Salem, VA – October 31, 2017 – The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization today released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. The Safety Grade assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D, or F to a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other safety concerns. LewisGale Medical Center is among only 832 hospitals nationwide to receive an “A” for its commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest standards.
“This rating is not by happenstance. It takes the complete dedication of every physician, nurse, and employee to achieve this highest standard of patient safety,” stated Brian Baumgardner, LewisGale Medical Center’s CEO. “While we are extremely proud of this achievement, this is truly the level of care that every single patient expects and deserves.”
Developed under the guidance of a Blue Ribbon National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 27 measures of publicity available hospital safety data to assign a grade to hospitals. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer reviewed, and fully transparent.
“We congratulate the clinicians, Board, management, and staff of LewisGale Medical Center for showing the country what it means to put patient safety first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. For more information on LewisGale Medical Center’s grade, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.
About LewisGale Medical Center
LewisGale Medical Center is a part of LewisGale Regional Health System, which includes 44 HCA-owned patient care facilities including 4 hospitals, 2 regional cancer centers, 6 outpatient centers and affiliations with both employed and independent physicians. With 3,300 employees, its annual payroll is $245.6 million. The system also paid $31 million in taxes and provided more than $125 million in uncompensated care to those most in need in 2014 alone. LewisGale is also part of HCA Virginia, the largest and most comprehensive healthcare provider in the Commonwealth with nearly 15,000 employees. For more information, visit www.lewisgale.com.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.