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Fri Aug 4 11:03:05 BST 2006

8/3/2006, 10:38 p.m. ET
The Associated Press

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — State health officials on Thursday shut
down the emergency room at the city's major hospital over a lapse in
certification.

The shutdown at Jersey City Medical Center involved loss of the
hospital's certification from the American College of Surgeons,
Gretchen Michael, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Health
and Senior Services, confirmed Thursday night.

Michael wasn't sure why the certification was allowed to expire on
June 20, or when the hospital would be able to resume operating its
trauma center.

"Hopefully, it'll be sorted out in short order," said Michael, who
added that patients were being diverted to other hospitals.

State regulations require the hospital to have the certification in
order to be licensed as a trauma center, Michael said.

The hospital's public relations office did not immediately return
calls for comment Thursday night.

The emergency room at Jersey City Medical Center's Wilzig Hospital
serves New Jersey's second-largest city and surrounding area,
handling 190 to 200 patients a day on average, spokesman Bill
Dauster said Wednesday.

It is also one of seven New Jersey hospitals that have trauma
centers with the second-highest level of certification, Michael
said. Three hospitals have the highest level.

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State health officials shutter hospital emergency room