2008 Press Releases

Saint Barnabas Medical Center Once Again Ranked Among the Top 5 Percent in Nation According to Quality Study

Recognized for outstanding clinical performance by the leading independent health care ratings company

A study of quality at the nation’s 4,971 hospitals named Saint Barnabas Medical Center as one of the top 5 percent in the nation for the second consecutive year and a recipient of the 2008 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™. Saint Barnabas is among 269 hospitals nationwide and one of only four distinguished teaching hospitals in New Jersey to receive this distinction.

The study conducted by HealthGrades, the leading health care ratings company, found that hospitals in the top 5 percent in the nation had mortality rates that were, on average, 27 percent lower than other hospitals, and major complication rates that were 5 percent lower. HealthGrades estimates that if all patients were treated at Distinguished Hospitals, 171,424 lives could have been saved and 9,671 post-operative complications could have been avoided during the three years studied.

"We are honored to be recognized as a Distinguished Hospital for the second consecutive year," said John F. Bonamo, M.D., M.S., Executive Director at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. "We are committed to providing cutting-edge, patient-centered care, and this award truly speaks to the culture of quality at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. It is one thing to be recognized for excellence in a single service area but something all together different to achieve this level of recognition across all service areas of the hospital.”

The HealthGrades study shows that Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence are improving their patient outcomes at a greater rate in more procedures and diagnoses than all other hospitals, lowering risk-adjusted mortality rates over the years 2004, 2005, 2006 by an average of 15 percent.

“The gap between top-performing hospitals and others persists," said Samantha Collier, MD, HealthGrades' chief medical officer. "But Distinguished Hospitals for Clinical Excellence like Saint Barnabas Medical Center have proven that it is possible to deliver top-notch medical care consistently, across a range of procedures.”

In addition, Saint Barnabas Medical Center has also been recognized with the 2007 and 2008 HealthGrades Excellence Award™ in Cardiac Care, Bariatric Surgery, Maternity Care, and Women's Health and received a 2007 and 2008 HealthGrades five-star rating for the Treatment of Stroke.

Each year, HealthGrades independently analyzes the clinical quality performance of all non-federal hospitals across the country in 27 procedures and diagnoses. In the Distinguished Hospital Study, the company reviewed tens of millions of hospitalization records from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, from 2004 to 2006.  All hospitals that participate in the Medicare program were part of the independent study. Hospitals that receive the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence are those hospitals that rank in the top 5 percent when all 27 individual scores are aggregated into an overall score.

“At Saint Barnabas Medical Center, we have a skillful and dedicated team of clinicians and employees,” said Dr. Bonamo. “It is because of their hard work that our patients and their families receive quality health care that is among the best in the nation.”

2008 Saint Barnabas Medical Center HealthGrades Designations

2008 Clinical Achievements

• Ranked Among the Top 5% of All Hospitals in the Nation for Overall Clinical Performance
• Received the 2008 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™

Bariatric Surgery

• Recipient of the 2008/2007 HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery
• Ranked Among the Top 3 in New Jersey for Bariatric Surgery
• Five-Star Rated for Bariatric Surgery

Cardiac Services

• Recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award™
• Recipient of the 2008 HealthGrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Cardiac Services
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Cardiology Services
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Ranked Among the Best in New Jersey for Cardiology Services
• Ranked Among the Best in New Jersey for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Ranked Among the Top 3 in New Jersey for Overall Cardiac Services
• Ranked Among the Top 5 in New Jersey for Cardiac Surgery
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Attack
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure

Gastrointestinal Services

• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Gastrointestinal Medical Treatment
• Ranked Among the Top 5 in New Jersey for Gastrointestinal Medical Treatment
• Five-Star Rated for Gastrointestinal Procedures and Surgeries
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Bowel Obstruction
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Gastrointestinal Bleed

Maternity Care

• Recipient of HealthGrades 2008/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Maternity Care
• Five-Star Rated in Maternity Care
• One of Only 20 Hospitals in the Nation to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2008/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2008/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™
• The Only Hospital in the State of New Jersey to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2008/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2008/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™

Pulmonary Services

• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Community Acquired Pneumonia

Stroke Care

• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Stroke

Women’s Health Services

• Recipient of HealthGrades 2008/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Women’s Health Services
• One of Only 20 Hospitals in the Nation to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2008/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™
• The Only Hospital in the State of New Jersey to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2008/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™

Saint Barnabas Medical Center HealthGrades 2007 Analysis

2007 Clinical Achievements

• Ranked Among the Top 5% of All Hospitals in the Nation for Overall Clinical Performance
• Received the 2007 Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™

Bariatric Surgery

• 2007 Specialty Excellence Award
• Recipient of the 2007 HealthGrades Bariatric Surgery Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery
• Ranked Among the Best/Top 3 in New Jersey for Bariatric Surgery
• Five-Star Rated for Bariatric Surgery

Cardiac Services

• 2007 Specialty Excellence Award
• Recipient of the 2007 HealthGrades Cardiac Care Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Overall Cardiac Services
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Cardiology Services
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Ranked Among the Best/Top 3 in New Jersey for Overall Cardiac Services
• Ranked Among the Best/Top 3 in New Jersey for Cardiology Services
• Ranked Among the Best/Top 10 in New Jersey for Cardiac Surgery
• Ranked Among the Best/Top 3 in New Jersey for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Five-Star Rated for Overall Cardiac Services
• Five-Star Rated for Cardiology Services
• Five-Star Rated for Valve Replacement Surgery
• Five-Star Rated for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Attack
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Heart Failure
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Critical Care

• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Diabetic Acidosis and Coma

Gastrointestinal Services

• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Bowel Obstruction

Maternity Care

• 2006/2007 Specialty Excellence Award
• Recipient of HealthGrades 2006/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Maternity Care
• Five-Star Rated in Maternity Care
• One of Only 24 Hospitals in the Nation to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™
• The Only Hospital in the State of New Jersey to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™

Orthopedic Services

• Ranked Among the Best/Top 10 in New Jersey for Spine Surgery

Pulmonary Services

• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Community Acquired Pneumonia

Stroke Care

• Recipient of the 2007 HealthGrades Stroke Care Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 5% in the Nation for Treatment of Stroke
• Ranked Among the Best/Top 3 in New Jersey for Treatment of Stroke
• Five-Star Rated for Treatment of Stroke
• Received the Highest Possible Star Ratings for Treatment of Stroke

Women’s Health Services

• 2006/2007 Specialty Excellence Award
• Recipient of HealthGrades 2006/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™
• Ranked Among the Top 10% in the Nation for Women’s Health Services
• Five-Star Rated in Women’s Health Services
• Five-Star Rated in Women’s Stroke Services
• One of Only 24 Hospitals in the Nation to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™
• The Only Hospital in the State of New Jersey to be a Dual Recipient of the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Maternity Care Excellence Award™ and the HealthGrades 2006/2007 Women’s Health Excellence Award™

The 2007 HealthGrades ratings for all hospitals nationwide are available, free of charge, on the web at www.healthgrades.com

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