Originally published in the December 13th edition of the Jersey Journal under the headline: “Believe Facts, not the rumors”
I have been a trustee at Christ Hospital for 20 years. I am also a resident of Jersey City, and have been active in this community for over 50 years. I first came to know Christ Hospital when my son was a patient there 45 years ago. Since that time many members of my family have been fortunate enough to have Christ Hospital as our local hospital. It is very disturbing to me that there has been so much negative press recently about Christ Hospital becoming part of Prime Healthcare Services, especially when unsubstantiated facts are reported.
The hospital, despite what you read, will continue to provide charity care. In addition, Prime Healthcare will be investing in new technology, as well as upgrading and expanding the emergency room — a renovation that is long overdue. Misinformation for the purpose of stirring up headlines seems to run amuck, and unfortunately it becomes worse than no information.
As a lifelong Hudson County resident, I want this hospital to remain viable so that it can continue its 140-year tradition of providing quality healthcare, and the best way to safeguard the hospital’s future is through this proposed sale to Prime Healthcare Services.
So before you casually dismiss this sale we need to look closely at the facts:
- The sale of Christ Hospital to Prime Healthcare Services guarantees the survival of a critical safety-net acute care facility in Jersey City.
- Our emergency room will remain open and continue to treat tens of thousands of residents who desperately need care.
- The sale means the continuation of hundreds of jobs for local residents.
- In September of this year, the Joint Commission, after reviewing 5,800 hospitals nationwide, named 403 hospitals that exceeded care in specific areas. Nine of the 403 hospitals named were Prime Healthcare Services hospitals.
So before we buy into the misinformation, let’s remember that Christ Hospital cannot serve our community if it is closed. In order for the hospital to continue to provide vital services to the residents of Jersey City it needs financial stability, and that will only come through its purchase by Prime Healthcare Services.
Joyce Tolliver Adams
Trustee, Christ Hospital Board
Jersey City