Eric Kleinert has been named the new head of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway, effective Dec. 31.
Kleinert, who will have the chief administrative officer title, will succeed retiring CEO Kirk Tice, who announced his departure earlier this year.
Kleinert, who joined RWJUH Rahway in 2012, has 30 years of experience in direct patient care and clinical leadership experience in areas such as medical, surgical, critical care, interventional radiology and the emergency department.
He joined RWJUH Rahway in 2012 as emergency department manager and was promoted to senior director nursing operations in 2016 and then to VP patient care services, chief nursing officer in 2023.
Kleinert was instrumental in helping to lead the hospital’s operational response to COVID-19, its Epic electronic medical record system implementation, and in guiding multidisciplinary teams to combat sepsis and improve safety. During his oversight of the Emergency Department, he led the strategic growth of emergency services, facilitating significant improvements in length of stay and door to provider time.
Tom Biga, president of the Northwest Region for RWJBarnabas Health, applauded the announcement.
“Eric has effectively served as RWJUH Rahway’s Chief Nursing Officer since 2023,” he said. “His demonstrated success in strategic planning, operations and innovative thinking, as well as his commitment to delivering exceptional quality care to our patients, will serve RWJUH Rahway and RWJBarnabas Health well into the future.”
Kleinert graduated from Kean University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing and received his Master of Science degree in Nursing Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
Biga said Tice’s influence at the hospital was tremendous.
“During his nearly 50-year career at RWJUH Rahway, Kirk always put patients first,” he said. “His leadership, vision and partnership has made an enduring impact on the team at Rahway and on the communities it serves.”
