Shore Community Involvement

As a 501 (c) 3 non-profit community hospital, Shore Medical Center is committed to providing the highest level of care to all patients. This includes removing barriers so people from marginalized and underserved communities receive equitable healthcare by:

  • Conducting a Community Needs Health Assessment to determine and address our community’s most pressing health needs once every three years.
  • Providing Community Benefit programs or activities that improve access to health care services; enhance the health of the community; advance medical or health knowledge; and relieve or reduce the burden of government or other community efforts.
  • Offering free cancer screenings for eligible people through the NJ Cancer Education and Early Detection Program, for which Shore is the lead agency in Atlantic County.
  • Shore Medical Center serves as the lead agency for the Cape Atlantic Coalition for Health (CACH), a regional chronic disease prevention coalition that aims to reduce the state’s cancer burden and improve health outcomes for people with, or at risk for, cancer and other chronic diseases in Atlantic and Cape may counties. The COCH's initiative -Tush Talks - targets faith based communities on Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Risks. Tush Talks have been held in Atlantic County at St. John AME in Mizpah; Second Baptist in Atlantic City; Mt. Zion in Pleasantville; St. James AME in Atlantic City; and Faith Baptist in Pleasantville.
  • Providing a full range of services to our community regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.
  • Participating in numerous community events, including Somers Point's Bayfest, Good Ol' Days Festival, Cape May Zoo's Family Fun Day, Ocean City's Welcome Night , Leif's Legacy 5k run/walk, and many more throughout the year.
Community Health Needs Assessment

Shore Medical Center Community Health Needs Assessment
Shore Medical Center is dedicated to improving the health of people who live, work, and vacation in our community. Throughout its history, Shore has recognized its role in providing programs and services that focus on access to health care, prevention, and health improvement.

Every three years Shore Medical Center is required to perform a community health needs assessment to identify gaps and needs of the community so we can achieve health equity among all populations. We are currently in the survey process.

2022

  • Click Here for the Community Health Needs Assessment Implementation Strategy.
  • Click Here for the Community Health Needs Assessment.

2019

  • Click Here for the Community Health Needs Assessment Implementation Strategy.
  • Click Here for the Community Health Needs Assessment.
  • Click Here for Impact of Prior Community Needs Health Assessment

2016

  • Click Here for the Community Health Needs Assessment Implementation Strategy.
  • Click Here for the Community Health Needs Assessment.
Speaker's Bureau

The Speakers Bureau is available to promote awareness and quality of life for all members of the community.

Please review the list of topics we provide and call 609-653-3671 to schedule a speaker for your next upcoming event.

  • Neuroscience
  • Orthopedics
  • Diabetes
  • Diabetes Type 1
  • Hospice Care
  • Healthcare Leadership
  • Community Benefit
  • Nutrition
  • Oncology /Cancer
  • Cholesterol/Blood Pressure
  • Cardiopulmonary Rehab
  • Cardiovascular Disease
  • Vascular Health Screening
  • Heart Failure
  • Maternal Fetal Medicine
  • Physical Therapy & Rehab Services
  • Respiratory Care
  • Radiology
  • Human Resources
  • Medical Ethics
  • Balance/Dizziness/Vertigo Disorders
  • Sleeping Disorders
  • Pharmacy /Medications
  • Healthcare Billing
  • Accessing Charity Care
  • Healthcare Information Technology
  • Importance of keeping a Current up-to-date Medication List
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Palliative Care
  • Kidney Disease
Fin the Dolphin

Fin the Dolphin is Shore Medical Center’s community ambassador who wants to remind you that Shore is a great place to go if you need emergency medical care! 

Like all dolphins, Fin has a natural smile and a fun and playful personality. He loves to attend community events to make new friends. He enjoys dancing, giving ‘two flippers up,’ and taking pictures with the people he meets. 

Sometimes Fin visits Shore Medical Center’s Pediatric Care Center, where he likes to help cheer up young patients. Fin even has his own coloring and activity book that he loves giving kids in the hospital and the community!

Fin and his Shore friends know it can be scary to have to go to the hospital, so they enjoy letting children know there are many caring doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals at Shore who know just how to help kids feel better. They also let families know Shore has many neat toys and tools to help make medical procedures, like needles, less painful. They also love to let people know Shore’s pediatric team is trained to help children with autism or other sensory processing issues get specialized care. 

Here are some more fun facts about Fin:

Fin was born at Shore Medical Center on January 1, 2020. In this video, you can see Fin as a newborn baby dolphin - also known as a calf - getting great care from our nursery team!

  • Fin wears purple scrubs and a stethoscope, but he is not a real doctor or nurse, so he can’t fix your boo-boos - but he can share tips on how you can stay healthy and safe with help from his Shore friends! 
  • Because Fin is the same color as a shark and has a dorsal fin, he is sometimes mistaken for a shark. Although he has nothing against sharks, Fin is a bottlenose dolphin and would never bite! He has a blowhole but is also 6’2” and taller than most of his friends (but shorter than most dolphins!). So if you’d like to see the blowhole - just ask, and he’ll show you!
  • Fin made his community debut at Bayfest in Somers Point on April 29, 2023. He loved it and can’t wait to be there every year! 
  • If one of Fin’s little friends becomes a big brother or sister, Shore’s gift shop has the perfect “FIN-tastic!” t-shirt for them, available in sizes 3T and 4T. 
  • Fin is sometimes available to attend community or school-based events. If you would like to request an appearance, please contact his agent, Brian Cahill, at 609-653-3527 or bcahill@shoremedicalcenter.org. While Fin cannot attend every event, he will try to make it whenever possible. 
Needle Collection Service

Shore Medical Center will accept used and unused needles from the community.  This complementary service allows you to dispose of your used needles safely and without incident to a member of our trained staff.

To be turned in, needles must be placed in a closed container. We will then provide you with a new Stericycle needle containment system. We distribute one container for one container.

Any member of the community wishing to turn in used needles may bring them to the front desk from 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday and ask for the Environmental Services Department.  An Environmental Services employee will meet you in the Surgical Pavilion lobby to exchange containers.