2 of 2
“
View Full Report
ABOUT
Program Highlights
Join Our Team
JTCancerCenter.org
Outcomes
Research & Education
2025: A Year of National Recognition
Whether close to home or across the nation and world, Hackensack University Medical Center Department of Urology experts are improving access to advanced urology care. Our 2025 Urology Year in Review celebrates the contributions of our urology team to Hackensack University Medical Center's mission — to provide leading-edge, high-quality care for our patients, both inside and outside the hospital’s four walls. We look forward to advancing urological care locally and globally and sharing our accomplishments with you."
Michael D. Stifelman, M.D.
At the Department of Urology, we are committed to excellence. Over the years, this unwavering pursuit has led to countless innovations, continued program growth, and outstanding patient outcomes. As a result, our team earned its highest-ever ranking of No. 12 in the nation on the 2025-26 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals list for Adult Urology care — up from No. 17 in 2024-25. As our department’s story continues to take shape, we are proud to add this accomplishment to our latest chapter and look forward to many more exciting chapters to come."
1 of 2
Lisa Tank, M.D., FACP
Messages from Leadership
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW
urology
Chair of Urology, Hackensack University Medical Center Director, Robotic Surgery, Hackensack University Medical Center Professor and Chair of Urology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
President and Chief Hospital Executive Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack Meridian Health
Our Experience
By The Numbers
Hackensack University Medical Center’s Urology program ranked #12 in the nation from U.S. News & World Report
Ranked as the Best Urology program in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report for 13 years.
Recognized as one of the best hospitals in the nation for prostate cancer surgery, earning the High-Performing Hospital Designation from U.S. News & World Report.
Urologists recognized in publications such as America’s Best Physicians; Castle Connolly Top Doctors; Consumer Research Council; Top Cancer Doctors; Patient’s Choice Award; New Jersey Monthly’s Top Doctors; Inside Jersey Magazine Top Doctors, New York Magazine Best Doctors.
Vote Now
robotic surgery cases performed since 2015
8,700+
single-port robotic surgery cases performed
2,500+
advanced urologic robotic surgery procedures performed in 2025
1,100+
the largest experience of any hospital in the U.S.
subspecialties with fellowship-trained urologists
6
consecutive Magnet designations by the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence
7
Our Team
IRB-approved protocols
18
Our Research
open, active clinical trials
12
in grant and research funding over the past 3 years
$2.85m
publications and abstracts in the past 12 months
55
research abstracts presented at conferences in 2025
11
12 dedicated robotic surgical systems, including 2 da Vinci SP® single port robot and 3 da Vinci 5 multiport robot".
Best Program in NJ
About
Program Highlight
Vote
Our Research Next
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Research & Educatin
Expanded Footprint
New location in Clifton, NJ, will enhance patient access to high-quality, comprehensive urological care closer to home.
Innovative Software Helps Engineer Better Outcomes
Using advanced analytics software within the da Vinci 5 robotic surgical system, Department of Urology researchers analyze objective surgical data to identify specific actions that are most closely associated with patient recovery. These insights help link surgical technique to measurable outcomes in robotic prostate surgery. In 2024, the Department of Urology was among the first in the nation to adopt the da Vinci 5, which includes an integrated suite of digital tools that capture, analyze and apply procedure-level data. Together, these tools enable the program to translate surgical performance data into actionable insights that support consistent technique, continuous improvement and better patient outcomes.
Christopher Koller, M.D., is a fellowship-trained urologic oncologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate, kidney and bladder cancer, as well as rarer malignancies including testicular, penile and adrenal cancers.
*Reflects actual data through Q3 2025 and run-rate estimates for Q4 2025.
Ephrem Olweny, M.D., is a fellowship-trained urologist who combines expertise in advanced, minimally invasive surgery with a deep commitment to patient comfrt and trust.
A Decade of Robotic Surgery Growth
The Department of Urology has expanded its footprint, providing increased access to comprehensive urological care at a new location in Clifton. The new urology facility, located on the campus of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery & Innovation , opened in early 2025. The Clifton location offers the same high-quality services available at Hackensack University Medical Center, delivered by fellowship-trained providers and an experienced support staff.
Posterior Plane Dissection
Right Neurovascular Bundle Dissection
Left Neurovascular Bundle Dissection
Key OPIs
Key operative steps and performance indicators associated with sexual function recovery following robotic radical prostatectomy.
Total Robotic Urology Cases – 2015-2025
Top 5 Highest Volume Robotic Surgery Procedures – 2015-2025
Multiport vs. Single Port Procedures – 2019-2025
Since 2015, the Department of Urology’s robotic surgery program has experienced significant growth — nearly quadrupling the number of robotic surgery procedures performed each year.
8,655 Total robotic urology surgeries performed since 2015
*Reflects actual procedure data through Q3 2025 and run-rate estimates for Q4 2025.
Since becoming the first hospital in New Jersey to adopt the da Vinci SP system in 2018, the program has increased single-port robotic procedures by more than 3.5X.
Marie Valovska, M.D., is a fellowship trained reconstructive urologist whose practice is dedicated to restoring urologic function after trauma, surgery or radiation.
During the posterior plane dissection, improved erectile function is associated with operating in a larger volume of space and minimizing the application of electrocautery.
For the right neurovascular bundle dissection, smoother tissue retraction and a lower frequency of instrument exchanges are predictive of better erectile function outcomes
When dissecting the left neurovascular bundle, improved erectile function is linked to smoother scissor instrument control and reduced camera movement.
During the posterior plane dissection, improved erectile function is associated with operating in a larger volume of space and minimizing the application of electrocautery
For the right neurovascular bundle dissection, smoother tissue retraction and a lower frequency of instrument exchanges are predictive of better erectile function outcomes.
