Hackensack Meridian Health Celebrates 5-Year Anniversary

On Jul 2, 2021

Hackensack Meridian Health marked its five-year anniversary yesterday as the largest, integrated healthcare network in New Jersey, comprising 17 hospitals, including – three academic medical centers, two children’s hospitals, nine community hospitals, a behavioral health hospital, and two rehabilitation hospitals.

Between 2017 and 2020, the merger between Hackensack University Health Network and Meridian Health (which occurred in 2016) has resulted in: 711,222 admissions; 69,553 births; 2.5 million emergency visits; 7.5 million outpatient visits, $2 billion in community contributions; and nearly $1 billion in uncompensated care.

According to Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, the health system, continues to deliver on its promise to transform healthcare delivery through innovation, technology and education. “Thanks to our world-class team members, we have made extraordinary progress in making healthcare more affordable, accessible and convenient for the communities we serve,” he said.

“The merger facilitated significant advancements in innovation, technology, and education. From the launch of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, to the merger with Carrier Clinic, to the opening of the Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) – the network has tirelessly focused on transforming health care and served millions throughout New Jersey,” Garrett said.

Hackensack Meridian Health also has played a major role in the COVID-19 pandemic, including treating more patients than any network in New Jersey and developing major breakthroughs – including the state’s first rapid COVID test, reducing wait time from days to a just a few hours and developing a dozen clinical trials for COVID therapies and vaccines.

The network also created a rapid COVID variant test to more effectively treat patients and better track the virus, an advance that greatly aided the New Jersey Health Department. The network also operated New Jersey’s largest COVID-19 mega site at the former Meadowlands Racetrack, vaccinating nearly 5,000 people daily at its peak.

“We are proud of what we have accomplished to date, but we recognize there is much more work to be done. Together, we will continue to deliver the most innovative and compassionate care for our communities, now and for decades to come,” Garrett added.

The 17 hospitals the comprise Hackensack Meridian Health include: three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children’s hospitals – Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune; nine community hospitals – Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin; a behavioral health hospital – Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead; and two rehabilitation hospitals – JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 500 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has more than 36,000 team members, and over 7,000 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine opened in 2018, the first private medical school in New Jersey in more than 50 years, welcomed its third class of students in 2020 to its On3 campus in Nutley and Clifton. Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to find more cures for cancer faster while ensuring that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: