Jersey City Medical Center

For the former JCMC complex and historical site, see: Beacon, Jersey City.

The Jersey City Medical Center is a hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey. The hospital has had different facilities in the city. It is currently located on a 15-acre campus overlooking the New York Harbor and Liberty State Park. The Campus presently includes two facilities, the Wilzig Hospital and the Provident Bank Ambulatory Center. The hospital serves as a regional referral, teaching hospital and provides the highest level of care for women and infants, trauma, and cardiac patients. Inside our spacious facility, natural light bathes your room and the Statue of Liberty gleams outside your window. All around you the best and brightest medical professionals use the latest technologies to provide you state-of-the-art compassion.

Jersey City Medical Center is a teaching affiliate and a member of Americas Essential Hospitals.

Jersey City Medical Center
Barnabas Health
The Center as seen from Jersey Avenue
Geography
Location Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey, United States
Organization
Hospital type General
History
Founded 1882
Links
Website http://www.barnabashealth.org/Jersey-City-Medical-Center.aspx
Lists Hospitals in New Jersey

History

The hospital began as the "Charity Hospital" but the Board of Aldermen of Jersey City bought land at Baldwin Avenue and Montgomery Street in 1882 for a new hospital. The locale was chosen to remove the hospital from the industrial development at Paulus Hook. This building is now the Medical Center building. It was renamed the Jersey City Hospital in 1885 and had expanded to 200 beds. In 1909, the original hospital building was reserved for men and a second wing was added for women. When Frank Hague became mayor of Jersey City in 1917, he planned to expand the hospital. He had the original building renovated and constructed a new 23-story structure for surgery, known as The Orpheum. The new facility opened in 1931, and George O'Hanlon was the first director. With money from the Works Progress Administration new buildings were added during The Great Depression. The formal dedication of the Medical Center Complex, the B. S. Pollack Hospital, was on October 2, 1936, with Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicating the building.

In addition to the surgery building and the maternity hospital, the campus included the nurses' residence (Murdoch Hall), hospital for chest diseases (Pollock), a psychiatric hospital, and an outpatient clinic. The Medical Center's services were free. The formal dedication of the Jersey City Medical Center Complex was on October 2, 1936, with Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicating the building. During the 1950s, JCMC was the home of the medical school of Seton Hall University the predecessor to the New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry now located in Newark, NJ. The Art Deco buildings of the former JCMC complex are being renovated as The Beacon Jersey City.

Jersey City Medical Center was one of the first medical centers in the United States and the first in New Jersey. Many people in Northern New Jersey still call it “The Medical Center” because of its reputation to handle all kinds of medical issues. In 1988, the Medical Center became a private, non-profit organization. In 1994, the State of New Jersey designated the Medical Center as a regional trauma center, and in the late 1990s it was approved as a core teaching affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The hospital also has a teaching affiliation with the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.

In 2004, JCMC moved to new quarters at Grand Street and Jersey Avenue. The site is near the light rail, ferries to NYC, PATH trains and the Liberty Science Center. The facility is currently operated by Barnabas Health and is the regions “state designated trauma center” and the only hospital (medical center) in Hudson County to do open heart surgery. Several additional buildings are currently being planned for the site as the community around the hospital continues to grow and flourish.

Current operations

In 1988, the Medical Center declared bankruptcy and became a private, non-profit organization. In 1994, the State of New Jersey designated the Medical Center as a regional trauma center, and in the late 1990s it was approved as a core teaching affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The hospital also has a teaching affiliation with the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.

