Hospital Firsts

New Jersey’s healthcare institutions are on the cutting edge when it comes to being first in the state, nation or world to implement new technologies.

By Lisa Goulian Twiste, Contributing Writer On Aug 1, 2025

New Jersey hospitals continue to rank among the top innovators in the US, with several institutions across the state becoming the first in New Jersey – and in some cases, the nation or world – to introduce revolutionary new medical platforms in the last year.

This propensity toward cutting-edge technology can be attributed to such factors as New Jersey’s expanding life sciences industry, the use of AI in shaping the future of patient care, and the large concentration of medical technology companies that have contributed to breakthroughs in personalized medicine, 3D visualization, and robotic surgery. Recognition of these achievements also adds to the state’s talent pool, leading to even more innovation and positive results.

“Being a leader boosts an institution’s reputation, attracts more professionals, and increases its influence in research, education, and policy,” says John Matsinger, DO, MBA, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Marlton-based Virtua Health. “Most importantly, being a leader in healthcare results in better outcomes for patients and better patient experiences.”

Dan Musat, MD, associate director of electrophysiology at The Valley Hospital, and director of electrophysiology research for Valley Health System, emphasizes the importance of innovation in the areas of electrophysiology and cardiology, saying, “The technology is changing rapidly, and each new technology and advancement provides better tools for understanding and treatment of the diseases for the benefit of the patients. If you do not adopt the newest treatments and technologies, you are left behind and provide patients suboptimal treatments.”

Valley Health System 

Last July, The Valley Hospital in Paramus announced treatment of the first patient in New Jersey – and one of the first in the US – with a new FDA-cleared holographic cardiac ablation visualization platform known as CommandEP. Manufactured by SentiAR of St. Louis, CommandEP is designed to improve efficiency of cardiac ablation procedures, which use heat, cold, or pulsed electric fields to create small scars in the heart tissue that interrupt irregular electrical pathways in the heart that cause abnormal rhythms.

Electrophysiologists using the SentiAR system wear AR (augmented reality) glasses that display an interactive, intuitive, and hands-free view of the patient’s heart. Behind the scenes, the system integrates with the hospital’s electroanatomic mapping system (EAMS) platforms to provide a 3D view of the patient’s anatomy for the electrophysiologist to view in real time, guiding the procedure.

“The technology allows the physician during the procedure to have a real 3D model of the heart in front of the eyes to better understand the anatomy, position of the catheters, and to more accurately navigate with the catheters to the desired areas of treatment,” says Musat, whose team has done about 50 procedures to date.

Atlantic Health System

In October, the Mako Spine Robot, a technology that allows for robotic assistance and navigation in spinal surgery, made its worldwide debut at Morristown Medical Center. Dr. Jason Lowenstein, an adult and pediatric spine and scoliosis surgeon affiliated with Atlantic Health System, performed the first-ever procedure using this technology. Developed by Kalamazoo, Michigan-based Stryker Corporation, the robot is used to plan placement of spinal instrumentation as well as assist in the actual delivery of spinal hardware during surgery. This allows for smaller incisions and decreases soft tissue dissection – thereby reducing recovery time from surgery.

The Mako Spine Robot platform also includes the Airo Tru-CT imaging system, which allows for intra-operative CT scans to be performed at the time of surgery, and the Q Guidance Navigation system, which reviews the intra-operative CT images, allowing for pre-operative planning of screw and rod placement so hardware can be positioned with pinpoint accuracy.

“Use of enabling technologies such as intra-operative image guidance, navigation, and robot assistance allows for increased safety when performing complex and minimally invasive spine surgery,” Dr. Lowenstein says. 

Hackensack Meridian Health

Hackensack Meridian Health also had many firsts over the past year across its network of 18 New Jersey hospitals. For example, in January, Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) in Neptune became the first in the state (and in the Northeast) to offer pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES), which helps patients with dysphagia – a common condition following stroke – to regain their swallowing function and the ability to eat and drink. The technology works by inserting a specialized catheter with built-in electrodes through the nose to stimulate critical sensory nerves within the throat (pharynx).

