Virtua To Upgrade 2 South Jersey Hospitals

Virtua Health will conduct what it refers to as “transformational renovations”at two of its hospitals in South Jersey, the health system announced on Thursday.

Work at Our Lady of Lourdes in Camden and Virtua Memorial in Mount Holly are part of its multi-year roadmap to better serve South Jersey and the Delaware Valley, according to officials.

“The health systems that thrive are the ones that adapt to the dynamic shifts occurring around us while adhering to their core values and mission,” Virtua Health President/CEO Dennis Pullin said. “As we continue to reimagine all of the ways Virtua can enhance the health and well-being of this community, we’re excited to share our vision and our here-for-good commitment.”

Dubbed “Advancing Well Into The Future,” the plan seeks to position Our Lady of Lourdes as a regional destination for high-acuity cardiovascular, neuroscience and transplant services.

This includes expanded parking and a new main lobby at the hospital, which Virtua acquired in July 2019.

All patient rooms will also be privatized, and a new tower will be added.

Work on the parking lot began in 2020, with the project expected to take about five years, officials said.

For Virtua Memorial, the goal is to turn the hospital that has served Burlington County since the 1880s into a “significant hub” for interventional procedures and surgeries, maternity services and acute care.

As part of the project, 10 new operating rooms, labs and medical suites will be added to the hospital, officials said.

The emergency department will be expanded and hospital units will be renovated, according to officials.

The hospital will be renamed Virtua Mount Holly, aligning it with Virtua’s other location-based acute care facilities. Our Lady of Lourdes will retain its name in honor of its Catholic legacy.

Work on this project will begin later this year, and will last for several years, officials said.

Virtua Mount Holly and Virtua Willingboro will work together so patients see no negative impact during the upgrade work, officials said.

Virtua no longer plans to build a hospital in Westampton, officials said.

“Virtua and Lourdes coming together in 2019 allowed us to re-envision how to best deliver care throughout the region,” Virtua Health Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dr. John Matsinger said. “Our integration was, in some ways, accelerated by the pandemic, and now we are moving forward as a unified, mission-driven organization. Each of Virtua’s five hospitals was will play a role in our future success.”