Hackensack Meridian Health opens 18th hospital

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), the largest health network in the state, opened its first long-term acute care hospital (LTACH).

Located at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, the state-of-the-art facility features 30 private rooms and offers a variety of programs to accommodate patients that need a longer stay in an acute care setting.

In an Oct. 5 press release announcing the grand opening, HMH Chief Executive Officer Robert Garrett said, “We are excited to open our 18th hospital in the Hackensack Meridian Health Network. This new LTACH will provide numerous benefits to our patients, their families and our community, which will lead to optimizing patient outcomes.”

According to HMH, highlights include:

• State-of-the-art pulmonary program with ventilator weaning
• An advanced cardiac program that includes congestive heart failure management and education
• Dialysis management
• Sepsis treatment that includes long-term antibiotic therapy
• Extensive wound care program with treatment of non-healing surgical wounds and pressure ulcers

The new facility also has a specialized dedicated floor, daily physician visits, round-the-clock emergency physician coverage and an interdisciplinary care team that includes specialists, registered nurses, technicians, respiratory therapists, dieticians and rehabilitation therapists, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech.

“We look forward to providing exceptional care to each patient who comes to our hospital,” said Michael Burns, president and chief hospital executive of Hackensack Meridian LTACH.

Todd Way, president, Central Region, HMH, noted that LTACH is part of a $35 million investment by the hospital network into Raritan Bay Medical Center “that will help meet the future needs of our community.”

Statewide, the not-for-profit health care organization has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations and a fitness and wellness centers.

Its workforce includes more than 35,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, making it one of New Jersey’s top employers.