Recognized for Improving Patient Outcomes While Fostering Collaboration
West Orange, New Jersey, August 26, 2025 – Amy Cotton, DNP, APRN, CPHQ, FAAN, Senior Vice President of Quality and Safety at RWJBarnabas Health, was honored as one of just 132 patient safety experts to know nationwide by Becker’s Hospital Review. The list recognizes patient safety leaders who are unwavering champions for patient harm reduction, disease management and disaster preparedness. Representing various roles across hospitals, health systems and health care companies, they all share a common goal of keeping patients safe and satisfied.
Dr. Cotton leads systemwide quality and patient safety initiatives for New Jersey’s largest academic health system, overseeing strategy, regulatory compliance and high-reliability programming at RWJBarnabas Health. She is a driving force behind the “Safety Together” initiative, which promotes a culture of zero harm and operational excellence across acute and outpatient settings. Her strategic vision has led to the standardization of best practices and improvements in infection prevention, accreditation readiness and clinical outcomes.
Dr. Cotton’s ability to lead large-scale initiatives that improve patient outcomes while fostering collaboration across diverse health care settings distinguishes her as an expert in her field. Her dedication to creating safer and more reliable systems is evident in her work and leadership style, which emphasizes collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
A member of the American Academy of Nursing’s acute care quality expert panel, Dr. Cotton also brings decades of experience from leadership roles at nationally ranked institutions where she achieved year-over-year performance gains in patient experience and quality metrics across diverse care settings. She holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions and a Master of Nursing from the University of Southern Maine. She is also a LEAN Six Sigma Black Belt. Her contributions extend to serving on boards for medical institutions and associations, reflecting her commitment to advancing health care quality on a national level.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 44,000 employees, contributing more than $5.5 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org.