In the early 1960s, a determined group of community members realized the need for a local hospital and healthcare services close to home. Ten years of hard work, planning, and fundraising by the community made this vision a reality. On September 20, 1971, what was then known as Greater Freehold Area Hospital – built on farmland – opened the doors to our very first patients. Fifty years later, it’s incredible to see how CentraState Healthcare System has flourished.
With humble roots cultivated by these passionate community members, CentraState grew from a 120-bed rural hospital to a leading regional healthcare organization that provides comprehensive, state-of-the-art health services. Today, CentraState is here for the Central Jersey region with a 284-bed acute-care hospital, a vibrant health and wellness campus, three award-winning senior living communities, a charitable foundation, and four local satellite health pavilions. We focus on providing innovative, specialized care and treatment in various medical disciplines while staying true to our deep-rooted sense of community.
On our golden anniversary in 2021, we remember and honor CentraState’s past while looking ahead to the future of our community’s health and wellness.
The Stories of CentraState
CentraState is lucky to have longtime employees, volunteers, and supporters who have many cherished memories and reflections of their experiences here. Do you have a special memory at CentraState as a patient, a supporter, or a neighbor? Submit your story here.
Read more CentraState stories here.
Through the Decades
1960s and 1970s
- 1960 | The community plans fundraising initiatives for a hospital serving the Greater Freehold area
- 1968 | Hospital groundbreaking ceremonies take place
- 1969 | Construction officially begins in October
- 1971 | The hospital opens on September 12 with 120 beds, 11 physicians, and 200 employees; the first patients are admitted on September 20th
- 1973 | New Surgi-Center opens
- 1975 | North Wing groundbreaking ceremonies take place
1980s and 1990s
- 1980 | The Wellness Center, the first hospital-based health education program in New Jersey, is created
- 1982 | Two floors are added to the North Tower and the Radiology Department, Intensive Care Unit, and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program are created
- 1988 | The new Ambulatory Center opens with two new operating rooms, two new procedure rooms, and a post-anesthesia room
- 1990 | Applewood Estates opens a lifecare retirement community with 240 apartments
- 1993 | The hospital is renamed CentraState Medical Center and later becomes CentraState Healthcare System
- 1994 | CentraState becomes an affiliate of Robert Wood Johnson Health Network
2000s
- 2000 |
- John Gribbin named CentraState Healthcare System’s President and CEO
- Monmouth Crossing – Freehold’s first assisted living community – opens
- 2002 | A new three-story, 49,000 square foot medical arts building opens for radiation therapy, ambulatory surgery and a diagnostic radiology suite
- 2005 | CentraState becomes a university-affiliated teaching hospital with a family residency program
- 2007 | The Star and Barry Tobias Ambulatory Campus opens
2010s
- 2011 | The expanded Linda E. Cardinale Multiple Sclerosis Center opens, showcasing a new 4,400-square-foot facility
- 2012 | The Joint Commission re-certified CentraState Medical Center as an advanced primary stroke center. The Manor Health and rehabilitation Center underwent a $2 million renovation project
- 2015 | CentraState’s solar energy initiative is launched. CentraState is the most solar-powered hospital in New Jersey, powering 70 percent of the hospital’s electric needs
- 2018 | Freehold Family Health Center opens in collaboration with the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Health Group, VNACJ Community Health Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS)
- 2019 | The new Women’s Health Specialists of CentraState practice opens, providing comprehensive general obstetric and gynecologic care. Applewood offers the Statesir Memory Care Center, a dementia and Alzheimer’s center featuring individualized, 24/7 care
2020s and Beyond
- 2020 |
- CentraState Medical Center earns Magnet® designation for the fourth consecutive time
- CentraState Healthcare System reaches a Definitive Agreement to expand its partnership with Atlantic Health System
- The COVID-19 pandemic showcased the tenacity and skillset of the CentraState team
- 2021 |
- CentraState provides the community a shot of hope with 69,500 COVID-19 vaccines administered and counting
- Construction for a new 9,300 square foot Cardiovascular Interventional Suite as a centralized location for cardiac catheterization, endovascular, and interventional radiology services begins
Support the Next 50 Years
To learn more about giving to CentraState, visit the CentraState Healthcare Foundation website here.