NJ Hospital Safety Classes

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Three Central Jersey hospitals saw their safety ratings increase in the Spring 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Report, while only two hospitals saw their numbers decrease.

Leapfrog is a national nonprofit organization representing hundreds of the most influential employers and purchasers of health care in the country. The numbers reflect preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

The three hospitals that saw an improvement in their numbers from autumn 2023 were:

  • St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, from B to A;
  • Hackensack Meridian Health JFK University Medical Center, Edison, from C to B;
  • Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy, from B to A;

The two hospitals that saw a drop in numbers were:

  • Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, from B to C;
  • Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center, Plainsboro, from A to B.

Other Central Jersey hospitals maintained their numbers:

  • Hunterdon Medical Center, Raritan Township, A;
  • Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Somerville, B;
  • Hackensack Meridian Health Old Bridge Medical Center, Old Bridge, B;
  • Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Rahway, A;
  • Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, A;
  • Overlook Medical Center, Summit, A.

The percentage of A and B hospitals in New Jersey in the spring 2024 survey was 81%, up from 76% last fall. There were 30 grade-A hospitals, or 45%, of the state’s acute care hospitals. That is six A-hospitals more than the previous round.

Of the 67 New Jersey hospitals in the report, 13 hospitals increased one grade, while 11 decreased one grade.

New Jersey ranks third in the nation in the percentage of A-rated hospitals, up from 13th in the fall of 2023.

“The number of A and B hospitals shows that overall we are doing well as a state,” said Adelisa Perez-Hudgins, director of quality at the Quality Institute, the regional leader in New Jersey and New York for Leapfrog. “The percentage speaks to the dedication of hospitals and healthcare teams focused on patient safety and quality improvement.”

Leapfrog rates nearly 3,000 hospitals across the country based on how well they prevent medical errors, accidents and infections.

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the patient experience has deteriorated across the country. This spring survey shows the first sign of improvement, with all patient experience measures improving significantly since fall 2023.

Additionally, since fall 2022, when hospital-acquired infections were at their highest, 92% of U.S. hospitals have improved performance on at least one of three dangerous, preventable infections: central line-associated bloodstream infections; Catheter-associated urinary tract infections; Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Email: [email protected]

Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles covering Somerset and Hunterdon counties, subscribe or activate your digital account today.