He Advocated for Early Detection — Then It Saved His Life
For decades, New York Giants legend Harry Carson has been a formidable force. On the football field, the Hall of Fame linebacker was known for his relentless pursuit and bone-jarring tackles. Off the field, he channeled that same intensity into a different kind of fight: advocating for men's health and the life-saving power of early cancer screening. For years, partnering with Hackensack Meridian Health, Carson has been the face of this cause, encouraging men to develop a "game plan for better health." He never imagined that the very playbook he promoted would someday be the one to save his own life. Earlier this year, Carson, who has been vigilant about his annual check-ups for 30 years, went in for a routine screening. The results showed his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level had jumped. He immediately turned to his longtime friend and colleague, Michael D. Stifelman, M.D., chair of Urology at Hackensack University Medical Center.
2025 Urology Outcomes: Raising the Bar on Quality and Clinical Excellence
OUTCOMES
The Department of Urology is nationally recognized for delivering outstanding surgical outcomes — a reflection of the team’s high surgical volume, use of single port robotic surgical technology, standardized Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols, and experienced nurses and staff. These factors — combined with an ongoing commitment to enhancing quality and safety — have contributed to the department achieving its highest-ever ranking of No. 12 in the nation on the U.S. News & World Report 2025-26 Best Hospitals list. Outcomes make up approximately 60 percent of the score that determines a hospital’s ranking, making it no surprise that the department is listed among the top in the nation.
NY Giants legend celebrates being cancer-free at the NFL Giants Crucial Catch game at MetLife Stadium and champions early prostate cancer screening
Of the 268 robotic partial nephrectomy procedures performed, 59.7 percent (160 procedures) were performed using multiport robotic technology and 40.3 percent (108 procedures) were performed using single port robotic technology.
2025 Total Procedures: 268
Of the 469 radical prostatectomy procedures performed, 56 percent were performed using multiport robotic technology and 44 percent were performed using single port robotic technology.
2025 Total Procedures: 94
Partial Nephrectomy
Nephrectomy
Kidney Cancer Surgical Outcomes
The Department of Urology performed 450 prostate biopsy procedures with a zero-percent sepsis rate. All prostate biopsy procedures were performed as same-day surgeries.
2025 Total Procedures: 450
2025 Total Procedures: 469
All HIFU procedures were performed with no overnight hospital stays required.
2025 Total Procedures: 54
Prostate Biopsy
Radical Prostatectomy
HIFU
Prostate Cancer Surgical Outcomes
The Department of Urology performed 362 kidney cancer surgeries in 2025, using kidney-sparing surgical techniques in 76 percent of cases. All partial and radical nephrectomy procedures were performed robotically.
The Department of Urology performed 60 cystectomy procedures in 2025, with 21 percent performed with continent diversion. Twenty-one percent of cystectomy procedures were performed using single port robotic surgical technology.
2025 Total Procedures: 60
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Surgical Outcomes
Cystectomy
partial nephrectomy
nephrectomy
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
RESEARCH & EDUCATION
Shifting the Paradigm of Complex Recurrent UTI Management
Advancing Prostate Cancer Care Through Novel Clinical Trials
The Department of Urology’s Oncologic Research Program continues to lead the way in prostate cancer treatment, participating in innovative clinical trials to advance precision medicine, develop new therapies for recurrent and resistant disease, and minimize treatment side effects.
Next Up
Department of Urology team members are internationally recognized for the high-quality urological care they provide to patients in New Jersey. However, for many years, department team members have also been traveling globally to share knowledge, expertise, and surgical techniques with colleagues and patients in other countries. In recent years, department experts have traveled to Bangladesh, Ecuador, Vietnam, and more to care for patients and train their international counterparts on advanced surgical procedures and technology.
AMNIOX CORD Trial
For the past two years, Hackensack University Medical Center urologists have been enrolling patients in the first and only prospective, randomized control clinical trial that evaluates the benefits of CLARIX CORD 1K® (CLARIX) — a cryopreserved umbilical cord and amniotic membrane matrix that is applied during prostate cancer surgery to the nerves controlling erectile and urinary function.
SCOUT Trial
Hackensack University Medical Center will serve as the lead site for the SCOUT trial funded by a $500,000 grant from Blue Earth Diagnostics. The trial —a collaboration between Hackensack University Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — will use a novel PSMA-tagged PET scan to identify patients who have experienced a recurrence after focal therapy.
PRELUDE Trial
In 2024, the Department received a $1.5 million grant from Novartis for the investigator-initiated PRELUDE study — a Phase II study of neoadjuvant Lu-177-PSMA-617, a radiopharmaceutical that binds to prostate cancer cells and is currently used to treat metastatic disease. In partnership with the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hackensack University Medical Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital are the only hospitals in the U.S. to offer the PRELUDE trial.
Research Fellowship Program
The Department of Urology includes three female urologists with advanced expertise in recurrent UTI, making it a regional referral center for complex recurrent UTI treatment. The team is collaborating with biopharma company GSK on large population research to understand the reasons behind UTI treatment failure.
International Education and Training
Jacob (Jake) O’Hara, a medical student at Drexel University College of Medicine, developed an interest in urology during his third year of medical school — and as the Department of Urology’s 2025 Research Fellow, he’s now working on some of the most leading-edge, prospective urology research to date. In his role, O’Hara has had the opportunity to interact with patients through the research consent process, learn from attending physicians and residents in the hospital’s operating rooms and develop leadership skills by assisting medical students who are using and working on the department’s prospective research databases.
FOLLOW HACKESACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Vote for Us U.S News & Word Report
THANK YOU
Download PDF Report
Clinical Trials Study
Visit Our Website
OUTCOME
