N.J. Hospital Awarded Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification from the Joint Commission

Photo: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Feb. 6, 2026 — Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH), in partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS), has earned The Joint Commission’s (TJC) Gold Seal of Approval as a Comprehensive Cardiac Center (CCC) and the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart-Check Mark for Disease-Specific Certification.

RWJUH is part of the RWJBarnabas Health Heart and Vascular network of care. It is the first program in New Jersey to achieve this highest level of certification from TJC and the 26^th in the United States to hold it currently.

The CCC designation is given to hospitals that are the ultimate hub of the cardiac system of care. They deliver care for every touch point and for every cardiovascular disorder in the cardiac care continuum. Certified centers are at the forefront of emerging science to not only diagnose but improve the quality of life for patients.

The AHA Heart-Check Mark for acute care facilities signifies that a hospital meets rigorous standards for heart and stroke care, demonstrating commitment to quality, evidence-based practices, and improved patient outcomes in areas like heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. This mark, often displayed alongside TJC’s Gold Seal, assures patients they are choosing a provider dedicated to specialized, coordinated care, using guidelines from organizations like the AHA and American Stroke Association.

“Our achievement as the first comprehensive cardiac center in New Jersey is the direct result of our team’s dedication to providing the complete spectrum of heart and vascular services, as well as the highest-quality, patient-centered care,” says Alan Lee, president, RWJUH. “This designation is possible thanks to our partnership with physician leaders at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, elite nursing and ancillary clinical professionals, and our close collaboration with community physicians that has always been the hallmark of our academic medical center. It reflects our multidisciplinary team’s commitment to excellence across highly advanced cardiac specialty services, technology and research that only a handful of university-based programs can deliver nationwide. I am proud of this team and their service to New Jerseyans.”

“Our team has a strong history of innovation and collaboration among clinicians at RWJUH and RWJMS, enabling us to develop best practices that ensure our patients – many of whom present with complex cardiac conditions – have the greatest opportunity for positive outcomes,” adds Amy P. Murtha, MD, Dean at RWJMS. “We’re proud that the Joint Commission and American Heart Association recognized this spirit of innovation when they highlighted several of our best practices in granting the designation.”

“This recognition reflects our system-wide commitment to delivering world-class care,” says Conor Barrett, MD, MBA, Chief Clinical Officer and SVP, RWJBarnabas Health. “By continuously measuring quality and strengthening how we deliver our comprehensive services at our academic medical center, we’re advancing heart and vascular medicine for patients and communities across New Jersey and beyond.”

TJC highlighted many best practices and protocols at RWJUH, including its radial artery compression device/ TR Band protocol, which is a nursing-led initiative that will be published on the TJC website as a national best practice. They also cited minimally invasive valve and cardiothoracic extubation on the operating room table protocols, and several of the Structural Heart Program’s best practices and publications as nationally leading.

RWJUH’s CCC is both a state and national leader in advancing innovative, state-of-the-art heart and vascular care. RWJUH’s program highlights include:

RWJUH, in partnership with RWJMS, has been designated a National Rare Disease Center of Excellence by the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

RWJUH’s and RWJMS’ Amyloidosis Center has been designated as an International Center of Excellence by the International Society of Amyloidosis and awarded the American Heart Association Community Impact Award in 2025.

The advanced Heart Failure Program offers the full spectrum of care for people with advanced heart failure, including biventricular pacemakers, left ventricular assist devices, access to clinical trials and a Medicare-certified heart transplantation service.

The Extracorporeal Life Support Program provides extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a specialized cardiac and respiratory support system.

The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit provides world-class cardiac care to patients requiring cardiac surgery, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, heart transplants and ventricular assist device implantation, among other procedures, in a warm, family-centered setting.

State-of-the-art cardiovascular operating rooms offering the most advanced medical imaging and integrated surgical technology on the market to ensure the safest environment for our patients when receiving open heart, minimally invasive, or robotic cardiac procedures.