Hunterdon Medical Center Embarks on an Expansion Plan
and Seeks Community Support
Pictured: An artist rendering of the bump out of the new operating rooms, exterior view of the front of Hunterdon Medical Center.
Published April 15, 2010
It is hard to imagine that nearly 60 years ago, Hunterdon was the only county in the state of New Jersey that did not have a hospital to call its own. It was all because of a group of dedicated community activists that a historic fundraising campaign ignited the passion of an entire community who envisioned a medical facility that would forever change the landscape of healthcare delivery in Hunterdon County. Today, Hunterdon Medical Center is undertaking a comprehensive, $70 million multi-year facility enhancement project that will ensure the residents of Hunterdon County will continue to have access to the highest quality of care.
“Our community deserves no less than the highest standard of 21st century medicine available today, accessible close to home. A major fund raising campaign is well underway which, to date, has garnered unprecedented support of nearly $9 million - from medical staff, trustees, employees, auxiliary, generous individuals in the community who have made lead gifts and corporate and foundation partners - towards an overall goal of
$15 million to be raised from private sources. Now, more than ever, Hunterdon Healthcare needs the support from our community. In difficult times, philanthropic giving becomes a key element in the financial health of every hospital,” stated Robert P. Wise, President and CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare.
The first major milestone of the campaign was the expansion of Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center’s new radiation oncology wing which opened on March 22nd .
The radiation oncology wing houses the Varian Trilogy™ Linear Accelerator radiation therapy technology, the most powerful, precise and versatile system for treating cancer. The new linear accelerator, a machine that rotates around the patient to deliver radiotherapy from many angles, provides the most advanced external beam radiation therapy available for brain, prostate, breast and other cancers. In external radiation therapy, powerful x-rays are carefully aimed at cancer cells to destroy them or slow growth. This new system is designed to deliver high doses of radiation very quickly, which translates into faster treatments, better outcomes along with greater patient comfort, resulting in patients spending less time on the treatment table. “This technology allows us to treat tumors with pinpoint accuracy,” says Oren Cahlon, MD, a radiation oncologist who recently joined Hunterdon Regional Cancer Center from Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. “We can deliver higher doses of radiation to tumors and lower doses to the surrounding normal tissues. We can also treat many tumors that we couldn’t in the past.” The cost of this expansion and new technology was approximately $5 million.
The additional projects include:
The renovation and expansion of Hunterdon Medical Center’s surgical suite: The surgical suite will include two new operating rooms, a family waiting room and pre-operative patient area and renovation to employee locker areas and an education and training room. The new operating rooms will be equipped with the latest technology including boom-mounted flat-screen monitors, endoscopic towers, and video integration (touch-screen controls) which are all in easy reach of the operating team. The project encompasses new construction of 2,018 square feet and renovation to existing space of 3,052 square feet. The expansion of surgical services at Hunterdon Medical Center will benefit over 130,000 residents. Construction for the surgical suite will begin early fall 2010.
The centralization of acute care cardiovascular services: This project will include private rooms, catheterization labs and a cardiovascular critical care unit all that will be housed in a new inpatient clinical care area, 4 West. This project will begin construction in 2012.
To learn how you can support the Investing in a New Generation of Care Capital Campaign visit www.hunterdonhealthcare.org and click on “Giving to Hunterdon” or call (908) 788-6141.
Pictured: An artist rendering of 4West, which will begin construction in 2012.