University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Easton, a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), has received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade in The Leapfrog Group’s fall 2023 reporting period. This marks the seventh consecutive period that the hospital has received an “A.”
“This accomplishment is one that our entire UM Shore Regional Health family should be proud of,” said Ken Kozel, President and Chief Executive Officer of UM Shore Regional Health. “I am grateful for the dedication of our highly skilled team members and medical staff providers, as achieving the Leapfrog Hospital Safety ‘A’ Grade is the result of their commitment to patient care and safety. Earning this distinction for the seventh consecutive time means that Shore’s progress toward becoming a High Reliability Organization is a priority for each and every team member.”
Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grade is a national distinction recognizing a hospital’s achievements in providing safer health care by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. Fewer than a third of hospitals nationwide earn the “A” grade and even fewer achieve that milestone in consecutive grading periods.
“Earning a seventh consecutive Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade ‘A’ is a testament to the dedication and commitment to excellence of Shore’s caregivers,” said Sherri Hobbs-Messick, MSM, MSN, RN, CPHQ, CPPS, UM SRH’s Chief Quality, Safety and Experience Officer. “UM Shore Regional Health and the University of Maryland Medical System are on a journey to high reliability and zero harm, and this external validation helps to sustain our momentum.”
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.
Sharon K. Dennis says
This is a joke! The name of the group would be the first indicator of the quality of this award. The hospital claims they have no patient falls. This is accomplished by not getting the patients out of their bed during a week long stay. They also claim no bed sores. Since the patients are not gotten up, the sores are not seen. The patients become so weak that they cannot stand up. Therefore, they also cannot walk. The hospital is also monitored for return visits within a 30-day period after discharge. Instead of readmitting the patient, they are kept in the ER for several days under “observation status.” Patients needing rehabilitation as a result of the initial stay are often sent to the 5th floor of the hospital or sent to a nursing home.