Hackensack University Medical Center at Pascack Valley officially opens
Saturday June 1, 2013, 8:49 PM
BY SHAWN BOBURG AND LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
Bergen County’s first for-profit hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center at Pascack Valley, started admitting patients Saturday, marking the start of its new life as a full-fledged medical center.
The opening also coincided with another birth — that of Mason Caruso, who became the first baby delivered at the newly-renovated Westwood hospital early Saturday morning.
The start of inpatient admissions at the 128-bed facility is the culmination of a tortuous five-year effort that followed the closure of the previous hospital, under different ownership, in 2007.
The birth of 7 lb., 9.6 oz. Mason at 1:49 a.m. was decidedly less complicated but also reason for celebration on Saturday.
Mason’s mother, Lisa Caruso, 34, said she was happy to have a hospital only 10 minutes from her home in New Milford. And the private rooms — the hospital is the only one in Bergen County to have only private rooms — are a plus, too, she said.
“That’s one of the reasons we wanted to come here,” she said, as her husband, Vinny, cradled their child in his arms next to her bed.
As of Saturday afternoon, the hospital had admitted just five patients. But hospital officials have said they expect strong demand and are already talking about future expansion.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/Hackensack_University_Medical_Center_at_Pascack_Valley_officially_opens.html