What Does It Mean to Be Ranked by U.S. News & World Report?   

What Does It Mean to Be Ranked by U.S. News & World Report?

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For Hackensack Meridian Health, being ranked as New Jersey’s #1 adult and children’s hospital network by U.S. News & World Report shows our unwavering commitment to patient care, clinical excellence and innovation. It’s something we’re proud of.

But what does it mean for you? These annual hospital rankings track how well health care organizations like Hackensack Meridian Health are providing care to their communities.

These standings can show you where you can get the highest-quality health care that goes above and beyond. Understanding how these rankings are determined can help you feel confident in the decision you make about where to seek care.

How Does U.S. News & World Report Rank Hospitals?

U.S. News & World Report evaluates hospitals based on a range of objective and standardized measures to determine best in care, such as:

  • Patient experience. A patient experience rating is determined by assessing how patients feel about their health care experience. This involves analyzing patient feedback from surveys and online reviews based on communication, quality of care and overall satisfaction during their interactions at the hospital.
  • Survival and mortality (death) rates. A hospital's ranking heavily depends on its "risk-adjusted mortality rate," which evaluates whether patients live or die after receiving treatment there. This metric significantly impacts a hospital's overall U.S. News & World Report rankings. Hospitals with higher patient survival rates generally achieve better rankings.
  • Efficiency of care. A hospital's ability to efficiently use its resources while ensuring high-quality care is often assessed through metrics such as how long the average patient stays in the hospital, whether they need to come back to the hospital for additional treatment after their initial visit, cost per treatment and overall operational performance.
  • Nurse to patient ratios. The number of patients each nurse is responsible for should be relatively low to help patients get more personal attention. This also helps make sure nurses don’t have too much work.
  • Physician survey results. Every year, board-certified doctors in specific fields are asked to name up to five hospitals that they believe excel in handling complex or difficult cases. They do not consider factors like location or cost.

“These are measures for the effectiveness of the care that we deliver,” says Jose Azar, M.D., executive vice president and chief quality officer at Hackensack Meridian Health.

These rankings primarily rely on data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). With metrics pulled from CMS, the hospitals cannot influence or alter performance, providing a reliable benchmark for assessing care quality.

“These are not measures that we submit,” says Dr. Azar. “They're not subjective measures. This is a third party, external to us, that's really looking in on the way we perform.”

Where Hackensack Meridian Health Stands and How We Got There

Hackensack Meridian Health is consistently a leader in patient care in New Jersey and nationwide. For 2024-2025, Hackensack Meridian Health received numerous rankings and recognitions, including:

To achieve these standings, Hackensack Meridian Health continuously strives for improvements, never settling for what is, with clinicians and leaders frequently monitoring progress and implementing strategic solutions that improve patient outcomes.

“Our logo says, ‘keep getting better,’” says Dr. Azar. “And I think that's really the key element. It's a mindset and an approach that's constantly thriving for better and thriving for learning, innovating and improving.”

Dr. Azar believes there are three main factors contributing to Hackensack Meridian Health’s high rankings and status for adult and pediatric patients:

  1. Leadership: Executives throughout our Network and our hospitals focus on continuous learning and innovation, and they are open to hearing from team members of all levels on how operations can improve.
  2. Structures and processes: Measurement systems are in place to evaluate performance, identify gaps in care, and implement strategic solutions based on reported data.
  3. Culture: To benefit both team members and patients, Hackensack Meridian Health created a culture focused on high reliability, putting patients first approach and engaging team members to support growth and progress. 

“An improvement mindset is driven by personal and team accountability toward constantly learning and finding ways to innovate and get better,” says Dr. Azar. “That's part of our DNA and is reflected in those outcomes.”

Quick Tip: Additional Ways to Evaluate Hospitals 

While U.S. News rankings provide a strong starting point for assessing the quality of hospitals, they should not be the only factor considered. By combining both statistical data and practical considerations, like the following, you can choose a hospital that aligns with your needs and preferences:

  • Network affiliation (smaller hospitals that are part of a high-ranking network share treatment protocols and have access to advanced resources)
  • Specialized services you might need
  • Patient reviews

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Next Steps & Resources

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
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