an infection and fluid collection around a baby’s heart, which had caused her respiratory distress. If left untreated the condition could deteriorate and lead to heart failure. After lengthy discussions with the child’s mother stressing the need for more specialized treatment, clinicians and a medical equipment transport truck driver drove the mother and baby eight hours through the night to a hospital equipped to deliver the necessary care. “The collaboration among physicians and techs affiliated with the ASE and the tribe leadership made this happen,” Patel notes.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 614-bed academic medical center that serves as the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.
RWJUH has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Recognition for Nursing Excellence and being named to Newsweek’s 2022 list of Best Maternity Care Hospitals. The RWJUH Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center has been recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association as meeting The Joint Commission's standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Advanced Certification. RWJUH has also earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification for Spine Surgery; The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Bariatric Services; and The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement services. The Joint Commission also awarded RWJUH a Gold Seal Certification as well as an Advanced Certification in Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation.
For more Information visit us online atwww.rwjbh.org/newbrunswick.
About ASE
The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) is the Society for Cardiovascular Ultrasound Professionals™. Founded in 1975, ASE is the largest global organization representing cardiovascular ultrasound imaging. ASE is the leader and advocate for physicians, sonographers, scientists, veterinarians, students, and all those with an interest in echocardiography, setting practice standards and guidelines for the field. The Society is committed to advancing cardiovascular ultrasound to improve lives. For more information about ASE, visit: ASEcho.org and follow us @ASE360.
About ASE Foundation
The ASE Foundation is the charitable arm of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), helping to assure the viability and visibility of cardiovascular ultrasound. The ASE Foundation was created to provide support for initiatives, such as training scholarships, global outreach, and scientific research, not supported by ASE membership dues. For more information about the ASE Foundation, visit: ASEFoundation.org.
Contact: Peter Haigney
RWJUH Public Relations
(732) 937-8568