POMPTON PLAINS, N.J. (Morris County) — Atlantic Health’s Chilton Medical Center has received the 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, marking the seventh consecutive year the hospital has earned the recognition, the health system announced Tuesday.
The award places Chilton Medical Center among the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety based on patient outcomes and complication rates.
In addition to the safety recognition, the Pompton Plains hospital was also recently named one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades for overall clinical care.
“We are incredibly honored to receive this recognition once again as it reflects the unwavering commitment of our physicians, nurses and team members to delivering safe, high-quality care for every patient who walks through our doors,” said Maureen Schneider, PhD, MBA, RN, FACHE, senior vice president of Atlantic Health and president of Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center. “Year after year, our team continues to raise the bar, embracing innovation, collaboration and compassion in everything they do. We are proud to be a national leader in patient safety and even more proud of the trust our community places in us.”
Healthgrades based the award on risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates from about 4,500 hospitals nationwide across 13 patient safety indicators, each representing serious but potentially preventable complications.
According to the organization’s analysis, more than 167,000 preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients at U.S. hospitals during the 2022 to 2024 study period.
Patients treated at hospitals receiving the Patient Safety Excellence Award were significantly less likely to experience several complications, including in-hospital falls resulting in fractures, collapsed lungs due to procedures in or around the chest, catheter-related bloodstream infections and hospital-acquired pressure sores.
“The data behind this year’s Patient Safety Excellence Award highlights how measurable improvements in safety can prevent thousands of complications,” said Dr. Alana Biggers, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “By prioritizing evidence-based safety practices, Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center is achieving better clinical outcomes and cultivating a culture where patients come first.”
Healthgrades publishes annual rankings and evaluations of hospitals and physicians using data intended to help patients compare quality and safety when choosing care.
