By Dhiren Shah
NEWARK – October 20th, 2020 will be a day to remember in Newark’s history. For the past few months, Newark Beth Israel Hospital has been reaching new heights. After Newark Beth Israel was recognized as one of the best hospitals in the world according to Newsweek, they have now organized, with social distancing rules, a groundbreaking of their $100 million renovation project, marking the largest expansion of the hospital since 1967.
A key component of the project will be the hospital’s new main lobby, an estimated 17,000-square-foot, glass-enclosed space, that will move the hospital’s front entrance back onto Lyons Avenue. The project will also include expanded adult and pediatric emergency departments, new hybrid operating rooms, a dedicated center for all cardiac services and a brand new renovated maternity unit.
Newark Beth Israel Hospital has been a key health institute for the community since almost 100 years. Beth Israel President Darrell K. Terry, Sr. welcomed everyone and briefed the audience about the hospital. He thanked the community and city officials, including Mayor Ras Baraka.
Baraka said that as a young kid he always passed by the hospital almost every day. He congratulated President and CEO of RWJ Barnabas Health Organization Mr. Terry for his commendable achievement and thanked the community for their support. U.S. Senator Cory Booker, NJ State Senator Teresa Ruiz, U.S. Congressman Donald Payne Jr., and many more elected officials, as well as some physicians, nurses and staff members, congratulated the organization via pre-recorded messages on screen.
This transformation will include:
· A new glass enclosed lobby with modern seating areas, an expanded registration area and community meeting spaces.
* The new lobby will transform the hospital from an enclosed brick structure with an obscure, entrance, into a light-filled welcoming space with a prominent entrance on Lyons Avenue.
· An expanded Emergency Department
* The ED will increase by approximately 4,000 square feet, including nine new treatment areas in the adult ED, three new pediatric treatment areas and one new fast-track treatment area. The ED will also boast new exterior signage as well as a separate waiting area for families who come to the pediatric emergency department for care.
· Renovated Intensive Care Units
* The Intensive Care Units will be right-sized to accommodate all patient needs. This includes additional space for clinical equipment and more room for loved ones.
· Cardiac Care:
* Newark Beth Israel is home to one of the nation’s top 10 heart transplant centers, New Jersey’s only Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program; and a Valve Center that performs complex cardiac valve procedures, including (TAVRs). The renovation project places all of these services under one roof in a center that is easily accessible to patients and will include new patient consult rooms, exam rooms, cardiac catheterization suites with the latest advanced medical imaging devices, and a hybrid operating room
· Brand New Maternity Unit
* Earlier this year, NBIMC completed the renovation of the brand-new Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Mother-Baby Unit. The maternity unit is a 34-bed private-room unit with all new spacious suites.
In recent years, patients have benefited from significant investments made in new technologies, physician recruitment and clinical programs. With the planned glass-enclosed lobby and entrance, the public will see the progress the hospital is making as they travel along Lyons Avenue. The transformation will create a more welcoming space filled with transparency and natural light that promises to invoke a sense of wellness and renewal for the hospital’s patients, families and the community.
Marc E. Berson, Chair, RWJBH, Francis J. Giantomasi, Chair, NBIMC and CHoNJ, Newark City Councilman John Sharpe James, Reverend Dr. Marilyn Harris, VP of Community Relations, NBIMC and CHoNJ, R. Julie Cabaleiro, MD, President of the Medical Staff, NBIMC and CHoNJ were on hand to witness the historic moment of the hospital.
“Local Talk” congratulates the administration of the Beth Israel Hospital and thanks them for serving a community in need.
