Past and Future
Rendering of Expansion Wing
Rich in history, St. Joseph’s Healthcare System has evolved from humble beginnings. In 1867, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth opened St. Joseph’s Hospital on Church Street in Paterson with only 12 beds. Thirty years later, in 1898, St. Joseph’s reported treating 1,559 patients and delivering 52 babies and in 1900, 300 operations were performed.

For 100 years from 1900 to 2000, St. Joseph’s Healthcare System grew in size and customer service with major building expansion projects and advancements in technology. In 2000, St. Joseph’s physicians successfully separate conjoined twins – the first surgery of its type in New Jersey.

St. Joseph’s Healthcare System physicians, nurses and health care providers saw over 1.6 million patients last year and have been a part of many exciting health care advances including:

  • Clinical collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital launched using new high definition Telemedicine Suite at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital
  • Alfiero and Lucia Palestroni Birth Defects Center at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital dedicated
  • Expanded Emergency Department and MRI Suite dedicated
  • Outpatient Cardiac Catheterization Unit in Wayne
  • Primary Stroke Certification by The Joint Commission given to The Neurology-Stroke Center
  • First Cervical Disc Replacement in New Jersey

Over the next several years, St. Joseph's Healthcare System, including St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital at the Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital, will be making significant changes to improve patient care services.

 

A $250 million expansion project to increase St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center and St. Joseph's Children's Hospital by 650,000 square feet began in the spring of 2008.

 

The project, which was designed by Philadelphia's Frances Cauffman Architects and managed with the support of Sterling Barnett Little of Arlington, TX, includes:

 

  • More private rooms
  • A new heliport
  • An expansion to women's and children's facilities
  • New lobby
  • Conference facilities

 

Additionally a new 230,000 square foot, four-story Critical Care Building will house larger pediatric and adult emergency rooms, new operating rooms, two levels of critical care areas including cardiac, surgical and medical intensive care units. A parking garage will be built adjacent to the hospital by external business enterprises.

 

State sanctioned in 2004 and established by the city last year, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center sits in a Health Care Enterprise Zone, part of Paterson's overall urban redevelopment and revitalization plan.

 

Improvements, designed and managed by the same companies, are underway on the St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital campus. These include:

 

  • An OR expansion to accommodate the latest technology for surgical procedures
  • Renovation of the cardiac and intensive care units

 

Additional upcoming projects include renovated nursing units and a new lobby.

 

Watch as construction takes place at St. Joseph's Healthcare System.