St. Barnabas Ranked Jersey's Ninth Best Hospital in Survey

A U.S. News and World Report 2013 survey ranks St. Barnabas as the ninth best hospital in New Jersey.

Using American Hospital Association's most recent data, Livingston's hospital was classified as "high performing" in six adult specialties: gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology, cancer, Neurology & Neurosurgery and urology.

It did not receive a ranking in diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology; pulmonology; cardiology and heart surgery; ear, nose and throat; or orthopedics and rheumatology.

The 577-bed hospital is also ranked as the #25 medical facility in the New York metropolitan area.

St. Barnabas had 28,458 admissions in the latest year for which data are available. It performed 7,648 annual inpatient and 10,234 outpatient surgeries. Its emergency room had 82,506 visits. St. Barnabas Medical Center is a teaching hospital.

U.S. News also reported that an August 2012 patient survey showed 75 percent of patients rated Valley highest or very high (the state average is 62 percent) and 82 percent (the state average is 65 percent) would recommend the facility to a family member or friend. 

Doctors and nurses were found to be courteous and helpful, receiving "good" ratings. Rooms and bathrooms were both rated as "good" in cleanliness. The survey also found staff explained the proper steps to recover from ailments before patients left the facility.

The hospital received "average" rankings for promptness in care, controlling pain, noise levels, and proper explanations of medication and possible side effects before taking drugs.

Valley Hospital officials did not return multiple requests for comment.