Morristown Medical Center is once again the best hospital in New Jersey, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report annual analysis of doctor recommendations, patient surveys and Medicare data.

A total of 15 hospitals in New Jersey earned recognition from the high-profile list, in its 30th year of publication.

Nationally, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. claimed top honors, followed by the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

More than 4,500 hospitals were evaluated for U.S. News’ latest survey.

“For 30 years, U.S. News has strived to make hospital quality more transparent to healthcare consumers nationwide,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News.

“By providing the most comprehensive data available on nearly every hospital across the United States, we give patients, families and physicians information to support their search for the best care across a range of procedures, conditions and specialties.”

U.S. News varied the formula for the latest report, and as such the authors discourage comparing the 2019-20 lists to those from previous years. This year, patient satisfaction scores carry more weight, and hospitals score higher if more patients were discharged home instead of a nursing home or rehabilitation facility. The authors also adjusted the rankings so hospitals treating sicker patients are not unfairly penalized.

“The new model provides a more comprehensive assessment that is useful to patients, families and their medical professionals,” Harder said.

The survey evaluates hospital performance in 16 common specialties and the nine most common procedures they encounter.

Here are New Jersey’s top hospitals as ranked by the report:

11. (tie) Overlook Medical Center

The Summit hospital received recognition for its “high-performing” (also known as above-average) treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, colon cancer surgery and heart failure. The hospital, operated by Atlantic Health System, has appeared on the list for nine consecutive years.

11. (tie) Jefferson Health hospitals

All three of Jefferson Health hospitals — in Stratford, Washington and Cherry Hill — are included. They are each a high-performer in treating COPD and heart failure and performing knee-replacement surgery.

11. (tie) Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro

Princeton is a high-performer in knee and hip replacement surgery and treating heart failure.

11. (tie) Hackensack Meridian Health Ocean Medical Center in Brick

This Ocean County hospital is a high-performer in colon cancer surgery and the treatment of COPD and heart failure.

11. (tie) Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden

Patients will receive above-average care if they have COPD, heart failure or are undergoing heart bypass surgery.

9. (tie) Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville

This RWJBarnabas hospital offers above-average care in orthopedics, heart failure, colon cancer surgery and hip replacement surgery.

9. (tie) Hackensack Meridian Health Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank

This Monmouth County hospital is a high performer for orthopedic conditions and the treatment of heart failure, COPD and hip replacement surgery.

7. (tie) Virtua Voorhees Hospital

Patients here can expect above-average treatment for heart failure, colon cancer surgery, COPD and hip and knee replacement surgery. It’s also the seventh-best hospital in the south Jersey region, and ninth-best in the Philadelphia area.

7. (tie) AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Atlantic City

This hospital is a high-performer in orthopedic care, for the treatment of COPD, heart failure and hip and knee replacement surgeries.

6. Valley Hospital in Ridgewood

The independent hospital in Bergen County is a high-performer in orthopedic care, treating heart failure, performing colon cancer and lung cancer surgeries, hip replacement surgery and treating COPD.

5. Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune

This Hackensack Meridian Health hospital offers the nation’s 39th best orthopedics department. The nephrology department is above-average, as is its record performing aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, treating heart failure and COPD.

4. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick

This flagship hospital in the RWJBarnabas Health network collected accolades for cancer and COPD treatment, gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics, nephrology, orthopedics, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure and colon cancer surgery.

3. St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston

Located in Livingston and one of the flagship hospitals of the RWJBarnabas chain, St. Barnabas ranks 25th for its gynecology department and 32nd for the treatment of diabetes.

The hospital succeeds by “making sure that we have the most advanced technology available for our patients,” spokeswoman Sally Malech said.

“We have a clinical effectiveness program that is focused on improving clinical outcomes and preparing patients prior to coming to the hospital for their procedure so that are aware of what is going to happen, are prepared and are able to get discharged directly home when appropriate,” she added.

St. Barnabas is also a high-performer in gastroenterology and GI surgery, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, colon cancer surgery and treating heart failure and COPD.

2. Hackensack University Medical Center

This hospital in Bergen County has a long list of high-performing services: cancer care, geriatrics, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, urology, abdominal aortic aneurism repair, aortic valve surgery, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, colon cancer, surgery, COPD, hip and knee replacement surgery, lung cancer surgery.

1. Morristown Medical Center

Not only is Morristown number one, it is the only New Jersey ranked among the best 50 hospitals in the nation for cardiology & heart surgery, registered as the 26th best.

Morristown also ranked 34th in orthopedics.

It is the 9th best hospital in the New York-New Jersey region.

“This sustained recognition demonstrates the commitment from our team...to build healthier communities, ensure extraordinary care is constantly delivered, focus on excellent patient outcomes and experience, seamless care coordination, and innovating to provide the best care for our patients,” said Morristown’s President Trish O’Keefe, a registered nurse.

“As a leader, we will continue to provide high-quality care for our patients and work with our communities to ensure they have the programs and resources to keep them healthy.”

The hospital earned high-performer status for its gastroenterology services and GI surgery, geriatrics, nephrology, urology, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurism repair, heart bypass surgery, heart failure, colon cancer, surgery, COPD, hip and knee replacement surgery and lung cancer surgery.

In ranking the hospitals, patient outcomes loosely defined as “a hospital’s success at keeping patients alive” account for 37.5 percent of the score; “other” care-related indicators such as nurse-patient ratios and quality data from the American Hospital Association annual survey from 2017 accounts for 30 percent expert opinion from board-certified doctors in their area of expertise comprise 27 percent, and patient surveys account for 5 percent.

Since the magazine began the survey 30 years ago, other authorities have created report cards and other rankings, including the Leapfrog Safety Report Card, based on data and patient surveys. Experts advise the public using these tools in a broader discussion about where they seek care.

Original Article