Newswise — SOMERVILLE, N.J. - Somerset Medical Center’s Board of Trustees announced today that the medical center will pursue a merger with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick.
“Academic medical centers offer the highest quality of care, including state-of-the-art diagnostic treatment services for the most serious medical conditions, cutting edge medical research and innovative techniques to improve patient outcomes and survival rates,” said Paul V. Stahlin, chairman of Somerset Medical Center’s Board of Trustees. “Choosing Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as Somerset Medical Center’s partner allows us the best opportunity to continue our mission of providing premier-quality, comprehensive healthcare services to residents of Central New Jersey well into the future -- as we have for more than 100 years.”
The pending merger comes at a time when hospitals of all sizes across the state and nation are re-evaluating and significantly changing their operational strategies and delivery models to cope with growing financial challenges.
“As our nation’s healthcare system continues to evolve into one which ensures the health of entire populations rather than focus on delivering episodes of care, this new strategic partnership with Somerset Medical Center better enables us to care for the people of the region," stated John R. Lumpkin, MD, MPH, chairperson of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Board of Directors.
“Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Somerset Medical Center have enjoyed a long, positive relationship, working with many of the same talented physicians to serve our community,” said Stephen K. Jones, president and CEO of Robert Wood Johnson Hospital and Health System. “We seek to build on this history and better position both organizations for future success.”
“We are taking a very proactive approach toward strengthening our position and enhancing our ability to provide the best, most comprehensive care in current and future healthcare environments,” said Ken Bateman, president and CEO of Somerset Medical Center. “Aligning with a dynamic partner such as the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, that also shares our vision, values and commitment to the communities we serve is one way in which we might best accomplish that goal.”
“We are very close to finalizing the necessary definitive agreement documents between both organizations and look forward to officially sharing that news,” said Stahlin.
The merger will be subject to state and federal regulatory review.
About Somerset Medical Center Somerset Medical Center is a 355-bed acute care hospital in Somerville, N.J., providing comprehensive health care services to residents throughout Central New Jersey. It is nationally recognized as a Magnet® hospital for nursing excellence. The medical center’s Steeplechase Cancer Center is designated as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer – a distinction achieved by only one in four hospitals nationwide that treat cancer patients. The Joint Surgery Institute at Somerset Medical Center has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for total knee and total hip replacement surgery. The medical center is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. It is one of nine Medical Coordination Centers established by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services to coordinate communication among emergency responders during a disaster situation. For more information about Somerset Medical Center, visit www.somersetmedicalcenter.com.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is a 600-bed academic medical center and the principal hospital of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, N.J. RWJUH is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care, from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation; cancer care; and women’s and children’s care, including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH) at RWJUH (www.bmsch.org). The hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness. RWJUH has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. It ranks among “America’s Best Hospitals,” according to U.S.News & World Report’s 2012 survey; it is the sixth consecutive year that RWJUH has achieved this prestigious ranking. In 2012 and 2013, U.S.News & World Report ranked BMSCH among the nation’s “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The American College of Surgeons’ (ACS) Commission on Cancer has rated RWJUH among the nation's best comprehensive cancer centers, and, in 2013, the Commission awarded to RWJUH its Outstanding Achievement Award, making RWJUH one of only two National Cancer Institute-designated cancer programs in the nation to achieve this honor. The Leapfrog Group rated RWJUH among the 50 exceptional U.S. hospitals, as published in Consumers Digest, and has given the hospital an “A” grade for safety and quality. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified RWJUH as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. RWJUH is a four-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence, and in 2011 and 2012, RWJUH won the American Nurses Association’s Outstanding Nursing Quality Award, making it the first academic medical center in the nation to receive the award two years in a row.
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