Belleville, New Jersey—November 3, 2022—On Thursday, November 3, Clara Maass Medical Center celebrated 378 employees who have dedicated ten years or more of service to the hospital and RWJBarnabas Health at a festive Service Awards Banquet held in Nanina’s In The Park.
The joyful evening, postponed for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was filled with comradery, along with a delicious array of food, a fun photo booth, and a lively DJ, who introduced each service cohort with a musical hit that was popular the year they began working at Clara Maass.
The honored employees had given a combined 7,140 years of service and more than 13,952,250 hours of service to Clara Maass and RWJBarnabas Health, said Alfred Torres, Chief Human Resources Officer and Vice President, Clara Maass Medical Center.
Mary Ellen Clyne, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, Clara Maass Medical Center, thanked the employees for their dedication and commitment to providing patients with safe, high-quality care. “Every one of you is the heart and soul of Clara Maass,” she said. “The role you play makes a difference in having us stand out among the best nationally.”
Polly Spencer, Laboratory Supervisor at Clara Maass, was among three employees honored for 50 years of service to the hospital. “It’s been a family, especially the laboratory and all of my coworkers throughout the years,” she said.
Lynn Greb, RN, was honored for 30 years of service as a nurse at Clara Maass. “I love servicing this community because I live in the area,” she said. “I love taking care of patients.”
Doris Medina, Concierge Supervisor, front desk, was honored for 20 years of service at Clara Maass. “The best experience is the relationships we create with family members,” she said.
Junior Martinez, Director of Plant Operations, who was also honored for 20 years of service to the hospital, said he remembered the first time he entered Clara Maass. “I knew it was a special place and I wanted to be part of it. I saw how selfless their work was and I wanted to make sure we did our part to provide a facility that was adequate” to support the health care staff and the patients.
For 2022-2023, Clara Maass has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a High Performing hospital in three specialties where it rates Common Adult Procedures and Conditions: heart failure, kidney failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Clara Maass has received the Obstetrics and Gynecology Excellence Award and the Labor and Delivery Excellence Award from Healthgrades for the seventh year in a row (2016-2022). The 5-star rating associated with each Award indicates that Clara Maass’ excellent clinical outcomes for natural childbirth, C-section deliveries, and gynecologic procedures are among the top 10 percent of U.S. hospitals that were evaluated by Healthgrades.
- Clara Maass has received a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) based on a variety of measures across five areas of quality, including safety of care, mortality, readmission, patient experience, and timely and effective care.
- Clara Maass Medical Center received a five-star rating for Bariatric Surgery for the seventh consecutive year, 2017-2023, from Healthgrades. The 5-star rating reflects Clara Maass Medical Center’s dedication to delivering better-than-expected clinical outcomes for Bariatric Surgery and distinguishes Clara Maass as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for specialty care.
- The Center for Breast Health and Disease Management at Clara Maass Medical Center has received a Certificate of Accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a Program of the American College of Surgeons Quality Portal and a hallmark of excellence.
About Clara Maass Medical Center
Founded in 1869 as the Newark German Hospital, Clara Maass Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is celebrating more than 150 years of service to the community. Conveniently located in Belleville, NJ, Clara Maass Medical Center is a 472-bed hospital that offers a complete continuum of care to residents of northern New Jersey.
Clara Maass Medical Center has completed a state-of-the-art campus expansion of its Emergency Department, Operating Rooms and Post Anesthesia Care Unit with the addition of a four-story, 87,000 square foot medical office building that features a private Intensive Care Unit, main entrance and lobby, retail pharmacy and patient registration area. Designated by the New Jersey Department of Health as a Primary Stroke Center, the Medical Center has earned national recognition in patient safety and quality from Healthgrades and The Leapfrog Group.
The Medical Center leads the state in performing advanced treatment in ophthalmology and has earned certifications in Disease-Specific Care from The Joint Commission in Acute Coronary Syndrome, Congestive Heart Failure, Elective Hip and Knee Replacement, Cardiac Rehabilitation and Advanced Certification in Palliative Care and has earned accreditation in Bariatric Surgery by the Aetna Institute of Quality program. In partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Clara Maass Medical Center offers an excellent team of researchers and specialists to fight most types of cancer, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. Committed to the health and wellness of its community, the Center of Excellence for Latino Health at Clara Maass Medical Center was established to address the social determinants of health within the local Hispanic community.
The first in the country to be named for a nurse, the hospitals’ namesake, Clara Louise Maass was posthumously inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame Class of 2017.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering eight counties with five million people. The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville; Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth; three acute care children's hospitals; Children’s Specialized Hospital, including a network of outpatient centers; a behavioral health center and the state’s largest behavioral health network; two trauma centers; a satellite emergency department; ambulatory care centers; geriatric centers; comprehensive home care and hospice programs; fitness and wellness centers; retail pharmacy services; an affiliated medical group; multi-site imaging centers; and two accountable care organizations.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers – with more than 38,000 employees and 9,000 physicians – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers University, is New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research, and clinical activities, including those at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.
Media Contact
Carrie Snow
973-450-2989
carrie.snow@rwjbh.org