Network has more top ranked hospitals in maternity care than anyone in New Jersey, and the only ranked hospitals in Monmouth, Middlesex and Ocean Counties
Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean University Medical Center, Pascack Valley Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center and Riverview Medical Center named High Performing hospitals for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity
Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is proud to announce that five of its hospitals were recognized as High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report. Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean University Medical Center, Pascack Valley Medical Center, Raritan Bay Medical Center and Riverview Medical Center are among only one-third of the hospitals evaluated by U.S. News for maternity care to earn a “High Performing” rating. This is the first time U.S. News has published a list of Best Hospitals for Maternity.
“Hackensack Meridian Health is proud that five of our hospitals were named to U.S. News & World Report’s inaugural Best Hospitals for Maternity,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, Chief Executive Officer of Hackensack Meridian Health. “As New Jersey’s largest health network, Hackensack Meridian Health has made it our mission to improve maternal health care and eliminate disparities for new and expectant mothers. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our physicians and team members to provide the highest quality care, further elevating the standard of care in New Jersey and beyond.”
To be recognized among the Best Hospitals for Maternity, hospitals had to excel in multiple quality metrics that matter to expectant families, including complication rates, C-sections, whether births were scheduled too early in pregnancy, and how successfully each hospital supported breastfeeding.
“All families deserve to be informed on how hospitals perform on key indicators of quality, which is why U.S. News has compiled and published a trove of maternal health data from hospitals across the country,” said Ben Harder, managing editor and chief of health analysis at U.S. News & World Report. “The hospitals we’ve recognized as High Performing meet a high standard in caring for patients with uncomplicated pregnancies.”
Five Hackensack Meridian Health facilities earned a “High Performing” rating in Best Hospitals for Maternity. “High Performing” is the highest rating U.S. News awards for maternity care. Unique to the U.S. News site, participating hospital profiles are a one stop shop and include a variety of relevant offerings for parents-to-be including key measures of safety, alongside services and amenities, like private rooms, valet parking and availability of child birthing classes.
Hackensack Meridian Health is on the forefront of addressing maternal health, including:
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Launched Maternal Health Blue Ribbon Task Force to address unacceptable disparities in maternal outcomes in New Jersey.
- Reduced C-section rates throughout the network from 25.9% to 19.0% in the last three years.
- Hackensack Meridian Health worked with the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology to engage the nation’s leading experts in maternal health and labor.
- Every hospital in the network participates in the New Jersey Perinatal Quality Collaborative (NJPQC), a New Jersey Department of Health initiative to improve maternal and infant quality and safety.
- Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine is deeply committed to eliminating racial and socio-economic disparity in health outcomes. A key feature of the innovative curriculum is the focus on community-based care and the social determinants of health.
“Hackensack Meridian Health is focused on delivering high-quality, equitable care to women across the region, investing in research and education to ensure we are providing women with the best clinical choices during their pregnancies. We are grateful for the tireless efforts of our medical staff and team members who work each day to deliver the best experience to the patients and communities we serve,” said Dr. Daniel Varga, M.D., Chief Physician Executive, Hackensack Meridian Health.
The evaluation by U.S. News reviewed hospital data relating to only uncomplicated pregnancies, nor high-risk pregnancies. Participating hospitals responded to a survey from the U.S. News health analysis team in spring of 2021 which reflects data from 2019. Participation was voluntary, and U.S. News anticipates updating their Best Hospitals for Maternity Care in the summer of 2022, which coincides with the release of the 2022-23 Best Hospitals for Procedures & Conditions ratings.
For more information behind both U.S. News ratings please visit https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/hospital-ratings/maternity.
