Slidell Memorial Hospital receives an “A” for patient safety in Spring 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

Slidell Memorial Hospital receives an "A” for patient safety in

Spring 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

(June 1, 2017 – Slidell, LA) –  The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety, and transparency in the U.S. health care system, has released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide.  Slidell Memorial Hospital was one of 823 hospitals to receive an "A” for its commitment to reducing errors, infections and accidents that can harm patients.

 "It isn’t enough to do ‘good enough’ when it comes to patient safety and other key quality measures. That’s why this designation matters – because it demonstrates our patients are getting the safe, advanced and dedicated care we promise them we’ll deliver,” said SMH Chief Executive Officer Bill Davis. "It demonstrates the commitment our SMH team members have made to constantly work toward excellence in patient safety.”

"Hospitals that earn top marks nationally in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, have achieved the highest safety standards in the country,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "That takes commitment from every member of the hospital staff, who all deserve thanks and congratulations when their hospitals achieve an ‘A’ Safety Grade.”

Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly-available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

To see SMH’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org or follow the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter or Facebook.

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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 collects and transparently reports hospital 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.

ABOUT SMH
Slidell Memorial Hospital is a full-service 229-bed acute care not-for-profit community hospital located at 1001 Gause Blvd., in the heart of Slidell. Founded in 1959, SMH serves as a primary healthcare resource for families in St. Tammany Parish, La.; and, Pearl River County, Miss. For more information, visit http://www.slidellmemorial.org/ . The hospital’s main phone number is (985) 280-2200.

Media contact:

Sam Caruso, Jr.

Slidell Memorial Hospital

Sam.Caruso@SlidellMemorial.org

(985) 280-8834