Mercy Hospital Pittsburg has earned an A grade for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog. Mercy Hospital Pittsburg was among just 32% of hospitals nationwide to earn this distinction and one of only seven in the state of Kansas.
“Our caregivers aren’t necessarily thinking about a Leapfrog grade or any other honor while they’re caring for patients, preparing meals or ensuring our spaces are clean, but when you commit to the highest standard of quality, you can earn that recognition,” said David Smith, administrator at Mercy Pittsburg. “We know these types of honors are only possible when all of us work together with patients and their families in mind, and we applaud all of them who made this possible.”
Leapfrog rates hospitals on an A-F grading scale after reviewing more than 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.
Nine other Mercy hospitals have earned the highest rating, including Ada, Ardmore and Oklahoma City in Oklahoma; Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas; Jefferson, Lebanon, Springfield and Washington in Missouri. In addition to its 10 A grades, six Mercy hospitals have earned Leapfrog’s Straight-A designation, demonstrating a consistent commitment to quality and safety across the board. To be recognized for Straight-As, a hospital must get an “A” rating five consecutive times in Leapfrog’s twice-annual Hospital Safety Grade assessments.
Mercy Hospitals with Straight-A designations were in Ada, Oklahoma; Fort Smith and Northwest Arkansas; Pittsburg, Kansas; and Springfield and Washington, Missouri.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries and infections that can lead to harm or even death. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. To see Mercy’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.
“My sincere congratulations to Mercy Hospital Pittsburg for upholding patient safety standards through thick and thin, achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Consistently earning an A demonstrates a long-term, organization-wide commitment to putting patient safety first.”
