Listen to this articleThe basics:
- $20M emergency department addition unveiled in Newark
- Includes 20 private rooms, new lobby and radiology area
- Part of a broader $1.8B campus modernization plan
- Funded largely through New Jersey’s FY2025 state budget
University Hospital completed the next phase of a project aimed at expanding and modernizing its emergency department.
In a Sept. 9 press release, the Newark-based public acute care hospital unveiled a $20 million addition designed to meet the growing needs of the patient population.
The 14,129-square-foot space includes:
- 20 private treatment rooms
- Nine flexible treatment cubicles
- A waiting area
- Radiology registration area
- Re-designed entrance and lobby to enhance the experience for both patients and their families
Additionally, two new nurses’ stations and support areas will help elevate collaboration and communication, the hospital said.
University Hospital is North Jersey’s only state-certified Level 1 Trauma Center. It provides life-saving care to hundreds of thousands of patients each year from throughout the region.
Between the time the ED was built more than 50 years ago and now, the number of cases it handles annually has grown from 50,000 to more than 100,000. That’s according to Dr. Harsh Sule, a University Hospital emergency medicine physician and interim chair for Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s department of emergency medicine.
Sule said, “This is more than a construction project to our staff. It reinforces our commitment to providing patients with a better experience – one that is more efficient, safe, and individualized than ever before.”
‘A taste for what’s to come’
The addition opens to patients just a few months after completing the first stage of the emergency room modernization project in an adjacent space. It also comes as the hospital embarks on a larger, multi-phase $1.8 billion effort to update the campus it shares with Rutgers Health.
Dr. Kaitlan Baston, interim CEO and president of University Hospital, described the new ER as “a taste for what’s to come.”
“While there is still work to be done, this milestone reflects our commitment to our community today while we build the future of health care in Newark,” said Baston.
The former New Jersey Health Commissioner took over leadership at University Hospital earlier this year, after Ed Jiminez stepped down to take the helm at Main Line Health.
Tanya Freeman, chair of the hospital’s board of directors, added, “This vital step will help ensure the Newark community has access to the highest level of emergency medical care for generations to come. We look forward to continuing to provide patients with exceptional care every time they walk through our doors.”
Take a look at University Hospital’s expanded Emergency Department:
Local support
University Hospital also noted the continued advocacy of local legislators as well as support of state officials as key to obtaining funding to make the project possible.
A spokesperson told NJBIZ the majority of funding for the $20 million ED expansion came from the state’s 2025 Fiscal Year budget.
“Continued advocacy by the delegation of Essex County legislators – including State Senate Majority Leader [Teresa] Ruiz and Assemblywomen [Eliana] Pintor Marin and [Shanique] Speight – resulted in funding specifically designated for ED improvements,” the media rep said.
The expanded Emergency Department is an example of the return on our collective investment and obligation to patients, families, and hospital staff, including Newark residents.
– Assemblywoman Shanique Speight, D-29th District
In a statement, Ruiz, D-29th District, shared, “This renewed space will enhance our emergency response capabilities, empowering our medical professionals with the upgraded infrastructure and technology necessary to deliver timely, life-saving treatment. It is an investment that reaffirms University Hospital’s commitment to health equity and the communities that rely on their services most during a moment of crisis.”
She said, “We are grateful for the opportunity to help secure this critical funding for a facility that serves as both an anchor in Newark and a lifeline for New Jersey—and we remain committed partners in building a more compassionate, accessible, and resilient health care system.”
Speight, D-29th District, remarked, “The expanded Emergency Department is an example of the return on our collective investment and obligation to patients, families, and hospital staff, including Newark residents. We are pleased to contribute to securing essential funding for this institution whose success is vital to the well-being of our city and the strength of New Jersey’s health care system.”
