UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown and Easton Nationally Recognized with an ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for Three Consecutive Periods

University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown and University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton each received an "A" Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for Fall 2021, making this the third consecutive period both hospitals have received the prestigious A grade. This national distinction recognizes the achievements of the hospitals in consistently protecting patients from harm and error.

Fewer than a third of hospitals nationwide earn the "A" grade and even fewer achieve that milestone in consecutive grading periods.

"This is a significant accomplishment, and one which our entire UM Shore Regional Health family should be proud of," said Ken Kozel, President and Chief Executive Officer of UM Shore Regional Health. "This is the result of our exceptional team members and medical staff providers, and I am deeply grateful for their dedication to patient care and safety, especially as we've faced the challenge of navigating through the pandemic these past two years. Earning this distinction for the third consecutive period speaks volumes to progress we are making towards becoming a High Reliability Organization."

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an "A," "B," "C," "D," or "F" grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigned to more than 2,700 acute care hospitals throughout the U.S., is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

"An 'A' Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud," said Leah Binder, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Leapfrog Group. "I thank the leadership and workforce of UM Shore Regional Health for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times."

To see the full grade details for UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown and UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.