Southeast Health Medical Center is proud to announce we earned an ‘A’ for the spring of 2022 by one of the nation’s leading independent organization that measures patient safety.

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. This national distinction recognizes Southeast Health Medical Center’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital.

“This distinction is the result of our commitment to provide our patients with the safest care possible.” said Rick Sutton, chief executive officer of Southeast Health. “I’m proud of our team for earning this elite designation recognizing our high standards, which is a direct result of us consistently planning the work and working the plan to improve quality and safety.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals nationwide 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.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

“As our health care system continues to feel the strain of the pandemic, I thank the workforce and leadership of Southeast Health Medical Center for sustained commitment to patient safety, day in and day out,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is an outstanding achievement, and one that is not possible without a 24/7 effort by the entire health care workforce to protect patients from harm. This community should be proud.”

To see Southeast Health Medical Center’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.

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 for patient safety. 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. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

About Southeast Health

Southeast Health, which includes the region’s largest not-for-profit hospital, is a community-based academic health system dedicated to improving health and wellness for residents of southeast Alabama, southwest Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Southeast Health system includes the Medical Center, Medical Group, Foundation, Statera Network, and the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM). The Medical Center is a 420 bed regional referral center serving more than 460,000 residents. It is one of three certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers in Alabama, and is recognized as a Level II Trauma Center and Chest Pain Center. In addition, Southeast Health has the regions only NICU with specialty trained neonatologists.