Newton Medical Center Scores an “A” on quality, Patient Safety

NEWTON, NJ – OCTOBER 2013 – Newton Medical Center, part of Atlantic Health System, was awarded an “A” grade in the Fall 2013 update to the Hospital Safety ScoreSM, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from accidents, errors, injuries and infections.
The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and is administered by The Leapfrog Group (Leapfrog) a national nonprofit organization using the collective leverage of large purchasers of health care to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality and affordability of health care for Americans.
“This is a testament to the dedication of the physicians and staff at Newton Medical Center to providing a safe, healing environment and high-quality care for our patients,” said Tom Senker, president of Newton Medical Center.
In 2013, Newton Medical Center was named Top Hospital overall in New Jersey and No. 1 for hip and knee repair, treatment of prostate and breast cancers, neurological disorders, congestive heart failure treatment and high-risk pregnancy among hospitals with 350 beds or fewer by Inside Jersey magazine partnered with Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.
“We encourage patients and the community to utilize the many resources available, such as the Leapfrog Group’s scores, to make informed choices about their health care,” said Paul Owens, MD, medical director for clinical affairs for Newton Medical Center. “As reflected in our score, patients will find that safety and quality are the highest priorities at Newton Medical Center and they can get that level of quality close to home.”
To see Newton Medical Center’s Hospital Safety ScoreSM ratings as it compares nationally and locally, and to find safety tips for patients and their loved ones, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org. Local hospitals’ scores are also available on the free mobile app, available at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.
As the first and only hospital safety rating to be analyzed in the peer-reviewed Journal of Patient Safety, the Hospital Safety Score is designed to give the public information they can use to protect themselves and their families. Calculated under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” score representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. More than 2,500 general U.S. hospitals were assigned scores this fall. A full analysis of the data and methodology used is available on the Hospital Safety Score website.
“As patients begin to take a more active role in selecting where to receive health care, it has never been more important to focus on hospital safety and transparency. The ‘A’ hospitals, including Newton Medical Center, are helping us to raise the standards of health care nationwide,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog. “We offer our congratulations and hope the hospital will continue to strive for an ever-increasing level of excellence in patient safety.”

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