Hackensack Meridian Health and Summit Health Expand Access to High Quality Care for Patients Throughout Northern New Jersey

Summit Health physicians to become staff at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center

Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health care network, and Summit Health, a physician-driven, patient-centric medical practice, have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) that will expand access to high-quality care for communities across Northern New Jersey. Through this new collaboration, Summit Health physicians will treat patients at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, the academic flagship of the network, enhancing care for patients in Bergen, Hudson, Essex, and Passaic counties.

“Hackensack Meridian Health and Summit Health will enhance the quality, timeliness, and continuity of care for our patients, ensuring they receive the best care when and where they need it most,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health.

"As we expand our connected care model throughout the metropolitan area, collaborating with high-quality health systems allows us to continue to extend our comprehensive care to inpatient settings,” said Jeff Alter, CEO of Summit Health. 

The collaboration between Hackensack Meridian Health and Summit Health will deliver significant benefits to communities across Northern New Jersey, strengthening health care access throughout the region. The collaboration will ensure these two leading organizations meet quality and access metrics while focusing on continually enhancing the patient experience.

Key parts of the collaboration include:

• Summit Health physician specialists in Thoracic, Neurosurgery, Cardiac, and Urology will become members of the medical staff at Hackensack University Medical Center, and will be able to perform complex surgeries and procedures at the medical center;
• Hackensack Meridian Health residents and physicians’ assistants will rotate through Summit Health offices as part of their clinical education;
• Both organizations will look at opportunities to assist patients to receive coordinated Home Care, Behavioral Health (including crisis intervention and addiction services), and Bone Marrow Transplants.

The organizations have formed a joint steering committee that will meet bi-monthly to continue to build upon the collaboration and evaluate its progress toward meeting goals related to the timeliness and effectiveness of patient care coordination.