Another Saturday in the Grove being smothered by outsiders who want to exploit our small Jersey Shore historic town to raise money.
As we have said on Blogfinger many times, Ocean Grove residents lose out during the most wonderful times of year, usually Saturdays, to satisfy fund raising by money grabbers for everything including flea markets, arts and craft, harvest festivals, car shows, 5K runs, Chamber of Commercial “events” which also include shutting down streets, and extensive nice weather events by the Camp Meeting Association and other groups.
We do more such tourist-driven money-grabbing oxygen-sucking events than any other Jersey Shore town in this region. But there is little to satisfy our residential community in the Grove.
Our town welcomes these happenings because Neptune is indifferent, doing favors to groups or people other than the tax-paying residents and renters here. The Neptune Committee has had little interest we-the-people of Ocean Grove. For them it’s who you know not what you know.
No OG organizations pay attention to our issues, and there is no citizen group to focus on our Grover issues. The former Home Groaners have changed their name to bury their prior mediocre record on behalf of OG residents.
And furthermore:
a. Click once to read:
b. The Quick Check at Rt. 33 and Jumping Brook Rd is closed.
c. The Coaster is asleep at the wheel when it comes to covering the Grove. If you have some worthy issue, send us an email and we will try to wake a sleeping giant. Blogfinger@verizon.net.
d. Have you been “Primed?” Whole Foods Market on Rt 35 in Wall Twp. has initiated home delivery to Ocean Grove. It’s a good deal.
Fred “Waterseller” Ohleth at the August 22, 2015 postcard and antique show. Auditorium Pavilion. Paul Goldfinger photo. Blogfinger.net
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @ Blogfinger.net
Fred Ohleth, a retired 6’4″ NYC police officer, lives in a tent each summer with his wife Linda. His family goes back in the Grove, so he keeps up the tradition. In the off- season Fred and Linda (no, not Fred and Ginger) have a condo in the Grove.
Fred is the Commander -in-Chief of a small band of water, hot dog and treats sellers who cover a number of events in town, but they are best known for their supply side activities in the shadows of the Great Auditorium on Saturday nights—-tonight it’s the Beach Boys (as if we don’t already have a few of those around.)
Fred and Linda travel to the wilds of Pennsylvania for those dogs. You must try one! These volunteers work hard and party hard when the show is over.
Stop by and say hello to Fred, Linda, Shirley, Barbara, Mike, Ted and all the others who make sure that no one is hungry or thirsty at the GA (right across the street from the bathrooms. ) And yes, you can take bottled water into the GA.
US Navy Band visits the Grove. 8/16/25. . Paul Goldfinger, LCDR, Medical Corps, Ret.. Paul Goldfinger photograph.
Below are Kenny Vance and the Planotones who used to play the Great Auditorium during Doo Wop concerts. Perhaps these Navy musicians are aware of the music from the 50’s and 60’s when everyone was looking for an echo.
By Eileen and Paul Goldfinger. Blogfinger.net 2013
This aria from “Verdiana” is a segment of “La vergine degli angeli” from Verdi’s La Forza del Destino. Soprano Sharon Azrieli-Perez performs with the Men’s Chorus. Blogfinger video clip.
Last night’s MidAtlantic Opera extravaganza was a big success. The musicianship by the orchestra, choir and soloists was excellent. The participants, led by Maestro Jason Tramm, gave their all to create a very special event.
The fine choir from Seton Hall University had about 80 people participating, and the 40 orchestra musicians were first rate. We especially enjoyed watching the first chair cellist and the harpist who were sitting out front.
The soloists were superb including Ocean Grove’s Ronald Naldi, tenor. Others included Christina Major, soprano; Jeremy Galyon, bass; Jordan Shanahan, baritone; Sharon Azrieli-Perez, soprano.; and Sara Murphy Mezzo-soprano.
The variety of music was impressive including highlights from Aida,La Traviata, Don Carlo, La Forza del Destino, Nabucco, Ernani, and Rigoletto. The concert concluded with a rousing rendition by all the soloists of “Brindisi” from La Traviata.
