U.S. News Ranks John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center Among Top 50 Best Hospitals for Cancer

HACKENSACK, N.J., July 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center has ranked among the top 50 best hospitals in the United States, according to U.S. News & World Report.  Ranked at 35 of the best hospitals in the U.S., it is the only ranked cancer center in New Jersey and one of the top three New York metro area hospitals, according to the 2013-14 U.S. News Best Hospitals for Cancer.

"This year's rankings demonstrate, once again, that New Jersey residents don't need to cross the Hudson to get the best possible healthcare," said Robert C. Garrett, president and chief executive officer of Hackensack University Health Network. "Further, our ranking in the top three hospitals in the entire NY Metro area, among some of the best hospitals in the world, suggests residents throughout the region should actively consider HackensackUMC for their health needs."

U.S. News evaluates hospitals in 16 adult specialties. In most specialties, it ranks the nation's top 50 hospitals and recognizes other high-performing hospitals that provide care at nearly the level of their nationally ranked peers.  The Best Hospital rankings, now in their 24th year, recognize hospitals that excel in treating the most challenging patients.

"At John Theurer Cancer Center, we strive for an ideal patient care experience, so it is an honor to be ranked year after year among the nation's best in cancer," said Andrew L. Pecora, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.P.E., chief innovations officer, professor, and vice president of Cancer Services, John Theurer Cancer Center and president of Regional Cancer Care Associates. "We continue to expand our research and development, including our affiliation with Georgetown University, allowing us to improve patient outcomes beyond the borders of each respective institution."

"We are proud to again be among the top cancer programs in the nation and one of the top 3 centers in the New York metropolitan area," said Andre Goy, M.D., M.S., chairman and director, and chief of lymphoma, John Theurer Cancer Center and chief science officer and director of research and innovation of Regional Cancer Care Associates. "This reflects the strength of our research, the dedication of our team and the world-class expertise of our physicians. We have entered an exciting time in oncology, with promising new treatment options that will transform patient outcomes. We are grateful to the patients who have trusted our care. They continually inspire us to provide the best possible experience to our patients and caregivers."

"A hospital that emerges from our analysis as one of the best has much to be proud of," said Avery Comarow, U.S. News Health Rankings editor. "Only about 15 percent of hospitals are recognized for their high performance as among their region's best. Just 3 percent of all hospitals earn a national ranking in any specialty."

U.S. News publishes Best Hospitals to help guide patients who need a high level of care because they face particularly difficult surgery, a challenging condition, or added risk because of other health problems or age. Objective measures such as patient survival and safety data, the adequacy of nurse staffing levels and other data largely determined the rankings in most specialties.

The specialty rankings and data were produced for U.S. News by RTI International, a leading research organization based in Research Triangle Park, N.C. Using the same data, U.S. News produced the state and metro rankings. The rankings have been published at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals and will appear in print in the U.S. News Best Hospitals 2014 guidebook, available in bookstores and on newsstands August 27.

About the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center
John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center is among the nation's top 50 U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals for cancer – the only ranked in New Jersey with this designation. It is New Jersey's largest and most comprehensive cancer center dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screenings, preventive care, as well as survivorship of patients with all types of cancer.

Each year, more people in the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area turn to John Theurer Cancer Center for cancer care than to any other facility in New Jersey. The 14 specialized divisions feature a team of medical, research, nursing, and support staff with specialized expertise that translates into more advanced, focused care for all patients. John Theurer Cancer Center provides comprehensive multidisciplinary care, state of the art technology, access to clinical trials, compassionate care and medical expertise—all under one roof. Physicians at John Theurer Cancer Center are members of Regional Cancer Care Associates one of the nation's largest professional hematology/oncology groups. For more information please visit www.jtcancercenter.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, http://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.

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