Embracing All Cultures - Holy Name Medical Center Korean Medical Program Recognized by NJBIZ

Holy Name Medical Center’s Korean Medical Program (KMP) has been named a finalist in the NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes awards program. NJBIZ, a business news publication, honors individuals and organizations who are making a significant impact on the quality of healthcare in New Jersey.

               Currently celebrating its fifth year of providing culturally and linguistically sensitive healthcare to the Korean-American population, the KMP has grown exponentially since its founding. Eighty physicians are associated with the program, and the number of annual patient visits to the Holy Name Medical Center (HNMC) campus and KMP satellite locations in Closter and Englewood Cliffs has grown to 40,000, a 90% increase over the program’s first year.

                HNMC has become the Korean community’s hospital of choice- where Korean-speaking patients and visitors are greeted in the lobby by Korean-speaking customer service representatives, patients are offered warm liquids instead of ice water and new mothers served seaweed soup, in keeping with their cultural traditions.   Through extensive media coverage in local Korean media outlets, the KMP is raising the population’s awareness of the importance of prevention, screening and early detection, particularly of illnesses that are prevalent in the Korean- American community.

Included among the programs and services offered  to the community are the Annual Community Health Fair where tests,  vaccinations, screenings,  and consultations are provided free of charge to 1500 uninsured/underinsured individuals; the Walk for Mom Breast Cancer Awareness campaign; Mental Health campaign; and Hepatitis B/Liver Health campaign.  The Asian Diabetes Center screens 2000 patients annually, and the Healthy You Program provides individualized health plans to reduce high cholesterol and improve overall health of participants.

                 Other programs have been created to meet the needs of the diverse community served by Holy Name. The Hispanic Outreach Program offers culturally-sensitive healthcare and screenings and seminars for Spanish-speaking individuals in churches, schools and libraries throughout Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties.

Observant Jewish patients will find accommodations at Holy Name that include kosher meals for patients and guests, a Sabbath overnight room for family members, a Sabbath elevator, Sabbath lounge stocked with kosher snacks and two separate microwaves for meat and dairy, an interfaith chapel and end- of -life hospice and palliative care programs that have been accredited by the National Institute for Jewish Hospice.

Inspired by Holy Name’s founding order, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace, Holy Name is committed to helping our community achieve the highest attainable level of health.  It’s not just our job to serve every member of our community. It’s our mission.

For more information about Holy Name programs and services or for a physician referral, please visit holyname.org or call 1-877-HOLYNAME (1-877-465-9626).