Two major hospitals frequently used by Lakewood-area residents dropped a letter grade in the latest Leapfrog Group safety assessment, even as New Jersey continues to lead the nation in hospital safety transparency.
Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center and Ocean University Medical Center in Brick both fell from an “A” grade to a “B” in the Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Grades released Wednesday. But Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood maintained its “A” grade, as did Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch — where many local residents receive maternity care. Community Medical Center in Toms River also earned an “A.”
The downgrades reflect a statewide trend: New Jersey’s overall standing slipped to #6 nationally for percentage of “A” hospitals at 43.3%, down from #3 in Fall 2025 when 52.2% of hospitals earned top grades.
Of the 67 graded hospitals statewide, 82 percent received an “A” or “B” grade. The breakdown: 29 earned “A”s, 26 earned “B”s, 10 earned “C”s, and 2 earned “D”s. No hospitals received an “F.”
Seven hospitals improved a grade while 16 declined, and 44 showed no change. Fifteen New Jersey hospitals have maintained “A” grades for five consecutive evaluation periods or more.
On a positive note, New Jersey hospitals have made dramatic progress reducing hospital-acquired infections since 2016. Central line-associated bloodstream infections dropped 67 percent, catheter-associated urinary tract infections fell 52 percent, and both MRSA and C. difficile infections decreased 37 percent.
“We are encouraged that 100 percent of New Jersey hospitals participate in Leapfrog, demonstrating a commitment to transparency,” said Linda Schwimmer, President and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. Many hospitals use the safety survey “as an internal quality improvement tool to track their performance throughout the year and strive to reduce or eliminate preventable medical errors.”
The Leapfrog Group assigns hospital safety grades twice yearly based on how well institutions protect patients from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.
