Bergen New Bridge Medical Center nationally recognized with ‘A’ safety rating from The Leapfrog Group

“Safe, quality patient care has been our priority – and this recognition demonstrates the success of our commitment.” – Bergen New Bridge President and CEO Deborah Visconi

PARAMUS, NJ, November 10, 2021 – Bergen New Bridge Medical Center earned a coveted ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2021. This national distinction recognizes Bergen New Bridge’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and medical error.

“Providing equitable access to safe, effective, high-quality care to the diverse communities we serve is something we take very seriously,” said Bergen New Bridge President and CEO Deborah Visconi. “This is why we were eager to participate in this reliable independent safety assessment for the first time this year.”

In October, Visconi celebrated her fourth year leading Bergen New Bridge – the rebranded and revitalized not-for-profit safety-net hospital owned by Bergen County and operated through an innovative partnership with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Integrity House, and CarePlus New Jersey, Inc. The impartial Leapfrog assessment is a key quality metric for the Medical Center and those it serves.

Visconi credits her team of dedicated, compassionate, and talented healthcare professionals for making this national safety recognition a reality for New Jersey’s largest public hospital. She believes this top safety grade will also bolster confidence in the full-service hospital that provides 24/7 emergency, medical and long-term care; women’s health, cardiac, radiology, laboratory and rehabilitation services; as well as mental and behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment, among other service lines.

“I believe this ‘A’ safety rating will provide our community members with extra assurance that those who enter through the doors of our Medical Center will receive high-quality care in a safe and compassionate environment, said Visconi. This recognition demonstrates the success of our commitment. There are no words to express how proud and grateful I am for the unwavering commitment of our staff to those in our care even through this unprecedented time.”

About Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ or ‘F’ grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I thank the leadership and workforce of Bergen New Bridge for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”

To see Bergen New Bridge’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.

About Bergen New Bridge Medical Center

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center (BNBMC), a clinical affiliate of Rutgers, is a 1,070-bed hospital located at 230 East Ridgewood Avenue in Paramus, NJ. The Medical Center is both the largest hospital and licensed nursing home in NJ and the fourth-largest publicly-owned hospital in the nation.

Bergen New Bridge, a not-for-profit safety net facility, provides high-quality comprehensive services, including acute and ambulatory care from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and community physicians, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, and long-term care to the greater Bergen County community. The Medical Center, including its Long-Term Care Division, is fully accredited by The Joint Commission and is in-network with all major New Jersey commercial insurance plans covering 99.91% of NJ residents.

The Medical Center is a full-service hospital with a 24/7 emergency department, surgical suites, physical rehabilitation, pharmacy, laboratory, radiologic services (including digital mammography), and more than 26 medical specialties available through its Ambulatory Care Center. Bergen New Bridge is a Veterans Community Care Provider proudly serving the healthcare needs of veterans and is a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Healthcare Equality Index (HEI.  Learn more at www.newbridgehealth.org.

About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.