Awards and Distinctions

RWJBarnabas Health is recognized as a leading academic health care system, having received many recognitions, including:

Overall

US News designations

U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice, has ranked Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick in the Top 5 in NJ and a Top 25 Regional Best Hospital in the NY-Metro area for 2023/2024. The hospital also earned High Performing ratings in 14 adult specialties, procedures and conditions. Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey received the highest score in NJ in the adult specialty category for cancer, earning a High Performing rating. U.S. News & World Report has also recognized Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and RWJUH Somerset as High Performing in maternity care and among the 2023-2024 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care, which identifies hospitals that provide high-quality maternity care for uncomplicated pregnancies.

US News Best Children's Hospitals 2023-2024

RWJBarnabas Health children’s hospitals were named among the nation’s Best Children’s Hospitals for 2023/2024 by U.S. News & World Report. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital ranked #34 nationally for orthopedics and ranked #47 for urology. The Urology ranking recognizes a four-hospital practice that is based at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital but that also provides care at three other RWJBarnabas Health hospitals – with Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, McMullen Children’s Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, and Unterberg Children’s Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center. Additionally, BMSCH was ranked #2 in NJ and #15 in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Newsweek

In 2023, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center was named by Newsweek as one of the World’s Best Hospitals for the fifth consecutive year and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center were both named Newsweek’s 2023 list of America’s Best Maternity Care Hospitals. In addition, Children’s Specialized Hospital has been recognized on Newsweek’s list of World’s Best Specialized Hospitals and RWJUH also received Newsweek America’s Best award for Ambulatory Surgery Centers in NJ in 2024 for the third year in a row.

Newsweek

In 2024, Healthgrades, the leading marketplace connecting doctors and patients, ranked Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in the top 5% in New Jersey across various specialty care areas. Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center ranked first in New Jersey and among the top 5% in the nation for both Cardiology and Cardiac Care and third in the state for Pulmonary Care and Gastrointestinal Surgery. RWJUH Somerset ranked second in New Jersey for both Gastrointestinal Surgery and Gastrointestinal Medical and third in the state for Cardiology and Gastrointestinal Care. Both hospitals ranked among America’s 250 Best Hospitals, according to Healthgrades.

GHX

For 2022, RWJBarnabas Health was recognized by healthcare supply chain leader Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) with the GHXcellence Award for “Healthcare Provider of the Year – Large” for the second consecutive year and was also recognized by GHX as a “Best 50” healthcare provider for the fifth consecutive year for its commitment to a supply chain strategy that removes waste, drives efficiencies and, as a result, raises the quality of patient care delivered. Additionally, RWJBarnabas Health was named to the 2022 GHX Millennium Club which recognizes healthcare provider and supplier organizations that generate more than one million automated transactions annually through the GHX Exchange.

Joint Commission

Numerous facilities received the Gold Seal of Approval by the Joint Commission for various programs including joint replacement; disease-specific certifications in acute coronary syndrome, cardiac rehabilitation, and heart failure; advanced certification in palliative care; bariatric surgery; and stroke program.

CHIME

Twelve RWJBarnabas Health facilities were named to CHIME Healthcare’s 2023 Most Wired – 11 of which were awarded certification Performance Excellence Levels of eight and above – for their use of information technology to better the patient experience.

Quality

Leapfrog

In the Fall of 2023, three RWJBarnabas Health facilities received an “A” grade including Community Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC) and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway. Four RWJBarnabas Health facilities received “B” ratings. Additionally, Monmouth Medical Center was named as a Best Hospital in America for teaching in July.

Money designations

In 2023, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital was named to Money’s inaugural list of Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery. Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) was named to Money’s inaugural list of the Best Hospitals in America, created in partnership with The Leapfrog Group. MMC, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset were named to Money’s 2022 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care list – among just 259 hospitals to receive the award.

ANCC

In August 2023, RWJBarnabas Health was granted accreditation for nursing continuing professional development from the ANCC for its commitment to using evidence-based criteria when developing high-quality educational activities that promote the professional growth of nurses.

NCQA

Several practices within the Combined Medical Group of RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Health received the National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition, which emphasizes the use of systematic, patient-centered, coordinated care that supports access, communication and patient involvement.

NJ Department of Health

In 2023, ten RWJBarnabas Health facilities were awarded Gold recognition for their Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs from the New Jersey Department of Health; Monmouth Medical Center has continued to receive Gold since the establishment of the awards program in 2019.

Magnet

Six RWJBarnabas Health facilities have achieved Magnet recognition for excellence in nursing; Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick received this recognition six consecutive times – making it one of only seven institutions globally to achieve this distinction.

Specialty Care

NCI-designation

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, together with RWJBarnabas Health, is New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI) – designated Comprehensive Care Center – recognized for its clinical and scientific research leadership.

American Heart Association, American Stroke Association

Six RWJBarnabas Health facilities received recognition for stroke care, earning a spot on the American Stroke Associations 2023 Get With The Guidelines® list, for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, RWJUH Somerset and Jersey City Medical Center each received the Gold Award. Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center received the Silver Plus Award and Clara Maass Medical Center received the Silver Award.

