Heights University Hospital in Jersey City is shutting down and laying off workers.

It will close as early as Saturday, but the emergency room will remain open and fully operational, according to new owners Hudson Regional Health.

Officials say the emergency room will be self-contained with a lab and imaging center. The only difference is if a patient is admitted, they'll be transferred to one of their other hospitals.  

Closure blamed on lack of state, federal funding

Formerly known as Christ Hospital, the facility has been in the Jersey City community for more than 150 years.

Hudson Regional Health officials blame the closure on a lack of state funding and less money coming in from the federal government, saying they notified the Department of Health of their financial troubles and would need at least $25 million to keep the hospital open.

"We have not been able to secure the state's financial support to support this hospital," said Adam Alonso, chief strategy officer for Hudson Regional Health.

"Sixty-five percent of the population that's seen in this hospital is either charity care, undocumented, self-pay or Medicaid," said Dr. Nazir Kifaieh, CEO of Hudson Regional Health. "And at the same time, we were notified that the charity care funding was going to be chopped by 50 percent."

The Department of Health says it was notified Thursday after the hospital failed to fund its payroll and started transferring the last of its 14 patients.

State officials also say the hospital has been given almost $15 million in payroll and charity funding over just the last year.  

Hundreds of employees to be laid off

The facility employs 699 people, many of whom will lose their jobs, including nurse Rebecca Lowe, who worked through the pandemic.

"This is beyond devastating. I have dedicated 12 years of my life to Christ [Hospital] ... to have the rug pulled from under me and being told not to come to work," she said.

Lowe said she didn't get paid Friday. Her union, representing 200 nurses, says members did not get proper notice.

"It seems to us that their only objective here was really to acquire the land, shut the hospital down and build condos," Health Professionals & Allied Employees President Debbie White said.

Hospital officials strongly deny the closure was driven by new development plans.

Jersey City resident Sonia Maldonado estimates she's been going to Heights University Hospital for about 20 years. Since she doesn't drive, she says she will now have to make her way to a bus stop to get to another hospital, which will be especially difficult since she uses a walker.

"I need to go far away. Far away is not easy for me, you know," she said.