The narration and the film clips were quite unusual and enjoyable as presented by August Ventura, a film-maker who showed parts of his independent documentary called “27” which is about the Verdi culture which exists in Parma, Italy.
10% of the concert receipts will go to the Great Auditorium for the roof repair.
It was a thrill to be able to sit down close and watch the 150 people on stage combining to perform a very special multi-media concert. It’s amazing to see a production like that in our town—a 10 minute walk from our house.
Dick and Luisa Kroner from Walden, New York are big opera fans. Dick insisted we get there early for a good seat. Eileen Goldfinger is listening to Dick explain his new smart phone which he got from Samsung and Delilah. Blogfinger photo.
We met people who sat near us who ordinarily do not visit Ocean Grove including a parent from the Seton Hall University Choir whose son is a bass, friends of the performers, and our guests who came from the Hudson Valley. Luisa and Dick, who have a subscription to the Met in New York, loved the event and they were amazed at the Great Auditorium. We saw Dave Lotz, the publicist, who cried at the Aida highlights. Carl Hoffman of Mt. Tabor Way was there. He’s not usually a “classical guy” but the $25.00 seats brought him in , and he liked the concert very much. We saw two young boys in front of us who managed to pay attention for the 2 1/2 hour event.
I got a kick out of the film of children in Parma, Italy who put on Verdi operas by lip synching the music. It was hysterical seeing a small boy with the voice of a deep operatic bass.
It was a cool night in the GA. The doors were all open, and I saw no one sleeping except for the woman sitting next to me, you know whom I mean, who dozed off a bit during the long second act. This was a crowd of opera lovers, and they don’t sleep during Verdi.
—-By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Outside the Great Auditorium, the refreshment sellers were dressed for the occasion:
Fred Ohleth, Linda Conselyea, (R) and Barbara Davies of the OG Auditorium Refreshment Service. Fred said, “We look like the Met Opera staff but we didn’t charge Met Opera prices. Great concert.” Photo by the refreshment staff.
The hills are alive with the sound of music. Thanks to barricades from Neptune Township, the block party at Mt. Carmel Way came alive with food, fun and friends. It began in daylight at about 6 pm and continued into the night. The celebrants seem to be ignoring the ordinance which says you can’t eat between the yellow lines.
These events occur around town towards the end of summer. The most famous is the concert version on the beach block of Embury Avenue.
SHIRLEY AND LEE:
“Come on baby while the thrill is on
Come on baby lets have some fun
Come on baby let the good times roll
Roll all night long…”
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, FACC. Original post Sept. 2023. Blogfinger.net
And I also posted a piece about communication in healthcare in October 2023. I apologize for any duplication and for the length of this post, but I am angry!
I am a retired physician who has now experienced healthcare at the receiving end and I am not happy. When Obamacare rolled in I wrote editorials on my site--Blogfinger.net, predicting that quality will be negatively affected, and my conclusions were based on the ancient concept of always placing the patient first:
“I swear to care for anyone who suffers, prince or slave.” Hippocrates.
I find that the changes which are rapidly taking hold in healthcare may result in declining aspects of quality. I don’t want to be unfair, but often when I interact with healthcare I look around and find issues to complain about.
It’s usually not a problem of technology or facilities—that has been remarkable, but it has more to do with basics that are the same now as 50 years ago when I started working as a doctor and it is now often about new management methods mandated by corporate healthcare giants. I read of one company in the midwest which owned 100 hospitals.
These companies want to change everything. Sometimes the changes are innovative, but often they are about maximizing profit, leaving patients wondering “why?” And management medical decisions may not include input by physicians.
Four of my favorite Monmouth County doctors have left practice early. At a national level, doctors are leaving medicine in droves, many suffering burnout, and most practicing doctors would not pursue medical careers again according to one survey.
Protect yourself by questioning and doubting what you are experiencing regarding your diagnoses, treatment, access too care, and doctor-patient relationships. If you can’t ask questions find someone, a patient advocate, who will help you navigate your situation.
