Gary Huck, CFO, University Hospital New Jersey

In an interview with Invest:, Gary Huck, CFO of University Hospital New Jersey, highlighted the institution’s unique position as the state’s only public standalone hospital and its recent financial and clinical achievements. “After nearly 25 years here, I can confidently say we’re in our strongest position ever,” he said.

What is your overview of University Hospital New Jersey, and what differentiates it from other healthcare institutions in the region?

After nearly 25 years here, I can confidently say we’re in our strongest position ever. We’ve weathered COVID exceptionally well financially, considering the circumstances. As New Jersey’s only public standalone hospital, we work closely with the state, receiving financial support and collaborating on our operational objectives. With our recent financial improvements and our close relationship with the State, our Fitch rating was recently upgraded to BBB+, which marks a significant milestone, especially after years at BB-.

What truly differentiates us are several key factors. We’re one of just three state-designated Level 1 trauma centers in New Jersey and the only one serving the northern region. We treat thousands of patients each year. Our trauma program has been pioneering since the 1980s, and we’ve now established a trauma survivorship clinic. As an academic medical center, we train hundreds of residents annually through our Rutgers New Jersey Medical School affiliation. Perhaps most notably, our liver transplant program has achieved national recognition — we have ranked first in the country for long-term patient survival rates. These accomplishments collectively set us apart from other hospitals in the state.

How have recent economic changes impacted the hospital, and how do you prioritize financial initiatives within the organization?

COVID made us rethink our operations. We had to reevaluate our cost structure as revenue dropped when patients stayed away. We’ve recovered well. One of the biggest challenges was nursing shortages as many left the industry, forcing us to use expensive agency nurses that drove up cost. More recently, however, our clinical and nursing leadership did great work recruiting and retaining staff nurses. Our nursing vacancies have come down significantly, reducing our reliance on agency staff. This has helped our bottom line. 

Given current trends influencing financial investments, what new areas is your organization focusing on to prepare for the future?

We’re always looking to expand, always looking for new and different opportunities. As an academic medical center and public institution, we have many clinical specialties people come to us for. We’re reaching out more to the community because travel to our hospital can be challenging.

Recently, we partnered with the state to open University Hospital’s first community health and wellness center near the hospital. It’s on the first floor of a residential building with dozens of apartments. We provide preventive care, screenings, diagnosis, and treatment of basic ailments and chronic conditions. Some units above the clinic house unhoused individuals and families.

It’s been a good partnership, and we’re looking to continue it. We’re thinking about other parts of Newark we can reach that would benefit residents.

What other collaborations with other institutions or local governments are helping to improve healthcare access?

A significant collaboration is our partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, which started several years ago. We have the Cancer Institute building on our campus. This allows us to provide the latest cancer treatments and access to clinical trials. It has been a great partnership that has really grown in volume over the last few years.

Given New Jersey’s focus on innovation and development, what strategies has University Hospital implemented to invest in research and specialized areas?

There are a lot of programs and research programs we’re doing with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School – we’re tied at the hip with the school. It’s easy to collaborate on clinical trials and give the best care possible.

One such recent example is that we were one of the first to do a new kind of robotic breast reconstruction after cancer treatment. Many hospitals have robotics, but ours was the first to offer this kind of robotic surgery in the state. We’re proud of that, and the surgeons will do more cases in Newark and the surrounding cities and counties.

Given the advancements in healthcare technology, how has University Hospital integrated innovations like AI or biotech into its programs?

Everybody understands there are going to be benefits to AI. The medical field is trying to grasp what the impact will be. There’s certainly going to be more AI in healthcare over time, but we stress – and I’m not a physician, but physicians would say – that AI isn’t a replacement for clinical staff. Patients still need that human touch. That’s something we’ll learn more about as time goes on.

In what other ways is University Hospital advancing to address challenges?

COVID made people distance, and transportation and childcare issues prevented some patients from making the trip for hospital visits. Telehealth became instrumental to navigating these challenges, and we have continued to provide this for patients who can’t come to the hospital for a variety of reasons. We continue to expand these services. We also use technology in triage to provide faster treatment. For years, our EMS — we run Newark’s hospital-based ambulance system — has been able to transmit heart rhythms and data from ambulances to ED staff. This allows our providers to assess patients quicker for better, faster care and outcomes.

We also started our master plan project a few years ago. Our hospital was built in the 1970s. The age of the facility is beginning to show, and it has become increasingly harder to maintain. So we have set out on a multi-year, $1.8 billion master plan that includes a new hospital tower. We’re in phase one now, knocking down “temporary” buildings that were put up 40 to 45 years ago. These single-level, metallic buildings taking up space will be replaced by a new administrative complex and a replacement for our outdated medical offices.  

What are your top priorities for the hospital?

We’re striving to continue with our master plan; we don’t want to lose momentum. But it comes with a need for funding. As a state organization in Newark serving the underprivileged, our reimbursement isn’t as high as that of competitors with more commercial patients. We need to rely on the state for funding help. Funding the master plan is a priority.

Also, we must keep staffing levels and retain employees with competitive pay. Retention is key to keeping this facility going and to continue providing high-quality patient care.