Barnabas Health in Talks with Robert Wood Johnson

Barnabas Health, the parent of St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, is in negotiations with Robert Wood Johnson Health System on a partnership that would rival the largest health care networks in the state.

The talks, first reported on NJ.com, involve creating a potential alliance or something more formal that would help the hospital systems become more competitive against other hospital networks in the state, which has seen a number of major realignments since the Affordable Care Act changed the landscape of how healthcare is administered and paid for.

“Barnabas Health is frequently in discussions with other health care providers to explore or evaluate opportunities for partnerships that would further our mission and support the diverse communities we serve,” said Barnabas Health CEO and president Barry Ostrowsky, in a statement issued through a spokesperson. “At present Barnabas Health and Robert Wood Johnson Health System are meeting to discuss potential collaboration between our health care systems. We are currently not able to speak publicly on specifics of these discussions.”

Barnabas Health says it is the largest not-for-profit integrated health care system in New Jersey, and one of the largest in the U.S., with more than 2 million patient visits per year, seven acute care hospitals and two children’s hospitals. Barnabas Health includes Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Jersey City Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center in Tom’s River and other locations.

Robert Wood Johnston Health System includes Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, based in New Brunswick. There are several affiliated hospitals in Somerville, Hamilton, Rahway and other locations.

A spokesman for Robert Wood was not immediately available for comment.

In October 2014, Hackensack University Health Network and Meridian Health, announced plans to merge, a move that made them the largest combined health care group in the state, with $3.44 billion in revenue, nine acute care hospitals, two children’s hospitals and more than 130,000 patient admissions a year.