Saving Community Hospitals with More than $90 Million Invested in Two Hospitals Celebrating Five Years With Prime Health
Garden City Hospital in Garden City, MI., and St. Maryu2019s General Hospital in Passaic, NJ were both struggling financially and facing the possibility of closure in early 2014 when they were acquired by Prime Healthcare. Today, these two hospitals share parallel stories of survival and resilience as they celebrate five years since joining one of the largest hospital networks in the country. Both hospitals have thrived under Primeu2019s leadership, preserving their legacies as important community assets and providing award-winning, innovative health care to all those in need. The two are among 45 struggling hospitals across the country that have been restored to financial health after being acquired by Prime, earning the hospital system a national reputation for its managerial expertise and focus on clinical excellence and patient experience. Community members in Michigan and New Jersey credit Prime for ensuring the long-term survival of their important health institutions. u201cGarden City Hospital was struggling to meet the basic needs of our community in early 2014, but by the end of that year Prime Healthcare was already delivering on its promise to revitalize our hospital,u201d said Saju George, CEO of Garden City Hospital. u201cToday, our hospital has improved in every way u2013 adding new equipment, expanding our facilities and infrastructure, and streamlining processes to produce better patient outcomes.u201d George noted that the transformation has earned Garden City the prestigious Everest Award from IBM Watson Health, presented to only 15 hospitals in 2019 that earned the IBM Watson Healthu2122 100 Top Hospitalsu00ae designation for improvements over a five-year period. Prime Healthcare invested more than $41 million in upgrades at Garden City Hospital since 2014, and likewise invested more than $49 million to transform St. Maryu2019s General Hospital. u201cWhen we bring a hospital into the Prime Healthcare network, we make a commitment to the hospital as well as to the community that relies upon it as vital resource,u201d said Prem Reddy, MD, FACC, FCCP, Chairman, President and CEO of Prime Healthcare. u201cEach hospital is unique and requires special attention to strengthen, build and improve its programs and facilities. We are pleased to celebrate two successful examples of Prime Healthcareu2019s mission at work." Edward J. Condit, CEO of St. Maryu2019s General Hospital, recalled the struggles the hospital faced prior to Primeu2019s acquisition. u201cSt. Maryu2019s General Hospital is firmly rooted in our Catholic heritage and our healing ministry, so it was a very difficult chapter in our history when outdated equipment limited our capabilities,u201d said Condit. u201cIn the years since, Prime Healthcare has completely turned around our facility and given us the tools that we need to deliver exceptional care in a welcoming environment, and weu2019re better prepared to handle complex medical conditions than ever before.u201d Most recently, St. Maryu2019s implemented a program to better serve the local growing Orthodox Jewish community that involved educating staff about the communityu2019s beliefs, activities, and restrictions. Changes to the facility and processes are also planned to better accommodate Orthodox Jewish patients u2013 such as a Shabbos elevator, Shabbos path and local kosher food. Government leaders also had strong praise for Primeu2019s leadership at St. Maryu2019s. u201cLike many urban hospitals, St. Maryu2019s was facing a difficult and untenable situation before Dr. Reddy and Prime Healthcare provided the financial resources and clinical expertise to help preserve this vital healthcare institution for the Passaic City community,u201d said Assemblyman Gary Schaer, D-Passaic and Passaic City Council President. u201cSince then I have been impressed by Primeu2019s commitment and the efforts of the hospitalu2019s leadership and staff. After millions of dollars of investments in new equipment and facilities, and recognitions of clinical excellence from nationally renowned hospital rating agencies including Healthgrades and the Leapfrog Group, we are fortunate to still have a hometown hospital to serve the needs of all residents of Passaic and surrounding communities for generations to come.u201d Garden City Hospital In the five years under Primeu2019s ownership, Garden City Hospital has shown improvements in patient safety, efficiency and patient outcomes, all while reducing costs. This year, the hospital celebrated the opening of a second new cardiac catheterization lab with added capabilities, two brand-new inpatient units with private rooms, an updated family birthing center, process improvements in the ER and new digital technology in radiology. Garden City Hospital also introduced a new primary care Continuity Clinic with board-certified internal medicine physicians and residents working together to provide a continuing care option for those without a primary care doctor, as well as a student art gallery for therapeutic healing. The hospital held two open house events in September to mark its five-year anniversary under Prime ownership, and more than 900 people, including Garden City Hospital staff, physicians, members of the business community and local dignitaries attended. St. Maryu2019s General Hospital Since joining Prime, St. Maryu2019s General Hospital has improved in nearly every measurable area, including quality care and cost-effectiveness. New programs spanning the arc of life from maternal-child health to senior care provide specialized services for all members of the community. A new electronic medical record system has improved efficiency, and renovations to the ICU, medical units, and an endoscopy suite have benefited patient care. Equally exciting is a new Breast Health Center and cardiothoracic team. These changes have led to significant local and national awards and recognitions, including Healthgrades and Leapfrog awards, along with accreditations as a state-designated Heart Center, Certified Stroke Center, and a Certified Chest Pain Center. New ventures for the first quarter of 2020 include a revitalized Orthopedic Department, a new Lineac machine to continue expansion of the Cancer Center, and an inpatient Behavioral Health Unit to meet the needs of an underserved patient population. Prime has also enabled St. Maryu2019s General Hospital to provide charity care at levels higher than ever before. Garden City Hospital and St. Maryu2019s General Hospital are proud to be part of Prime Healthcareu2019s legacy of saving hospitals, saving jobs, and saving lives. About Prime Healthcare: Prime Healthcare is an award-winning national hospital system with 45 acute-care hospitals and more than 100 outpatient locations providing nearly 40,000 jobs in 14 states. Fifteen of the hospitals are not-for-profit and members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity. Based in California and one of the largest hospital systems in the country, Prime Healthcare is committed to ensuring access to quality healthcare. Prime Healthcare and its hospitals have been recognized as among the u201c100 Top Hospitalsu201d in the nation 47 times and among the u201c15 Top Health Systemsu201d three times. For more information, please visit www.primehealthcare.com.
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