Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, was named a Top Small Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group for the first time. Announced today, the Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive. The Top Hospital designation is awarded by The Leapfrog Group, an independent hospital watchdog organization.
Among thousands of hospitals in the country, RWJUH Somerset was one of only 53 hospitals recognized as a Top Teaching Hospital. The Top Hospital Award comes following the hospital’s “A” Hospital Safety Grade, also from the Leapfrog Group.
“We’re honored to be named a Top Small Teaching Hospital and I thank and congratulate our board, dedicated physicians, residents, nurses, employees and staff,” said Tony Cava, President, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset. “RWJUH Somerset remains committed to serving as a leader that encourages both transparency and the sharing of best practices to improve patient safety and the quality of health care services delivered by our system’s hospitals.”
Performance across many areas of hospital care is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.
“Being acknowledged as a Top Hospital is an incredible feat achieved by less than six percent of eligible hospitals nationwide,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “With this honor, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset has established its commitment to safer and higher quality care. Providing this level of care to patients in Sommerville and its surrounding communities requires motivation and drive from every team member. I congratulate the board, staff and clinicians, whose efforts made this honor possible.”
To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must submit a Leapfrog Hospital Survey and achieve the highest performance scores in its category. The selection of Top Hospitals 2018 is based on surveys from nearly 1,900 hospitals. To see the full list of institutions honored as 2018 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.