Saturday, January 28, 2017
The Valley Hospital will build a new, state-of-the-art hospital in Paramus, announced Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. Meyers, who was joined by members of Valley's Board of Trustees, elected officials, and community leaders in making the announcement, said the new facility will allow Valley to meet the long-term healthcare needs of northern New Jersey and ensures that residents have access to the highest quality of care.
On February 1, Valley will file a Certificate of Need application with the New Jersey Department of Health, which must approve the hospital relocation. Valley anticipates breaking ground in 2019 and the new hospital could open as early as 2023.
The planned site for the new hospital campus is conveniently located on Winters Avenue in Paramus, just 2.5 miles from Valley's current location in Ridgewood and directly across the street from the hospital's comprehensive cancer and same-day-surgery centers (The Luckow Pavilion). Winters Avenue runs parallel to Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway between East Ridgewood Avenue and A&S Drive. The hospital's property is located near the Fashion Center and Paramus Park mall.
While the new hospital has not yet been designed, it will be a state-of-the-art, welcoming hospital that incorporates the best practices in healthcare facility design. Conceptual plans call for a 372-bed, approximately 910,000 square-foot facility that will range in height from three to seven stories. The facility will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained using "green" or environmentally friendly principles and processes and will be in full compliance with the Paramus' zoning ordinances.
Moving inpatient and emergency services to Paramus will allow Valley to repurpose its current campus in Ridgewood for a broad range of healthcare services, including an urgent-care center, and laboratory, radiology and endoscopy services. In addition, Valley plans to consolidate existing ambulatory and outpatient services and health system business functions back to the Ridgewood campus.
"The 'New' Valley Hospital will combine Valley's exceptional level of care and dedicated staff with the latest innovations and advancements in healthcare," said Meyers. "This new state-of-the-art facility will allow us to raise the bar in all that we do – providing world class healthcare, strengthening our communities and helping people and families live healthier lives."
U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), State Senator Bob Gordon, Assemblyman Joseph Lagana, Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III, and Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera were among the elected officials on hand to show their support for the new hospital. Senator Menendez, Assemblyman Lagana and County Executive Tedesco also reside in the Borough of Paramus
"Valley has long been a valued member of the Paramus community and we are excited to be the future home of The Valley Hospital," said Mayor LaBarbiera. "The 'New' Valley Hospital will help revitalize an aging industrial and office-use area of Paramus, bring much needed roadway improvements, provide economic benefits for the entire town, and diversify a retail-dependent tax base. Valley has always supported Paramus through sponsorships and community programs, and consistent with their philosophy of giving back, Valley has committed to work with us on new initiatives."
"Valley's continuous efforts to innovate and elevate the level of care they provide demonstrates their steadfast dedication to the people they serve," said U.S. Senator Bob Menendez. "The "New" Valley Hospital means increased services for patients, more jobs for area residents, and greater access for families across northern New Jersey to the latest advancements in healthcare now and in the future."
"I am excited about the potential for Valley's new, modern hospital to transform care for our residents and bolster our economy by supporting local businesses and bringing good jobs to northern New Jersey," said Congressman Gottheimer.
"For all of us who live here, raise our families here or work here, access to quality healthcare is an essential component of our quality of life. Valley has been the hospital of choice for my family, and this new project will ensure future generations have access to the highest quality care," said Senator Bob Gordon.
"This is a milestone day for Bergen County," said County Executive Tedesco. "Valley's commitment to the community has been unwavering, and this exciting project will not only provide greater access to healthcare for the residents of Bergen County, but will also strengthen our local economy by creating new jobs. Bergen County is well on its way to becoming the healthcare hub of the state."
The "New" Valley Hospital will incorporate cutting-edge technology and the latest innovations and best practices in healthcare facility design. It is being designed from the ground up to integrate innovative technology and the flexibility required to accommodate new and emerging healthcare models. To enhance privacy and comfort as well as improve the quality of care provided, the new hospital will be built with single-patient rooms. Research has found that patients cared for in single-patient rooms experience shorter lengths of stay, fewer sleep disturbances and lower rates of hospital-acquired infections.
The plans for the new hospital also call for the creation of universally sized rooms for surgery and procedures. These rooms will be designed to accommodate the latest in healthcare technology and meet all of the standards to allow them to be used for general surgery, minimally invasive robotic surgery, cardiac catheterizations or endovascular procedures.
"While our staff has long been recognized for the quality of care they deliver to our patients in Ridgewood – where we consistently rank at the top of patient satisfaction in New Jersey – modern, single-patient rooms in our new facility will allow us to provide our patients and their families with an even higher level of care and service," said Meyers.
Meyers said that Valley is committed to working with the town to improve traffic flow in the area and that one of the advantages to this site were its multiple entry and exit points, which would mitigate any impact to local streets.
"We very much look forward to continuing to work with Mayor LaBarbiera and the Council, and will be hosting Town Hall meetings for the residents of Paramus to introduce our project to the Borough," said Meyers.
