Two Atlantic Health System hospitals earn 2022 Leapfrog Top Hospital Award for outstanding quality and safety

Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, two Atlantic Health System hospitals were named Top Hospitals nationally by The Leapfrog Group.

Morristown Medical Center was named a Top Teaching Hospital, and Chilton Medical Center was named a Top General Hospital.

Announced Tuesday, the Leapfrog Top Hospital award is well-known as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. The Top Hospital designation is bestowed by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers widely acknowledged as the toughest standard-setters for health care safety and quality.

More than 2,200 hospitals were considered for the award. A total of 115 hospitals nationwide were selected as Top Hospitals, including 58 Top Teaching Hospitals and 32 Top General Hospitals.

“Our steadfast focus on building healthier communities is founded on our commitment to delivering high-quality patient care while training and developing future healthcare professionals,” said Scott Leighty, Executive Vice President, Chief Health System Officer, Atlantic Health System. “Congratulations to the entire Morristown and Chilton teams on this outstanding recognition. Our patients and our communities benefit from your extraordinary commitment to the highest standards of care.”

Morristown Medical Center, with its proximity to New York City, is a highly sought-after facility by medical professionals at all stages of their training, including undergraduate (UME), graduate (GME), and continuing (CME) medical education.

Residency training in dentistry, diagnostic radiology, family medicine, internal medicine, Ob/Gyn, pediatrics, podiatric surgery, and general surgery occurs at both campuses, in addition to emergency medicine and osteopathic neuromuscular medicine at Morristown Medical Center.

Morristown Medical Center also trains fellows in cardiology, emergency medical services, hematology/oncology, interventional cardiology, geriatrics, pediatrics/emergency medicine, sports medicine, and urogynecology.

Atlantic Health System’s major medical school affiliation is with the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Additional affiliations with Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, and St. George’s University School of Medicine bring a total of 90 to 100 medical students to its campuses at any given time.

Chilton Medical Center was one of only two hospitals in New Jersey to receive Leapfrog’s Top General Hospital recognition. Additionally, Chilton was also named #1 mid-size hospital in New Jersey by Castle Connolly for the past seven years and a high-performing hospital in multiple specialties by U.S. News & World Report.

Morristown and Chilton all earned the highest possible safety rating of ‘A’ by The Leapfrog Group in its Spring and Fall 2022 Hospital Safety Grades.

The quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, surgery, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication and other errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.

“We are honored to recognize Morristown and Chilton Medical Centers as Top Hospitals this year,” said Leah Binder, president, and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “These two Atlantic Health System hospitals have demonstrated that they truly put patients first. We congratulate the board, staff and clinicians whose efforts made this honor possible.”

To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must rank top among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety and achieve top performance in its category.

To see the full list of institutions honored as 2022 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.