Hackensack University Medical Center Among Top Five Percent in Nation For Emergency Medicine – Two Years in a Row

Pictured from left: Joseph Feldman, M.D., chairman of the HackensackUMC Emergency Medicine Department, and Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer, HackensackUMC

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A report released today by HealthGrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital, named Hackensack University Medical Center among the top five percent in the nation for emergency medicine, and a recipient of the HealthGrades Emergency Medicine Excellence Award for the second consecutive year 2011-2012.  HackensackUMC is the only hospital in the New York – Northern New Jersey market to be named a recipient of both HealthGrades 2012 Emergency Medicine Excellence Award and the 2012 HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award, for ranking among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for overall quality. 

            “It is truly an honor to be named among the top five percent in the nation for emergency medicine for two consecutive years,” said Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer of HackensackUMC. “I congratulate Dr. Joseph Feldman, chairman of Emergency Medicine here at HackensackUMC, as well as his entire team on this remarkable accomplishment. HealthGrades provides guidance for consumers to choose the best care possible, and we are proud to be named among some of the best hospitals in the nation.”

The findings are based on an analysis of more than seven million Medicare patient records from 2008 to 2010. HealthGrades Emergency Medicine in American Hospitals report focused on 12 of the most common and life-threatening medical emergencies among that patient population, including heart attack, stroke, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

“The entire Emergency Medicine Division works tirelessly to strive for clinical excellence using state-of-the-art equipment, while also focusing on patient-centered care through programs like our award-winning Take-a-Break Program, a volunteer program that provides periods of respite for family members,” said Dr. Joseph Feldman. “We are enthusiastically looking forward to the upcoming expansion and upgrade of our Emergency Medicine Division to provide private rooms for enhanced patient privacy as well as specialty patient care rooms.”

 “It is imperative that anyone experiencing a medical emergency go directly to the closest hospital, especially in the event of a heart attack or stroke,” said Dr. Arshad Rahim, report author and director of Accelerated Clinical Excellence at HealthGrades. “That said, our findings show the care you receive once admitted to the hospital can also make the difference between life and death. We encourage all patients to educate themselves about the quality of emergency medical providers in their area and to choose a top performing hospital whenever there is a choice.”

Other key findings of the HealthGrades report include:

• Medicare patients treated at hospitals recognized with a HealthGrades Emergency Medicine

Excellence Award had, on average, a 41.52 percent lower risk of death compared to patients treated at non-recipient hospitals.

• If all hospitals performed at the level of the Emergency Medicine Excellence hospitals from 2008 through 2010, an additional 170,856 people could have potentially survived their emergency hospitalization.

About Hackensack University Medical Center

HackensackUMC, a non-profit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, New Jersey, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. This 775-bed facility has gone beyond traditional thinking by creating an entire campus of care, including: the Heart & Vascular Hospital, the John Theurer Cancer Center, the Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, and the Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital. As a result of using science and creativity to push medicine further, HackensackUMC has been named one of America's 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades® for five years in a row - the only hospital in New Jersey, New York, and New England to receive this honor. The medical center has been named to the Leapfrog Top Hospitals List, received 17 Gold Seals of Approval™ by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO),  is ranked in Cancer, Cardiology and Heart Surgery, and Geriatrics by U.S. News and World Report's "2011-12 Best Hospitals" list, is the only New Jersey hospital ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals Metro Area Top 10,” is listed as one of the 50 Best Hospitals in America by Becker’s Hospital Review, and is a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence, the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation. The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital is the first hospital in the State of New Jersey ever to be ranked in a Best Children’s Hospitals specialty by the U.S. News & World Report’s “2011-12 Best Children’s Hospitals” list. The medical center is the hometown hospital of the New York Giants and the New Jersey Nets, and remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events. To learn more about one of the nation’s top 50 hospitals, visit: www.HackensackUMC.org.   

About HealthGrades

HealthGrades, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is a leading provider of comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals. More than 200 million consumers use the HealthGrades websites, including HealthGrades.com and BetterMedicine.com, to research, select, and connect with a physician or hospital, and use its comprehensive information about clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, patient safety, and health conditions to make more informed healthcare decisions and take action. Find more information about our products and services at HealthGrades.com. Follow us on Twitter (@HealthGrades) and Facebook for news and updates. More information on how HealthGrades guides Americans to their best health can be found at www.healthgrades.com.

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