JCMC received among the highest scores in Hudson County in the New Jersey Department of Health's 2009 Hospital Performance Report. The Center scored in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the state for their care of heart attacks, surgical improvements, and heart failure, receiving the second-highest score behind North Bergen's Palisades Medical Center. JCMC received a 95 in pneumonia treatment, 97 in heart attack, heart failure and surgical care, percentages that represent the number of patients treated properly and released.[1]

The JCMC comprises two main hospital facilities, the Wilzig Hospital (named after Siggi Wilzig) and the Provident Bank Ambulatory Center.[2]

While not directly connected to the JCMC, a 2.5 acre parcel owned by the city is planned to become a Proton therapy treatment center,[3][4] though the deal is contingent on tax-abatements the city is reluctant to give.[5]

In October 2012 the JCMC announced that it would implement an on-line appointment service for non-threatening emergency room treatment, becoming the first hospital in the New York metro area to do so.[6]

Departments and Centers

Behavioral Health Services

Jersey City Medical Center's dedicated behavioral health services staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help with any behavioral or emotional problem. Multi-disciplinary teams, working in our emergency room, inpatient units, ambulatory care, community care and residential services, work with children, adolescents and adults, to provide the right amount of care at the right time.

These comprehensive behavioral health services are part of the outstanding programs provided by Jersey City Medical Center.

No patient is denied service due to inability to pay. Medicaid, Medicare and most commercial insurance plans are accepted.

Inpatient Detoxification

Short-term acute private bed unit, led by a multi-disciplinary team. Patients receive a comprehensive assessment / care and discharge plan.

Psychiatric Emergency/ Screening

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. Hudson County's designated Screening Center, offering six extended crisis evaluation beds, operates 24x7 providing psychiatric assessment and stabilization / referral as well as specialized psychiatric screening services for children, adolescents and adults.

Mobile Outreach

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. Certified Screeners provide psychiatric screening in Hudson County and provide assistance with any trauma / emergency on a 24/7 basis. Outreach staff are stationed at the County Youth House, Jersey City Municipal Court and Hudson County Superior Court.

Acute Psychiatric and Detoxification Inpatient Care

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. A psychiatric unit and detoxification unit are available 24x7. The closed acute section of the psychiatric unit is Hudson County's designated Short Term Facility. Admissions to the detoxification unit must meet ASAM criteria. A multi-disciplinary team provides a comprehensive assessment/treatment and discharge referral/linkage for all patients.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. Day hospital services are available for children, adolescents, and adults. A Therapeutic Nursery is available for 3-5 year olds. Day and after-school partial hospital programs are available for children/adolescents with a serious emotional disorder. Two-day programs are available for adults: an Acute Partial Hospitalization Program for individuals being discharged from acute hospital stays as well as those needing a higher level of care to divert them from hospitalization, and a psychosocial rehabilitation program with specialized services for MICA patients.

Outpatient Programs

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. A full range of services, individual, group, marital, family, psychological testing, and medication management are available for children, adolescents and adults who present with emotional, psychiatric, behavioral, interpersonal, or post traumatic issues. Anger management and Domestic Violence groups are available for men and women. Addiction treatment services and drug testing/monitoring are available for adults, including intensive outpatient groups, and after care. A School Based Clinic at Snyder High School provides onsite counseling services.

Integrated Case Management Services

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. Hudson County's designated ICMS provider is available for Hudson County adults who have a serious psychiatric disorder and require assertive community outreach to assist with community stabilization.

Residential Services

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. A 24x7 supervised 15 bed specialized residence, Liberty Park Residence, is available for long term care for seriously disabled adults. A Supportive Housing Project assists adults with a psychiatric problem who want to live independently but require assistance.

Consultation and Education/ Traumatic Loss Program

Located at the Jersey City Medical Center. Highly trained and experienced staff are available to provide individually tailored training/ education/consultation services to any Hudson County agency, business, or institution.

Fannie E. Rippel Foundation Heart Institute

Jersey City Medical Center offers the region’s finest cardiac care in New Jersey’s newest full-service hospital. From admission to discharge, patients will find a full line of catheterization and surgical options, a wide range of outpatient and inpatient options, and the region’s finest cardiology and surgical staffs. For heart patients, the quality of care at Jersey City Medical Center means that the best possible results and the quickest recovery are now available near where they live or work. No longer do Hudson County residents need to travel long distances for angioplasty or open heart surgery. Jersey City Medical Center provides the services of a heart center with the convenience and caring of a community hospital.

