Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health Hospitals Ranked #1 in New Jersey on U.S. News & World Report

October 07, 2025 — Edison, NJ — Hackensack Meridian Health, New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive health network, is proud to announce that Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health hospitals are ranked #1 in New Jersey for the fifth year and Top 10 in the Mid-Atlantic region, and top 3 in the NY-NJ Metro area according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals 2025-26 report. Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center are nationally ranked in five specialties - behavioral health, diabetes & endocrinology, nephrology, neurology & neurosurgery, and urology. Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health are the only hospitals in NJ with five nationally ranked specialties.

“We take great pride in providing world-class care for children and their families where and when they need it most,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, chief executive officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health brings together exceptional pediatric specialists, advanced treatments, and a compassionate approach that ensures families are at the center of everything we do. We are redefining pediatric care with innovative care models that give every child the best opportunity to thrive.”

Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, which filed jointly under a single hospital system, are ranked nationally in the following pediatric specialties:

• Pediatric & Adolescent Behavioral Health
• Diabetes & Endocrinology
• Nephrology
• Neurology & Neurosurgery
• Urology

“Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health is setting a new standard in pediatric medicine, and we are proud to once again be recognized among the best in the nation,” said Jose Azar, M.D., executive vice president, chief quality and clinical service line officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. “We know how important it is for families to be confident in their children’s care, and these rankings are a testament to the commitment of our team at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health hospitals in providing innovative treatments, compassionate support, and the highest quality outcomes at every stage of life.”

U.S. News & World Report determines the annual Best Children’s Hospital Rankings by gathering key clinical data from 100 medical centers through a detailed survey examining patient safety, infection prevention and adequacy of nurse staffing. Part of each hospital’s score is derived from surveys of more than 15,000 pediatric specialists who are asked where they would send the sickest children in their specialty.

For more information on the U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospitals 2025-26 list, visit here. For more information on Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/kids.

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ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH
Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization and New Jersey’s largest, most comprehensive, and integrated health network. Our network includes 18 hospitals, more than 500 patient care locations, and a complete range of services from innovative research and life-enhancing care to lifesaving air medical transportation. Our 38,000 team members and 7,000 physicians are committed to the health and well-being of the communities we serve, making Hackensack Meridian Health a distinguished leader in healthcare philanthropy.

Hackensack University Medical Center is the first-ever New Jersey hospital to be ranked a Top 20 hospital in the nation. It is also ranked #1 in New Jersey and the New York metro area by U.S. News & World Report, 2025-26. Hackensack Meridian Health is proud to be home to New Jersey’s #1 children’s hospital and the state’s only nationally-ranked cancer center, the John Theurer Cancer Center. To learn more, visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org.

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN CHILDREN’S HEALTH
Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health provides the most comprehensive and highest level of quality care to young patients in the state of New Jersey. The children’s network is comprised of two children’s hospitals – Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack and K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune – and a large network of pediatric subspecialists and pediatricians, as well as children's services available at JFK University Medical Center and Old Bridge Medical Center. Both hospitals ranked #1 in New Jersey in the U.S. News World Report 2025-26 Best Children’s Hospital Report. The combined behavioral health, endocrinology, nephrology, neurology /neurosurgery and urology programs at both hospitals ranked among the top 50 in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/kids for more information about Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health.