In another breakthrough, JSUMC and Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC) are now providing patients with the AGENT Drug-Coated Balloon (DCB), designed to treat in-stent restenosis (ISR) in patients with coronary artery disease. Following proper preparation to re-open a previously stented artery that has re-narrowed due to plaque or scar tissue, the device is inserted and transfers a therapeutic dose of paclitaxel to the artery wall to help prevent ISR reoccurrence. 

“We are pleased to have performed the first procedure in New Jersey using AGENT DCB in June 2024 to treat coronary ISR, an approach that enables us to help prevent reoccurrence of this challenging condition, and without leaving behind another layer of permanent metal implants,” says Matthew Saybolt, M.D., FACC, medical director of the structural heart disease program at JSUMC.

Another HMH first over the last year includes the use of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (Hi-Fu), where sound waves travel through the skin and skull, allowing procedures to be performed without any incisions. This focused ultrasound system, available at HUMC, JSUMC and JFK University Medical Center in Edison, is particularly useful for treating tumors in difficult-to-reach areas of the brain, as well as for managing movement disorders like essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.

Virtua Health

The last year has also been an exciting time for Virtua Health, which became the first institution on the East Coast – and second in the nation – to fully adopt and incorporate the da Vinci 5 across its entire health network. This platform, the latest by robotic surgery pioneer Intuitive, is the most advanced of its kind, offering enhanced views inside the body, novel force-sensing technology that may reduce trauma to tissue, and better positioning options for surgeons.

Virtua has 19 robotic-surgery operating rooms across five hospitals using da Vinci technology, which enables smaller incisions and greater precision, often leading to faster recovery, less pain after surgery, and fewer complications. Da Vinci systems are designed for a range of soft-tissue surgeries, including hernia repairs, lung and other thoracic procedures, bariatric (weight loss) surgery, and urologic, gynecologic, and colorectal procedures. 

Virtua is a national leader in this field, having performed more than 43,000 robotic-assisted operations since 2006. 

“Our approach to approving and implementing new technology is multidisciplinary, including clinical and non-clinical participation that aligns with strategic objectives,” Virtua COO Matsinger says. “For this initiative, Virtua utilized outcomes data to support the business case to transition to the da Vinci 5 after validating the overall impact on patient care and operational efficiencies.”

Holy Name Medical Center

Also in the area of cardiology, Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck is one of two hospitals in New Jersey – Valley Hospital being the other – now utilizing a cutting-edge cardiac imaging technology: photon-counting CT (or PCCT). This next-generation CT scanner provides higher-resolution, higher-contrast, and precise diagnostic images of the heart in one step – compared to multiple steps in the past – thereby exposing patients to less radiation while enabling doctors to detect life-threatening issues and provide faster, more accurate diagnoses.

“At Holy Name, we have found that the combination of the new PCCT technology with artificial intelligence is a game changer in cardiac imaging. This advancement is changing the standard of care for cardiac and coronary imaging,” says Dr. Jeffrey Goldman, Holy Name’s director of cardiac CT. “The improved resolution of PCCT allows us to more accurately assess the risk of coronary artery disease and determine the optimum treatment plan. This results in fewer unnecessary invasive procedures and allows us to develop a personalized fine-tuned medical treatment plan.”

In addition to enhanced imaging capabilities and reduced radiation exposure, PCCT also allows for faster scan times – performing scans at high heart rates eliminates the need for beta-blockers – and has a broader application. In addition to cardiac imaging, PCCT can be used across various medical fields, including neurological and oncological imaging, where it helps detect subtle tumors and improve early-stage diagnosis.

Goldman underscored the importance of this technology in elevating New Jersey’s reputation for patient care, saying, “The ability of community hospitals in New Jersey to participate in the adaptation of new, cutting-edge technology provides the New Jersey community with top-of-the-line medical treatment without needing to travel out of state to receive premium medical care.”

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