Bolder. Bigger. Better

Introducing Central New Jersey’s new Old Bridge Medical Center

To address growing patient volumes, Hackensack Meridian Health, in tandem with architecture and design firm FCA, expanded the Old Bridge Medical Center campus and developed a new Emergency Department. Serving Central New Jersey for more than 40 years, the renovated Old Bridge Medical Center, which opened in March 2022, brings additional emergency services and capabilities to the community.

Having worked with Hackensack Meridian for the past several years and Old Bridge Medical Center for over four years, FCA was familiar with the healthcare network’s care delivery model, and this specific New Jersey campus. Having this understanding and a firm grasp on the facility as it stood, this gave us a solid foundation for working with Hackensack Meridian to reimagine the emergency department and campus circulation, both for their present and future expansion. As FCA got to work, it defined that Old Bridge Medical Center’s priorities came down to their patient care and experience, connectivity, color and continuity. These goals also included incorporating the organization’s aesthetic preferences and branding, while ultimately creating a space that better supported Hackensack Meridian’s overall vision of enhanced patient and staff experience, and better clinical outcomes.

Enhancing Care

The updated facility boasts an emergency department that has almost doubled in size and treatment spaces, offering a multitude of impressive new offerings

including enlarged and easily accessed ambulance bays for rapid transport, enlarged and visible walk-in, registration and waiting space, and a dedicated behavioral health pod for distressed emergency department patients. The renovation now includes 25 private patient rooms, some for specific patient populations such as pediatrics and geriatrics, providing both patients and their families with the personal space they need. Holistic care across a variety of medical disciplines being treated in the emergency department allows for a smoother patient experience and differentiates Old Bridge Medical Center as one of the most comprehensive care facilities in one of the fastest-growing communities in New Jersey. The patient experience remains at the forefront of Old Bridge Medical Center’s mission, as the campus continues to grow and evolve alongside the local community’s ever-changing needs. The newly revealed space stands as a testament to the organization’s commitment to quality community care.

The renovation now includes 25 private patient rooms, some for specific patient populations such as pediatrics and geriatrics, providing both patients and their families with the personal space they need.

Catalyzing Connectivity

The previous circulation was designed with three distinct but related buildings: the inpatient building is located at the center and it is anchored on either side by two medical office buildings. In addition to renovating and expanding the emergency department, Old Bridge Medical Center needed more

protective connectivity between the three buildings to further enhance the campus’ wayfinding and accessibility. To connect both the new main entrance and the existing buildings, a new campus concourse was implemented. This “main street concourse” as an addition to the building, is designed and located in such a way that it is convenient and knowable, linking the horizontal traffic to all three vertical elevator banks. It is designed to be extendable to the heart of the rear of the existing campus to connect to a future bed tower. The layout of the expanded emergency department, which is accessed from this concourse, is set to decrease patient wait times and lend to an overall smoother and more efficient visitor and caregiver experience. The new concourse’s bright interior shines through to the exterior, allowing it to illuminate the surrounding area throughout the night. The lighting emphasizes the facility’s stance as a beacon to the community, serving patients 24 hours a day. The primarily glazed exterior of the concourse provides visible sightlines to approaching patients and visitors. New canopies signal drop-off locations for both the new and main lobby as well as the walk-in entrance to the emergency department. As a result, people can be seen traversing through the corridor, which provides subtle directional cues that help visitors and new patients more easily navigate the updated facility.

Implementing Color

FCA added warmth to the new clinical spaces through clean, modern surfaces while utilizing color as a wayfinding tool. The interior wall of the concourse exudes a prominent color wash, starting with the Old Bridge Medical branded blue at the new main lobby and later transforming into a warm red to reinforce the emergency department walk-in entry point. The remaining finishes in the concourse are very neutral to allow for further emphasis on the prominent color gradation.

Within the emergency department, the color palette intentionally creates a calming effect for both patients and staff. Subtle color shifts in various locations help patients and visitors recognize the different areas within the emergency department. A more concentrated level of finish is used at the nurse stations to emphasize the location of the clinical teams, indicating where individuals can go for assistance. In addition to renovating and expanding the emergency department, Old Bridge Medical Center needed more protective connectivity between the three buildings to further enhance the campus’ wayfinding and accessibility.

FCA utilized natural textures throughout the space, including wood-like patterns and fabrics, to create a bright yet relaxing atmosphere. Lighting was creatively used to highlight the caregivers’ spaces and each treatment room’s entrance to enhance wayfinding. The new main lobby is now the focal point for arriving patients and includes a new café and waiting space linking the hospital to the adjacent medical office buildings. It was designed along a curve to allow patients who are awaiting pick-up easy visibility across the arrival drive and the main front parking lot. Custom elements such as the new main check-in desk, colorful wall coverings, and custom abstract graphics give the expansion its unique, yet modern look and feel.

Maintaining Continuity

While healthcare design can present many challenges, none are more pressing than maintaining operations at a high capacity during construction, which was tested during the pandemic. The FCA team worked closely with the clinical team to minimize any on-site disruption during the multi-phase expansion process. One of the foremost challenges of the project was keeping the building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems functioning throughout all phases including construction, shutdowns, switchovers, and pandemic considerations demanding additional ventilation and air systems. The first phase of construction involved creating a portion of the new emergency department from previously unoccupied space. This made underutilized adjacent flex spaces available, which was critically important to the success of construction. Both the construction and opening of the concourse were done incrementally. The phased process involved implementing an additional circulation corridor and providing ancillary access points; this allowed existing spaces to be closed for construction without hindering the overall functionality of the hospital. It also allowed for a final on-stage/off-stage circulation pattern. HC

Aran McCarthy, AIA, NCARB, has focused his career on healthcare design and innovative architecture as the principal of healthcare at FCA. Over the past 22 years, Aran has led collaborative teams for a variety of notable healthcare clients across the US and Europe.