UM St. Joseph Medical Center Earns a Grade ‘A’ for Patient Safety in Fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center (UM St. Joseph) has once again been awarded an 'A' grade in Patient Safety from The Leapfrog Group. This latest designation, earned according to the fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, marks the fifth such accomplishment for UM St. Joseph and recognizes the Towson hospital's achievements in protecting patients from harm and error.
This national recognition underscores UM St. Joseph's vigilant and continuous work in providing safe, quality health care. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to improving health care quality and safety for healthcare consumers throughout the nation. The Safety Grade assigns an 'A', 'B', 'C', 'D' or 'F' grade to 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.
"Earning such recognition is a testament to our steadfast focus on patient safety," said UM St. Joseph Medical Center President and CEO Thomas B. Smyth, MD. "Particularly now, during this prolonged time of heightened concern for the safety of our patients, staff and community, we are overwhelmingly proud of this accomplishment. This Leapfrog designation demonstrates to our patients, our colleagues and our community that we are a trusted and responsible health care provider. Our neighbors can feel confident that UM St. Joseph is committed to providing loving service and safe, high-quality, compassionate care now and always."
"An 'A' Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "I thank the leadership and workforce of University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times."
"In times of crisis, trusting your hospital is more crucial than ever," said Dr. Smyth. "We're proud to honor our community's faith in UM St. Joseph."
UM St. Joseph was one of three University of Maryland Medical System entities recognized. University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center and University of Maryland Shore Regional Health also received Leapfrog's top grade for patient safety. To see UM St. Joseph's full grade details, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
About University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
Founded in 1864 by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, UM St. Joseph Medical Center is a 218-bed Catholic, not-for-profit regional medical center in Towson, Maryland, that offers a wide range of superb clinical programs and centers of excellence, including the Cancer, Heart and Orthopaedic Institutes, Women and Children's services and Emergency Medicine. The medical center's committed focus on zero patient harm, clinical excellence and perfect patient experiences spurred the creation of the hospital's unique approach to care, The UM St. Joseph Value Delivery System, and has consistently earned UM St. Joseph regional and national recognition for patient care and safety, including its ranking as the #1 community hospital in Maryland by U.S. News & World Report. UM St. Joseph is a proud member of the 13-hospital University of Maryland Medical System, dedicated to providing loving service and compassionate, leading-edge care to all.
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 Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC 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.