Written by Ellis Kmetzsch
Mercy Hospital Ardmore has been named a 2023 Top Rural Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. The Top Hospital Award is considered one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. Only 15 hospitals nationally were recognized with this year’s Top Rural Hospital award, and Mercy Hospital Ardmore is one of only three hospitals in the state of Oklahoma to receive the designation.
“We are constantly looking at what we can do to deliver safer care to the community,” said Daryle Voss, president of Mercy Hospital Ardmore. “This recognition is an honor, but more importantly, it confirms that our patients are provided with the safest care.”
To receive a Top Rural Hospital designation, Mercy Hospital Ardmore ranked in the highest percentage among peers on the Leapfrog hospital survey, which evaluates hospital performance based on the highest standards for quality, patient safety and performance.
“Our team views the Leapfrog safety survey as a conduit to drive change and continuous improvement within our organization,” said Jan Shores, lead for patient safety at Mercy Hospital Ardmore. “Many co-workers have worked hard to meet the evidence-based measures Leapfrog has established to provide safe patient care, and we look forward to continuing to meet these high standards in the future.”
The Leapfrog hospital survey evaluates established standards of care for hospital performance, including infection rates, practices for safer surgery, maternity care and medication error prevention.
More than 2,100 hospitals were considered for a Top Hospital Award in 2023. A total of 132 top hospitals were ultimately selected in four different categories, including rural, children’s, general and teaching hospitals.
“Protecting patients from preventable harm is the cornerstone of The Leapfrog Group’s mission,” said Leah Binder, Leapfrog’s president and CEO. “Mercy Hospital Ardmore has demonstrated that patient safety is their top priority, and we’re truly pleased to recognize them as a top hospital this year. Congratulations to hospital staff at all levels who made this national recognition possible.”
Mercy Hospital Ardmore also recently received a 2023 Performance Leadership Award in patient outcomes from The Chartis Center for Rural Health and an A grade for safe patient care in The Leapfrog Group’s Fall 2023 Hospital Safety Grades.
