Message to the Community

January 2007 marks an important milestone for Meridian Health — namely,
our 10th anniversary as a fully integrated health care system.
Before 1997, the institutions now known as Jersey Shore University Medical
Center, Ocean Medical Center, and Riverview Medical Center were three
respected medical centers, each with their own strengths and traditions, but
with a shared commitment to excellence. We knew then that, together — in
partnership with numerous other service-oriented companies that decided
to become part of our family — we were ideally positioned to provide
Monmouth and Ocean counties with the highest quality and broadest range
of health care both in the hospital setting and out in the community.
I’m proud to say we were correct! Today, Meridian Health is the leading
health care provider in central New Jersey, providing a continuum of care
unparalleled in the region:
- First university-level teaching hospital
- First state-designated children’s hospital
- First and only trauma center
- First and only heart surgery program that is top-rated in the state
- First and only satellite emergency department, in Point Pleasant
- First and only CyberKnife® radiosurgery program
We have earned numerous awards for patient safety and performance
excellence, and we were the first health system in the nation to receive
the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence. In addition, the
state’s most recent Hospital Performance Report shows that the hospitals
of Meridian Health consistently provide high-quality care in the treatment
of heart attack, congestive heart failure, and pneumonia — three critical
areas that reflect a hospital’s overall clinical quality.
But we’ve also received an even more important recognition: the word
of mouth generated by the families we have touched through our care over
the years, many of whom have generously shared their experiences through
our Taking Care of New Jersey campaign and HealthViews magazine.
And so, on behalf of the entire team, I want to thank you for placing your
trust in Meridian Health. Our first decade has been outstanding, but it is
also just the beginning — we envision new and improved ways of serving
your health needs in the future.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2007!
Sincerely,

John K. Lloyd, FACHE
President, Meridian Health
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