Shore Medical Center’s Emergency Department Navigator Program Earns NJHA Excellence in Patient Experience Award

When you or someone you love is receiving care in the Emergency Department, waiting for test results, a hospital room or the next step in care can bring uncertainty and questions. During those in-between moments, having someone nearby who understands the hospital process and is there to listen can provide welcome reassurance.

That desire to better support patients and families inspired Shore Medical Center to launch its Emergency Department Navigator Volunteer Program in 2025. Now, the innovative program has earned statewide recognition from the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) with its Excellence in Patient Experience Award.

Supporting Patients and Families in the Emergency Department
Shore Medical Center's Emergency Department Navigator Volunteer Program brings together retired physicians, nurses and other experienced professionals who volunteer their time to support patients and families throughout their Emergency Department experience.

Volunteer navigators spend time with patients and loved ones during periods of waiting, answering questions about the hospital process, helping them understand what may happen next and offering reassurance when they need it most.

Their role is simple but meaningful: to help patients and families feel more informed, supported and connected throughout their time in the Emergency Department.

The impact is reflected in feedback from those they serve. In conversations with staff and through patient experience surveys, patients and families have repeatedly shared that the program helped them feel seen, heard and cared for.

Recognized Among New Jersey's Best
Shore Medical Center received the Excellence in Patient Experience Award during NJHA's Best at the Beach, held July 9 in Long Branch.

Best at the Beach celebrates the people and programs helping put New Jersey on the map for nationally ranked healthcare. Each year, honorees are nominated and selected by their peers from across the state, making the recognition especially meaningful for the Shore Medical Center team.

The Excellence in Patient Experience Award recognizes programs that are making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. For Shore Medical Center, the honor reflects our commitment to providing not only high-quality healthcare, but also a compassionate and supportive experience for every patient and family who comes through our doors.

A Team Effort Built on Compassion
This recognition belongs to Shore Medical Center's dedicated volunteer navigators, whose professional experience, compassion and commitment to service bring comfort and reassurance to patients and families every day.

The award also reflects the vision and collaboration of Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard Galler; Director of Volunteers Lisa DiTroia, CAVS; Administrative Director of Patient Experience Kathleen Biancorosso; and the Shore Medical Center Emergency Department team, who worked together to develop and bring the program to life.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this well-deserved recognition, and thank you to our Emergency Department Navigator volunteers for helping patients and families feel more informed, more at ease and less alone throughout their care.