For a third consecutive year, Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) has been recognized as one of the safest hospitals in the United States, according to The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit group that compares hospitals’ safety performance.  LMH was included on a list of 832 hospitals nationwide and 47 throughout Ohio to receive an “A” grade in the Fall 2018 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades.  

“The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade award embodies our dedication to the health and safety of Licking County residents.  The employees exemplify determination and selflessness in treating our patients to achieve the greatest standards of patient safety,” Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS) President & CEO Rob Montagnese said.  “We maintain high expectations for our employees to give the best care and strive to improve the health of the community.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S.  Twice per year, more than 2,600 nationwide hospitals – including over 150 in Ohio – are assigned letter grades of A, B, C, D or F based on adopted patient safety practices.  Developed under the guidance of a Blue Ribbon National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data such as: infection prevention activities, serious patient falls, and the percentage of patients who developed blood clots.  It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.  Earning an “A” grade shows LMH has exhibited excellence in the national database of patient safety measures and ranks among the safest hospitals in the United States.