For Immediate Release November 16, 2022

University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center (UM St. Joseph), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), has once again been awarded an 'A' Hospital Safety Grade in The Leapfrog Group's fall 2022 reporting period. This latest designation marks the seventh such accomplishment for UM St. Joseph, recognizes the Towson hospital's achievements in protecting patients from harm and error, and underscores the medical center's continuous commitment to providing safe, quality health care.

"UM St. Joseph's unique Value Delivery System—our unique, standardized approach to uncovering, talking about and resolving safety concerns with team members in every role and at every level—both drives and inspires our ongoing progress toward zero patient harm, clinical excellence and perfect patient experiences," said Thomas B. Smyth, MD, UM St. Joseph Medical Center president and CEO. "This repeated recognition from the Leapfrog Group affirms our place among our community's most trusted and reliable health care providers, and, most importantly, lets our patients and community know that we can be counted on to provide safe, effective and compassionate care."

"I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "An 'A' Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients. The entire UM St. Joseph team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement."

To see UM St. Joseph's full grade details, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States, based on a hospital's ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.

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 12-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 for patient safety. The flagship 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.