Mercy Nationally Recognized With an 'A' for the Spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

(Baltimore, MD) – Mercy Medical Center has received an “A” grade in the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing Mercy’s achievements protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. Mercy was one of 13 hospitals in Maryland and one of six hospitals in Baltimore City to receive an “A,” ranking it among the safest hospitals in the United States.

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Leapfrog Hospital 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 the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care.

Mercy Medical Center also received Leapfrog’s “A” rating in the spring and fall of 2019. The 2021 distinction follows on the heels of Mercy’s recognition by Healthgrades in 2020 as among America’s 250 Best Hospitals, placing Mercy in the top 5 percent of more than 4,500 hospitals assessed nationwide for superior clinical performance.

"Mercy is guided by our daily mission to provide top quality care in a compassionate setting. To achieve this goal, ensuring patient safety is a must, even in the face of unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. Earning Leapfrog’s top grade is indicative of Mercy’s success in meeting these challenges as we remain committed to caring for our patients with the best care possible,” said Dr. David N. Maine, President and CEO, Mercy Health Services, Mercy Medical Center.

“An ‘A’ safety grade is an elite designation that your community should be proud of,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for hospitals, but Mercy shows us it is possible to keep a laser focus on patients and their safety, no matter what it takes.”

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 2,700 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.

Mercy was awarded an “A” grade today when Leapfrog updated grades for spring 2021. To view Mercy’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.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 in the quality and safety of American health care. 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.