It’s not often that someone looks back fondly on a physical, but Gov. Mikie Sherrill did
Wednesday afternoon — at the opening of the transformative Hackensack Meridian
Health & Wellness Center — to make a point.
When she received her annual flight physical in the Navy, any issues that arose —
additional exams, bloodwork, and so on — were handled on the spot, she recalled.
That’s not how it goes today, whether for Sherrill or for her four children. Another test or
another exam requires another appointment, almost always weeks down the road —
and often the need for another day off work.
It’s no way to run a railroad.
That’s why Sherrill said she was so excited to see HMH opening what she called
one stop shopping for medical care at the seven-story facility at Metropark in
Woodbridge.
Here, patients can get a variety of tests and procedures — everything from urgent care
to bloodwork, physical therapy to imaging — all in the same visit. If patients need a
prescription, it can be filled at the same time. And if they are a commuter headed to
work, the visit can be scheduled around the train schedule.
“This provides that onestop shopping that is so great for getting better results and better
health care to people,” she said.
“I also love that we are utilizing underutilized land.”
Therein lies the uniqueness of the Hackensack Meridian Health & Wellness Center.
HMH CEO Bob Garrett said the project not only shows what can happen when health
care services work together, but when government does, too.
“I think this is the ultimate example of a coordinated commitment to getting something
done,” he said.
Jose Lozano, the Chief Growth Officer at HMH and the chief steward of this project,
broke down the various entities involved.
The facility is in the Township of Woodbridge, on state land, next to a county road, at a
station owned by NJ Transit and near tracks owned by Amtrak.
Want more?
“We needed approvals from the Department of Health and the Department of
Community Affairs,” he said. “And we needed to build it to the standards of the EDA.”
John Saraceno of Onyx Equities — one third of the group that came together to build
the project, along with the multifamily development (and restaurant) going next to it —
said completing the project in 30 months was astonishingly impressive.
He noted that the Hackensack Meridian Health & Wellness Center beat similar projects
around the country to the finish line.
And it won’t be the last effort like this in the state.
NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said the Hackensack Meridian Health & Wellness Center
is part of the “Land Plan” idea, which involves using already owned land to meet the
two most basic needs of residents — housing and health care.
He also said it represents proof of concept for what should be the standard for
transit-oriented development moving forward.
“The word ‘historic’ has been used; the word ‘unprecedented’ has been used — those
words are actually the right frame,” he said.
Kolluri noted the spot folks were standing on had served only as a park-and-ride for more
than a quarter-century.
“Today, we have evolved from a park-and-ride facility to a live-heal-connect-and-ride facility that is the right framing for the 21st century. We can’t think of a better example at New Jersey Transit for what this agency and this state are capable of.”
HMH Chief Operating Officer Mark Sparta said the payoff goes back to the original
purpose: wellness. Indeed, the facility is built with hospitality in mind.
Sparta said he expects a surge of visits.
“This is what happens when you increase access,” he said. “If you create a onestop
shop for all health services, put all these services under one roof, people will utilize it.
That’s why this facility is not only great for commuters but for the community at large.
“People will come from all over to access this care.”
Sherrill couldn’t agree more with the ‘if-you-build-it-they-will-come’ mantra that many offered.
Her only disagreement came when some said they doubted that government could
make projects such as this work. Sherrill intends for that to be the norm in her
administration.
“Don’t let anyone tell you this can’t be done,” she said. “That’s not how we roll. We know
what can be done when we work hard and deliver well — and that’s exactly what we’re
intent on doing.”
