Brick's Ocean Medical Center Gains 'University' Designation

BRICK, NJ — If you grew up in Brick Township in the 1970s and early '80s, you probably spent time each summer at the Brick Hospital Fair.

Thousands of people would come out to ride carnival rides and play games and pass the afternoons in the area behind Brick Plaza, where Red Robin and Smashburger and Rosalita's sit now. The fair wasn't just a fun afternoon; it was raising money to build a hospital in Brick.

In 1982, construction began on that hospital and in 1984, Brick Hospital opened its doors, with 120 beds to treat patients, bringing care close to home for township residents.

On Friday, the grassroots-built hospital achieved a major milestone as it was renamed from Ocean Medical Center has become to Ocean University Medical Center, becoming the first hospital in Ocean County with that designation.

"We are very proud to honor the important contributions that Ocean Medical Center makes in New Jersey to deliver high-quality, compassionate care and educate the next generation of physicians, nurses and health care professionals who will advance the delivery of care to our communities," said Robert C. Garrett, chief executive officer of Hackensack Meridian Health.

"This is very exciting news," Brick Township Mayor John G. Ducey said. "All of the volunteers who worked so hard years ago to get Brick Hospital here should be so proud of this moment. The name change is the result of hard work by everyone at the hospital and now lets everyone know of the high standards in care that have resulted in a university teaching hospital bring right here in Brick."

"This is indeed a proud moment in the history of Ocean Medical Center," said Jason Kreitner, president and chief hospital executive of Ocean University Medical Center, which has 2,300 staff members. "The name represents our dedicated efforts and commitment to quality and patient safety combined with a vision for developing medical education programs that expose future physicians, nurses and clinicians to the latest innovations in medicine."

Medical students have been doing clinical rotations at Ocean Medical Center from various medical schools for the last 12 years, officials said, and a physician assistant program has been established. Undergraduate nursing education programs from seven local and regional schools have been ongoing.

A Graduate Medical Education residency program started in 2018, and currently has 90 residents in five programs (family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, transitional and pharmacy residency programs).

The programs are led by nationally recognized leaders in their fields who are affiliated with Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, the health system said in announcing the name change.

"Ocean has been on the forefront of providing outstanding, quality patient care offering the latest technologies and this well-deserved name change takes the medical center to a heightened level of care for residents of New Jersey and the community," said Kenneth N. Sable, the southern market regional president of Hackensack Meridian Health.

In addition to the teaching programs, Ocean University Medical Center has invested in its facilities, including a modern 36 private-bed medical surgical floor that integrates technology and design; a 44,300-square-foot emergency department with state-of-the technology, and a comprehensive cancer center.

Work also is underway on a $19.5 million heart and vascular center that is scheduled to open in the fall of 2022. It will include two fully equipped hybrid rooms with thre catheterization/vascular labs and a hybrid operating room for heart and vascular treatment and diagnosis, hospital officials said.

Ocean University Medical Center has been named by U.S. News & World Report in 2021-22 as high performing in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, colon cancer surgery, knee replacement, acute kidney failure, and stroke, and has maintained Leapfrog "A" hospital patient safety grade for three consecutive years. It also was named by Leapfrog as a top teaching hospital in 2019, and has received six gold seals of approval from The Joint Commission.

The medical center earned the 2021 Healthgrades Patient Excellence Award and has been recognized for exceptional cardiac care by earning the 2021 American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain – MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award. For the second year in a row, the medical center was recognized as a Best Maternity Care Hospitals in New Jersey by Newsweek.

The medical center operates the state’s first satellite Emergency Care Center in Point Pleasant, the Ocean Care Center, and hospital-based programs at Jackson Health Village.

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