Construction On Morristown Medical Center Expansion Project Progresses

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Construction on the $26.9 million long-term expansion and modernization construction project at Morristown Medical Center is progressing as planned.

The project, which was announced in 2021, is expected to be completed in 2024, providing the community with much-needed additions and space.

The two-phase project will optimize existing emergency-department space to meet the community's future needs, according to Atlantic Health System, which runs Morristown Medical Center.

Phase 1 involved equipping the Sameth Emergency Department with new technology, such as advanced computed tomography (CT) scanners, new patient cardiac monitors and expansion of trauma elevators.

Currently, exterior construction is underway to create a dedicated ambulance entrance for pediatric patients at Gagnon Children's Emergency Department, as well as a separate pediatric exterior vestibule walk-in entry on the Franklin Street side of campus.

There will also be a new pediatric ambulance canopy and parking area, as well as valet parking for Goryeb Children's Hospital.

This phase of construction is expected to take four months, officials said.

“To see the construction progress is incredibly rewarding as we work diligently to continue to bring exceptional emergency care for adult and pediatric patients throughout our community,” Trish O’Keefe, President of Morristown Medical Center, said.

To date, significant progress has been made on the interior construction, including the relocation of the pediatric day hospital and sleep center and an outpatient unit for procedures requiring sedation or special monitoring.

The new emergency department at the hospital will have nearly 100 adult treatment rooms and bays, as well as the most advanced charge desk that will serve as the 'control center.'

The expansion will also allow for the relocation of the adult behavioral health unit, which will provide natural light, more space, soothing colors and improved patient comfort.

Valet parking is currently available to assist patients and visitors in navigating the campus, and all Emergency Department and Goryeb Children's Hospital visitors are allowed to park in the East Garage.

In addition, new vehicle and pedestrian safety precautions have been implemented as the campus's traffic patterns change. A temporary walkway from the East Garage to the Goryeb Children's Hospital and Emergency Department entrances is part of the expansion project.

“Our bold vision for the future of emergency medicine is taking shape in dynamic ways, and we are grateful to our team members, neighbors and donors for their ongoing patience and profound support,” O’Keefe said.

Morristown Medical Center's Emergency Department, a Level 1 ACS Trauma Center, is one of the busiest in the state of New Jersey, with well over 100,000 patient visits per year, Atlantic Health System said.

Morristown Medical Center is also among a slew of New Jersey medical facilities that received the highest rating from a watchdog agency as part of its twice-yearly "safety grades."

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, grades general hospitals across the country with an "A," "B," "C," "D," or "F" based on more than 30 national performance measures that reflect errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

Since 2012, Leapfrog has released Safety Grades twice per year, and Morristown Medical Center has received an "A" the past 16 times in a row.