Pictured at the TOME Truck event are the members of Monmouth Medical Center's Thoracic Oncology Team and RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group, from left, Thoracic Surgeons Dr. Joseph Whitlark and Dr. Benjamin Medina, Dr. Richard Lazzaro, Chief of Thoracic Surgery for the RWJBarnbas Health Southern Region, Dr. Neil Ninan, Medical Director, Pulmonology, RWJBarnabas Health, Southern Region, and Thoracic Surgeon Dr. Ashley McCormack. They are pictured with Monmouth Medical Center President and CEO Eric Carney.

Long Branch, N.J., October 16, 2024-This week Monmouth Medical Center partnered with Intuitive Surgical to bring a unique opportunity for local students and community partners, as well as doctors, hospital staff and board members, to learn about the advanced robotic technology that is making new strides in the early detection and treatment of lung cancer.

The interactive Thoracic Oncology Mobile Experience (TOME) Truck, an 18-wheel, 80,000-pound roving laboratory that enables Intuitive to bring their advanced robotic systems and instruments to hospitals across the country, traveled to Long Branch for a two-day event held October 15 and 16. Attendees were able to experience firsthand the capabilities of the Ion and da Vinci robotic surgical systems and learn how this new technology could lead to improved patient outcomes.

The October 16 sessions focused on engaging local students from the Long Branch and Tinton Falls communities who have an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) as well as a future career in the healthcare field. Additionally, the students were provided a demonstration and skills training for Hands-Only CPR, a simple to learn and easy to remember effective technique involving only hand compressions without mouth-to-mouth breaths.

Monmouth Medical Center was the second in New Jersey and the first in central and southern New Jersey to introduce Ion, a robot-assisted platform designed to enable minimally invasive lung biopsies that may become a key part of early diagnosis. The hospital is nearing the milestone of its 200th Ion case and continues to expand the advanced capabilities of its thoracic oncology program to reach more patients.

"We are proud to be able to introduce these amazing new technologies locally as a part of our commitment to delivering the highest level of thoracic care to our patients," says Monmouth Medical Center President and CEO Eric Carney. "In pioneering these firsts, our team has a singular focus - that is on increasing survival and quality of life for patients with lung cancer."

The TOME Truck also featured presentations from Monmouth Medical Center's Thoracic Oncology Team led by Dr. Richard Lazzaro, Chief of Thoracic Surgery for the RWJBarnabas Health, Southern Region; as well as Dr. Neil Ninan, Medical Director, Pulmonology, RWJBarnabas Health, Southern Region; and thoracic surgeons Drs. Ashley McCormack, Benjamin Medina, and Joseph Whitlark,

In addition to the local students, the TOME Truck hosted sessions for hospital management, local community partners, and doctors and surgeons. Monmouth Medical Center is committed to engaging the local community and providing education and resources about cancer screening and treatment to improve patient outcomes.

"Approximately three times more women in the U.S. die from lung cancer than from breast cancer and more than three times as many men as prostate cancer. Early detection through quick and painless low dose CT scans of high-risk individuals reduces their chance of death by up to 20 percent, says Dr. Lazzaro. "As we approach November, which is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, let's move the needle with lung cancer screening, through the use of the most advanced technologies to screen, detect, diagnose and treat these patients."

Monmouth Medical Center together with Rutgers Cancer Institute, the state's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, provides access to the most advanced cancer treatment options including the latest technologies close to home. To learn more and request a lung screening, visit rwjbh.org/lungscreening.

About Monmouth Medical Center

Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, along with The Unterberg Children's Hospital, is a regional teaching campus for Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. As the first hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties, Monmouth Medical Center offers the most experienced surgeons in robotics and other minimally invasive procedures as well as bariatric and joint and spine surgery. Delivering more babies annually than all other hospitals in Monmouth and Ocean counties combined, Monmouth Medical Center was recently one of nine New Jersey hospitals recognized by Newsweek magazine as a top maternity hospital. The hospital offers access to the region's top cardiologists and the award-winning, nationally recognized RWJBarnabas Health heart centers. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and the 11th in the country to earn Magnet Recognition with Distinction® from the American Nurses Credentialing as a reflection of its nursing professionalism, teamwork and superiority in patient care. It is the only hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties to consistently receive an "A" Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization. RWJBarnabas Health and Monmouth Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside patients, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.

Contacts:

Elizabeth Brennan
732-923-5005
[email protected]

Kathy Horan
732-923-6632
[email protected]

Amy Zheng
908-461-6795
[email protected]