About Salerno Medical Associates in East Orange, NJ

Since its formation in 2001, Salerno Medical Associates has been dedicated to treating patients like family. This tradition stems back to the 1950s when Dr. Alphonse Salerno opened a home office in East Orange, New Jersey. A commitment to serving Essex County has enabled Salerno Medical Associates to provide several services for developing new and innovative programs over time. Discover why countless families throughout the region rely on Salerno Medical Associates for comprehensive primary, preventative, and proactive medical care.

Emphasis on Family-Focused Care from the Beginning

A family-run, second-generation practice, Salerno Medical Associates has served East Orange and Newark, NJ, for more than 100 years collectively. The physician’s office started as a home office in the 1950s owned and operated by Dr. Alphonse Salerno while his wife, Dr. Svetlana Salerno, broke ground as one of the first women physicians in Newark, NJ.

Dr. Alphonse Salerno maintained a distinguished career in healthcare over his lifetime. In 1953, he cofounded Livingston Community Hospital, where he served as chief of surgery beginning in 1976. Dr. Alphonse Salerno also was elected for a three-year term on the Board of Certification in Surgery of American Academy of Osteopathic Surgeons, later serving as the president of the Board of Governors. To show appreciation for Dr. Alphonse Salerno’s undying dedication, American Academy of Osteopathic Surgeons named him Surgeon of the Year. He held various offices with other academies and professional societies worldwide, conducting lectures and demonstrations in the United States, Europe, and Central America.

Additionally, Dr. Svetlana Salerno is a pioneer as one of the first female physicians catering to the needs of patients and establishing a solo practice in the 1950s. Drs. Alphonse and Svetlana Salerno’s legacy lives on with their son Dr. Alexander Salerno’s commitment to proactive and preventive care in East Orange and Newark.

Commitment to the Community

When the social strife of the 1960s came, many businesses left the city to escape the tension in urban areas. However, the Salerno family maintained their commitment to Essex County, participating in the healing and rebuilding the region desperately needed.

This loyalty continued when Drs. Alphonse and Svetlana’s son, Dr. Alexander G. Salerno, returned home after serving as a United State Air Force captain to establish practice alongside his parents. Growing up, the compassion he saw his parents deliver to patients on hospital rounds and house calls motivated him to make his mark in healthcare. In 2001, after merging with his mother’s practice and incorporating his father’s office, Dr. Salerno created Salerno Medical Associates.

Expanding Healthcare Services

Dr. Alexander G. Salerno not only aspires to bring his parents’ legacy into the 21^st century. He also strives to increase offerings to meet changing healthcare needs in the growing urban communities of East Orange and the surrounding areas.

When Salerno Medical Associates first opened, Dr. Alexander Salerno also started the Senior Healthcare Outreach Program (SHOP) to bring back the house-call program his father started in the 1950s. This program is the longest-running of its kind in Essex County.

Under the new name, Community Health Care Outreach Program (CHOP), the program has expanded to include services for individuals with mental health issues.

Similarly, in 2010, Dr. Alexander Salerno initiated the Urban Healthcare Initiative Program (UHIP) to reach underserved urban groups. His goal in establishing UHIP was to reconcile healthcare disparities in these communities. Dr. Salerno and his team also conduct further healthcare outreach by collaborating with local religious organizations, community centers, and even small businesses like barbershops. These services enable Salerno Medical Associates to not only serve a wide patient base but also be a leading advocate for the greater needs of the community.

Meeting Ever-Changing Healthcare Needs in Urban Communities

With a large urban area, Essex County, NJ, features individuals with wide-ranging medical concerns. In response, Dr. Alexander Salerno sought to expand healthcare services and meet these growing needs. In 2015, he established Metropolitan Medical Group across the street to serve as an extension of Salerno Medical Associates.

In the following year, Dr. Salerno’s father-in-law, Dr. Raouf Elias, passed away, leading to the partnership with Roseville Medical Society. Here, Dr. Salerno and a team of other providers continue to serve the patient population with the same level of care and compassion displayed by Dr. Elias, fulfilling the promise to his father-in-law of providing quality care to his patients and the community.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Salerno Medical Associates expanded even further with the opening of North Ward Medical Arts in 2021. This location serves to bring exceptional patient care back to Newark when Dr. Svetlana Salerno first established her practice.

Salerno Medical Associates saw that primary care services were not the only need of those in urban communities. The healthcare organization grew more to provide vital specialty care services at North Ward Behavioral Health Center, Newark Vein and Vascular Center, and Prospect Spine and Pain.

An undying commitment to healing disparities in the healthcare system empowered Salerno Medical Associates and associated care centers to form a Population Health Department. These efforts have also earned the healthcare organization a federal grant to continue increasing services for patients in urban communities.

Rebranding to Nirvana Healthcare Management Services

Nirvana Healthcare Management Services provides primary healthcare and multidisciplinary medical services at four sites in the greater Newark area, East Orange, and soon Bloomfield. Our namesake, Nirvana, grounds the work we do in holistic preventative medicine. Each site is uniquely outfitted to create calming ambiance for patients. Our physicians, nurses, and employees are committed to creating a culture focused on personalizing the patient experience in a fast-paced and high-volume practice setting.

We have a long-standing tradition of providing exceptional patient outcomes and experiences for our 25,000+ patient population. We are a family-run, second-generation practice that has served Essex County for over 75 years.

Augmenting Primary and Preventative Care Services

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” — this quote from Benjamin Franklin described the mindsets of Drs. Alphonse and Svetlana Salerno, and by extension, Dr. Alexander Salerno. To them, healthcare was not only about treating medical problems. Instead, they believed prevention should always be the priority when providing patient care.

For this reason, Dr. Alexander Salerno has taken his parents’ legacy of prevention into the 21^st century by focusing on proactive medicine and creating in-house preventative screenings. Combined with primary services, these offerings ensure families receive the care they need to experience better health and wellness overall.

Making the Patient Feel at Home

To truly make patients feel like family, Salerno Medical Associates strives to promote a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. Between 2005 and 2007, major renovations took place to modernize facilities and deliver the highest quality care and customer experience possible.

These efforts did not go unnoticed by United Healthcare. In October 2014, the organization recognized Salerno Medical Associates in a full-page Star-Ledger article as a top healthcare metrics provider that delivers innovative and consistent patient outcomes. After participating in a Horizon-piloted, patient-centered medical home program, Salerno Medical Associates also attained the highest tier ranking for stellar care in an office setting. United Healthcare praised the practice again in 2022 by giving it the United Hero Award.

Salerno Medical Associates also holds several certifications, including the Gold Standard in Imaging from the American College of Radiology, as well as accreditation in Echocardiography and Vein Center from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC).

SMA Has Received Numerous Accreditations and Awards

For the past fifty years, Salerno Medical Associates has been repeatedly recognized for its commitment to providing quality medical care to urban communities in northern New Jersey. United Healthcare has commended SMA for consistently delivering the highest quality healthcare to these underserved urban communities. In 2022, we were honored to be awarded the United Hero Award by United Healthcare.

Awards & Accreditation

American College of Radiology (ACR), Ultrasound Accredited facility The Gold Standard in Imaging Accreditation. ACR accreditation is recognized as the gold standard in medical imaging. ACR accreditation helps assure our patients that we provide the highest level of image quality and safety.

Intersocietal Accreditation Commission: Accredited Echocardiography Salerno Medical is accredited in echocardiography by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). By participating in the accreditation process, this medical facility demonstrates a commitment to the performance of quality echocardiography and strives to meet nationally recognized standards.

Intersocietal Accreditation Commission. Accredited Vein Facility Salerno Medical is an accredited Vein Center by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). By participating in the accreditation process, this medical facility demonstrates a commitment to the performance of a quality Vein Center in superficial venous treatment and management and strives to meet nationally recognized standards.

Request an Appointment with Salerno Medical Associates

Family-like compassion and commitment are built into the DNA at Salerno Medical Associates. Patients searching for high-quality primary and preventative care should look no further than the practice with decades of experience serving residents of East Orange, NJ, and surrounding regions.

Salerno Medical Associates is part of Nirvana Healthcare Management Services, which oversees multiple primary and specialty care locations in Newark and East Orange, NJ, including Salerno Medical Associates, Metropolitan Medical Group, North Ward Medical Arts, and CHOP. To schedule an appointment with Salerno Medical Associates, contact the office today at (973) 672-8573.

View video

Request An Appointment Today

Salerno Medical Associates has been providing quality, affordable healthcare to residents of Newark, East Orange, and environs for more than seventy years. If you want our family to take good care of yours, contact us today by calling (973) 672-8573 to schedule an appointment.