Listen to this articleThe basics:
- Board deferred decision on RWJBarnabas’ Certificate of Need for Tinton Falls relocation
- Proposed $858M project includes new 252-bed acute care hospital and modernization of Long Branch campus
- Concerns raised about access for vulnerable populations, transportation & regional hospital impact
- Hearing lasted 8+ hours with hundreds participating in-person and virtually
A long and spirited hearing on the future of Monmouth Medical Center ended Dec. 4 with no action, as the State Health Planning Board deferred a decision over the hospital’s license.
The Thursday meeting took place in Trenton – with a satellite venue in Long Branch offering local residents the opportunity to testify virtually.
Throughout the more than eight-hour hearing, supporters and critics voiced their opinions about why or why not the board should approve RWJBarnabas Health‘s application of need. The approval would move the hospital’s main license from the current site – the 125-year-old Monmouth Medical Center – to a new one 6.5 miles down the road in Tinton Falls.
As NJBIZ reported in October, RWJBarnabas advanced its plans to build a 252-bed modern acute care hospital in Tinton Falls. Located on the Vogel Medical Campus at Fort Monmouth, it also includes the Specialty and Cancer Care Center, currently under construction.
The New Jersey Department of Health had deemed RWJBarnabas Health’s Certificate of Need application complete. That brought the issue to this Planning Board, who would then vote to determine whether to send off to the acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown for his final approval.
The plan
Hospital officials have stressed that the current facility is nearing the end of use life and requires upgrades and modernization. However, expansion options are limited at the current site without having to shut down sections of the hospital to perform renovations.
The $858 million project would break ground in 2027. All mandatory acute hospital services would shift to Tinton Falls.
The second phase would include a modernization and rehab of Monmouth Medical Center. The work would revitalize and license MMC as a hospital-based, off-site ambulatory care facility offering a satellite emergency department and a number of services.
Under the proposed plan, the services at the two sites would break down like this:
Tinton Falls Campus:
- 90 medical/surgical beds
- 36 adult ICU/CCU beds
- 70 OB/GYN beds
- 11 pediatric beds
- Five pediatric ICU beds
- 23 intensive NICU bassinets
- Eight intermediate NICU bassinets
Long Branch Campus:
- 25 closed adult psychiatric beds
- 19 open adult psychiatric beds
- 24-bed observation unit
- Satellite Emergency Department (SED)
- All inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services
- Imaging services
- Outpatient surgery and specialty clinics
- A transportation service will be available between the two sites
RWJ and Monmouth Medical Center officials have pledged that the two sites will work in conjunction with one another.
Long Branch community leaders and members have expressed concern about the future of Monmouth Medical Center and the services that would leave the facility, which has been a community centerpiece. There are also concerns about transportation getting to Tinton Falls, particularly during the busy summer months. And questions about the long-term commitment to operating MMC.
Round one
As the process has played out over the last few weeks and months, both sides have expressed strong feelings. Those opposed point to some of the issues mentioned above.
While those for the move have pointed to the need for a modernized hospital to provide the best care for patients. They say that this plan makes a major investment in building a state-of-the-art hospital, while also modernizing the current outdated footprint in Long Branch.
A first hearing was postponed and rescheduled. It ultimately took place Nov. 13 in Eatontown, which NJBIZ was on hand for. About 300 people appeared in person, another 200 participated virtually – and nearly 100 people spoke.
That hearing grew contentious as U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th District, who represents Long Branch and has vehemently opposed the project, called for the hearing to be postponed. He cited the size of the hearing room — held at the RWJBarnabas Health’s Anne Vogel Family Care & Wellness Center in Eatontown. At one point, Pallone got in the face of RWJBarnabas Health Executive Vice President and Chief External Affairs and Policy George Helmy. The former chief of staff for Gov. Phil Murphy also served as the interim U.S. senator between the conviction of Bob Menendez and election of Sen. Andy Kim.
Round two
The second hearing was not quite as contentious, but still quite spirited as the board heard testimony throughout Thursday.
And there was quite a juxtaposition to how it started versus how it ended. The meeting kicked off with Michael Kennedy, executive director of the NJDOH Division of Certificate of Need and Licensing. He advised the board to approve the application with several conditions and recommendations, which were read into the record.
Pallone testified against the plan. “Simply put, RWJ Barnabas’ plan to close the Long Branch hospital puts profits over people. Period,” he said. “They are abandoning a poorer, more diverse city for a significantly wealthier, less diverse suburb.”
