Somerset Medical Center and the Somerset Patriots� Atlantic League Champions have announced a new partnership that will bring the latest sports medicine and outpatient rehabilitative services to the region.

The agreement will allow the medical center to utilize 10,000 square feet of dedicated space at the Commerce Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater to create a Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Center. The new center will appeal to individuals interested in making a commitment to health and wellness and will offer existing medical center programs such as sports performance, personal training, a Back-To-Golf� program, outpatient sports physical therapy, and cardiac rehab in a state-of-the-art facility led by a sports management trained team of physical therapists, athletic trainers and exercise physiologists. Specialized exercise programs will also be offered for patients with diabetes and osteoporosis.

The facility will have its own unique identity, separate entrance and dedicated parking for the ease and convenience of its clients on the third base side of the ballpark on East Main Street.

Somerset Medical Center�s Rehabilitation Medicine Department currently provides all of the Somerset Patriots� sports medicine services, including the athletic training, as well as inpatient and outpatient care.

�We�re pleased to partner once again with one of the country�s premier minor league baseball teams to offer sports medicine services to individuals who might not otherwise come to the hospital,� said Dennis Miller, president and CEO of Somerset Medical Center. �The Sports Performance and Rehabilitation Center at the Commerce Bank Ball Park will provide a unique and valuable wellness service in a fun atmosphere to the families of our community.�

Patrons of the new center, which is expected to open in the fall, will have access to early morning, evening and Saturday hours and the added convenience of plentiful onsite parking. In addition, the Sports Performance and Rehabilitation center will work closely with schools to provide education to coaches, athletes, and parents, as well as offer nutritional consultations, emergency care for sports-related injuries, and establish a family practice sports medicine fellowship.

�Somerset Medical Center has been a founding sponsor of the Somerset Patriots since our inaugural season in 1998 and we are excited that this community partnership will be further enhanced by their offering the most comprehensive sports performance and sports rehabilitation program at the Commerce Bank Ball Park,� said Steve Kalafer, Chairman of the Somerset Patriots.

�The medical center�s sports medicine program has played an integral role in the on field performance and wellness of our team. The entire community will now be able to benefit from their expertise as we have for the past four years,� added Kalafer.

For injured athletes, Somerset Medical Center provides a full range of orthopedic and rehabilitative services, including emergency care, diagnostic imaging services, orthopedic surgery, physical and occupational therapy, and a specialized sports medicine program for golfers, BACKtoGOLF.

Somerset Medical Center is a nationally accredited 355-bed acute care and teaching hospital providing comprehensive emergency, medical/surgical and rehabilitative services to Central New Jersey residents. In addition to inpatient, same-day and outpatient care, the medical center offers a broad range of community programs ranging from health fairs and screenings to seminars and support groups. Somerset Medical Center is a teaching affiliate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

The Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball have begun their fourth season at Commerce Bank Ballpark. The Patriots have consistently ranked among the minor league baseball attendance leaders throughout the nation in each of the three seasons at Commerce Bank Ballpark. The Patriots will play 72 home games during the 2002 season from May 7 through September 12.