When in doubt, get a second opinion.*
Here is an incomplete list of some of my concerns. Consider this a warning flare bursting in the sky.
a. Doctors often no longer own their practices, so they are now employees who must take orders, such as my pulmonologist who was ordered to spend only 10 minutes with each office patient. That is ridiculous. Physician flexibility and control are being compromised. Only a small percent of practicing doctors, perhaps less than 30%, actually own their practices.
The management of medical practices is often via corporate efficiency experts whose main priority is to maximize reimbursements..
b. You can call a medical office and ask to receive a call-back from your doctor, but you often receive resistance, deflection, or else a “physician assistant” or just “assistant” calls back and her priority often seems to come between you and the doctor. It is unusual for the doctor to call you back these days, and the person calling you back may not even be a nurse. So who will answer your questions? Better make an appointment if you can get one soon.
Speaking to the patient on the phone is discouraged because it doesn’t pay. Sometimes an office may make you wait 2-3 days before returning a call. And this may occur when the situation warrants an immediate call back. Phone consultations may provide a solution to an issue without having to have an office visit, but that approach has been buried. Saying that the doctor is very busy, “seeing patients,” or is in another office may be the truth, but those excuses should not be acceptable answers.
If you call an office you may be greeted by a computerized triage system where someone with no medical training is empowered to make decisions about your care such as when you might be safely seen by the doctor.
Front desk phone answerers may, without any medical credentials, ask you questions such as, “Where is your pain and what does it feel like.?” Sometimes you are given an appointment which may be scheduled for one or two months away. (“We have an opening.”) Who is making that triage decision? To me this is practicing medicine without a license.
I recently spoke to one of those front desk flunkies. I wanted her to leave a message for the doctor to call me back, but I needed to speak to someone medically responsible to run with the ball. As I tried to explain to her why it was essential to be responsive to my concerns, she got angry at my questions and she hung up. I had to speak to the office manager to make sure that someone responsible would call me back.
c. If you seek a physician’s care you may be offered a nurse or a PA as if they are” just as skilled as a doctor.” That is a lie, and the AMA agrees with me.
d. Some doctors belong to medical groups which have affiliated with a large corporation, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health. This company, based in New Brunswick, has been striving to access patients from Monmouth County and they have their eyes on our area including Ocean Grove and Fort Monmouth.
What you are seeing is corporate takeover of healthcare in communities. It’s been awhile since I have heard the name “regional healthcare planning.”
Some physicians who have contractural affiliations, such as with RWJBarnabas Health, may have a conflict of interest by insisting that the patient go, for example, to Monmouth Hospital instead of Jersey Shore or by referring patients for specialized attention to their referral centers out of this community.
For instance, RWJ provides some specialized services in New Brunswick. You could be sent to such a place when there are providers nearer your home. Going to New Brunswick can be difficult especially where RWJ hospital is located. What about placing the patients best interests first?
e. And who is providing your care at Jersey Shore University hospital? I have been to the Jersey Shore ER recently where highly qualified attending physicians/specialists were not visible despite the hospital’s list of consultants. And the ER staff was overwhelmed.
In the past, if you were a patient in an ER or medical surgical hospital in-patient unit, you could expect your doctor and/or consulted specialists to manage your care in person.
One medical group in Ocean has affiliated with RWJBarnabus Health and resigned from Jersey Shore. As a result, they do not go to Jersey Shore even if you are brought there as an emergency. And if you live in Ocean Grove and need surgery you will be sent to Monmouth Hospital by that group. Taking such decisions out of the patient’s hands is not in the patient’s best interest and there is a glaring conflict of interest interfering with quality care.
And if you are an inpatient, find out who is the attending physician named on your chart and see if he comes to see you or if your care is by unknown unmarked proxies: resident physicians or medical assistants. And such practitioners are of uncertain competence, and you often are not informed as to who is who. Not knowing who is in charge of your case is scary.
See if board certified specialized care is available and then demand such attention if needed. Patients need to pay attention to try and judge the quality of their care ins the hospital.
