Hackensack Meridian Health is a network of healthcare providers in New Jersey, based out of Edison. Members include academic centers, acute care facilities, and research hospitals. Hackensack Meridian Health's goal is to create one integrated network that has changes how healthcare is delivered in New Jersey. Hackensack Meridian Health was formed in 2016 by a merger between Hackensack University Medical Center and Meridian Health. Hackensack Meridian Health is affiliated with The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University and maintains active teaching programs at its hospitals. After the acquisition of JFK Medical Center in Edison, HMH is now the largest healthcare provider in New Jersey.
History
In November 2006, Hackensack University Medical Center entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Pascack Valley Hospital, located in Westwood, to possibly acquire the hospital from Well Care Group, Inc. On October 1, 2008, Hackensack University Medical Center North at Pascack Valley opened as "a satellite emergency department to treat non-life-threatening emergencies." It was ultimately converted to a full-service hospital together with for-profit partner LHP Hospital Group in 2013. On May 12, 2015 Meridian Health and Hackensack University Medical Center signed an definitive agreement to merge pending regulatory approval. In September, 2014 Meridian Health signed a letter of intent with administrators from Raritan Bay Medical Center to explore options for a potential merger. On January 1, 2016 Meridian Health completed the merger with Raritan Bay Medical Center who was in need of a merger because of increased financial pressures. Hackensack Meridian Health was formed in 2016 by a merger between Hackensack University Medical Center and Meridian Health. On January 3, 2019 Hackensack Meridian Health finalized a merger with Carrier Clinic, a psychiatric healthcare provider. Plans for the merger establish behavioral healthurgent care centers throughout New Jersey and set up tele-psychiatry services. Hackensack Meridian Health also promised to invest $25 million the Belle Mead campus for upgraded infrastructure, technology and expansion of services provided. On October 15, 2019 HMH announced a merger with Englewood Health, a healthcare provider in Bergen County, New Jersey. HMH agreed to invest $400 million into the facility and the merger is current pending approval from the Federal Trade Commission and New Jersey state officials. Those $400 million investment includes some new operating rooms, additional outpatient care facilities and larger cardiac catheterization labs. The affiliation also includes an expanded academic partnership with the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University. The merger will also enable Englewood to become a tertiary academic medical center. The merger is set to be complete within a year.'''|alt=Hackensack Meridian Health has 13 hospitals and more than 200 ambulatory care centers, fitness and wellness centers, home health services, rehab centers, and skilled nursing centers spanning from Bergen to Atlantic counties.
Controversy
On December 2, 2019, Hackensack Meridian Health suffered a ransomware attack that compromised computer systems and forced administrators to cancel roughly 100 elective medical procedures. The attack lasted for five days and "affected anything with computer software." Administrators chose to pay the ransom for an undisclosed amount and released a statement on December 13 “We believe it’s our obligation to protect our communities’ access to health care.”
