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Backus Hospital Awarded Spring 2023 ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade From Leapfrog Group

May 03, 2023

Backus Hospital received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. This national distinction celebrates Backus’s achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. The new grades reflect performance primarily during the height of the pandemic.

Hartford HealthCare East Region President Donna Handley said, “I am so proud of the hard work, dedication and excellent care provided by all of our colleagues at Backus Hospital. The safety of our patients is the highest priority for everyone at Backus Hospital. This “A” grade from The Leapfrog Groups reflects our team’s dedication and commitment to providing the best and safest care for the community.”

Backus Hospital is joined by Windham Hospital, Hartford Hospital, MidState Medical Center and St. Vincent’s Medical Center in earning an “A” Safety Grade from Leapfrog.

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 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

“This new update of Hospital Safety Grades shows that, at the national level, we saw deterioration in patient safety with the pandemic,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “But this hospital received an ‘A’ despite those challenges. I congratulate all the leaders, staff, volunteers and clinicians who together made that possible.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm 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.

To see St. Vincent’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.