As the former Executive Director of Greenville Health Access, I fought diligently to ensure a Satellite ER would open in the South of Jersey City in Greenville. Under my leadership we collected over 1,000 signatures to submit to the NJ Department of Health and had a great support network. However, the Commissioner of Health sided with Jersey City Medical Center (Barnabas Health) to open the Satellite ER in Bayonne.

Yesterday, there were talks Barnabas Health has plans to now buy Bayonne Medical Center. There is no doubt these plans didn’t happen overnight. During my fight two years ago, I knew something like this would happen but some ignored it. I warned something like this was possible.

Lastly, as of now Barnabas Health will be buying Christ Hospital and Hoboken Medical Center. Once Barnabas Health got their foot in the door in Bayonne with the Satellite ER, they saw a bigger picture and now they want to turn their backs on the City of Bayonne.

In addition, Bayonne has a lot of doctors offices within the community. Barnabas Health created a huge building that’s now virtually empty except for the ER. All those medical office owners in the community of Bayonne will likely have their leases cancelled and the CarePoint doctors in those offices will be moved to the 23rd street building leaving a ton of empty medical offices and owners (mostly private doctors) without rental income. As the rent was too high in the 23rd street building, no one moved into it. For a new building, most doctors prefer smaller but older offices with ground floor access that’s cheaper vs a shiny brand new building office where they overpay.

In conclusion, it’s important residents and employees are with dignity, care and respect. Will the new buyer operate Bayonne Medical Center as an acute hospital? I highly doubt it! Remember, I tried to warn individuals two years ago.

Demetrius Terry