UI Health earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns grades to hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

“An ‘A’ Grade is a strong sign that UI Health is deeply committed to protecting patients from harm,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We commend the leadership, board, clinicians, staff and volunteers for the role each played in earning this distinction.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“This recognition reflects years of deliberate work by our physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, staff and leaders to strengthen the systems that keep patients safe,” said Dr. Sagar Harwani, chief quality officer of the University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics. “An ‘A’ from Leapfrog is meaningful because it is based on transparent, evidence-based patient safety measures. We are proud of this progress, and we recognize that patient safety requires continued focus, discipline and improvement.”

Dr. Jon Radosta, chief medical officer of the University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics, added, “Patient safety is and always will be one of UI Health’s highest priorities. This recognition reflects our commitment to providing safe, reliable care that patients and families can trust.”

Full details about UI Health’s Leapfrog “A” grade can be found at HospitalSafetyGrade.org. The site also highlights valuable tips for staying safe in a hospital.

Today’s Leapfrog “A” safety grade adds to other national recognitions achieved by UI Health, including the Magnet Recognition earned last summer. Magnet Recognition is the most prestigious designation a healthcare organization can receive for nursing practice and quality patient care. The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program distinguishes organizations that meet rigorous standards for nursing excellence. The foundation of this model comprises various elements deemed essential to delivering superior patient care. These include the quality of nursing leadership and coordination and collaboration across specialties, in addition to processes for measuring and improving the quality and delivery of care.

“The combination of these external accolades underscores our commitment to excellence in care delivery — especially within an environment of learning, training and discovery,” said Dr. Robert Barish, University of Illinois Chicago vice chancellor for health affairs. “Indeed, our excellence in quality and safety is amplified through our healthcare team who serve our communities and educate tomorrow’s providers.”