State Of NJ Will Decide Next Thursday If Monmouth Medical Center Can Relocate To Tinton Falls

LONG BRANCH, NJ — What's the latest with Monmouth Medical Center possibly relocating to Tinton Falls?

The State Health Planning Board scheduled a final hearing on this for next Thursday, Dec. 18. The hearing will start at 9:30 a.m. and it will be a virtual hearing, which anyone can watch here: https://bit.ly/4oNgOIM

The Board plans to vote and make a final decision at that Dec. 18 meeting. The State Health Planning Board's role is advisory; the Board makes a recommendation to acting New Jersey Health Commissioner Jeffrey Brown, who then makes a final agency decision based on their recommendation.

The public will not be allowed to speak at this last and final hearing on the matter, which has caused red-hot divisions throughout Monmouth County. The State Health Planning Board said public comments were heard at last Thursday's Dec. 4 hearing, which lasted for more than eight hours as hundreds of people spoke, many against the hospital move, but still many others supporting it, saying Monmouth Medical Center has become outdated.

The public was also allowed to submit written comments from November 20-28, the state board also noted.

RWJBarnabas Health, which owns Monmouth Medical Center, filed an application with the state to drastically reduce the campus the hospital has had in Long Branch for more than 100 years, and relocate the hospital license to a new campus in Tinton Falls. RWJBarnabas will be tearing down certain buildings at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, and reduce the size of the Long Branch hospital by 65 percent, from one million square feet to 345,000 square feet. Labor and delivery, all cancer care, the Unterberg Children's Hospital, overnight surgery, cardiac and stroke care will all relocate to Tinton Falls.

An ER will remain in Long Branch, plus psychiatric care and patient rooms, clinics and imaging.

Construction has not started yet on the new Tinton Falls hospital, which will be located in the area of Pearl Harbor Avenue and Corregidor Road, on the former Fort Monmouth property. Construction did start on the cancer center, which is expected to open in late 2026.

RWJBarnabas' proposal to relocate Monmouth Medical Center has rocked New Jersey's multi-billion-dollar hospital landscape: Arch-rival Hackensack Meridian Health opposes the move, warning it will "destabilize healthcare across the region." Meanwhile, Gov. Phil Murphy supports Monmouth Medical Center relocating to Tinton Falls.

Last week: State Health Board Not Ready To Vote On Relocating Monmouth Medical Center To Tinton Falls (Dec. 5)

RWJBarnabas Plans To Tear Down Some Buildings At Monmouth Medical Center (Oct. 29)

New Hospital, Cancer Center Coming To Tinton Falls: Everything You Need To Know (Oct. 28)