The Leapfrog Group has recognized Licking Memorial Hospital (LMH) as one of the safest hospitals in the United States with a seventh consecutive “A” grade.  LMH is included on a list of 858 hospitals nationwide and 43 throughout Ohio to receive an “A” grade in the Fall 2019 release of the newest Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report. 
 
The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit group that compares hospitals’ safety performance.  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 that LMH has exhibited excellence in the national database of patient safety measures and ranks among the safest hospitals in the United States.
 
 “The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade award embodies our dedication to the health and safety of Licking County residents,” Licking Memorial Health Systems 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.”
 
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 in the quality and safety of American health care.  The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital 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 information about the Hospital Safety Score, please log on to www.HospitalSafetyScore.org.