From diagnostic catheterization to emergency aortic dissection and mitral valve repair, the cardiac team at Jersey City Medical Center is ready. They offer advanced equipment to perform the most comprehensive cardiac services including:

Additionally, this Institute is the only center in Hudson County that provides:

The Orthopedic Institute at Jersey City Medical Center

The Orthopedic Institute is a dedicated place in the hospital for the care of orthopedic patients. This unique program brings together a multi-disciplinary team of physicians, nurses, therapists and technicians with the goal of providing seamless coordinated care to get you back to your favorite activities as soon as possible. The services offered vary from total joint replacement and surgery, to sports medicine and rehabilitation.

The Orthopedic Institute offers:

Jersey City Emergency Medical Services

For over 100 years, Jersey City EMS has been providing prompt, professional pre-hospital care to the residents, workers and visitors of Hudson County, NJ. Since the days of taking patients to the Medical Center via horse-drawn ambulances, JCMC EMS has grown into a fast-paced and dynamic service that includes Basic and Advanced Life Support, special operations, neonatal transfers, critical care inter-facility transports, regional EMS communications, and much more. As one of the largest and busiest EMS systems in the state, JCMC EMS now responds to more than 90,000 incidents a year. They also play a vital role in domestic preparedness education, homeland security response and educating the public and healthcare providers in CPR and advanced adult and pediatric life support.

History 1868 – Charity Hospital was Built in Jersey City 1882 – Jersey City Medical Center Moved to Montgomery and Baldwin 1883 – JCMC EMS Responded to 691 EMS Calls 1916 – JCMC EMS Responds to Black Tom Explosion 1919 – JCMC EMS begins utilizing Motorized Ambulances 1930 – JCMC EMS maintains a fleet of 11 ambulances and responds to a record 17,000 requests for aid 1978 – JCMC EMS is one of the nine original paramedic projects in New Jersey 1996 – Achieved Accreditation by the State of New Jersey for the EMT training program 2003 – Partnered with Hudson County Community College to establish an Associate Degree program in Pre-Hospital Medicine: Paramedic Science 2005 & 2007 – The American Heart Association Training Center successfully obtained American Heart Association accreditation in BLS, PALS, and ACLS 2006 – Implemented real time driver feedback system, Implemented nationally recognized System Status Management GPS Deployment Strategy 2007 – Designed the first in New Jersey "HeartSafe and Emergency Ready Communities", Implemented Electronic Scheduling 2008 – Created Operational Dashboard Reporting, Deployed MARVLIS system 2009 – Implemented electronic charting system, Began the process of certifying EMS Billing Employees through the National Academy of Ambulance Coding 2010 – Achieved Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services (CAAS), Achieved Accreditation by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), Achieved Accredited Center of Excellence from the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch, Jersey City Medical Center EMS Department maintains a fleet of 35 emergency vehicles and responds to more than 90,000 incidents a year

Awards and Accreditations

There are currently 5,705 hospitals in the United States. Of this 401 (in all of the United States) currently have the Magnet Designation for Nursing Excellence. Jersey City Medical Center is the only one in all of Hudson, Union or Essex Counties. Only 251 have received 6 consecutive “A” national safety ratings from the Leapfrog Group.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Tirella, Tricia. "Palisades scores highest in Hudson County" The Union City Reporter October 25, 2009; Pages 5-6
  2. ↑ http://www.libertyhealth.org/about.aspx?id=56
  3. ↑ http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2011/09/jersey_city_plans_for_15m_deve.html
  4. ↑ http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/2011/09/09/jersey-city-says-it-has-found-a-15m-buyer-for-city-owned-land-behind-medical-center/
  5. ↑ http://www.jerseycityindependent.com/2011/09/14/jersey-citys-15-million-land-sale-deal-may-hinge-on-tax-abatement/
  6. ↑ http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2012/10/jersey_city_medical_center_imp_1.html#incart_river_default

Coordinates: 40°42′54″N 74°02′55″W / 40.7151°N 74.0486°W

External links