Mercy Arkansas Hospitals Continue 'Straight A' Streak for Safety

Mercy Hospital Fort Smith and Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas have once again earned A grades for hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog committed to health care transparency. The A grades, awarded for fall 2024, reflect more than 30 performance measures, including errors, accidents, injuries, infections and safety protocols in place to prevent harm.

Mercy’s Arkansas hospitals are designated as “Straight A” hospitals, an honor reserved for health care facilities that have earned at least five consecutive A grades. The most recent grades mark the 17th consecutive A for Mercy Fort Smith and the 11^th straight for Mercy NWA.

Nationwide, only 30% of hospitals achieved an A grade from Leapfrog this fall. In Arkansas, Mercy Fort Smith and Mercy Northwest Arkansas stand out as two of only six hospitals to receive this distinction.

“Our lengthy ‘Straight A’ streaks are a testament to our teams’ commitment to patient safety,” said Ryan Gehrig, president of Mercy Arkansas Communities. "Our caregivers are focused on providing exceptional care each day, and they are to be commended for their efforts. Top grades reflect top-quality care, which is what our communities deserve.”

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, added, “Achieving an A hospital safety grade is a significant accomplishment for Mercy Arkansas Communities. It reflects enormous dedication to patients and their families, and the whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to Mercy, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the nation’s only rating system focused exclusively on preventing medical errors, infections and injuries that lead to more than 500 patient deaths each day. The grades are updated biannually and are free to the public.

To see Mercy’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.