And take a look at who is billing your insurance company for your care. Look at your EOB’s (explanation of benefits.) Are some doctors billing who never actually showed up at the hospital, relying instead on covering house staff who are not fully trained or poorly trained. This is obscene, and Medicare should investigate.
And don’t believe billboards: Monmouth Hospital says that it among the best in the country at educating doctors, and Jersey Shore says that it is one of the best hospitals in New Jersey. Never believe those phony surveys. And that includes those lists of “best doctors.”
f . Record keeping has become onerous for doctors in the office typing on a computer keyboard while trying to take a complete history, perform a physical exam, analyze your case, and give you advice. There is never enough time.
The doc is expected to create a competent and complete chart note before you leave. Some actually do, but they may not succeed with that, but who is going to judge the result? Request those notes, especially if a consultant is involved. Those notes should explain the diagnosis, the prognosis, treatment options, and the current plan. Once reason for the long notes is that insurance companies won’t pay unless the office submits reports that meet expectations. That’s why your dermatologist may check your pulse and BP, use a stethoscope, and ask about COVID vaccine boosters. Do doctors sometimes say they did it, when they didn’t?
Some practices use scribes to take care of the chart work freeing up the doctor. But are such chart notes trustworthy? You can read those scribed notes, but unless you are a physician you won’t be able to judge the result very well. Ideally the doctor should create the chart notes.
In my group practice we were compulsive about charts and we had 2 full time typists working on our notes which we dictated, often in the presence of the patient.
Many doctors’ offices, run by efficiency experts, encourage passing patient care tasks down to a lower level. For example, a “mid-level” may be ordering meds from pharmacies without supervision. I know of such a case where the assistant was not careful and ordered the wrong drug.
If there is a consultant involved, request a copy of the consultation report.
The use of “My Chart” apps has advantages, but they will text or email you repeatedly and pressure you to keep responding to their electronic messages, and I find that badgering to be oppressive.
g. Watch for manipulative marketing such as the billboard in Red Bank which says that Monmouth Hospital is one of America’s best “teaching hospitals.” Or the cynical use of the term “university hospital.” Be aware that the best interests of patients may not be the top priority by your providers who may become more “mad men” than physicians.
h. Watch your billing. The hospitals are now beginning to bill you or alert you on line for services you haven’t yet received. Make sure that they have all your insurance documentation. For example if you have Medicare, make sure that they know your secondary coverage.
Some incompetent billing offices fail to bill your secondary insurance. Then you will be balance billed and you don’t want to deal with billers who are out to collect and make you crazy.
And keep in mind that some providers like hospitals may be “up-coding” to get the most from insurance companies. This scandal will emerge soon…..I hope. Ultimately it will affect the cost of care and the cost of your health insurance premiums.
Here is a link to a Blogfinger post about second opinions:*
And there is much more. Watch for more posts as I make discoveries in the swamp known as American healthcare.
Make sure that you choose wisely for those who would watch over the health of you and yours.
Phillip Smith is a world famous trumpet musician, formerly with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra who spends his summers in the Grove, and here he is with Joseph Turrin on piano: Gershwin’s “Someone to Watch Over Me.” He has performed this piece in the Great Auditorium.
Phillip Smith of Ocean Grove and the NY Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ocean Grove boardwalk being ripped up at the North End. Paul Goldfinger photo. Jan. 15, 2016. Blogfinger.net Click to make the scene bigger.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger. 2016.
Ripping up history is the antithesis of archaeology, but here is a destructive endeavor for a good cause. Here is an ambivalent sight of those old boardwalk boards being ripped out after Sandy did her evil deed in October, 2012. Asphalt will also be chopped up.
How many of you have walked on that old North End boardwalk and have happy memories of it? How many of you have sat on that nearby beach writing love letters in the sand while gazing up at the families and children and visitors biking, strolling, socializing or jogging by?
But in the end we will have a new Trex boards there, except for the most northern part where cheap wood will be placed in anticipation of the implementation of the North End Redevelopment Plan; that planned monstrosity will undoubtedly crowd out the nostalgic historic north end memories and some of the lingering happiness over there.
