Southern Ocean Medical Center Dedicates the Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Care Center

Hometown hero and NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. visits Manahawkin to celebrate the enhanced pediatric services in the new Emergency Department.

NASCAR driver and hometown hero Martin Truex Jr. joined with hospital team members and friends to officially dedicate the Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Care Center at Southern Ocean Medical Center. The Pediatric Care Center is part of Southern Ocean’s new Emergency Department, and establishes dedicated space for children and families facing medical emergencies.

“The opening of the Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Care Center enhances the ability for Southern Ocean to care for children in the community,” says Joseph P. Coyle, president of Southern Ocean Medical Center. “Martin has maintained strong ties with his hometown community, and we are truly grateful for his support and dedication to our medical center and the children who live in Ocean county.”

With the Pediatric Care Center, the Emergency Department now has a pediatrician in the emergency department eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, and 12 hours a day on weekends. These hours coincide with the busiest time in the emergency department for kids.

The new Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Care Center has its own distinct area within the emergency department and has been specially designed to be kid- and family-friendly. The center features six private rooms, a kid-friendly waiting area, private consultation rooms and rooms for overnight observation if necessary. Accommodations are available so parents can spend the night with their child. In addition to providing top-quality care for pediatric emergencies, the Pediatric Care Center can also be used for children recovering from surgery or dealing with routine medical issues.

As part of Meridian Pediatric Network, the Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Care Center provides access to more than 100 specialists at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center for complex and more serious conditions.

Southern Ocean Medical Center officially opened its new Emergency Department less than a month ago. The new facility more than triples the size of the former Emergency Department, growing the facility from 8,800 square feet to 29,000 square feet, and features a total of 42 large private bays for patients.

“Our new Emergency Department is the largest building project in the history of the Medical Center, and emergency care for the Southern Ocean community has been raised to a new level,” says Coyle. “Many individuals were involved in making this facility come to life. We are appreciative to all our donors, who, like Martin Truex Jr., have supported our vision and helped improve the services for our patients and their families.”

“We’re pleased to have the Martin Truex Jr. Pediatric Care Center as part of the phenomenal services that are provided to the community,” says Adam Lazarus, M.D., chief of emergency medicine at Southern Ocean. “This dedicated area is going to improve the Emergency Department experience for patients and family members, as well as for the doctors and nurses who deliver care here.”

Other features of the new Emergency Department include space designed just for behavioral health patients that is discreet, separate, and secure; expanded triage and fast track areas that help doctors and nurses provide better care and better service; and a radiology room with faster and more convenient radiology services for emergency cases.

In 2012, more than 40,000 patients visited the Emergency Department at Southern Ocean – more than double the number that the former emergency department facility was designed to support.  By 2014, that number is projected to increase to 46,000 and by the year 2020, that number is expected to shoot to 55,000.

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About Southern Ocean Medical Center
Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin is a member of the Meridian Health family, which includes Jersey Shore University Medical Center and K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital in Neptune, Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, and most recently, Bayshore Community Hospital in Holmdel.  

Southern Ocean Medical Center is home to a wide range of clinical services and programs specializing in cardiovascular and stroke care, maternity and women's health, orthopedics and joint health, bariatric surgery, and wellness and prevention programs.  

Part of Meridian Cancer Care, Southern Ocean Medical Center provides comprehensive cancer services, including radiation oncology, surgery, and clinical trials, and is connected to specialized programs and services throughout Meridian Health. For more information, visit SouthernOceanMedicalCenter.com.

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