U.S. News Ranks HackensackUMC #4 in New York Metro Area and the #1 Hospital in New Jersey

WASHINGTON, July 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- HackensackUMC is pleased to announce that it has been ranked as the number one hospital in New Jersey, and one of the New York metro area's Top Four hospitals, according to the annual U.S. News & World Report annual Best Hospitals rankings released today. In addition, HackensackUMC received nine national rankings in: Cancer; Cardiology & Heart Surgery; Ear, Nose & Throat; Gastroenterology; Geriatrics; Neurology & Neurosurgery; Orthopedics; Urology; and the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital ranking as one of the Top 25 Best Children's Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery in the U.S. News & World Report's 2012-13 Best Children's Hospitals. The medical center was also listed as high-performing in the New York metro area in: Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gynecology, Nephrology, and Pulmonology.

"What an honor it is to receive this recognition from a prestigious healthcare ratings agency such as U.S. News & World Report," said Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer of HackensackUMC. "To be placed among some of the finest hospitals in the country is truly a compliment and affirmation of the type of care provided at our medical center. Ranked among the New York metro area's elite top four hospitals - which includes New York City, Westchester County, Long Island and northern New Jersey - proves that the most advanced care and treatment options are available on both sides of the Hudson River."

This year's Best Hospitals, the 23^rd annual edition, showcases more than 720 of the nation's roughly 5,000 hospitals. Fewer than 150 are nationally ranked in at least one of 16 medical specialties. The rest of the recognized hospitals met a standard of performance nearly as demanding in one or more specialties.

The hospital rankings, said U.S. News Health Rankings Editor Avery Comarow, are like a GPS-type aid to help steer patients to hospitals with strong skills in the procedures and medical conditions that present the biggest challenges. "All of these hospitals are the kinds of medical centers that should be on your list when you need the best care," said Comarow. "They are where other hospitals send the toughest cases."

The rankings were published by U.S. News in collaboration with RTI International, a research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Highlights of the 2012-13 rankings will appear in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2013 guidebook, to go on sale in August.

The complete rankings and methodology are available at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals.

About Hackensack University Medical Center
HackensackUMC, a non-profit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, New Jersey, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state, and home to the only Level II Trauma Center in the county. This 775-bed facility has gone beyond traditional thinking by creating an entire campus of care, including: the Heart & Vascular Hospital, the John Theurer Cancer Center, the Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital, and the Donna A. Sanzari Women's Hospital. As a result of using science and creativity to push medicine further, HackensackUMC has been named one of the Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals®, one of America's 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades®, and ranked as one of the top four hospitals in the New York Metro Area and the number one hospital in New Jersey, according to U.S. News & World Report's 2012-2013 Best Hospitals rankings. It is listed among the Leapfrog Top Hospitals List, received 17 Gold Seals of Approval™ by the Joint Commission,  is ranked in Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Ear, Nose & Throat, Gastroenterology, Geriatrics, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, and Urology by U.S. News and World Report's "2012-13 Best Hospitals" list, is ranked in four specialties on U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals Metro Area Top 10," is listed as one of the 50 Best Hospitals in America by Becker's Hospital Review, and is a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence, the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation. The medical center is the hometown hospital of the New York Giants and the New Jersey Nets, and remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events. To learn more about one of the nation's top 50 hospitals, visit: www.HackensackUMC.org.   

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and analysis, which includes the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Personal Finance, Education, Travel, Cars, and Public Service/Opinion, U.S. News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. U.S. News & World Report's signature franchise includes its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its annual "Best" series of consumer web guides and publications that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, mutual funds, health plans, and more.

SOURCE Hackensack University Medical Center