About

Dr. Mirela C. Feurdean has been a clinician educator and a primary care physician for the underserved since 2004. She served as Program Director for the Rutgers NJMS Internal Medicine residency program from 2016 to 2022. She has been recognized by residents with multiple teaching awards. Dr. Feurdean spearheaded and helped develop and implement the focus tracks in the Internal Medicine residency at NJMS and the POCUS curriculum, and she received the 2022 Department of Medicine Award for Innovations in Medical Education. She is the co-founder and the Medicine Director of the 4-year Combined Internal Medicine-Preventive Medicine residency track at NJMS.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Internal medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Emergency medicine
• Surgery
• General surgery
• Immunology

Selected publications

• Bridging the Postpartum Cliff—First Year Outcomes of a Postpartum Transition to Primary Care Clinic

  Women s Health Reports · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Background: Half of maternal deaths occur after 42 days postpartum, a time when women are already out of obstetrical care. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends postpartum transition to primary care within 12 weeks of delivery. The majority of women do not transition to primary care, even those with chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Those who do may experience the "postpartum cliff," a drop-off in communication between obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) and primary care provider (PCP). Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess attendance rates at primary care appointments among high-risk postpartum patients who were referred through an enhanced postpartum referral system and to evaluate follow-up care in the early postpartum period. Methods: A dedicated "Healthy Moms Clinic" (HMC) and referral protocol were established using patient navigators between maternal fetal medicine (MFM) and primary care in January 2023. A retrospective chart review was conducted in November 2024 of women who were referred from MFM to primary care. The primary outcome variable was attendance rate at the HMC. Secondary outcomes included preventive screenings, contraception use, and management of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. Results: Of 106 referrals between January 2023 and July 2024, 93.4% attended their 6-week postpartum OB/GYN visit. Half (53.8%) attended the initial PCP visit, and 30.2% of the missed appointments were rescheduled. If the visit was rescheduled, half of those patients attended their rescheduled appointment with an overall show rate of 70.8%. There was no difference in show rates by race/ethnicity (patients identified primarily as Black or Hispanic) nor by insurance type. Conclusion: Coordination between obstetrics and primary care through dedicated transition clinics allows interdisciplinary collaboration, providing a solution for missed care postpartum. More time is needed to assess long-term outcomes such as hypertension control, diabetes control, and weight loss.

  PublisherDOI

• Healthy Moms Clinic: Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating Postpartum Care Into Primary Care and Residency Education

  American Journal of Public Health · 2024-05-01 · 2 citations

  editorialOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  ate postpartum maternal mortality remains high in the United States.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 2017 through 2019 more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths were pre-

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Role of Family Medicine in Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis in the United States

  Journal of Primary Care & Community Health · 2024-01-01 · 3 citations

  reviewOpen access

  The United States (US) is experiencing a maternal health crisis, with high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. The US has the highest rates of pregnancy-related mortality among industrialized nations. Maternal mortality has more than quadrupled over the last decades. Rural areas and minoritized populations are disproportionately affected. Increased pregnancy-care workforce with greater participation from family medicine, greater collaborative care, and adequate postpartum care could prevent many maternal deaths. However, more than 40% of birthing people in the US receive no postpartum care. No singular solutions can address the complex contributors to the current situation, and efforts to address the crisis must address workforce shortages and improve care during and after pregnancy. This essay explores the role family medicine (FM) can play in addressing the crisis. We discuss pregnancy care training in FM residencies as well as the threats posed by financial and medico-legal climates to the maternal health workforce. We explore how collaborative care models and comprehensive postpartum care may impact the maternal health workforce. Efforts and resources devoted to high impact solutions for which FM has considerable autonomy, including collaborative and postpartum care, are likely to have greatest impact.

  PublisherDOI

• ACUTE BILATERAL PULMONARY EMBOLISM IN A PATIENT WITH VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY

  CHEST Journal · 2021-10-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Cytomegalovirus and Herpes Simplex Virus Co-Infection in an HIV-Negative Patient: A Case Report

  Cureus · 2021 · 7 citations

  Senior authorCorresponding
  • Medicine
  • Immunology
  • Internal medicine

  Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are commonly seen in immunocompromised patients, particularly in patients with HIV. However, fulminant CMV infection and concurrent infection with HSV and CMV in non-HIV patients are quite rare. We present the case of a 72-year-old HIV-negative man with a history of oropharyngeal carcinoma in remission and recent treatment of immune thrombocytopenic purpura with high-dose steroids who was transferred from an outside hospital for Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) evaluation of a non-healing buccal ulcer. During initial presentation, the patient was found to be febrile with acute hypoxic respiratory failure and a chest x-ray suggestive of bacterial pneumonia, though he failed to improve with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy. He underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy for dysphagia, which revealed a discrete ulcer positive for CMV. Biopsy of his buccal lesion was ultimately positive for HSV-1 and HSV-2. The patient's clinical status improved significantly following the initiation of antiviral therapy.It is important to consider CMV infection in the setting of persistent fever, respiratory distress, or dysphagia in the non-HIV infected patient, especially in the setting of prolonged steroid use. CMV and HSV infection can occur simultaneously at distinct sites in the body, and CMV infection may predispose to HSV reactivation due to its long term effect on cell-mediated immunity. Early recognition of opportunistic infections and initiation of antiviral therapy in immunocompromised patients can greatly affect length of hospital stay, morbidity, and, ultimately, mortality.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Novel Team-Based Learning Approach for an Internal Medicine Residency: Medication-Assisted Treatments for Substance Use Disorders

