Ocean Medical Center Restricts Visitors Amid Coronavirus Spike

BRICK, NJ — The Hackensack Meridian Health Network has reinstituted visitor restrictions at Ocean Medical Center and Shore Rehabilitation Institute as coronavirus cases have surged in Ocean County and in New Jersey, officials with the hospital said Tuesday.

The network is limiting visitors except for hospice, pediactric care, same-day surgery and labor and delivery "temporarily," it said in a statement released Tuesday in response to a question from Patch about COVID-19 cases among staff members.

Kenneth N. Sable, the regional president of Hackensack Meridian Health's southern market, said the network's hospitals in the area, including Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, and Southern Ocean Medical Center are experiencing an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients.

"As a network, we anticipated another surge of COVID activity," Sable said. "Upon reaching specific, predetermined thresholds ... our medical centers and facilities may restrict patient visitation to enhance safety for everyone."

The statement said the hospital network also stockpiled "several months supply" of personal protective equipment for its staff, expanded its intensive care units and has "better patient management strategies."

The surge in cases — Ocean County has added more than 1,200 cases in the last eight days — led to the decision to reinstitute visitation restrictions at Ocean Medical Center and Shore Rehabilitation Institute. The restrictions took effect at the hospital Monday and at the rehab center Tuesday, the statement from Sable said.

Visitors must be 18 or older and are restricted except for:

• Hospice
• Pediatric Care
• Ambulatory Care/Same day surgery (one visitor only)
• Maternity/Labor and delivery (one visitor)

Those wishing to support other patients can call them, and the hospital has iPads are available for Facetime, Skype or Zoom, coordinated through the Unit Secretary or the Office of Patient Experience at 732-836-4297.

All visitors must be 18 or older and they must wear facemasks at all times. Visitors can wear their own mask or one will be provided. Anyone who refuses to wear a mask will be asked to leave.

Visitors also will be required to use hand sanitizer and undergo screening for symptoms and temperature checks before entering the hospital. They must remain in the patient’s room as much as possible throughout the visit, except when directed by hospital staff to leave for specific procedures.

People with COVID-19 symptoms or those who have traveled to a state with a significant spread of the virus within the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Hackensack Meridian Health facilities. For a list of the current travel advisory states, check New Jersey's COVID-19 website.

In addition to the visitation restrictions, Sable's statement said the network has "a number of continual safety measures at our medical centers and facilities," including:

• Extensive COVID-19 testing of patients, physicians, and team members as well as COVID antibody testing for staff;
• Conducting COVID-19 screening, including temperature and state travel advisory monitoring, of all patients, guests, team members, and physicians who enter medical centers and facilities;
• Rigorous and continual cleaning and sanitizing of all locations, including "terminal cleaning" and the use of ultraviolet light cleaning and fogging for disinfection.

"Hackensack Meridian Health also engaged a nationally recognized, third-party organization to oversee these significant efforts, including the testing of air, water and surfaces for quality assurance after the initial COVID-19 surge of patients," Sable's statement said.

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Brick Patch on Facebook.