Overlook Medical Center Among America's 50 Best Hospitals

Press release from Atlantic Health System:

Feb. 22, 2021

Atlantic Health System’s Overlook Medical Center marked its return to Healthgrades list of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for the second consecutive year, affirming its place on the prestigious list in 2021.

The distinction places Overlook in the top 1% of nearly 4,500 hospitals assessed nationwide for its consistent, year-over-year superior clinical performance as measured by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians and health systems.

Overlook officials, who in February 2020 marked the hospital’s first award with a celebration attended by local officials and representatives of Healthgrades, noted the added significance of again earning the recognition after the pandemic wrought unforeseen challenges on health care providers far and wide.

“A year ago, we could not have imagined just how the qualities that earned us this prestigious award would be tested in the coming months,” said Alan Lieber, president of Overlook Medical Center. “Those qualities carried us through the most challenging times of this pandemic and have allowed us to continue to provide exceptional care to our patients. A year later, we have so much to celebrate, and this award is yet another a reminder of what makes Overlook one of America’s best.”

From 2017 through 2019, patients treated in hospitals achieving the Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals award had, on average, a 25.7 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award, as measured across 19 rated conditions and procedures for which mortality is the outcome.*

During that same period, if all hospitals performed similarly to those achieving the award, 177,026 lives could potentially have been saved. For example, patients treated for heart failure in hospitals achieving the Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals Award have, on average, a 31.8 percent lower risk of dying than if they were treated in hospitals that did not receive the award.*
“COVID-19 has profoundly changed the delivery of healthcare but what is unchanged is the importance of high-quality care. Those hospitals that achieved the America’s 50 Best Hospitals Award have exhibited a long-standing commitment to quality and superior clinical outcomes, which differentiates them from other healthcare organizations. We applaud their ongoing efforts,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Healthgrades.

Recipients of the Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals Award are recognized for overall clinical excellence across a broad spectrum of care. During the 2021 study period (Medicare Fiscal Years 2017-2019), these hospitals showed superior performance in clinical outcomes for patients in the Medicare population across at least 21 of 32 most common inpatient conditions and procedures — as measured by objective performance data (risk-adjusted mortality and in-hospital complications).

Overlook had previously been recognized by Healthgrades for three consecutive years as one of ‘America’s 100 Best Hospitals.’ Its continued drive to enhance quality led Healthgrades to recognize it among the 50 Best Hospitals again this year.

Overlook’s sister hospital, Morristown Medical Center, also achieved the award, making Atlantic Health System, a nationally-recognized provider of health care, the only system in New Jersey with hospitals that were recognized by Healthgrades in their 50 Best as well as their 100 Best Hospitals for 2021.

To learn more about how Healthgrades determines award recipients, and for more information on Healthgrades Quality Solutions, please visit www.healthgrades.com/quality.

This press release was produced by Atlantic Health System. The views expressed here are the author's own.