Morristown Medical Center was recently named among the "100 Hospitals with Great Women's Health Programs," by Becker's Hospital Review.

Becker's Hospital Review is a bimonthly publication offering up-to-date business and legal news and analysis relating to hospitals and health systems. The 100 hospitals included in the list offer outstanding programs within women's health, including gynecology, obstetrics, reproductive medicine and other gender-specific conditions and health needs.

In its list, Becker’s lauded Morristown Medical Center for its extensive women’s health program, including midlife health and urogynecology services, as well as a state-of-the-art maternity center with a 56-bed nursery and 54 private rooms where mothers and babies can stay together at all hours of the day.

Becker’s Hospital Review also noted Morristown Medical Center’s recent honor by U.S. News & World Report, which ranked the hospital in the top 40 in the United States for gynecology in that magazine’s annual Best Hospitals list, released in July. The Morristown Medical Center Maternity Center also received a 2012 Excellence Award by HealthGrades.

“This latest of many recognitions further underscores the commitment we have made to truly understanding the services that women’s health calls for, and offering that high level of care throughout our program.," said Joseph Ramieri, MD, chair of OB/GYN for Morristown and Overlook Medical Centers.

Morristown Medical Center performs more robotic gynecologic surgeries than any other hospital in New Jersey. Robotic surgery is used in both gynecologic oncology as well as pelvic reconstructive surgery.

Dr. Ramieri noted that pelvic reconstructive surgeons at Morristown and Overlook are actively involved in the long-term monitoring of more cases of pelvic prolapse surgery than anywhere in the United States. This monitoring series helps physicians to better track complications following surgeries and improve outcomes.

“A really good program doesn’t end with surgery, but also follows how patients are doing afterward,” Ramieri said of the pelvic prolapse series. “That is the kind of approach that improves medicine.”

The magazine highlighted the Carol W. and Julius A. Rippel Breast Center and the Women’s Cancer Center, both part of oncology service line at the Carol. G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Medical Center.

“Treating women diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancer means not only having the best physicians, technology and medicine available, but also providing them with the support they need in their journey to survivorship,” said Lydia Nadeau, RN, director, oncology service line for Atlantic Health System. At the Women’s Cancer Center and Rippel Breast Center, we offer that comprehensive approach to ensure every woman receives the best care possible.”

The magazine also highlighted the hospital’s programs to increase awareness about arthritis and osteoporosis in women.

Atlantic Health System has a vigorous patient safety program in obstetrics, in which both nurses and physicians work together to improve practices. The program started its own residency for OB/GYN at both hospitals. Morristown and Overlook recently initiated a hospitalist program, in which a full-time board-certified OB/GYN is on hand in the Labor and Delivery department at all times.

Ramieri also touted the success of the hospital’s reproductive endocrinology subspecialty. Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey is one of the largest groups of its kind in the country and boasts a 60.9% live birth rate in in-vitro fertilization in women under 35. RMANJ, which has seven offices and 14 physicians, works closely with Morristown Medical Center. Ramieri also noted the development of the maternal fetal medicine program, which includes experts in pre-natal diagnosis as well as a fetal diagnostic and treatment center which coordinates perinatal and neonatal care for serious fetal problems. Morristown Medical Center carries the highest state designation for maternity centers, the Regional Perinatal Center. This designation allows Morristown Medical Center to treat the most complicated obstetrical cases.

To compile this list, the Becker's Hospital Review editorial team utilized several resources, including clinical accolades, quality care and women's health proficiencies and awards. These hospitals have also been recognized for excellence in women's health by several sources, including HHS and its National Centers of Excellence in Women's Health model, U.S. News & World Report, HealthGrades, the World Health Organization's and UNICEF's Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, Delta Group CareChex and the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

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