Baptist Medical Center South nationally recognized with ‘A’ rating for dedication to patient safety

Baptist Medical Center South received an ‘A’ rating in the spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, a national distinction recognizing achievements in providing the safest health care for patients.

“We’re committed to providing quality care that exceeds the expectations of our patients and their families, especially when it comes to safety,” said Nicole Thomas, FACHE, hospital president of Baptist South. “Our team members and physicians are dedicated caregivers, making sure they adhere to the highest safety standards every day. We monitor, measure and make constant improvements year-round.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms among patients in their care. Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 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.

Baptist Beaches, Baptist Nassau and Baptist Jacksonville also received A safety ratings.

“Our ‘A’ ratings show that we are committed to providing safe, high-quality patient care in all situations,” said David Rice, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer for Baptist Health. “Our health care teams are dedicated to collaboration and open communication – two keys to success in achieving the highest quality standards in our hospitals.”

Baptist Health’s safety and quality protocols have been further enhanced during the COVID-19 crisis through a number of additional measures. Separate respiratory care units for COVID-19 patients, designated staff and equipment for COVID-19 rooms, and using advanced UV technology for decontamination are among the many safety reinforcements.

“Patients can have peace of mind that their safety is a top priority, especially as we move toward resuming all of our regular medical services,” said Dr. Rice.

“As the nation copes with a challenging pandemic, our gratitude extends to hospital leadership and health care workers everywhere for their tremendous dedication,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We hope this ‘A’ helps to thank the people who work and volunteer for Baptist Health. They are role models in putting patients first, and their service has been extraordinary in our country’s time of need.”

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Safety Grade is a letter grade assigned to all general hospitals across the country and updated every six months, assessing how well the hospital prevents medical errors and other harms to patients.