Newswise — Numerous Ochsner Health hospitals and partners across the Gulf South received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2022. This national distinction recognized 16 Ochsner Health facilities for achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital. The full list of hospital ratings was released today and can be found at hospitalsafetygrade.org.

The following Ochsner Health hospitals and partners received an “A” grade from Leapfrog:

*Received a "Straight A" in the Spring 2022 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for consistently demonstrating a commitment to putting patients first and receiving an “A” grade for five or more consecutive years.

“Patients are always our number one priority at Ochsner, and it is encoded in our value system to provide a safe environment and excellent patient experience,” said Robert Hart, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Ochsner Health. “Even as the pandemic intensified challenges faced by healthcare workers, our employees have continued to strive for utmost patient safety and the reduction of avoidable harm. We are proud of our Ochsner team and gratified that our efforts have been recognized by 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 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 Ochsner 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 Ochsner Health’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafety.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter. To learn more about Ochsner Health, please visit ochsner.org.

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About Ochsner Health

Ochsner Health is an integrated healthcare system with a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate. Celebrating 80 years in 2022, it leads nationally in cancer care, cardiology, neurosciences, liver and heart transplants and pediatrics, among other areas. Ochsner is consistently named both the top hospital and top children’s hospital in Louisiana by U.S. News & World Report. The not-for-profit organization is inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities. Its focus is on preventing diseases and providing patient-centered care that is accessible, affordable, convenient and effective. Ochsner Health pioneers new treatments, deploys emerging technologies and performs groundbreaking research, including over 700 clinical studies. It has more than 34,000 employees and over 4,500 employed and affiliated physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties. It operates 40 hospitals and more than 300 health and urgent care centers across Louisiana, Mississippi and the Gulf South; and its cutting-edge Connected Health digital medicine program is caring for patients beyond its walls. In 2021, Ochsner Health treated more than 1 million people from every state and 75 countries. As Louisiana’s top healthcare educator, Ochsner Health and its partners educate thousands of healthcare professionals annually. To learn more, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.

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.