Celebrating the Hunterdon Medical Center Emergency Department modernization and expansion are, from left, Joe Colalillo, representing ShopRite of Hunterdon County, operated by the Colalillo family; Assemblyman Roy Freiman; Jeannie Colalillo, ShopRite of Hunterdon County; Hunterdon Health Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Kristy Alfano; Hunterdon Health Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services Mary Jo Loughlin; state Sen. Andrew Zwicker; Hunterdon Health Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Suzanne Schwanda; Hunterdon Medical Center Emergency Department Medical Director Edward Spector, M.D.; Hunterdon Healthcare System Board of Trustees Chair and Hunterdon Medical Center Board of Trustees Chair Ellen Locker; Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renee Robeson; and Hunterdon Health President and CEO Patrick Gavin.

Hunterdon Health recently marked the completion of a major modernization and expansion to Hunterdon Medical Center’s Emergency Department. The project added 2,900 square feet of space, which brings increased capacity and capabilities, new state-of-the-art technology and improved operational flow to the Flemington facility, located at 2100 Wescott Drive.

On March 13, hospital leadership and staff, donors, and local and state dignitaries celebrated the expansion’s completion with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. The year-long project positively impacts Hunterdon Medical Center’s ability to meet the community’s current and future needs by providing the best in patient-centered emergency care in a modern setting. Patients will begin using the new space in April.

The year-long Emergency Department expansion project positively impacts Hunterdon Medical Center’s ability to meet the community’s current and future needs by providing the best in patient-centered emergency care in a modern setting. Patients will begin using the new space in April.

The Emergency Department expansion includes eight additional flexible-use rooms that can be used for both low acuity and behavioral health patients. The design and layout of these dual-use rooms was created with special attention for the safety, care and well-being of patients with a mental health crisis.

For example, when a room is needed for a behavioral health patient, an automatic “drop down” wall can be activated to safely store away hospital equipment. The eight new rooms also are equipped with cameras that allow staff to monitor patients; the cameras can be turned off when privacy is needed.

Hunterdon Health President and CEO Patrick Gavin notes that the expansion project adds 2,900 square feet of space, which brings increased capacity and capabilities, new state-of-the-art technology and improved operational flow to the Flemington facility.

The Emergency Room expansion will serve to advance the hospital’s delivery of care for members of the community, according to Edward Spector, M.D., medical director, Hunterdon Medical Center’s Emergency Department. “By designing new rooms that can be used for psychiatric patients, we will be able to decrease wait times and improve the patient experience in the Emergency Department for everyone — especially our patients experiencing a mental health crisis,” he said.

With the additional eight rooms, Hunterdon Medical Center’s Emergency Department will now have 32 private rooms. In addition, the expanded space includes two large nurse stations and a private workspace for Hunterdon Behavioral Health’s Crisis staff.

With the additional eight rooms, Hunterdon Medical Center’s Emergency Department will now have 32 private rooms.

 The $3 million expansion was entirely funded by philanthropic support and the state of New Jersey. State Sen. Andrew Zwicker and Assemblyman Roy Freiman were instrumental in securing the funding from the state. “This community deserves an Emergency Department that can provide great care to its patients and this addition will do just that,” Zwicker said.

“Emergency rooms across the country have been seeing increased numbers of patients suffering with mental health” issues, Freiman added. “It’s great to know that we have a facility that can care for them with dignity and compassion in our very own community.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony also recognized the project’s donors, including lead donor ShopRite of Hunterdon County, which is operated by the Colalillo family.

The expanded space includes two large nurse stations and a private workspace for Hunterdon Behavioral Health’s Crisis staff.

In 2022, Hunterdon Medical Center’s Emergency Department saw more than 30,000 patients. On average, the busy Emergency Department sees an average of 90 patients each day. Hunterdon Medical Center’s Emergency Department is open 24 hours, seven days a week, and serves patients from Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren and Mercer counties, as well as Eastern Pennsylvania.

Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners Deputy Director Jeff Kuhl congratulated all involved with the expansion and thanked Hunterdon Health for its ongoing commitment to the well-being of the community. “Hunterdon Health has been an important part of Hunterdon County since my grandfather was involved in its founding in 1946. The growth in quality of care over the years is something that every Hunterdon County resident can be proud of,” he said.

New Imaging Center Coming Soon

In May, Hunterdon Health will be opening Hunterdon Advanced Imaging — a new, state-of-art imaging suite. Located at the Clinton Health Campus (1738 Route 31 North in Clinton), the facility will offer patients the latest technology in medical imaging including CT scans, 3T MRI, X-rays, 3D mammography, ultrasound and bone density scans.