Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center Approved for Elective Angioplasty

Updated licensing enables planned angioplasty for heart disease

James Young, executive fundraising director for Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center (SOMC), unexpectedly became a patient when he suffered a heart attack in late 2024. His emergency angioplasty at SOMC was a success, and coincidentally helped the hospital reach the case threshold required to offer elective angioplasty. The New Jersey Department of Health recently approved SOMC's application for this licensure, allowing the Armellino Family Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (a facility Young helped fund) to offer this service.

Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure to open blocked arteries. Elective angioplasty allows cardiologists to schedule procedures for stable patients with coronary artery disease, providing diagnosis and treatment in a single visit. Previously, SOMC only offered emergency angioplasty.

"Treating emergencies like Jim's is crucial, but offering elective angioplasty gives patients more control over their heart health," said Jason Nehmad, M.D., MBA, FACP, CPE, SOMC vice president and chief medical officer. "This enhanced care is paramount."

Young, 55, agrees. "Preventative medicine is much better than emergency medicine," he said, reflecting on his experience.

“This expansion of cardiac services at SOMC – from diagnostic testing to emergency and now elective angioplasty – benefits the growing region,” according to Kenneth N. Sable, M.D., MBA, FACEP, president, Southern Region, Hackensack Meridian Health. It complements the network’s comprehensive cardiovascular services available throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties. This includes the counties’ only open-heart and minimally invasive cardiac surgery program at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where Young conveniently received outpatient cardiac rehabilitation close to his Neptune home.

James Orlando, M.D., director of the Armellino Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at SOMC, emphasized the importance of patient involvement in heart care. “Elective angioplasty allows for personalized planning, avoids unnecessary travel, and maintains continuity with a patient’s local care team.”

For Young, it's been a full-circle experience. From fundraising for cardiac services to becoming a patient and now raising awareness for elective angioplasty, he's uniquely positioned to share his story. "I'm now the grateful patient," he said, praising the compassionate care he received. "Hackensack Meridian treats people like family."

Individuals looking for a heart specialist, heart education and/or heart disease screening programs should call 844-HMH-WELL or visit HMHhasHeart.com. To support cardiac services at Southern Ocean Medical Center, please visit GiveHMH.org/SouthernOcean

Southern Ocean Medical Center’s Cardiovascular Program

• Southern Ocean’s cardiovascular specialists utilize a leading-edge angiography imaging system, GE Innova IGS 540, to provide vascular, cardiac, and interventional radiology services and accurately diagnose and treat heart, artery and valve diseases. Exercise, nuclear and Persantine/Lexiscan Nuclear Stress Tests for the heart are provided by the team as well as stress echocardiology and a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program.
• SOMC is part of an interdisciplinary, statewide team of nationally recognized cardiac and vascular specialists supported by continued investments in facilities resulting in innovations in patient care and advanced treatment options.
• In 2024, SOMC received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Gold Performance Achievement Award recognizing SOMC’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients.
• This is in addition to the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award for a commitment to improving outcomes for patients with heart failure, resulting in reduced readmissions, and more healthy days at home.

Hackensack Meridian Health’s Cardiovascular Expertise

• Hackensack Meridian Health provides more interventional treatments and diagnostic procedures in cardiovascular care than any other New Jersey healthcare network. (NJ DOH Cardiac Data Registries, 2023).
• The network has two cardiovascular care “hubs” for complex care located in the northern and southern regions of the state: Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) and Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC), respectively.
• These hubs provide comprehensive cardiac services – from minimally invasive valve and heart rhythm procedures to emergency heart attack care and complex cardiac surgery – backed by a network of community hospitals that offer elective and emergency cardiac catheterization services.
• This spectrum of care available across New Jersey means that residents have access to the most advanced cardiovascular therapies delivered by some of the region’s most experienced clinicians.
• HMH has the distinction of having six of the 70 programs in the U.S. that have achieved the American College of Cardiology (ACC) HeartCARE Designation. HMH programs are the only HeartCARE designated Centers in New Jersey.