Saint Michael’s Medical Center earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety.
It was the fourth period in a row that Saint Michael’s earned the distinction from Leapfrog, which assigns letter grades to general hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries and infections.
Saint Michael’s was also the only hospital in Essex County to earn the top letter grade from Leapfrog.
“Earning an ‘A’ Grade means Saint Michael’s made a true commitment to put patient safety first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the leadership, Board, clinicians, staff and volunteers that all had a role to play in this achievement.”
Saint Michael’s CEO Alan Sickles, MD, said the recognition from Leapfrog is a testament to the hospital’s culture of safety.
“This fourth consecutive “A” in patient safety reflects Saint Michael’s ongoing focus on putting patients first,” Dr. Sickles said. “Our staff works tirelessly to ensure every patient receives safe, compassionate care, and this recognition underscores their dedication.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
Saint Michael’s was also the only hospital in Essex County to receive a four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees the Medicare program. CMS assigns star ratings to hospitals across the nation based on 46 quality measures across five categories: safety of care, readmission, mortality, patient experience, and timely and effective care.
To explore Saint Michael’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. Connect with The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and stay informed through The Leapfrog Group newsletter.
