Saint Francis Medical Center receives Leapfrog grade ‘A’ for fifth time in a row

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – For the fifth time in a row, Saint Francis Medical Center was awarded an ‘A’ in the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. This national distinction recognizes the Medical Center’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

“At Saint Francis Medical Center, safety is our priority. Even in the midst of a global pandemic, our physicians and colleagues demonstrate our commitment to exceptional quality, outcomes and patient experience,” says Dr. Maryann Reese, president and chief executive officer of Saint Francis Healthcare System. “For the fifth consecutive time, a Leapfrog Grade ‘A’ affirms our ability to deliver the highest quality, patient-centered care between St. Louis and Memphis. Our engaged physicians and colleagues earned this award for the communities we are called to serve.”

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care.

“Saint Francis Medical Center remains one of the safest hospitals in the nation to receive care,” says Stephanie La Pierre, MBA, BSN, RN, CSSBB (ASQ), CPHQ, CPHRM, Chief Nursing-Clinical Officer. “Every member of the Saint Francis Family plays an integral role in turning acceptable care into exceptional care, but it is our patients and community who truly benefit from our remarkable outcomes in quality, safety, access and value.”

Developed under the guidance of a national Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

“We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and health care workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work at Saint Francis Medical Center. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the US healthcare system, we appreciate Saint Francis putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”

To see the full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.