State releases report on NJ hospitals

TRENTON — For the second year, New Jersey hospitals trailed the nation when it came to birth trauma to newborns. The state Health and Senior Services Department released its annual hospital performance report on Monday, which examines the quality of care. In addition to birth trauma, the state's hospital lagged the nation in post-operative bleeding and bloodstream infections. The report also shows hospitals scored an 89 when it came to heart attack patients undergoing angioplasty to open blocked blood vessels within 90 minutes of arrival. The national score is 91. New Jersey hospitals exceeded the national average on seven of 12 patient safety indicators. Garden State hospitals also bested the national scores when it came to treating heart attacks, pneumonia and care of surgery patients. View the report at www.nj.gov/health/hpr.