RWJUH is the first in New Jersey and 26th Nationally to Achieve Joint Commission Disease-Specific Certification for Cardiac Care
(New Brunswick, NJ) – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, in partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), has earned The Joint Commission’s (TJC) Gold Seal of Approval® as a Comprehensive Cardiac Center (CCC) and the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart-Check Mark for Disease-Specific Certification. RWJUH is part of the RWJBarnabas Health Heart and Vascular network of care. It is the first program in New Jersey to achieve this highest level of certification from TJC and the 26th in the United States to hold it currently.
The CCC designation is given to hospitals that are the ultimate hub of the cardiac system of care. They deliver care for every touch point and for every cardiovascular disorder in the cardiac care continuum. Certified centers are at the forefront of emerging science to not only diagnose but improve the quality of life for patients. The designation followed a years-long process of data collection and submission of evidence to TJC. RWJUH underwent a rigorous, two-day onsite review in December and during the visit, a team of TJC surveyors evaluated compliance with related certification standards that are developed in consultation with healthcare experts and providers, measurement experts and patients.
The AHA Heart-Check Mark for acute care facilities signifies that a hospital meets rigorous standards for heart and stroke care, demonstrating commitment to quality, evidence-based practices, and improved patient outcomes in areas like heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. This mark, often displayed alongside TJC’s Gold Seal, assures patients they are choosing a provider dedicated to specialized, coordinated care, using guidelines from organizations like the AHA and American Stroke Association.
Following onsite observations and interviews, the surveyors noted that they were “very impressed with the collaboration and culture within the hospital.” They added that the Center exhibited “a cohesive, unified front dedicated to patient-centered care and excellence.”
“Our achievement as the first comprehensive cardiac center in New Jersey is the direct result of our team’s dedication to providing the complete spectrum of heart and vascular services, as well as the highest-quality, patient-centered care,” says Alan Lee, president, RWJUH. “This designation is possible thanks to our partnership with physician leaders at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, elite nursing and ancillary clinical professionals, and our close collaboration with community physicians that has always been the hallmark of our academic medical center. It reflects our multidisciplinary team’s commitment to excellence across highly advanced cardiac specialty services, technology and research that only a handful of university-based programs can deliver nationwide. I am proud of this team and their service to New Jerseyans.”
“Our team has a strong history of innovation and collaboration among clinicians at RWJUH and RWJMS, enabling us to develop best practices that ensure our patients – many of whom present with complex cardiac conditions – have the greatest opportunity for positive outcomes,” adds Amy P. Murtha, MD, Dean at RWJMS. “We’re proud that the Joint Commission and American Heart Association recognized this spirit of innovation when they highlighted several of our best practices in granting the designation.”
“This recognition reflects our systemwide commitment to delivering world-class care,” says Conor Barrett, MD, MBA, Chief Clinical Officer and SVP, RWJBarnabas Health. “By continuously measuring quality and strengthening how we deliver our comprehensive services at our academic medical center, we’re advancing heart and vascular medicine for patients and communities across New Jersey and beyond.”
TJC highlighted many best practices and protocols at RWJUH, including its radial artery compression device/ TR Band protocol, which is a nursing-led initiative that will be published on the TJC website as a national best practice. They also cited minimally invasive valve and cardiothoracic extubation on the operating room table protocols, and several of the Structural Heart Program’s best practices and publications as nationally leading.
RWJUH’s CCC is both a state and national leader in advancing innovative, state-of-the-art heart and vascular care. RWJUH’s program highlights include:
- RWJUH, in partnership with RWJMS, has been designated as a National Rare Disease Center of Excellence by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). RWJUH is the first hospital in the state to receive this designation making New Jersey one of only 29 states in the U.S. to host such a Center of Excellence.
- RWJUH’s and RWJMS’ Amyloidosis Center has been designated as an International Center of Excellence by the International Society of Amyloidosis (ISA) and awarded the American Heart Association (AHA) Community Impact Award in 2025.
- The Advanced Heart Failure Program offers the full spectrum of care for people with advanced heart failure, including biventricular pacemakers, left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), access to clinical trials and a Medicare-certified heart transplantation service.
- The Extracorporeal Life Support Program provides extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a specialized cardiac and respiratory support system.
- The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) provides world-class cardiac care to patients requiring cardiac surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), heart transplants and ventricular assist device implantation, among other procedures, in a warm, family-centered setting.
- State-of-the-art cardiovascular operating rooms (OR) offering the most advanced medical imaging and integrated surgical technology on the market to ensure the safest environment for our patients when receiving open heart, minimally invasive, or robotic cardiac procedures.
- One of the busiest, most technologically advanced cardiovascular catheterization labs in New Jersey, which has performed over 12,000 procedures.
More information about Heart and Vascular Care.
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 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 724-bed academic medical center in New Brunswick that is New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Rutgers Cancer Institute. RWJUH is home to the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a nationally-ranked 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospital by U.S. News & World Report. RWJUH is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Regional Hospital for 2025-2026 with 19 High Performing Adult Specialties and Conditions. Centers of Excellence include heart and vascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, pediatrics and women’s health. As one of only three state-certified Level 1 Trauma Centers and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the New Jersey, RWJUH’s campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.