Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center Breaks Ground on New, State-of-the-Art Emergency Department

 October 10, 2024 — North Bergen, NJ — Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center is proud to announce that the hospital broke ground on a new, state-of-the-art emergency department. This $50 million investment will make emergency care more accessible by doubling the size of the emergency department to 22,000 square feet, enabling the medical center to continue providing high-quality, safe, cutting-edge care.

“Hackensack Meridian Health is committed to providing high-quality, innovative care to the communities we serve,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, chief executive officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Palisades Medical Center’s new cutting-edge emergency department will meet the evolving healthcare needs of our patients and allow our world-class team members to provide comprehensive emergency care closer to home.”

The new design will enable Palisades Medical Center to make emergency care more accessible to the community by:

• Adding 17 treatment bays, bringing the total to 50.
• An enlarged trauma room that will accommodate three treatment bays.
• Constructing 15 new fast-track bays will enable team members to treat non-urgent patients more efficiently.
• The new emergency department will also maximize patient comfort and safety with a dedicated area for pediatric patients and a secure area for behavioral health patients. 

“Palisades Medical Center is providing personalized care that is transforming the patient experience,” said Mark D. Sparta, FACHE, President & Chief Hospital Executive of Hackensack University Medical Center and President, North Region, Hackensack Meridian Health. “This new emergency department will allow Palisades Medical Center to reach even more patients and give them peace of mind that they are receiving outstanding care during a stressful time.”

“Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center is excited to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art emergency department,” said Lisa A. Iachetti, BSN, RN, president and chief hospital executive, Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center. “This new facility is part of a $50 million investment to continue serving patients in Hudson and southern Bergen counties with the quality, safe, compassionate care they’ve come to expect and deserve.”

The expanded emergency department is slated to open in 2026.

Palisades Medical Center was recognized earlier this year as the only hospital in Hudson County to earn an “A” safety rating from The Leapfrog Group. The hospital also received the Health Care Equity Certification from the Joint Commission and was named in a report from the Lown Institute, which found that the hospital is among the top hospitals in the nation for giving back to the communities it serves. 

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ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations, and a fitness and wellness center. With more than 35,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy and committed to the health and well-being of communities throughout New Jersey. 

The network’s notable distinctions include having the only #1 ranked adult and children's hospitals in New Jersey, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2024-25. Hackensack University Medical Center is nationally-ranked by U.S. News & World Report in eight specialties. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.   

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN PALISADES MEDICAL CENTER 

Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center is one of 18 Hackensack Meridian Health Network hospitals. Located on the Hudson River waterfront in North Bergen, N.J., Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center has and continues to meet the changing healthcare needs of Hudson and Southern Bergen counties, serving a population of more than 450,000. The 197-bed not-for-profit medical center focuses on providing quality expert care in a safe environment.  The hospital has recently earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group’s most recent review, the only hospital in Hudson County with three consecutive A’s.

The hospital has been going through an exciting revitalization, attracting additional expert, fellowship-trained surgeons specializing in minimally invasive surgery and other specialties.  As a result of the hospital’s recent capital, clinical, and personnel investments, the hospital’s interior spaces have been reimagined to enhance the patient experience. Renovations include new flooring, remodeling of the main hospital lobby and a brand-new multi-specialty suite, and a urology office, in the medical office building, creating spaces that promote comfort, quality, and clinical excellence. Plans are underway for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art Emergency Department.  

Located on the main campus, the Medical Office Building provides comprehensive specialty outpatient services featuring an adult and pediatric outpatient physical rehabilitation center with the latest equipment and technology. The sleep-wake center offers comfortable accommodations for sleep analysis .  The Comprehensive Breast Center features an enhanced and newly added breast surgery program.  The medical office building also has additional outpatient services including General Bariatrics, Orthopedic and Cosmetic Surgery, Cardiology, Urology, Pulmonology, Vascular, and Dermatology. The building also provides cancer care provided by professionals from Hackensack Meridian John Theurer Cancer Center.

Hackensack Meridian Palisades Medical Center has a Graduate Medical Education Program with residencies in podiatry, dermatology, family medicine, internal medicine, general surgery, gastroenterology fellowships, and traditional rotating internships.

HMH Palisades Medical Center partners with local parishes, senior centers, and community centers in Hudson and Southern Bergen counties providing over 135 community events per year, serving 38,000 people with diabetic testing, blood pressure checks, smoking cessation information, posture and balance screenings, sleep assessments, breast health, and lung cancer screening information and education.