New Owner Of Secaucus Hospital Sued For Saddle Brook Facility

SECAUCUS, NJ — The new owner of the Secaucus hospital has been sued after a surgical center he operates in Saddle Brook may have recently exposed thousands of patients to HIV and other infections, according to the New Jersey Department of Heath.

This is now the second lawsuit filed against HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook over that issue.

"Hudson Regional Hospital is a completely separate entity from HealthPlus, and sterilization standards at Hudson Regional Hospital have not been an issue," said Marjorie Kaplan, a spokeswoman for the hospital.

The latest suit was filed this past Monday, Dec. 31, 2018 in Bergen County against Yan Moshe. Moshe, a real estate developer, took over ownership of the Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center last year, and renamed it Hudson Regional Hospital. He is currently in the midst of an ambitious campaign to try and improve its reputation in the area, starting with a public forum and Q&A Thursday night, Jan. 3 at the hospital.

Moshe also owns Excel Surgery Center (formerly Dynamic Surgery Center) in Hackensack and HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook.

However, in 2018 the New Jersey Department of Health launched an investigation into his Saddle Brook facility after getting reports of infection control breaches there. Anyone who had a procedure there between January and Sept. 7 of last year was notified that they may have been exposed, according to the state DOH. Although the state said the risk of infection is low, out of an abundance of caution, the New Jersey Department of Health recommended all patients get blood tests for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. As many as 3,000 people could have been exposed.

HealthPlus Surgery Center sent all the patients letters saying they should get checked for HIV and actually referred them to Hudson Regional Hospital, which will do the testing for free. (Read the letter below.) Two HealthPlus Surgery Center employees were fired and another one resigned after the poor sterilization practices were exposed.

The first lawsuit filed against Moshe was filed by a Passaic County couple who received treatment there, NJ 101.5 reported. This latest Dec. 31 suit was filed by a plaintiff identified only as "C.S.," represented by Michael Epstein, an attorney based in Rochelle Park, NJ. Fort Lee firm Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi is looking to file a class-action lawsuit against any patient who was affected.

The Department of Health closed the Moshe's Saddle Brook center for three weeks back in September, according to News12. The center reopened when new staff was hired and trained, improved the way it dispensed medicine and cleaned and repaired all instruments.

Mark Manigan, an attorney representing Yoshe, acknowledged to Patch there was a safety breach, but said there have been no known cases of HIV or hepatitis transmitted because of it.

"To our knowledge, no infection has been linked to exposure at HealthPlus and definitive results may be weeks or months away," he said in a statement provided to this news outlet. "The Department of Health specified, approved and is supervising all testing and HIPAA-guided notification activity related to HealthPlus following its survey last September 7. HealthPlus has been in a state of full compliance since September 27."

Additionally, Moshe's Hackensack surgery center has been cited several times for failing to meet safety regulations, the Bergen Record reported. He lives on Long Island.

Moshe purchased Meadowlands Hospital from a group of private owners. Prior to that, it had been owned by Liberty Health System, which used to also run the Jersey City Medical Center. Before it was sold, Meadowlands Medical Center was fraught with problems: The hospital was routinely given a "D" grade for patient safety and protocols by nonprofit group Leapfrog. The hospital is currently only operating at about 13 percent capacity, meaning that on any given day only about 26 of its 200 beds are full.

In 2017, Meadowlands was also fined $21,000 a month by state auditors for failing to submit financial records.

According to healthcare industry newsletter HPEA, Hudson Regional Hospital (HRH) will operate two first-aid stations and a wellness center at the American Dream mall across the river; the mall is scheduled to open this spring.

Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli told the Bergen Record last year that he wants Meadowlands to remain a hospital. With all the warehouses, the Turnpike and highways nearby, he thinks it's important Secaucus have an ER in town.

"As long as it stays a hospital, and they can do something to upgrade it," the community will be satisfied, Mayor Gonnelli said.

Ongoing Patch reporting on the Secaucus hospital:

Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center Approved To Be Sold

Public Q&A Thursday Night With Hudson Regional Hospital CEO