Kimball Medical Center to become “Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus”

Barnabas Health announced today that Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood is merging with Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch and will become Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus.

The merger creates an integrated partnership that provides “high-quality, efficient healthcare” to the changing region and an expansion of outpatient services to better manage the health of the populations served, Barnabas Health said in a release.

“We are taking proactive measures to adapt to the healthcare environment nationally and in Lakewood while ensuring that we share the strengths of our facilities to provide quality care to the communities we serve,” said Barry H. Ostrowsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Barnabas Health. “Kimball Medical Center is a vital community asset. Through this initiative, which includes an $11 million investment from Barnabas Health for capital improvements, we will be able to more effectively maximize Kimball’s strengths and combine them with Monmouth Medical Center’s assets for the best possible benefit to our patients.”

Kimball Medical Center’s alignment with Monmouth Medical Center began several years ago, Barnabas Health said. The merger will afford patients with “seamless access” to Monmouth Medical Center’s speciality services, including in the areas of geriatrics, oncology, and neurology, that will be spread across the region, the healthcare provider said. 

Accoding to Barnabas Health, additional changes at Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus will include:

Transition of inpatient care to all private patient rooms.
Renovation of the facility. 
Expansion of outpatient services with a focus on neurology, oncology, and geriatrics.
Enhancement of care in the 24/7 Emergency Department by adding a new geriatric emergency medicine unit as well as advanced protocols for emergency medicine.
Improvement of care coordination among primary and specialty care physicians.

Recognizing the aging demographic of the area, with only 16 percent of Lakewood babies delivered annually at Kimball Medical Center, all deliveries will be directed to Monmouth Medical Center and Community Medical Center in Toms River once the merger is final, Barnabas Health said

“Our planning process showed that a transformation of the acute care hospital in Lakewood would best serve our patients and the community,” said Michael Mimoso, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kimball Medical Center. “This partnership with Monmouth Medical Center will ensure a higher level of quality care and enable us to be a stronger care provider for our patients, their families and our communities.”

The merger is expected to be effective in the second quarter in 2014, pending regulatory approvals, Barnabas Health said.