Why a Top Surgeon Chose Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center
Matthew J. Finnegan, M.D., tried to keep his answer to one short statement, but the enthusiasm bubbled over.
"Why did I move my practice to Lourdes? It's simple," he said. "I came here because it is one of the finest hospitals in the country that provides excellent bedside care in an advanced setting.
But there was more. The veteran surgeon went on to explain the difference between a "good" hospital and the "advanced setting" of the Lourdes facility in Camden.
"As a physician evaluating a hospital, you look at its contribution to the community. You want an excellent Ob-Gyn so area residents can have their babies right around the corner. You want good, solid general surgery, positives like that."
"But when you look to move to the next level of care, you want a major medical center that has a history of providing excellent care to even the sickest people in the community. You want not only general surgery but you want a center of excellence, you want more depth of capability and experience."
And that is what you get at Lourdes, he said.
Dr. Finnegan is one of three physicians in Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center Surgical Associates, which joined the medical center earlier this year. The other physicians are James O. Finnegan, M.D. (his father), and Brian C. Smeal, M.D.
The three-physician practice does a wide range of surgery, including but not limited to abdominal (gastrointestinal, hernia and more), colorectal, laparoscopic, and thoracic (lung and esophageal cancer cases, for example) and breast cancer. It also specializes in non-healing wound management.
Dr. Matthew Finnegan said his experience at Lourdes confirms his initial impressions.
"They are constantly renovating this facility and it's probably one of the cleanest hospitals I've ever worked for, which is always a good sign" he said. "There is a friendly, positive attitude here from really motivated people and there is a stream of energy you recognize when you first walk in here."
"And one other thing, when there is a spiritual and motivated component underlying all of the activities I think it really helps you get better."
Dr. Finnegan brought to Lourdes his own two-person nurse practitioner team to work in a comprehensive wound management program, but he made a point to praise the contributions of the operating room staffs.
"The O.R. Staff is like the offensive line in football, he said. "If they aren't strong enough to provide you with the support you and your patients need, you will not 'win' or provide excellent quality care in a safe patient environment.
"They are dedicated, compassionate, highly skilled individuals which has made my transition a 'walk in the park'."
He also appreciates the equipment and technology at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center "that allows us to perform operations via smaller incisions and safer then ever before."
"Excellent optics and equipment really allow the surgeon to concentrate on the procedures at hand and not worry about equipment issues," he said. "It all facilitates the goal of 'Safe Surgery'."
