Hackensack extends reach into N.Y. with North Shore partnership

Jessica Perry//March 5, 2012

The regional footprint of Hackensack University Medical Center continues to grow, as the system announced Monday an affiliation with North Shore-LIJ Health System, the second-largest nonprofit secular hospital system in the nation.

The affiliation, which will not change any governance or funding of the two hospital systems, will focus on creating cooperative programming to improve care, clinical research programs and projects, and establishing referral arrangements and IT programs, according to a joint announcement.

According to the announcement, funding and management for the joint programs will be arranged by a new joint operation committee.

“The decision was also based on North Shore-LIJ’s reputation as a highly respected organization that has formed successful partnerships with independent hospitals in the greater New York City and Long Island region,” said Robert Garrett, Hackensack president and CEO. “We are confident that our patients and staff will benefit from this collaboration.”

North Shore-LIJ operates 15 hospitals, long-term care facilities and more than 200 ambulatory care centers in the metropolitan area. The system also is affiliated with The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and is the parent organization for the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. The system employs 43,000 people, the most on Long Island and the ninth-largest employer in New York City.

Garrett said in February that he hoped to grow Hackensack through regional alliances and a more robust academic program. In addition to affiliating with North Shore-LIJ, the Hackensack system last week was granted approval to reopen Pascack Valley Hospital, and earlier in February, it applied for a certificate of need with the Health Department to take over operations of Mountainside Hospital, in Montclair.