Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Saint Barnabas Medical Center (SBMC) is the only hospital in New Jersey, and one of only 10 in the country, to be named a Top Teaching Hospital (with more than 500 beds) by The Leapfrog Group. The designation, widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive, is bestowed by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers widely acknowledged as the toughest standard-setters for health care safety and quality.
The Top Teaching Hospital Award comes following Saint Barnabas Medical Center’s straight “A” Hospital Safety Grade, also from The Leapfrog Group. SBMC has earned an “A” since the inception of the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Score in 2012 and is one of just 32 hospitals nationwide to earn this distinction.
“This Top Hospital designation recognizes Saint Barnabas Medical Center’s intentional focus on patient safety and health care excellence. Throughout this pandemic, our frontline staff have been dedicated to providing the highest quality care for our patients and their families,” says Stephen P. Zieniewicz, FACHE, President and CEO, SBMC. “As only one of 10 hospitals nationwide to be recognized as a Top Teaching Large Hospital, we are committed to putting safety first and serving as a role model in our community.”
The quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, practices for safer surgery, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.
“Being recognized as a Top Hospital is an extraordinary feat and we are honored to recognize Saint Barnabas Medical Center this year,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Despite the extraordinary pressure and strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saint Barnabas Medical Center has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to patients and to the Livingston community. We congratulate the board, staff and clinicians whose efforts made this honor possible.”
To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must rank top among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety, and achieve top performance in its category. To see the full list of institutions honored as 2020 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.
For more information about Saint Barnabas Medical Center, visit www.rwjbh.org/saintbarnabas and follow the hospital on Instagram @SaintBarnabasNJ.