Seven New Jersey hospitals were recognized by national nonprofit watchdog organization The Leapfrog Group as high-performing hospitals on its annual hospital survey. The 2025 Top Hospitals were announced on Dec. 15 at the 2025 Leapfrog Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner.
Three New Jersey hospitals were named top general hospitals: Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood, Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck and Shore Medical Center in Somers Point.
Four New Jersey health care institutions were recognized by Leapfrog as top teaching hospitals: Bergen New Bridge Medical Center of Paramus, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch and St. Luke’s Warren Campus in Phillipsburg.
A total of 156 hospitals earned the 2025 Top Hospital Award: 15 top children’s hospitals, 52 top general hospitals, 16 top rural hospitals and 73 top teaching hospitals. Leapfrog assessed more than 2,400 hospitals for its ranking. In its methodology, The Leapfrog Group rates hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers on how well they protect patients from preventable harm, including accidents, injuries and infections.
The Washington, D.C.-based watchdog organization said compared with 2024, there is a 16 percent increase in hospitals earning this year’s award. Among the reasons for the increase were improved hospital performance on billing ethics and informed consent, better hospital performance on Leapfrog’s nurse staffing measures and a record number of hospitals participating in the 2025 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, representing 80% of inpatient beds in the U.S.
“This year marks Leapfrog’s 25th anniversary — and the 25th year of the Leapfrog Hospital Survey — making it especially meaningful to recognize our 2025 Top Hospitals and Top ASCs,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “These honorees are a testament to the extraordinary dedication of these facilities’ entire teams, boards, clinicians, administrators, staff and community volunteers. You don’t achieve results like this without everyone putting their heart into patient care.”
Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center, a 128-bed acute-care community hospital, was one of 52 top hospitals to earn a spot on the Leapfrog list.
“Being named a Top General Hospital by The Leapfrog Group affirms our commitment to safe, high-quality care,” said Michael Bell, CEO of Pascack Valley Medical Center. “For our community, it means world-class health care is available close to home delivered by a hospital that truly understands local needs.”
Holy Name, New Jersey’s only independent Catholic health system, earned top hospital recognition from Leapfrog. It is a 361-bed acute care hospital, with a highly regarded cancer center and nursing school.
“This recognition is especially meaningful because it speaks to the dedication and leadership of our chief medical officer, Dr. Vasantha Kondamudi, and to the exceptional clinicians who work every day to ensure our patients receive the best possible experience. Our mission is to pursue excellence — not merely as an achievement, but as a sacred responsibility,” said Mike Maron, president and CEO of Holy Name.
David Hughes, president and chief executive officer of Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, cited the top hospital honor from Leapfrog as “an extraordinary accomplishment” for the community hospital “that reflects our culture and unwavering commitment to those we serve.”
Valerie M. DeJoseph, administrative director of quality, medical staff services and regulatory at Shore Medical Center, added that, “Every department at Shore contributes to this achievement. We have built a strong culture of safety, and this recognition reflects our entire team’s daily commitment to the highest quality of care for our patients.”
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center was named a top teaching hospital nationally by Leapfrog for its achievements in patient safety and quality. This is the fifth year in a row the medical center has been recognized by Leapfrog.
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center is a not-for-profit, safety net facility.
“This designation…reassures the diverse communities we serve that Bergen New Bridge is here for them, providing all the care they need in the safest possible environment,” said Bergen New Bridge President and CEO Deborah Visconi. “I am an incredibly proud CEO because this recognition is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing high-quality, accessible care to all those we serve.”
This year marks the eighth time Englewood Hospital has received recognition from Leapfrog.
“Our continued national recognition as a top teaching hospital — now for the eighth time — reflects the extraordinary dedication of our entire team,” said Warren Geller, president and CEO of Englewood Health. “Every day, our nurses, physicians, and staff bring their personal best to ensure patients receive the safest, most effective care. This honor belongs to the entire Englewood Health team.”
Monmouth Medical Center, a regional medical campus of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has been named a top teaching hospital by Leapfrog for a fourth time.
“This impressive achievement is a testament to our respected reputation as a university-level medical center that attracts the top physicians to our teaching faculty,” said President and CEO Eric Carney. “This recognition also speaks to our vision to be the premier health care destination providing patient-centered, high-quality academic medicine in a compassionate and equitable manner.”
Monmouth Medical Center serves as a regional medical campus of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to teach third- and fourth-year medical students.
St. Luke’s Warren Campus in Phillipsburg was also named a top teaching hospital. Its specialty centers include hyperbaric oxygen, complete vascular center, catheterization lab, ambulatory surgery, and radiology, including silent MRI and 3-D Mammography.
“These prestigious recognitions are a credit to St. Luke’s outstanding leadership, providers, nurses and other hospital staff and volunteers,” said St. Luke’s Chief Quality Officer Donna Sabol. “Working together as a team, we have designed and implemented a standardized approach to quality and safety that ensures our entire region enjoys local access to St. Luke’s world-class health care.”
