Cherry Hill Manor welcomes Dr. Ralph Santoro as new medical director

By Tim Forsberg
Posted 5/25/17

At a special meet-and-greet ceremony held Tuesday evening, the Cherry Hill Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation introduced their new medical director, Dr. Ralph Santoro. Cherry Hill has been very fortunate to be part of this community for"

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Cherry Hill Manor welcomes Dr. Ralph Santoro as new medical director

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At a special meet-and-greet ceremony held Tuesday evening, the Cherry Hill Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation introduced their new medical director, Dr. Ralph Santoro.

“Cherry Hill has been very fortunate to be part of this community for over 30 years. We try to give back and make the community a part of who we are, because the town of Johnston and Cherry Hill are almost synonymous in what we’re trying to do and be a big family that is supportive,” said Executive Director Katie Gerber.

“Dr. Santoro has been here for a few years now as a physician in our building, and he is really a huge piece of our puzzle. Dr. Santoro is an absolute fit for this building. He brings great medical expertise, compassion, knowledge, community involvement. I can’t even tell you what a wonderful fit and how lucky we are to have Dr. Santoro as our medical director,” she added.

According to Dr. Santoro, he’s trained at Brown University and the internal medicine residency program at Memorial Hospital. He’s been involved in long-term care and skilled nursing for about 12 years and has been with Cherry Hill since 2004.

“I find it really enjoyable working with the elderly. I love the fact that they give me more than I give them. I love learning about them and I love their stories and taking care of them” said Dr. Santoro. “It’s challenging today and a lot of fun. Nursing homes aren’t what they used to be years ago. We’re seeing a higher level of care here, with many advanced things going on here that may have not been here before. It’s more challenging than it used to be.”

Santoro highlighted the facility’s rehab department, which he believes has done a phenomenal job in turning patients around quickly, ensuring that they are getting the appropriate therapy immediately to allow patients to return home to their families as fast as possible.

Along with skilled rehab, the facility also offers long-term care. While Dr. Santoro wishes there wasn’t a need for long-term care, he believes the facility offers those services second to none. He believes that, going forward, there will be an increase in Alzheimer’s patients and that there will be an increased focus on plans and programs for them to keep them as active and as engaged as long as possible.

Santoro also believes that skilled nursing will see an increased focus on trying to get patients turned around faster and back home.

“There’s a lot of reasons for that. I think some of it is economic and people need to be rehabbed quickly. We’ll be more successful if we can access a patient earlier and offer more treatments earlier,” he said.

With a growing, aging population in the state, there are a significant percentage of senior citizens who are going to need care and aid. With recent uncertainties regarding the country’s insurance industries, Santoro believes that politicians will eventually figure out a way to deliver that care.

“I think we have challenges ahead of us, but in the past we’ve had challenges and we’ve always met them. I think we will again,” he said. “We’re going to have to make more efficient, economic decisions and ensure we’re accountable for the result we get for our patients.”

Mayor Joseph Polisena, who served as a long-time nurse and rescue coordinator and attended the welcoming ceremony, was quick to praise Dr. Santoro’s efforts in patient care.

“I’ve heard that he’s excellent. I know people who have had him as a physician and I think that Cherry Hill is very lucky that they’re getting a hold of him as their new medical director,” said Polisena. “Cherry Hill has been around for a long time. I’ve always had a close relationship with them as a registered nurse as well as a rescue coordinator. It’s a great place, a staple of the town, and their care is excellent. I wish Dr. Santoro the best here.” 

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