Monmouth Medical Center President and CEO Eric Carney presented during the latter part of the hearing. In addressing the concerns and questions about whether this relocation would move care away from vulnerable populations, Carney said he believes this plan moves care closer to vulnerable populations – and provides them with a hospital they deserve.
Legacy of care
“We are proud that Monmouth Medical Center is one of the most celebrated hospitals in our region for our care – and our caring,” said Carney. “This is only possible because we’ve always put the patient at the center of everything we do. This plan exemplifies that approach – and we can be trusted to continue that legacy.
“The Vogel Medical Campus provides us an opportunity to build a hospital our community deserves but cannot be built at our current location. The campus makes our nationally recognized care more accessible by moving our services closer to the people we already serve. The campus creates greater access for all of our communities, a population that relies on us more than any hospital in the county.
“The Long Branch campus transforms into the behavioral health hospital that our community needs. And, most importantly, it ensures the long-term viability of a hospital that we all love. Thank you for the opportunity to present our project for your consideration. I ask that you approve our application and help us continue to transform health care within Monmouth County.”
Lingering questions
Several board members still had concerns they wanted to address and indicated they preferred to defer action to allow time to resolve those.
After going into executive session, the board emerged and issued its decision just before 6:30 p.m. — hearing began at 10a.m.
“We had a lengthy discussion – and we are not prepared to take action on this application tonight,” said Kennedy. “Several concerns that the board members have, I can highlight at a high level. We need more information on a disparities plan for the residents of Long Branch and vulnerable population. Additional information on transportation options to ensure that access to vulnerable population is more secured.
“We’d like to see additional information on staffing as it impacts other providers. And an extension of maintenance requirements for the services in addition to SED. Those are the four major concerns.”
Helmy responded by saying that RWJ had provided the information – and called for an up-and-down vote. He noted the advisory committee would be rejecting what the state has already approved.
“The state has made a recommendation in favor of moving the CN,” said Helmy. “We would ask you to take a vote to reject, not to defer. There is no more information coming. We’ve already answered it. It’s clear, frankly, that many people haven’t read the information provided – and they didn’t know who the state staff was in an open hearing, which I think is embarrassing.
I would ask you to not defer, but to take action – and to just reject the recommendations of the state health department.
— George Helmy, executive vice president, chief external affairs and policy, RWJBarnabas Health
“I would ask you to not defer, but to take action – and to just reject the recommendations of the state health department.”
The board followed through with the deferral, leaving questions about what and when comes next.
The health department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Looking ahead
Following the decision, RWJBarnabas Health put out the following statement through a spokesperson.
“We are extremely disappointed that the State Health Planning Board decided not to act on the positive recommendation of the New Jersey Department of Health to approve Monmouth Medical Center’s Certificate of Need application to build a new, state-of-the-art acute care hospital in Tinton Falls and make significant investments to upgrade and modernize the existing campus in Long Branch,” the statement said, continuing, “We will continue to work through this process and address any additional questions the Board may have.
“We look forward to sharing more about how our vision for transformative health care will bring world-class care closer to home for more patients by delivering the latest advanced technology, treatments, and innovative academic medicine in new, modern health centers of excellence.”
Those who oppose the plan applauded the deferral by the board, including fellow health care giant, Hackensack Meridian Health. HMH expressed concerns about what the relocation would mean for the two hospitals it operates nearby – Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City and Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank.
Data-driven decision making
“The decision by the State Health Planning board to defer a decision on the relocation of RWJ Barnabas Monmouth Medical Center out of Long Branch confirms the complex and serious access, impact and safety concerns raised by the public,” an HMH spokesperson told NJBIZ.
“Given the consequences for access to care, emergency response times, and the stability of the regional health care system, we are deeply concerned that this relocation would push Jersey Shore University Medical Center even further beyond capacity and, by duplicating hospital services in an already-served market, fragment patient volume in a way that jeopardizes Riverview Medical Center’s long-term economic viability.
“We are encouraged the State Health Planning Board listened to these concerns, taking a deliberative approach before moving forward, rather than fast-track this application. Any decision should be based on independent, transparent, data-driven analysis of the full impact on patient access, outcomes, EMS patterns, and the long-term viability of existing hospitals.”
Certainly, much more will play out in this story and situation – please stay with NJBIZ for the very latest.
