The Leapfrog Group, a notable national watchdog, has recognized seven New Jersey hospitals with its esteemed Top Hospital Award for 2025. In an announcement made during its Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, the group divulged that a total of 156 institutions across the United States clinched this prestigious honor this year, reflecting a 16% jump from the previous year. As the Leapfrog Hospital Survey program celebrates its successful 25-year journey, it has reinforced its commitment to spotlighting the top-tier performers in the healthcare industry.
The highly esteemed New Jersey honorees include four teaching hospitals and three general care facilities. Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, and St. Luke’s Warren Campus in Phillipsburg received laurels for their teaching prowess. Meanwhile, the general recognition category was graced by Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, and Shore Medical Center in Somers Point.
The selection criteria for the award revolve around the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, with only institutions successfully scoring an ‘A’ in the most recent evaluation round considered for the award. Beyond this, the top winners are noteworthy for their robust systems engineered to mitigate medication errors, high-quality maternity care, and importantly, lower infection rates. The comprehensive evaluation includes areas such as medication safety, maternity care, infection prevention, surgical outcomes, nurse staffing, patient consent practices, and billing ethics.
Leapfrog Group’s CEO, Leah Binder, praised the honorees, attributing their achievement to the unwavering dedication of the healthcare teams, boards, clinicians, administrators, staff, and community volunteers. Bergen New Bridge Medical Center was celebrated for maintaining its top rating for the fifth consecutive year, while Englewood Health secured the award for the eighth time. Shore Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center were also recognized, marking their first and fourth times as award winners respectively.
Adding to the cheer this year was the record-high participation in the safety survey, underscoring healthcare institutions’ relentless commitment to delivering patient-centered, top-quality, and safe healthcare services—even amidst the most challenging times.