New Trauma Room At Newark Hospital Will Save Lives, Experts Say

NEWARK, NJ — When treating trauma, minutes – even seconds – can mean the difference between life and death. But hopefully, a new operating room at one of North Jersey’s busiest hospitals can be a lifeline for patients suffering serious bleeding in the “golden hour” of an injury, officials say.

University Hospital in Newark will get $3.87 million to build a trauma operating room as part of the annual federal omnibus bill, officials recently announced. The money will also pay to create holding areas for patient recovery before their transfer to the intensive care unit, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez said.

• Read More: Federal Omnibus Bill Has Money For Slate Of Projects In Newark

The goal of the project? To improve patient health outcomes by controlling bleeding within the critical “golden hour” of a life-threatening injury. It’s often a difficult challenge, given the time it takes emergency responders to be called and arrive on scene, assess the patient and transport them to the hospital.

“When treating trauma, time matters,” said Stephanie Bonne, the trauma medical director at University Hospital.

“Minutes, even seconds, can mean the difference between life and death,” Bonne emphasized. “Getting patients to the operating room as fast as possible is critical to achieving the best outcome.”

And that’s exactly why the new operating room at the Level 1 Trauma Center will make such a big difference for the Newark community, Bonne added.

The funding also got a round of applause from Debbie White, the president of the largest union of registered nurses and health care professionals in New Jersey, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees.

“In this time of tremendous adversity for us as a society and for health care and essential frontline workers confronting a global pandemic, we thank Senators Menendez, Booker and our New Jersey Congressional delegation for securing this much needed boost in resources to assist us in this most vital work,” White said.

The funding for University Hospital is part of the $1.2 trillion fiscal year 2022 government funding package, which included $232 million in funding for community projects across the state. Beyond health care, the projects make investments in education, housing, green energy and water infrastructure, Booker and Menendez said.

“As we continue our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, these funds will be critical to ensuring that our health care system is made more resilient which will save lives and improve the health outcomes, well-being and quality of life of New Jersey residents,” said Booker, a Newark resident.

“The funding we are announcing today is critical in helping hospitals and health centers make the critical upgrades needed to meet our community’s needs today and into the future,” Menendez said.

“New Jersey is home to many premiere medical institutions and funding like this will ensure they continue to serve as beacons of quality health care,” Menendez added.

The funding will give University Hospital a welcome boost, especially considering the toll that the pandemic has taken on its staff and resources. But a long road is still ahead for hospitals in Newark and others across the Garden State, some experts say.

“New Jersey hospitals and their care teams performed valiantly during the pandemic, successfully caring for more than 100,000 COVID patients,” New Jersey Hospital Association President and CEO Cathy Bennett said.

“But the road ahead will be a long one for our hospitals, which experienced the dual impact of lost revenue and the skyrocketing costs of providing care amid a global pandemic,” Bennett added. “We greatly appreciate the leadership of Sens. Booker and Menendez in bringing this critical health care funding to New Jersey and ensuring that our hospitals will always be there for us – especially when we need them the most.”

• See related article: Military COVID Staff Applauded As They Leave Newark Hospital
• See related article: 'Zero Patients With Active COVID' At Newark Hospital, CEO Says

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