Hackensack University Medical Center - Features

GOAL:To become the leading Medical Center in the northeastern United States by 2014.

The medical center supports a philosophy of Patient-Driven Open Visitation (except where noted), as a desirable part of the patient's therapy. When visiting, visitors are requested to stop at the Information Desk to obtain appropriate passes which must be worn and visible at all times while in the medical center. General regulations are listed below, but are not limited to:In-patient Psychiatry:
6:30 -8 p.m. Monday through Friday including Holidays and 1 -4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday including Holidays. Every effort will be made by the treatment team including the patient's physician to accommodate any special visitation requirement made as an exception to these hours for family members. Family members/visitors under the age of 18 are not permitted except under extreme circumstances.

Hackensack University Medical Center, a 781-bed teaching and research hospital affiliated with The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–New Jersey Medical School, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state of New Jersey.

Parking:
Parking is available to all visitors in the Essex St. Garage for a fee. Patients/visitors returning to the medical center may request a Same Day Return Voucher once the parking fee has been paid. The Same Day Return Voucher allows patients/visitors to return to the medical center as often as needed within the same day and may be obtained upon exiting the Essex St. Garage. Same Day Return Vouchers may not be used in exchange of a Complimentary Parking Coupon. Patients will be given a complimentary parking voucher on the day of admission and day of discharge which may be used by the visitor upon exiting the Essex Street Garage.

The Department of Volunteer Services at Hackensack University Medical Center is comprised of more than 1,650 caring individuals who donate their time and energy to help brighten the lives of our patients. They also provide support services in most of the medical center's departments, to enable staff to work more efficiently, and to allow caregivers to devote more of their efforts to patient care.

The group, which ranges in age from 14 to more than 96 years old, is guided under the leadership of Angela Altschuler, R.N., certified administrator of volunteer services (CAVS) by The American Society of Directors of Volunteer Services, and recipient of The Community Partnership Award.

A prominent part of the volunteer force belongs to the department's Junior Volunteer Program, for members from 14 to 18 years old. The program, supervised by Claudia Boehm, volunteer coordinator, includes high school students who volunteer or complete their senior internship projects at the medical center.

Volunteer Services has another active group of volunteers who are affectionately known as "Tom's Troops" consisting of members of the general volunteer population and medical center employees, who donate their time on a regular basis. Each year they raise funds that are used exclusively for patient related items, such as wigs for cancer patients, geriatric items, layette baskets for needy mothers, and emergency transportation for dialysis patients. In addition, they collected enough teddy bears at one of their activities during the holiday season to give a bear to every patient in the entire medical center during their "Bear Walk." Similar to the Bear Walk, Tom's Troops also conducts an annual "Bunny Walk" at Easter time, and has established a "Needy Moms" Program, where they collect new baby items, such as layette sets, bottles, and clothing for moms who cannot afford supplies. They also donate baby items to The Ambulatory Care Center and toys to The Audrey Hepburn Children's House at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Physically and emotionally challenged individuals provide valuable clerical services at the medical center. Our numbers continue to grow in this area, and their performance is nothing short of outstanding. They provide the medical center with needed assistance while simultaneously learning new skills, building self-esteem, confidence, and good work habits, as well as developing social skills.

The diverse Volunteer Services team also boasts many "furry" volunteers, Delta Society-certified dogs who visit the units with their handlers, as part of the medical center's Pet Facilitated Therapy Program.

This diverse group of individuals, who share a strong bond of caring, travel to the medical center from towns all over Bergen County, Passaic County, Rockland County, NY and even Staten Island, NY.

The Department of Volunteer Services contributed 350,000 hours of service in 2005, making it one of the most active programs in the state.

Those interested in volunteering individually, or with their pets should contact Angela Altschuler, R.N., director of Volunteer Services at Hackensack University Medical Center at 201-996-2350.

High school students aged 14 to 18 are encouraged to join our Junior Volunteer Program. For information, call Claudia Boehm, Volunteer Coordinator at 201-996-2350.

The Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation raises funds that support the diverse programs and services of Hackensack University Medical Center. HUMC is a 683-bed, not-for-profit tertiary care, teaching and research hospital serving Northern New Jersey and the New York Metro area. Affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, HUMC is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state of New Jersey and ranked four in the nation for admissions.

Annually, the Foundation receives more than 17,000 charitable gifts and deposits more than $20,000,000 to help support vital programs and services at HUMC. We also provide funding of over $100,000,000 for special and capital projects. What's more, the Foundation's Planned Giving Program has helped build an endowment that now exceeds $26 million, providing financial stability to all of our efforts.

Established in 1980 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, The Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation is run by a full-time professional staff of 15 and a 95-member volunteer board of trustees.