West Orange, NJ, October 19, 2026 –RWJBarnabas Health, the largest, most comprehensive academic health system in New Jersey, has been named to New Jersey Business Magazine’s 2026 Awards for Excellence list, powered by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association(NJBIA). The list honors outstanding executives and organizations who are driving growth in the state. The health system’s Our Healthy Communities initiative has been recognized in the Community Service category for outstanding service in the public interest, committed leadership in finding solutions to pressing social and economic challenges.
As New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, RWJBarnabas Health partners with communities across the state to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. Through compassionate, patient-centered care, the system serves as New Jersey’s largest safety-net provider and a leader in addressing the social determinants of health. Its efforts extend beyond traditional health care, providing food for those experiencing hunger, housing support for individuals experiencing homelessness, and economic opportunities for vulnerable populations.
RWJBarnabas Health is committed to addressing health disparities at their root causes. By investing in local programs and strengthening critical health and social service infrastructure, the system proactively addresses both the clinical and social factors that contribute to poor health outcomes. Supported by state community health resources and in partnership with community leaders, providers, civic organizations, and faith-based organizations, RWJBarnabas Health is expanding access to health care, transportation, healthy food, economic opportunity, and stable housing in underserved communities throughout New Jersey.
Launched in Newark in 2023, the health system’s Our Healthy Communities initiative has since expanded statewide, reinvesting more than $151 million in communities to date.
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
Contact: Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org