MANAHAWKIN – In response to the increase in the number of permanent residents in southern Ocean County, Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center (SOMC) has launched a $31 million expansion project to improve its medical facilities.
Michele Morrison, MPH, BSHA, RN, president and hospital chief at Southern Ocean Medical Center, emphasized the critical role the expansion plays in addressing the evolving needs of the community.
“When work is completed in approximately 30 months, we will be able to provide greater access to comprehensive care to better serve the growing population in southern Ocean County while keeping an eye on future growth,” she said.
The expansion will add two new operating rooms to the existing facility and increase the current operating space by 790 square meters. Upon completion, the total new operating space will be 1,990 square meters.
In addition to building new operating rooms, the hospital will also renovate 1,200 square meters of existing space. The entire project will focus on the oldest part of the hospital building.
To improve patient flow, the hospital will also create a new pre- and post-operative care area. In addition, the sterilization department, which is responsible for sterilizing surgical equipment, will be expanded to support the increased surgical capacity.
The facility’s current sterilization department is very small and improvements are an integral part of the surgical services as it expands.
“We will have four operating rooms in operation at all times during the expansion,” Morrison assured. “That’s why the expansion is taking so long. If it were to take place in another part of the building or if we were not renovating our current space, it would go much faster.”
Morrison said the plans call for a phased approach to hiring additional staff throughout the process. Ultimately, SOMC will have six operating rooms available to meet patient needs.
While SOMC as a whole claims to have kept pace with the growth of surrounding communities over the past decade, the operating room itself has not undergone any major upgrades in the past 20 years.
“Now is the right time for this expansion,” said Kenneth N. Sable, MD, MBA, FACEP, regional president, Southern Market, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Especially in the wake of COVID-19, where part-time residents have made Ocean County their permanent home, we have an even greater responsibility to ensure patients have 24/7 access to cutting-edge care in an innovative setting. It is inspiring to see this project finally begin.”
Hackensack Meridian/Southern Ocean Medical Center is a nonprofit organization and hopes to raise about half of the funds for the expansion through charitable donations.
The hospital’s commitment to modernizing its facilities is also evident in its recent technological advancements. The acquisition of a da Vinci robot in 2021 and a second robot late last year underscore ongoing efforts to incorporate cutting-edge surgical technologies. In addition, the Phase I expansion includes improvements to the hospital’s solar infrastructure.
The hospital has achieved significant milestones in the field of cardiac medicine.
“As of February 2024, we will be able to perform stent implantations on-site for patients with acute heart attacks, reducing the need for transfers to Jersey Shore University Medical Center,” said Morrison. “We have already treated 27 patients and plan to expand our services to include elective cardiac surgery in the near future.”
In addition to upgrading the operating room, SOMC is working to convert 20 beds from long-term care to acute care, which would bring the total number of acute care beds to 176. The hospital is also seeking approval for a Level 2 pediatric unit, which would allow for care of premature babies – a significant improvement over the current Level 1 maternity unit, which cares exclusively for full-term, healthy babies.
“We are a fully resourced community hospital,” Morrison said. “We strive to adapt to the evolving needs of the community and maintain the highest standards of care.”
