Deborah Heart and Lung Center has once again been recognized for its commitment to patient care, receiving the 2026 Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ from Healthgrades. This marks the third consecutive year the Browns Mills-based teaching hospital has earned this distinction, and notably, it stands as the only hospital in New Jersey to receive the honor in 2026.
The award places Deborah Heart and Lung Center among the top 15% of hospitals nationwide for patient experience.
“It is truly gratifying to receive this award from Healthgrades over three consecutive years, because it shows that Deborah consistently ensures that our patients have positive experiences,” Jim Andrews, president and CEO of Deborah Heart and Lung Center said. “The Healthgrades award considers hospital performance on multiple patient experience quality measures. This recognition … is a testament to the quality care Deborah provides.”
How the award is determined
- Healthgrades utilizes data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient survey. The survey evaluates key categories that significantly impact the patient journey:
- Communication with doctors and nurses
- Responsiveness of hospital staff
- Communication about medicines and discharge information
- Hospital cleanliness and quietness
- Overall rating and recommendation to family or friends
To be eligible for consideration, hospitals must submit at least 100 HCAHPS surveys and rank in the top 80 percent of hospitals for overall clinical quality as reported by CMS. Healthgrades evaluated data from 3,020 hospitals nationwide for the 2026 recognition, with only 373 hospitals from 46 states achieving the award.