LGBTQ+ Health Care Equality Leader

In 2022, ten RWJBarnabas Health facilities were named “Leaders in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation – the educational arm of America's largest civil rights organization – recognizing healthcare institutions that are leaders in efforts to offer equitable care to LGBTQ+ patients by evaluating inclusive policies and practices related to LGBTQ patients, visitors and employees.

Workforce

Newsweek Diversity 2024

In 2024, RWJBarnabas Health was recognized for the second consecutive year by Newsweek as America's Greatest Workplaces for Diversity – a scored list of companies that employees say really respect and value different kinds of people.

CEO Cancer Gold

RWJBarnabas Health is a CEO Cancer Gold Standard employer, an accreditation awarded by the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, for its dedication and commitment to maintaining a high standard of excellence in cancer prevention, early detection, and quality care for its employees and families.

Other Awards and Distinctions

RWJBarnabas Health and its facilities received other awards and distinctions in the following categories:

Becker's Health Care - Excellence in Cardiac Care

Excellence in Cardiac Care – In 2023, RWJBarnabas Health has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review’s 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs. Healthcare organizations included on the list are renowned for their exemplary heart care, patient outcomes and leading technologies. RWJBarnabas Health is home to one of the top ten largest heart transplant programs in total transplanted adult heart volume in the nation, and the most comprehensive pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery programs in the state of New Jersey. The system’s four principal heart centers, including Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Jersey City Medical Center, are each individually award-winning cardiac hospitals with an integrated and expert team of cardiac specialists.

Becker's Health Care - Great Oncology Programs

Excellence in Cancer Care – In 2023, RWJBarnabas Health, together with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been named among Becker’s Hospital Review’s 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs. The list honors heath systems that have earned national recognition for their work in driving forward advanced cancer care and research, as well as cancer centers with internationally known specialists, capacity for clinical trials and exceptional safety ratings. Ten facilities received accreditation from the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer; the Jacqueline M. Wilentz Breast Center was certified as a quality breast center of excellence by the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers – one of only the first two New Jersey facilities and only a few in the nation to achieve this top certification level offered – and a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology’s (ACR) Commission on Quality and Safety and the Commission on Breast Imaging; the first facility in NJ and 20th in the US to earn this designation.

Becker's Health Care - Great Orthopedic Programs

Excellence in Orthopedic Care – In 2023, RWJBarnabas Health has been named among Becker’s Hospital Review’s 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Orthopedic Programs. The list celebrates the nation’s leading providers of orthopedic care and orthopedic programs that offer minimally invasive treatments, forward-thinking research, and breakthrough clinical trials that drastically improve patient outcomes.

Association for Healthcare Philanthropy High Performer

The RWJBarnabas Health Foundation has achieved High Performer status in the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy’s 2023 Report on Giving. Fewer than 50 organizations across the United States and Canada have been recognized for this award in 2023. High Performers are those whose performance is among the top 25% of all Report on Giving survey participants and we were recognized in two categories: Overall Revenue and Health System.

  • Excellence in Bariatric Surgery – Eight facilities were accredited as comprehensive centers for bariatric and metabolic surgery of the American College of Surgeons by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.
  • Excellence in Geriatric Care – Nine facilities were recognized as NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Health system Elders) hospitals, by NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, for recognizing for distinguishing that older adult patients have specialized needs and that patient- and family-centered care is imperative to creating a positive experience for the older adult patient.
  • Excellence in LGBTQ+ Care – RWJBarnabas Health was honored with the Corporate Responsibility Award by Garden State Equality for its commitment to providing culturally sensitive, compassionate, and inclusive care for the LGBTQ community through ongoing initiatives.
  • Excellence in Pediatric and Adolescent Robotic Surgery – The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH) at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has achieved the first-ever Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) accreditation in 2023 as a Center of Excellence in Pediatric and Robotic Surgery in the United States. This designation recognizes BMSCH’s commitment to a high standard of delivery of quality patient care and safety, and means that BMSCH has met nationally and internationally recognized standards.
  • Hospitals of Excellence – In 2020, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick was named to Becker’s 100 Great Hospitals in America, recognizing its excellence in clinical care, patient outcomes, and staff and physician satisfaction. Additionally, Jersey City Medical Center earned accreditations for its Primary Stroke Center and hip and knee replacement program as well as an ISO 9001 certification – which demonstrates an organization’s ability to consistently meet high customer and regulatory standards for service – from DNV, a world-leading certification body committed to supporting the development and continual improvement of healthcare quality and patient safety.
  • Excellence in Emergency Care – In 2023, RWJBarnabas Health Emergency Departments were named National Certification Champion Award winners by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), the benchmark for nursing specialty certification across the emergency spectrum. The health system received the 2023 BCEN National Certification Champion Award based on its commitment to emergency, trauma, and transport nursing clinical excellence and professionalism through national nursing specialty certification.

For a list of the awards and recognitions at our facilities, please click on the corresponding links below: