Business Briefs

Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations will host its 2009 Healthcare Perspectives luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 8 at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch. The event benefits Meridian's not-for-profit hospitals and community health programs in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Join Annette Catino, president and chief executive officer of QualCare Inc., is this year's luncheon chair. This year's keynote speaker is Patricia Andriolo-Bull, director of Commonwealth Choice. Andriolo-Bull's presentation, "Universal Healthcare: The Massachusetts Experience," will address her experience as she managed the Massachusetts Health Care Reform, a law that requires all residents of the state have health insurance.

Guests will also have the opportunity to learn about Meridian's services and meet with Meridian leadership in areas such as oncology, rehabilitation, occupational health, emergency services and several more.

For ticket information or to secure a sponsorship opportunity call 732-751-5112

Ocean Medical Center, Brick, now offers the new PET/CT, which combines the benefits of both positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) all in one scan, allowing physicians to diagnose diseases more quickly and accurately.

According the medical center, PET/CT provides oncologists and other specialists with the most comprehensive clinical information available to manage cancer. PET/CT integrates diagnostic PET and CT technologies into a single device, making it possible for doctors to collect both anatomical and biological information during a single examination. The information obtained by PET/CT allows for accurate tumor detection and localization for a variety of cancers, including melanoma, lymphoma, lung, colorectal, head and neck, and ovarian cancers.

A SMILE networking lunch, hosted by the Brick Township Chamber of Commerce, will begin at noon May 15 at Bottazzi's Red Lion Inn. Drum Point Road, Brick. Attendance is limited and by reservation only.

For additional information or reservations, call the Brick Township Chamber of Commerce at 732-477-4949 or go to www.brickchamber.com