Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, unveiled plans for a two-story, 76,600-square-foot vertical expansion above the hospital’s existing Orthopedics Pavilion and Emergency Department (ED) building. The space will house the new Orthopedic Center of Excellence, which will include 35 fully private patient rooms and a state-of-the-art rehab gym for orthopedic patients, and an ED Rapid Decision Unit.
“The Orthopedic Center of Excellence will create a preeminent facility to house all of our orthopedic patients in one area, further enhancing the care patients experience from our nationally recognized program. These enhancements will continue to make us a premier destination in the region for orthopedic care,” said Tony Cava, President and CEO of RWJUH Somerset. “The benefits of this expansion project will be felt by patients, their families, and staff across the hospital, as it will enable us to enhance privacy and safety throughout the facility. Additionally, the new space will facilitate future growth opportunities as we continue to evolve with the health care needs of our local community.”
The self-contained Orthopedic Center of Excellence will ensure that joint surgery patients can receive the highest quality pre-and post-operative care close to home, eliminating the need for patients to travel for surgery and rehabilitation. Patients will experience privacy and comfort through 35 thoughtfully furnished private inpatient rooms featuring amenities such as convertible sleeper sofas, USB ports and work services, and a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gym.
The expansion will also include a 10-room Rapid Decision Unit for RWJUH Somerset’s ED. Patients who require additional observation or are waiting for test results will occupy these rooms, helping reduce wait times in the ED providing increased comfort for patients and their families.
Additionally, the new Orthopedics Center of Excellence will allow RWJUH Somerset to convert the majority of the hospital’s existing patient rooms into fully private rooms. New patient rooms will feature larger windows for staff to observe patients reducing disruptions and exposure to enhance patient healing, safety, and the overall care experience. Construction on the expansion project is slated to begin in summer 2022.
RWJUH Somerset has completed several recent renovations and enhancement projects to ensure that the hospital continues to evolve and meet the needs of the community it serves. In February 2022, the facility’s Diabetes Center was moved to a newly renovated, modern space just off the hospital’s main lobby to help patients manage their diabetes in a comfortable, convenient setting. Later that month, the Cardiac Diagnostic Testing Department relocated to a remodeled 10,000-square foot location comprised of six patient bays and eight procedure rooms along with a bright, modern waiting area and featuring state-of-the-art diagnostic technology. Additionally, the hospital has nearly completed a renovation that will transform the first-floor inpatient Eating Disorder Unit into an advanced state-of-the-art facility that utilizes the latest research and evidence-based design principles to simultaneously meet critical safety and security needs, enhance programming and promote healing and wellness.
For more information on RWJUH Somerset visit, www.rwjbh.org/somerset.
About RWJ University Hospital Somerset
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset is a nationally accredited, 333-bed hospital in Somerville, New Jersey, providing comprehensive emergency, medical/surgical and rehabilitative services.
The Steeplechase Cancer Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has been honored with the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. The hospital is also distinguished for its Joint Surgery Institute, receiving the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for total knee and total hip replacement surgery, and is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission and the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has been named a Center of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery by the Surgical Review Corporation. In addition, it has received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for its acute myocardial infarction program.
Honored as a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign, the hospital was the first in New Jersey to offer primary care services for the LGBTQIA community.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset also offers outpatient services at convenient locations in Central New Jersey, including physical therapy services in Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Princeton and Flemington and an urgent care center and a sleep disorders center in Hillsborough. In addition, the hospital’s affiliated physician practices provide care for families throughout its community.
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