CONTACT: Alison Storipan, The AMS Group (agency)
973-921-2929, ams@linknj.com
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - November 11, 2003 - The Robert Wood Johnson Health Network (RWJHN) was honored as the only state-based health network to earn the 2003 Quality New Jersey Governor's Award for Performance Excellence - Bronze level. Presented by Quality New Jersey, the award is the highest and most-respected state-based designation for quality an organization can receive. RWJHN earned the award for the organization's healthcare industry sector, one of six sectors that comprise the award's categories. It is the only healthcare award recipient this year, and the only award winner overall for 2003.
Quality New Jersey is a not-for-profit organization that aids collaborative initiatives in various industry sectors to assist members in attaining performance excellence. Initiatives involve the healthcare, education, service, manufacturing, environment and government sectors. The organization facilitates the sharing of best practices, training, implementation ideas and metrics for performance comparison. Its members use the National Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence as their guide for organizational improvement.
RWJHN encompasses more than 10,000 hospital employees and nearly $1 billion in acute-care revenue. Its mission is to be a clinically integrated network of medical institutions dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of care to patients of its partner institutions. Member organizations embrace three unifying themes: clinical and service excellence, superior operational performance and the promotion of health communities.
The Robert Wood Johnson Health Network consists of Bayshore Community Hospital (Holmdel), CentraState Healthcare System (Freehold), Children's Specialized Hospital (Mountainside), Raritan Bay Medical Center (Perth Amboy and Old Bridge), Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (New Brunswick, Hamilton and Rahway) and the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (New Brunswick). It is the only state-based healthcare network to include a medical school among its members.
"We are extremely pleased to be named the healthcare industry recipient of the prestigious Quality New Jersey Governor's Award, Bronze level," said Robert Wood Johnson Health Network Chief Executive Officer Andrew Greene. "It exemplifies everything our hospital members strive for on a daily basis - performance excellence and delivery of high-quality care. This award further acknowledges the combined performance of the Network's healthcare professionals and other employees as we all work to offer superior healthcare services to residents in our member hospitals' local communities."
The Network has previously won the Pinnacle Award of Excellence given by the Quadramed Corporation in recognition of significant accomplishments and leadership in the area of clinical and financial performance improvement within an integrated delivery network.
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