Regina M. Foley Appointed Chief Operating Officer of Southern Ocean Medical Center

Regina M. Foley, Ph.D., MBA, RN, has been appointed chief operating officer of Hackensack Meridian HealthSouthern Ocean Medical Center. She brings an extensive and successful record of excellence in various nursing and leadership roles within Meridian Health and Hackensack Meridian Health to the medical center.

“Regina is an outstanding leader. Having worked with her in various roles over the years, I am enthusiastic about the new leadership direction she brings to Southern Ocean Medical Center,’’ said Dean Q. Lin, MHA, MBA, FACHE, FCPP, regional president of Hackensack Meridian Health.”’

Prior to being named chief operating officer at Southern Ocean Medical Center, Regina was the chief operating officer at Bayshore Medical Center. During her time at Bayshore Medical Center, the team achieved Magnet® designation - the highest credential that can be achieved within the nursing profession. In addition, the medical center scored an “A” from the Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Score Initiative for meeting the highest quality standards in patient safety. Under Regina’s leadership, Bayshore Medical Center received one of the strongest improvements across the network in the Great Places to Work Trust Index Survey.

While serving in the role of chief nurse executive and vice president of hospital operations at Ocean Medical Center, Regina was instrumental in the development of Ocean Care Center, New Jersey’s first satellite Emergency Department, located in Point Pleasant. In addition, she led an $82 million expansion effort that included a new, state-of-the-art Emergency Department.

After graduating from nursing school, Regina attended Monmouth University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing followed by a Master’s degree in Business Administration.  While pursuing her degrees, she practiced in the operating room at Ocean Medical Center in Brick, New Jersey and Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey. Her leadership roles began in the Operating Room and continued until being promoted as the chief nurse executive at Ocean Medical Center, receiving the Elizabeth Kellogg Award for Nursing Leadership and selected as Wharton Nurse Executive Fellow. Regina continued her passion for nursing by earning a Master of Science in Nursing and Ph.D. from Kean University.

Regina has been published in many periodicals, including Nursing Administration Quarterly, The Nurse Executive Resource Manual, and Journal of American Nurses. In addition, she has been presented with numerous awards and honors. Regina received the Governors Merit Award for Nursing Administration, as well as the New Jersey State Nurses Association C.A.R.E. Award for Administration. She was the beneficiary of the Point Pleasant Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Leadership Award was named the Brick Township Distinguished Citizen of the Year, was featured as “Person of the Week” in the Ocean Star newspaper, and had been elected to, and served two terms on the Point Pleasant Board of Education. In 2017, Regina was also named a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH SOUTHERN OCEAN MEDICAL CENTER

Located in the heart of southern Ocean County, Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center has been caring for the community for more than 40 years. With more than 340 physicians and over 1000 dedicated health care professionals, the 156-bed medical center provides comprehensive high-quality, advanced inpatient, outpatient and emergency services. Over the past several years, numerous investments to facilities and services have brought advanced treatments, breakthrough technologies and skilled expertise to patients throughout the community including:  advanced imaging services for expert screening, diagnostics and treatment;  laboratory services;  pain management; telemedicine for stroke patients;  maternity;  sleep medicine;  bariatric surgery;  cardiovascular services, and rehabilitation, convenient outpatient locations as well as two urgent care centers.  In 2016, opened a $20 million new state-of-the-art cancer center which provides multidisciplinary cancer treatment and advanced radiation therapies are in one location.

The Medical Center was recently named a Healthcare Heroes finalist in the category of “Hospital of the Year” by NJBIZ and received a letter “A” grade from The Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Score initiative – the highest-possible safety score a health care facility can achieve.  The nurses and allied health providers are also consistently recognized as providing high-quality, personalized care to patients and their families.  In 2017, the nursing team achieved Magnet® status for the first time, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence for nursing practice, quality and safety in patient care.

As a member of Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey’s most comprehensive health networks, Southern Ocean Medical Center provides local residents with more access to advanced specialized care, close to home.  This powerful new alliance provides Southern Ocean Medical Center patients with new treatments, technology and expertise in their own backyard, with additional care options available quickly through the connection with Hackensack Meridian Health.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children’s hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune; 11 community hospitals - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has more than 160 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, and urgent care and after-hours centers. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network's notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey, including Hackensack University Medical Center which is ranked No. 1 by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For," one of the "20 Best Workplaces in Health Care" in the nation, and the number one "Best Place to Work for Women." Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies.

For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.