A $50 million effort to transform a busy Hudson County emergency room has completed its first phase.
Palisades Medical Center and its owner Hackensack Meridian Health announced Thursday that part of the hospital’s new ER was now open to the public.
Hospital officials said the redesigned space incorporates feedback they’ve gotten from community members.
“With this first phase, we’re not just opening new doors; we’re opening a better way to care for our neighbors,” said Lisa A. Iachetti, president and chief hospital executive of Palisades Medical Center, in a statement.
“We’ve listened to our community and designed a space that is not only efficient for our incredible medical team but also provides a sense of calm and privacy for our patients when they need it most,” Iachetti said.
The new ER is specifically engineered to treat patients more efficiently and reduce wait times, officials said.
According to federal data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the average ER wait time in the U.S. was two hours and 41 minutes in 2024. The wait was even longer in New Jersey, with patients waiting an average of three hours and three minutes.
The revamped ER features two triage rooms for initial medical assessments, eight private treatment rooms and 15 semi-enclosed treatment spaces. The new design gives patients and their families more personal space, according to a hospital press release.
It’s also designed to feel more welcoming and comfortable than the traditional ER. In the new space, oxygen, monitors and other medical equipment are hidden from view to create a less clinical environment and reduce patient anxiety.
Pictured is one of the new triage rooms, where doctors can expedite initial medical assessments.Photographer Steven Paneccasio
A view of the new private treatment rooms at Palisades Medical Center ER.Photographer Steven Paneccasio
The full project, which will also include dedicated spaces for both pediatric and behavioral health patients, is slated for completion later this year. In total, it will double the department’s size to 22,000 square feet.
Palisades Medical Center is one of 18 hospitals in the Hackensack Meridian Health Network, the largest hospital network in the state. The company continues to invest in expansion.
In April 2025, it broke ground on a $200 million health and wellness center located at the Metropark Station in Woodbridge. The next month, it opened a $14 million four-story building at JFK University Medical Center for comprehensive cancer services.
Hospital officials said the new ER at Palisades Medical Center is engineered to improve patient flow, reduce wait times and improve the patient experience.Photographer Steven Paneccasio