moving
ANew Era
Valley Hospital moved 203 patients to new Paramus site WRITTENBY SCOTT FALLON PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO
With aheart monitor and IV drip still attached to him , Ray Andrea was wheeled out of Valley Hospital in Ridgewood on agurney early that Sunday morning surrounded by applauding doctors , nurses and other medical workers before being lifted into an ambulance .
Fifteen minutes later , hebecame the first of 203 patients who were moved into Valley ’ snew $ 900 million hospital three miles away inParamus on aday full of pomp , circumstance , careful planning and alittle benign chaos .
“ Thank you , thank you all ,” Andrea said to the phalanx of hospital workers . “ I love you all !”
The historic event on April 14 marked the first time in recent memory that afully functional North Jersey hospital moved all of its patients into a new building with minimal disruption to care — alogistical challenge that took two years toplan and was completed Sunday ineight hours . By 3:30 p . m ., all Ridgewood patients had been transported to Paramus .
The Ridgewood hospital closed its emergency room at 6a . m . after 73 years of nonstop service to the community . The Paramus emergency room opened simultaneously . Within minutes , a patient had walked in seeking care ina brand new facility that was eerily empty and quiet , probably for the last time in its existence .
Back at Ridgewood , the hospital was buzzing with frenetic activity rarely seen on an early Sunday morning as staff prepared for the move .
Workers hauled monitors and other
ON THE MOVE ( Clockwise from top ) Ambulances line up to move 203 patients from the 73-year-old Ridgewood facility to the new facility in Paramus ; Ray Andrea , the first patient to be transferred to the new Paramus location , leaves the Ridgewood location ; Andrea arrives at the Paramus location ; Andrea settled into his new room in Paramus .
“ THIS PLACE [ THE OLD HOSPITAL ] HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SYMBOL OF LIFE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY , AND THE NEW ONE WILL TOO .” RAYANDREA VALLEY HOSPITAL PATIENT
equipment wrapped in cellophane to send them to the new hospital . Nightside nurses on the medical / surgical unit were simultaneously closing down their station for the final time and preparing patients for transport . Aphalanx of 75 ambulances sat idling outside the hospital waiting for patients to be brought down .
CLEAR SKIES , LIGHT TRAFFIC HELPED EASE THE MOVE
Weather was on the hospital ’ sside with clear skies and cool temperatures . The move was originally scheduled
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2024 EDITION ( 201 ) HEALTH