More than 200 New Jersey hospitals and surgery centers just got graded on patient safety. See which ones made the cut in Leapfrog’s record-breaking 2026 report.
WEBDESK – NJNEWSLINE
A Record-Breaking Report Card
The Leapfrog Group has released its 2026 patient safety and quality-of-care ratings, and this year’s report is the biggest one yet. More than 6,000 facilities nationwide were evaluated the highest participation level in the nonprofit’s 26-year history. In New Jersey alone, over 200 health care providers made the list, giving residents a fresh, detailed look at how their local hospitals and surgery centers stack up.
New This Year: Surgery Centers Get Graded Too
For the first time, Leapfrog didn’t just stop at hospitals. This year marks the launch of the ASC Public Reporting Program, a brand-new initiative that rates safety and quality at ambulatory surgery centers nationwide facilities that previously flew under the radar when it came to public transparency. The hospital ratings continue to cover patient safety, specialty care and surgery, while the new surgery center ratings focus specifically on patient safety and surgical outcomes.
New Jersey’s Standout Performance
On the latest Hospital Safety Grades report card, New Jersey landed 29 hospitals with an “A” grade enough to rank the state sixth in the nation based on the percentage of top scores. It’s a strong showing that puts the Garden State ahead of most others when it comes to protecting patients from medical errors, infections and preventable harm.
“Transparency Is Now the Norm”
Leapfrog’s leadership says this year’s record turnout signals a real shift in how health care providers approach accountability. “It took more than two decades to get here, but this record participation confirms that transparency is now the norm in American health care and declining to be transparent is the exception,” said Leapfrog President and CEO Leah Binder. The chair of Leapfrog’s board of directors, who also leads the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, echoed that sentiment, calling public reporting a key driver of better patient outcomes.
Why It’s Worth a Look
With safety grades now covering both hospitals and outpatient surgery centers, patients in New Jersey have more visibility than ever into where they’re choosing to receive care making this year’s ratings a useful tool for anyone weighing their options.
