Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers recognized as high performing by U.S. News & World report for the best hospitals for maternity
Newton Medical Center receives inaugural designation
NEW JERSEY – For their work in delivering extraordinary care for moms, Atlantic Health System’s Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers have been recognized once again as 2024 High Performing in Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy) by U.S. News & World Report.
This is the highest award a hospital can earn for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care. Atlantic Health System’s Newton Medical Center was also named as a 2024 Maternity Care Access Hospital, an inaugural designation.
Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers earned a High Performing designation for maternity care as measured by factors such as newborn complication rates. The annual evaluation is designed to assist expectant parents, in consultation with their prenatal care team, in making informed decisions about where to receive maternity care that best meets their family’s needs.
For the very first time, U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care evaluation recognizes 73 “Maternity Care Access Hospitals” across the nation. These essential hospitals, which include Newton Medical Center, provide quality care to expectant parents who wouldn’t otherwise have access to maternity care and serve communities that would otherwise be maternity care deserts.
“We are thrilled to earn this national recognition which reflects Atlantic Health System’s commitment to high-quality maternity care services and patient satisfaction,” said Doug Arbittier, MD, MBA, Vice President, Service Lines, Atlantic Health System. “This is a testament to our team’s dedication to consistently provide exceptional care to moms and babies in a supportive environment.”
U.S. News evaluated hospitals from across the nation that provide labor and delivery services and submitted detailed data to the publication for analysis; 680 hospitals, an all-time high, participated in this year’s U.S. News survey. Fewer than half – 46% – of all hospitals that offer maternity care and participated in the survey received a High Performing designation.
“Hospitals that receive a High Performing designation as part of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care meet a high standard in caring for parents with uncomplicated pregnancies,” said Jennifer Winston, health data scientist at U.S. News. “The Maternity Care Access Hospital designation is special recognition of hospitals across the U.S. which serve communities that depend on them for access to vital maternity care services. Parents-to-be can research their local hospitals’ performance metrics for free at health.usnews.com to help them choose where to have their baby.”
The U.S. News Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology is based entirely on objective measures of quality, such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates, birthing-friendly practices and transparency on racial/ethnic disparities, among other measures.
The U.S. News Maternity Care Access Hospitals designation is based on a number of measures including geographic isolation, number of obstetric providers per 10,000 births and hospital quality. Quality measures are outlined in the Best Hospitals for Maternity Care methodology.
