Kenneth Sable, President, Acute Care Hospital Division Hackensack Meridian Health

In an interview with Invest:, Kenneth Sable, president of the acute care hospital division Hackensack Meridian Health, discussed smart systems, workforce challenges, and the importance of continuous care. “It’s about removing barriers and making sure our patients have a trusted connection with Hackensack Meridian Health, no matter where or when they need care,” Sable said.

As the president of the acute care hospital division at HMH, how do you keep care moving smoothly to make sure patients get what they need?

As New Jersey’s largest hospital and primary care network, we are proactively addressing capacity management by ensuring that patients receive the right care in the right place and at the right time. Part of that means reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and giving our communities more access to care outside the hospital. We’re expanding virtual care, outpatient and ambulatory services, and mobile clinics, making high-quality care easier to reach.  

Every hospital has its unique challenges – just like every patient’s care journey is unique. I began my career in emergency medicine, where I witnessed firsthand the challenges of patient flow and the strain that inefficiencies put on patients and providers. Now in my leadership role at Hackensack Meridian Health, I focus on seeing the bigger picture – finding ways to make care more accessible and more connected for the patients and communities we serve. Access means expert care within reach — it’s about delivering care that adapts to the unique needs, goals, and lives of every patient. 

A lot of what you’ve described depends on smart systems behind the scenes. How does technology play a role here for patient throughput? 

At Hackensack Meridian Health, we are embracing technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to welcome a new era in health care. Hospital resources are always finite, so it’s important to utilize the latest tools available to drive transformation in how we deliver, support, and reimagine care. We’ve moved away from reacting to capacity challenges to proactively managing them – creating a more coordinated, patient-centered model that enhances patient experience and outcomes.

We’re improving workflow to make it easier for doctors, nurses, and techs to do their jobs. We use technology such as wireless EKG machines and ambient listening devices that automatically capture and document patient information. This significantly reduces the time spent on administrative tasks, minimizes errors, and allows providers to focus on providing excellent patient care. 

You mentioned hospital resources are finite. How are you addressing workforce challenges?

Through the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, we are addressing the provider shortage head-on.  We have graduated five classes – that’s more than 400 physicians – at a time when they are desperately needed. Over the next decade, there will be a shortage of nearly 100,000 physicians nationwide. To address the acute need for more primary care physicians, we recently launched the Primary Care Scholars Program. The network will cover tuition and living expenses if students commit to completing their residencies at network hospitals.

Additionally, the network has three nursing schools and offers many exceptional benefits to attract and retain nurses. The network’s nurse vacancy rate is less than half the national average. 

Beyond the School of Medicine, we’re focused on making sure our 38,000+ current team members feel supported and set up for success. We were recently named, for the second consecutive year, to the 2025 Fortune Best Workplaces in Health Care™ List and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Mental Well-Being in 2025, by Newsweek, among others.

When a patient is discharged from one of your hospitals, how do you keep them connected and cared for under the Hackensack Meridian Health umbrella?

A patient’s hospital visit is just a small portion of their overall care journey with us – and we make sure to give patients the resources they need to stay healthy after their hospital visit. That goes back to receiving the right care at the right time. 

We know that one in three people do not have a primary care physician. Without this crucial connection, preventive and follow-up care is inadequate, and the patient experience is hampered by frustrations and delays. 

We are making high-quality care accessible for everyone in New Jersey. Meeting people where they are means making care fit into real life – whether that’s taking a telehealth visit from work or checking their test results online or joining a virtual check-in from home. It’s about removing barriers and making sure our patients have a trusted connection with Hackensack Meridian Health, no matter where or when they need care.

Care outside the walls of the hospital will continue to grow dramatically. We already have more than 500 patient care locations, and we’re investing $450 million in ambulatory care throughout New Jersey and partnering with innovators like Amazon’s One Medical and K-Health to expand access. This is why HMH has a relentless focus on creating more seamless connections for people, so they can receive the right care with Amazon-style ease.