Southern Ocean Medical Center Seeks Expansion

MANAHAWKIN, NJ — Southern Ocean Medical Center has plans to expand its surgical suite by building an addition and renovating the existing suite.

The hospital will go before the Stafford Township Planning Board on Nov. 8 for a public hearing and to seek approval of the project, according to public notice.

The number of operating rooms will increase from four to five, existing rooms will expand to 600 square feet, increase the number of stations in prep/recovery to fifteen, provide an isolation room in prep/recovery, and expand the support services "so that the patient care and experience are improved," the notice says.

Also being renovated is the sterile processing department, including a HVAC system replacement.

"This work will improve the ability to sterilize properly, increase throughput, and enhance staff safety in SPD," the notice reads.

The expansion will remove 12 parking spots, but according to Planning Board documents, the hospital already has enough parking and the removal will not impact that.

The project will cost $25 million, according to a Hackensack Meridian Health Center news release from this past summer.

"Our surgical expansion project will enable Southern Ocean Medical Center to provide our patients with the most innovative surgical care in a cutting-edge suite right within our community," said Michele Morrison, president and chief hospital executive, Southern Ocean Medical Center.

The center has not undergone any major enhancements or renovations in the past 20 years, Morrison said.

Southern Ocean Medical Center is not the only health organization expanding locally - AtlantiCare has also applied to the Planning Board to construct a new facility. Read more: New Medical Facility Proposed For Manahawkin

You can see the project's documents online at Stafford's official website.