  MedEdPORTAL · 2021-02-01 · 6 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Introduction: It is estimated that approximately one-tenth of the US population suffers from substance use disorders (SUD), a problem that is compounded when one considers the impact that drug addiction could have on treatment outcomes for many other chronic diseases. Thus, addiction medicine has become an important component of many successful urban primary care practices and residencies across the country. Our program sought to improve the confidence of our residents in managing SUD by instituting a team-based learning (TBL) activity that focused on the diagnosis and medication-assisted treatment of these illnesses. Methods: The class of 80 internal medicine residents were divided into groups of approximately 16 residents, and during the TBL sessions further divided into teams of three to four. Each TBL session consisted of an individual readiness assurance test, a group discussion of the correct answers, and a PowerPoint-based team application activity. Surveys were conducted for each group to assess the residents' attitudes after completing the activity. Results: Of residents, 69 of 80 completed the survey. The response to the TBL exercise was overwhelmingly positive, with most residents in agreement that the activity increased their knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating patients with SUD. Discussion: Overall, this TBL activity was well received by the residents and subjectively increased their competence in managing patients with SUD. In addition, our modification to the traditional TBL format suggested that the theories and spirit behind TBL can be successfully adapted to meet the challenges and intricacies of internal medicine residency education.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Tu1679 EFFECTS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM ON HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS

  Gastroenterology · 2020-05-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Sa1226 ARE THERE RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING BARRETT'S ESOPHAGUS IN PATIENTS WITH GASTROPARESIS?

  Gastroenterology · 2020-05-01

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• S0317 Compliance With Colorectal Cancer Screening in Veterans After an Episode of Acute Diverticulitis: A Quality Assessment Project

  The American Journal of Gastroenterology · 2020-10-01

  articleSenior author

  INTRODUCTION: Incidence rates of acute diverticulitis (AD) have been increasing rapidly in recent decades. AD has been associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The majority of guidelines recommend screening with colonoscopy after an episode. Our aim was to identify the compliance rate of colonoscopy for CRC screening, in patients presenting with an episode of AD in the East Orange Veterans Affairs Hospital (EOVA) from 10/01/2015 to 6/30/2019. METHODS: We randomly selected 149 patients who were admitted to the EOVA for AD from 10/01/2015 to 6/30/2018 using ICD-10 codes. Patient’s charts were reviewed to look for computed tomography (CT) scan confirmed diverticulitis, complications (abscess, perforation, fistula, obstruction) and post-discharge follow up. Primary outcomes were the compliance rates of post-discharge follow up and colonoscopy. Secondary outcomes were the time interval between discharge and outpatient follow up, and documentation if incomplete. RESULTS: In this study, 91% of the patients were male with a mean age of 62.8 years and BMI of 29.1 kg/m2. Sixty-three percent of patients had CT scan confirmed diverticulitis, with 94% occurring in the left colon, and 85.6% occurring without complications. Of those with CT confirmed disease, 69.2% received outpatient follow up and 36.3% had colonoscopy follow up after the acute event. 33% had colonoscopy within 48 months. The mean follow-up interval was 7.4 months. For patients who did not receive colonoscopy, 18% of patients had documentation on why it was not performed, most commonly due to the patient declining. CONCLUSION: Nearly 70% of patients who were admitted to the EOVA for CT confirmed AD had post-discharge follow up within 8 months. However, the colonoscopy compliance rate within 2 years was lower than the national average rate. The reason for non-compliance was not well documented. Further prospective studies will be needed to identify the reason for non-compliance.

  PublisherDOI

• The impact of a multidisciplinary debriefing protocol after in-hospital cardiac arrest on healthcare provider perspectives

  Resuscitation · 2020-10-01

  article
  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Laura Rotundo

  50 shared

• Sushil Ahlawat

  SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

  40 shared

• Faiz Afridi

  Rutgers New Jersey Medical School

  36 shared

• Neil Kothari

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  27 shared

• Thayer Nasereddin

  17 shared

• Sung Hoon Choi

  CHA Bundang Medical Center

  16 shared

• Angelica C. Gangemi

  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

  16 shared

• Zhiwei Yin

  Hunan University

  16 shared

Education

• M.D.

  University of Medicine and Pharmacy 'GR.T.Popa'

  1995

Awards & honors

• 2022 Department of Medicine Award for Innovations in Medical…