Montclair, NJ, [June 2019] -- The Transitional Care Unit (TCU) at Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center, a post-acute skilled nursing facility located on the sixth floor of the hospital, received the highest ranking (Five Stars) by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The Five-Star Quality Rating System is based on three categories including Health Inspections, Staffing and Quality Measures. The overall scores are compiled by using three years of inspections, comparing staffing levels to census, and measuring effective, efficient, safe, patient-centered care.

Since 2002, the Mountainside TCU has not had a complaint visit or complaint inspection, and also received a deficiency-free (perfect) State Survey in 2018. The staffing of the unit exceeds the required RN, CNA, and therapists-to-patient ratios. The overall goal of the TCU is to improve patient health status through high quality care so patients can return to their previous setting. “We’re pleased to offer high quality, short-term transitional care that’s consistent with our goal of delivering convenient access to turnkey health care solutions,” said John Fromhold, FACHE, chief executive officer of Mountainside Medical Center. “Our TCU serves as a bridge between acute hospital care and the return home, providing services that help to ensure readiness for discharge and reduce the risk of setbacks or complications that may necessitate hospital readmission.”

The Mountainside TCU is a licensed skilled nursing facility (SNF) which offers all of the services and amenities found at stand-alone nursing homes coupled with unique benefits derived from its hospital campus location, including on-site access to diagnostic tests; immediate emergency care and seamless transfer back to acute care if needed; and specialized services such as dialysis and wound care. Admission is open to patients who’ve been treated at any hospital and referred for short-term SNF care by their physicians. “Our Transitional Care Unit is subject to the same rigorous standards that apply to nursing homes and post-acute inpatient rehabilitation centers throughout the state,” observed Robert Constantin, licensed transitional care administrator for Mountainside Medical Center. “These inspections cover every aspect of operations. Our high quality rating is the result of the dedication and hard work of many throughout our organization.”

About Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center Mountainside Medical Center has been serving Montclair and its surrounding New Jersey communities since 1891. The hospital provides patients immediate access to innovative and effective treatment at specialized acute, post-acute and outpatient centers within the hospital that focus on imaging, women’s health, cancer care, surgery, obesity, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Mountainside Medical Center is designated as a Primary Stroke Center by the NJ State Department of Health and Senior Services and is one of only a few community hospitals licensed by the State to perform emergency cardiac angioplasty.

To learn more about Mountainside Medical Center visit www.mountainsidehosp.com.