University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center was recognized by a national organization for its commitment to maintaining high patient-safety standards, primarily during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Towson hospital, a member of the University of Maryland Medical System, was awarded an “A” hospital safety grade in The Leapfrog Group’s spring 2023 reporting period. This latest designation marks the eighth such accomplishment for UM St. Joseph, and celebrates the hospital’s achievements in prioritizing patient safety.
The new grade reflects performance during the height of the recent coronavirus pandemic.
“UM St. Joseph is proud to once again be recognized for our staff’s unwavering focus on patient safety,” said Doctor Thomas B. Smyth, president and chief executive officer of UM St. Joseph Medical Center, in a statement released by the medical center. “This continuing Leapfrog Grade ‘A’ recognition is a sign to our patients, our colleagues and our community that we are a trusted and reliable health care provider. Our community can feel confident that UM St. Joseph is committed to providing loving service and safe, high-quality, compassionate care now and always.”
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns letter grades from “A” to “F” to general hospitals across the country based on more than 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, in a statement released by the medical center. . “But UM St. Joseph 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 view UM St. Joseph’s full grade details, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
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