The latest in technological advancements and testing, combined with the perks of an integrated network, equals cutting-edge care for Staten Island urology patients

By Laura D.C. Kolnoski • Photos By Alex Barreto

Treating a wide range of urological conditions in men, women, and adolescents, doctors Richard Maggio and Jay Basillote are dedicated to providing the highest level of care. With more than 20 years experience each, the physicians recently found a way to be more responsive to patients’ needs.

One year ago, in order to provide better care in today’s increasingly complex health-care environment, the urologists decided to affiliate themselves with the Sovereign Health System and Sovereign Health Medical Group.

“We are always looking for the best new technologies to offer,” Dr. Maggio said. “There is power in numbers with Sovereign. They offer a lot of office perks and are a big, mostly urology group founded by a urologist, Dr. John Hajjar. I knew him because we trained together at NYU. They provide a lot of administrative back-office work, which is important because medicine is always changing. Sovereign also allows us to offer the public state-of-the-art testing and procedures with a reduced burden on the patient.”

Sovereign Health System is a fully integrated, multi-specialty community health-care system in the tri-state area. Integration involves the use of sophisticated electronic medical records (EMR), so physicians and others have easy access to medical histories. A major goal is speeding the path from primary care physicians to specialist, while helping with insurance, managed care plans, and paperwork.

Sovereign Health Medical Group treats a long list of conditions, including kidney stone disease, female and male incontinence, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, infertility, and urologic cancers, including kidney, bladder, prostate, and testicular.

In its completely renovated location, there is a certified operating suite where doctors perform minimally invasive and outpatient procedures. It also offer testosterone replacement therapy, genetic testing for inherited urologic cancers, and a simple blood test called 4Kscore that accurately identifies the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer without the need for invasive surgery.

Dr. Basillote, who moved with his parents as a child to Bayonne from the Philippines, has a special interest and expertise in minimally invasive procedures. A board-certified urologist, he received his medical degree from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. He completed an internship in general surgery at the Medical College of Pennsylvania and Hahnemann University in Philadelphia before doing his residency in general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. He did postgraduate work in pediatric urology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and also completed a fellowship in endourology and minimally invasive urology at the University of California, Irvine.

“A lot of my family members were doctors; that was the major reason I chose to become one, but I’m the only urologist,” he said. “I chose the specialty after doing a rotation and found that I liked it. I’ve never regretted that decision. The fact that not many urologists offer minimally invasive procedures in Staten Island is satisfying for me. We take care of patients at all three Staten Island hospitals. We have very good relationships with other specialists, so if patients need to avail themselves of other specialties, we can make it easier.”

A large part of urology now, the doctor explained, involves minimally invasive procedures. Advantages include smaller incisions, fewer scars, less pain, fewer infections, and faster recovery times.

“We basically do all testing, except CAT scans, in our office and don’t have to refer patients out,” Basillote said. “We do ultrasounds of genital and urinary tracts which avoid spending extra time going elsewhere.”

In addition to his office practice, Dr. Basillote is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center and Director of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery at Richmond University Medical Center. He has been published in various medical journals and has lectured on urology-related topics at local, national, and international conferences. He’s a member of the American College of Surgeons, the American Urological Association, and the Richmond County Medical Society, among other organizations.

Dr. Maggio, in practice some 30 years, is also a board-certified urologist. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he earned his medical degree from New York Medical College. He was a resident in general surgery and urology at New York University Medical Center, where he was chosen to serve as chief resident in urology.

A fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Urologic Association, Maggio is also a member of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Combining patient care with clinical research, he also serves as principal investigator on a number of studies exploring therapies to enhance the treatment of urologic conditions ranging from bladder cancer to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Originally from Brooklyn, he lived in Staten Island as a child.

“I was always interested in the sciences and in helping people,” Maggio said. “I picked urology because I wanted to do surgery. It was a good fit because it’s a mix of different procedures—there is a wide variety of things to do, and it is medicine plus surgery. During my rotations, I met the nicest, most laid-back guys, so that influenced my decision.”

As a physician-owned organization that provides practice-management expertise, Sovereign Health System’s primary care and specialty physicians, outpatient surgery centers, cancer-treatment facilities, and urgent-care centers ensure compassionate care at convenient locations, the doctors said.

Dr. Maggio said that he and Dr. Basillote, who both reside in Jersey City, have approximately 20,000 patients in their practice. Their office has seven examination rooms, two operating rooms, and one laboratory. Their staff includes a certified surgical assistant, office manager, medical assistant, and receptionist.

Sovereign Health Medical Group offers an array of the latest equipment for testing and treatment. Later this year, the practice will offer in-office prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests that yield immediate results whether there is an elevation in PSA, which can sometimes mean prostate cancer is present. With this procedure, patients will immediately know if a biopsy is needed.

The doctors engage in philanthropic endeavors, too, including supporting the American Cancer Society, speaking to various groups, and donating their time to treat indigent patients at local hospitals.

For relaxation, Dr. Basillote enjoys sailing in Raritan Bay and New York Harbor. He has won a number of regattas racing competitively in his 35-foot craft.

“What I enjoy most about our practice is serving many patients,” Dr. Maggio said. “And we have the luxury of developing and building long-term relationships with them. They send us family and friends. I’ve known some patients for 15 to 20 years; that’s unusual with a specialty. It’s rewarding when you get a good outcome and people do well. We are constantly moving forward.”

Sovereign Health Medical Group
2071 Clove Road, Suite J / 347.774.8386
sovereignhealthsystem.com