President and CEO Eric Carney and Chief Nursing Officer Darla Harmer, shown center, gather with team members from throughout the hospital in recognition of the Monmouth Medical Center’s recognition by the digital platform Money as one of the Best Hospitals in America.
Long Branch, NJ, July 18, 2022 – The digital platform Money announced its inaugural list of the Best Hospitals in America on July 6th, with Monmouth Medical Center among just 148 U.S. hospitals to receive the award.
Created in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers focused on health care safety and quality, the list identifies hospitals that consistently deliver the safest, highest-value care for patients and excellence in hospital experience.
Among the criteria that weighed heavily in the Best Hospitals in America List selection process was a hospital's infection rates, maternity care, pediatrics, medication management, hand hygiene practices, nursing workforce, and critical care. Leapfrog also tracked the number of high-risk surgeries, including bariatric surgery for weight loss, lung cancer surgery, and hip replacement surgery, among others.
The recognition comes on the heels of MMC receiving its 15th consecutive Leapfrog A rating in the spring. It also follows an announcement last fall of MMC’s recognition for a third time as a Top Teaching Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, which is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive.
“These recognitions are designed to inform communities how well their hospitals perform in providing the highest quality care in a safe and compassionate environment. Every member of our team is essential to achieving and sustaining these outstanding results,” said MMC and Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus President and CEO Eric Carney. “These recognitions are a testament to our staff’s unwavering commitment to our patients, our communities and each other. They truly make a difference to those we serve.”
"COVID-19 changed how people think about and prioritize health care – and Money's Best Hospitals will help readers navigate this new normal with these great recommendations," said Mike Ayers, Executive Editor at Money.
"Leapfrog is honored to partner with Money to recognize hospitals that truly put patients first," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "Americans are heavily invested in our health care system, and we have a right to expect the best quality in return. Money recognizes that hospitals on this list meet the highest standards of quality and safety and tirelessly work to improve health care in their communities across the country."
The Leapfrog Hospital Survey is the gold standard for comparing hospitals on standards of safety, quality and efficiency. To compile its new list of the top hospitals in the country in partnership with Money, the Leapfrog Group used data from the 39 performance measures in the seven different categories in its 2021 hospital survey, which participants were required to submit by August 31, 2021.
To qualify for the list, eligible hospitals were required to carry an A letter grade on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assessment for fall 2021. Hospitals were also required to meet a qualitative assessment of excellence, and were disqualified if they exceeded national mortality rates for heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or coronary bypass surgery or if they earned a C or worse on the 2022 spring Safety Grade assessment. Leapfrog applied additional criteria related to safe medication ordering practices, intensive care unit staffing, and performance related to certain high-risk surgeries including bariatric surgery, hip replacements and lung cancer surgeries.
To learn more about the Best Hospitals’ list, visit https://money.com/best-hospitals/.
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