Kimball Medical Center will try to break from its operator, St. Barnabas Health Care
System, and become an independent hospital by next year, its officials told the Asbury Park Press.

The hospital announced that it will be entering negotiations with St. Barnabas – the state’s largest health care system – and that both parties were in agreement that “the medical center and the community it cares for will be served well with Kimball operating independently.”

Recently the Lakewood hospital has felt the impact of the financial problems at St. Barnabas, which has lost $52.5 million in the last three years. Kimball itself suffered an $8 million loss this year.

The result has been 150 layoffs within St. Barnabas hospitals, including 12 at Kimball.

(Source: Asbury Park Press)