The New Jersey Department of Health’s State Health Planning Board granted Hudson Regional Hospital their certificate of need to operate the Bayonne Medical Center.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“We see this transfer as an opportunity to make Bayonne Medical Center a financially secure facility that will control expenses, improve efficiencies and integrate care throughout the Hudson County service area, improving access to care for the county’s residents,” HRH President and CEO Dr. Nizar Kifaieh said in a statement.
“We look forward to working with the community, our staff and other stakeholders including the HPAE to help Bayonne Medical Center reach its potential.”
HRH owns the BMC property and has been operating the hospital on an interim basis on behalf of CarePoint Health (they did a formal launch late last month), whose board recently endorsed HRH to become permanent operator.
The Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, and the Hoboken University Medical Center are currently part of a deal that would include HRH to form Hudson Health System, which was moved forward when CarePoint filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“We have the same, experienced management team that implemented the changes at Hudson Regional and we intend to duplicate these results at Bayonne Medical Center,” added HRH Chair Yan Moshe.
He also noted that in its recent endorsement of the takeover, the state Department of Health staff highlighted many beneficial aspects of the HRH strategy.
“As you can see from the transcript of the public hearing held on November 13th at Bayonne, there is overwhelming support from the community for this transfer,” noted Kifaieh, who urged NJ DOH Commissioner Dr. Kaitlan Baston act quickly in order to avoid any prospective negative healthcare impacts in Hudson County.
Baston will decide whether to grant final approval in the matter.
Yesterday, the Jersey City Council approved a resolution asking HRH to honor union contracts in the event the Hudson Health System plan comes to fruition in light of union officials claiming their insurance premiums will double in the new year.
