Augusta Health Nationally Recognized with an ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

For Immediate Release:   May 10, 2022
For Information Contact:
Lisa Schwenk
Director of Public Relations
lschwenk@augustahealth.com

FISHERSVILLE, Virginia– Augusta Health received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2022. This national distinction recognizes Augusta Health’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital.

“Patient Safety is a continuous and sustained effort at Augusta Health.  We discuss it and give attention to it every day,” said Mary N. Mannix, FACHE, President and CEO of Augusta Health.  “It was gratifying when we received the first Leapfrog ‘A’ for patient safety.  Now, the staff, nurses and physicians at Augusta Health have received four consecutive ‘A’ Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades!  That is an extraordinary testament to their excellent care, and it reflects their commitment to their clinical standards of excellence.  Together we have endured relentless stress and pressure for more than two years now, and with each new challenge, we have kept our patients’ health and safety as our top priorities.  Our entire care delivery team has truly kept our community first, and it has resulted in this truly-deserved national recognition.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade 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.

“As our health care system continues to feel the strain of the pandemic, I thank the workforce and leadership of Augusta Health for sustained commitment to patient safety, day in and day out,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is an outstanding achievement, and one that is not possible without a 24/7 effort by the entire health care workforce to protect patients from harm. This community should be proud.”

To see Augusta Health’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.

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. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

About Augusta Health
Augusta Health is an independent, community-owned, not-for-profit health system whose mission is to promote the health and well-being of its community through access to excellent care.  Over the years, Augusta Health has been recognized by many external rating organizations:   100 Top Hospitals in America, HealthGrades’ America’s 50 Best Hospitals, US News and World Report Best Regional Hospital, and Leapfrog Top Hospital 2020.  For more information about Augusta Health, its programs or its services, please visit the website, www.augustahealth.com.