New Brunswick, New Jersey, Sept. 17, 2025 – The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has been recognized as a top performer in the 2025 Bernard A. Birnbaum, MD, Quality Leadership Ranking by Vizient, Inc. BMSCH, part of the Children’s Health network of RWJBaranabas Health, was one of 98 Vizient provider clients in the Pediatric cohort and was recognized in the top ten for demonstrating excellence in delivering high-quality care based on the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study conducted annually since 2005.
“At BMSCH, our clinical teams are steadfast in advancing quality and safety for our most vulnerable patients—our children,” said Christopher Gilligan, MD, MBA, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical and Quality Officer at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “The Vizient Quality and Accountability Study provides critical insights that guide our relentless commitment to improvement. This recognition affirms not only the expertise of our clinicians but also our enduring responsibility to deliver the highest standards of care for the children and families we serve. As a nationally-ranked children’s hospital by U.S News & World Report, today’s recognition further validates the success of our efforts and expertise.”
BMSCH is the hub of New Jersey’s only academic pediatric campus, located in New Brunswick, alongside Rutgers Child Health Institute and PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital for Rehabilitation. BMSCH clinical teams are led by faculty at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
“It is with great pride that we accept this honor,” said Vikas Dharnidharka, MD, MPH, physician-in-chief, BMSCH and Henry Rutgers Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “The team at BMSCH is to be commended for their dedication, compassion and pursuit of excellence in providing the highest standard of care for our children. This recognition reflects our collective commitment to advancing pediatric care in New Jersey.”
This year, 1,220 participating hospitals were segmented into seven cohorts for the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study. The study measures performance on the quality of patient care in six domains: safety, mortality, effectiveness, efficiency, patient centeredness and variation in care. The study factors in measures from the Vizient Clinical Data Base and includes performance data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey and the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network.
The Vizient Quality and Accountability Study helps participating hospitals and health systems understand their performance against their peers and identifies structures and processes associated with high performance in quality and safety across a broad spectrum of patient care activity. The recognition period is for work spanning July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
“We extend our sincere congratulations to this year’s top-performing hospitals recognized in the Vizient Quality and Accountability Study,” said David Levine, chief medical officer, Vizient. “These organizations have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to delivering safe, effective, and patient-centered care. Their performance reflects the highest standards in clinical quality and operational excellence, and we are proud to honor their achievements.”
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