New Jersey health system poised to acquire hospital

RWJBarnabas Health is moving closer to acquiring Englewood Health, an independent provider in New Jersey.

The two organizations announced Monday that they had reached a definitive agreement that would see Englewood joining RWJBarnabas.

Based in West Orange, New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health operates 14 hospitals and more than 700 healthcare locations across the state. State and federal regulators still must sign off on the agreement.

RWJBarnabas Health said it would invest significantly in improving Englewood. RWJBarnabas said the system would expand outpatient services and community health programs.

Englewood Health operates a hospital, Englewood Hospital, along with more than 100 other sites of care in northern New Jersey. The hospital opened its doors in 1890 and is one of a handful of independent hospitals in the Garden State.

Mark E. Manigan, president and chief executive officer of RWJBarnabas Health, pointed to Englewood’s “long history of providing superior care” in Bergen County, just outside New York City.

“We look to build upon this history together to enhance access to world-class academic medicine and cutting-edge cancer treatment, as well as expand community programs and vital resources for the most vulnerable,” Manigan said in a statement.

Manigan said the two organizations share a similar culture.

Warren Geller, president and chief executive officer of Englewood Health, said the deal would help preserve the system and expand Englewood’s services.

“This transaction will ensure Englewood Health’s ability to deliver world-class care to the communities we serve in a broader way, with greater resources and more cutting-edge technologies,” Geller said in a statement. “Our health systems are coming together under a shared goal of not just providing the best care but increasing access to that care.”

More hospital mergers have been taking place in recent months, with some independent providers saying they recognize they need partners to ensure their long-term viability.

“The changing health care landscape presents new challenges, but also great opportunities,” Manigan said in a statement. “We are eager to explore the many opportunities for collaboration signaled by this Definitive Agreement.”

A few years ago, RWJBarnabas Health had reached an agreement to acquire Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, another New Jersey provider, but that deal didn’t come to fruition. New Jersey regulators signed off on the transaction, but the Federal Trade Commission objected to the deal, saying it would hurt competition. In 2022, RWJBarnabas and Saint Peters decided to drop the plans.

Englewood Hospital has gained recognition for high quality care. The hospital received an “A” in the Leapfrog Group’s fall 2025 Hospital Safety Grades.

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute teamed to open New Jersey’s first freestanding cancer hospital, a 12-story facility in New Brunswick.

Read more: Health systems are looking beyond hospitals for mergers