Hackensack Meridian earns high praise for cardiac care

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Only five hospitals in New Jersey have earned the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence from the American College of Cardiology this year – and they are all part of the Hackensack Meridian Health network. 

To receive the ACC designation, a health care facility must demonstrate a commitment to consistent, high-quality cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement, disease and procedure-specific accreditation, professional excellence and community engagement, according to a Sept. 14 announcement. 

Some of the criteria that needs to be met includes participating in at least two ACC Accreditation Services programs, NCDR registries and targeted quality improvement campaigns, such as Patient Navigator Program: Focus MI, that are designed to help providers close gaps in guideline-based care. 

The Hackensack Meridian centers that have earned the ACC HeartCARE Center designation this year are: 

• Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack 
• Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune 
• JFK University Medical Center, Edison 
• Ocean University Medical Center, Brick 
• Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank 

“Hackensack Meridian Health has demonstrated its commitment to providing New Jersey with excellent heart care,” Dr. Deepak Bhatt, chair of the ACC Accreditation Management Board, said in a statement from Hackensack Meridian. “ACC Accreditation Services is proud to award Hackensack Meridian with the HeartCARE Center designations.” 

Elizabeth Maiorana, vice president, Cardiovascular Care Transformation Services, said the recognition showcases Hackensack Meridian Health’s “elite status as a cardiovascular care provider.” 

This year, all five facilities also received ACC Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation; several of these hospitals and others in the network also earned accreditations such as ACC Heart Failure (HUMC, JFKU, Bayshore Medical Center, RMC, JSUMC, OUMC and SOMC) and more. 

The cardiac care recognitions were included in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals guidebook, released Aug. 1. This year, the publication named 22 of the nation’s highest performing hospitals across 15 specialties and 21 procedures and conditions. More than 5,000 facilities across the nation were evaluated, including 98 providers in New Jersey. 

While no hospital in New Jersey cracked the top 22, dubbed “the honor roll,” 10 providers met “high U.S. News standards” and were ranked accordingly: 

• No. 1: Hackensack University Medical Center (Hackensack Meridian Health), Hackensack 
• No. 2: Morristown Medical Center (Atlantic Health System), Morristown 
• No. 3: The Valley Hospital (Valley Health System), Ridgewood 
• No. 4: Overlook Medical Center (Atlantic Health System), Summit 
• No. 5: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJBarnabas Health), New Brunswick 
• No. 6: Jersey Shore University Medical Center (Hackensack Meridian Health), Neptune 
• No. 7: Cooper University Health Care, Camden 
• No. 8 (tie): AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (AtlantiCare), Atlantic City 
• No. 8 (tie): Jefferson Health, Stratford, Cherry Hill and Washington Township 
• No. 10: St. Joseph’s University Medical Center (St. Joseph’s Health), Paterson 

Cardiac Care in New Jersey

Harnessing data can help health care providers keep track of their progress in the field and make advances in how that care is delivered. Click here to read more; plus, take a look at a list of the state’s top cardiac care centers, as compiled by NJBIZ Lists.