Local Residents Named Physicians of the Year at Ocean Medical Center

Seven local residents have been named Physicians of the Year at Ocean Medical Center. Joseph Bogdan, M.D., of Spring Lake; Sukret Dwivedi, D.O., of Belmar; James Higgins, M.D., of Manasquan; and Lance Dillon, M.D., Mohamed Elsawaf, M.D., Kent Fung, M.D., and Paul Haynes, M.D., of Wall were recognized along with nine other physicians selected by the nurses at Ocean Medical Center in Brick, NJ.

Each year, the nurses at Ocean Medical Center celebrate the special relationship that they have with members of the medical staff by nominating physicians that they feel have exceeded their jobs with their dedicated service, enthusiasm, and support.  Dr. Bogdan, Dr. Dwivedi, Dr. Higgins, Dr. Dillon, Dr. Elsawaf, Dr. Fung, and Dr. Haynes have all demonstrated to the nurses at Ocean that they have a distinct commitment to their staff members and patients.

“Dr. Haynes treats the staff with respect and helps promote teamwork with other disciplines to get the job done,” the orthopedic nurses who work with him say. “He is a very compassionate individual who treats his patients with utmost respect, and explains the procedure and after-care to them without hurry.”

Nurses at Ocean Medical Center value doctors who help ease patient concerns. A nurse at the Woman’s Imaging Team recommends Dr. Dillon for this very reason, saying, “When I am prepping a patient for their procedure and I tell them Dr. Dillon is the best, I really mean it. His calm demeanor not only provides comfort to our patients, but to our team as well.” 

The quality of patient care is another important factor nurses used to select the winners this year. A nurse spoke about Dr. Elsawaf, saying, “He is to be commended for the excellent care he delivers, thus exemplifying a ‘CCU intensivist’ at its best.”

Also named as recipients of the Nurses’ Choice awards this year were Minako Abe, M.D., Rana Ali, M.D., Jonathan Banibensu, M.D., Andrew Lee, M.D., Michael Levitt, M.D., Ajay Mathur, M.D., Aarti Patel, M.D., Michael Rothberg, M.D., and Lisa Zahn, M.D.

According to Regina Foley, chief nurse executive and VP nursing at Ocean Medical Center, “Our nursing team and physicians have a very special relationship. They work collaboratively to provide exceptional, quality care, and have the highest regard for each other’s profession. These annual awards give the nurses an opportunity to recognize physicians who exemplify the expertise, compassion, and commitment that is indicative of Ocean’s medical staff.

About Ocean Medical Center

Standing out as a premier medical center along the Jersey Shore, Ocean Medical Center is home to exceptional talent, state-of-the-art technologies, and a growing medical campus, all surrounded by a community that offers quality of life for individuals and families of all ages. Ocean is a 281-bed non-profit community hospital located in Brick, New Jersey that provides health care programs and services in all major medical disciplines. Some key services include designation as a Primary Stroke Center; brain lab and neurological surgery; DaT Scan and advanced imaging technology; general, thoracic, and vascular surgery; comprehensive cancer care and radiation therapy technologies; a Joint Commission accredited orthopedic program; one of the nation’s most advanced cardiac catheterization laboratories and cardiac services; maternity, Acute Care of the Elderly, and critical care services. The Medical Center has begun a four-level Master Facility Plan that will transform the campus through an $82 million project that sets a foundation for future decades of growth. The main component of the project is a new 44,300 sq. ft. Emergency Department. The Medical Center features Magnet award winning nurses who work in collaboration with the medical staff, and is a System Partner, along with the other Meridian Health facilities, with the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. Ocean Medical Center also operates the state’s first Satellite Emergency Department in Point Pleasant, called the Ocean Care Center. The Medical Center has grown tremendously since opening in 1984 and is well positioned to evolve and respond to the changing community and health care landscape.