WILLINGBORO, NJ--Kenneth Chen, DO, a key member of the obstetrics/gynecology staff at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, will receive the Born to Shine award at the March of Dimes' 2009 gala on October 10, in Atlantic City. This annual award honors local top physicians in the fields of maternal and child health.

"Dr. Chen, a physician who consistently demonstrates his compassion and his commitment to patient-centered care, is dedicated to increasing the quality of care for our patients and their families," said Eugene Johnson, the hospital's chief executive officer. "He's integral to the success of our staff."

Dr. Chen, chair of the hospital's OB performance improvement committee, joined Lourdes in 1999. The following year, he became director of the hospital's OB/GYN clinic, overcoming linguistic and cultural challenges to provide top-quality care to the clinic's uninsured and underinsured patients. During his eight years as director, Dr. Chen emphasized prenatal and follow-up care while delivering an average of 300 babies a year, in addition to pursuing his regular practice. He also worked with other healthcare providers to ensure that patients received treatment for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, regardless of their ability to pay. For many years, Dr. Chen supervised residents rotating through the unit, and he recently helped train perinatal teams for obstetrical emergencies, using the Noelle OB simulator.

"Dr. Chen is a very dedicated physician, who is caring and kind toward his patients," said Michael Snyder, MD, director of obstetrical excellence at the hospital. "He's compassionate, hard-working and diligent."

A resident of Lumberton, Burlington County, Dr. Chen received his medical degree from the UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine. Board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, he is a diplomat of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners. Dr. Chen is married and has two children.

Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County, a 249-bed community hospital in Willingboro, NJ, is part of Lourdes Health System, which includes Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden. Lourdes Health System is sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY, and is a member of Catholic Health East, a health system with 34 hospitals in 11 eastern states. Specialty services at Lourdes Burlington include the Lourdes Cancer Center; bariatric surgery; urology; orthopedics; maternity; wound care and hyperbaric medicine; sleep diagnostics; behavioral health; and the Lourdes Specialty Hospital of Southern New Jersey. More information is available at www.lourdesnet.org and at www.che.org.

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