Saint Barnabas Medical Center One of 41 hospitals to Receive Consecutive “A” Ratings
West Orange, NJ, May 20, 2019 – Eight RWJBarnabas Health facilities were awarded with “A” Hospital Safety Score ratings by the Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, giving the hospital system its best scores. Among the A-rated hospitals is Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, which received its 15th straight “A.” RWJBarnabas Health facilities who also received an “A” include: Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset in Somerville and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton.
RWJUH and RWJUH Rahway both received a “B” rating, and Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus was not rated by Leapfrog for this time period.
The spring scores mark Saint Barnabas Medical Center's 15th A-rating in a row. Saint Barnabas Medical Center is the only hospital in the state and one of only 41 in the country to earn an A in each report since the Leapfrog Surveys began.
“We are honored to be recognized and understand our responsibility and dedication to our continued journey of high reliability and exemplar outcomes for our patients and their families,” Stephen P. Zieniewicz, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Saint Barnabas Medical Center. “Our consistent A-ratings demonstrate the commitment and intentional focus on safety and quality by all physicians and employees of Saint Barnabas Medical Center.”
The latest scores are also a significant moment for Jersey City Medical Center, marking the hospital’s 14th A-rating.
“This recognition is a testament to the tremendous team efforts of our entire staff, who work together to deliver our patients premier care,” said Michael Prilutsky, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jersey City Medical Center. “We are committed to achieving the highest levels of quality in both care and education at Jersey City Medical Center.”
At RWJUH Somerset, the hospital received its second consecutive “A” rating and fifth “A” in the last six rating periods.
“RWJUH Somerset is committed to achieving the highest levels of quality in the care we deliver to our community and this recognition from the Leapfrog Group is a testament to the work of a very talented and dedicated team and staff,” said Tony Cava, President and Chief Executive Officer, RWJUH Somerset.
Monmouth Medical Center is the only hospital in the region to receive an “A” Hospital Safety Score by the Leapfrog Group for nine consecutive rating periods.
“This tremendous achievement is a testament to the dedication of our highly skilled physicians, nurses and care teams and their commitment to providing the highest quality patient-centered care in the safest environment,” said Eric Carney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monmouth Medical Center. “Our reputation as a university-level medical center attracts the best physicians to our medical staff, and our resident physicians and medical students are an integral part of this collaborative approach to safety and quality.”
Updated twice a year, in the spring and in the fall, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital rating focused exclusively on hospital safety. Its A, B, C, D or F letter grades are an easy way for consumers to choose the safest hospital to seek care and have quickly become the gold standard measure of patient safety. Developed under the guidance of a Blue-Ribbon National Expert Panel, the Safety Grade assigns letter grades based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms.
For more information on the Leapfrog Group and the spring 2019 scores, please visit: www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering nine counties with five million people. The system includes eleven acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, RWJUH in New Brunswick, RWJUH Somerset in Somerville, RWJUH Hamilton, RWJUH Rahway and Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston; three acute care children’s hospitals and a leading pediatric rehabilitation hospital with a network of outpatient centers (Children’s Specialized Hospital) with its multiple outpatient centers, a freestanding 100-bed behavioral health center, two trauma centers, a satellite emergency department, ambulatory care centers, geriatric centers, the state’s largest behavioral health network, comprehensive home care and hospice programs, fitness and wellness centers, retail pharmacy services, a medical group, multi-site imaging centers and two accountable care organizations.
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest private employer – with more than 33,000 employees, 9,000 physicians and 1,000 residents and interns – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health recently announced a partnership with Rutgers University to create New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration will align RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.