The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, has released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, awarding top marks to more St. Luke's hospitals than to those of any other health care network in the region.

            The Safety Grade assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F twice annually – in the spring and fall – to hospitals nationwide based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms. A number of St. Luke's University Health Network campuses – Bethlehem, Allentown, Anderson, Miners, Monroe, Sacred Heart, Upper Bucks and Warren – were among a select group of hospitals across the nation awarded an 'A' for their commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest safety standards in the U.S.

            Geisinger St. Luke's Hospital was also awarded an 'A.'

             "The health care workforce has faced unprecedented levels of pressure during the pandemic, and as a result, patients' experience with their care appears to have suffered," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "We commend the workforce for their heroic efforts these past few years and now strongly urge hospital leadership to recommit to improved care—from communication to responsiveness—and get back on track with patient safety outcomes."

            Developed under the guidance of a panel of national expert, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades nearly 3,000 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

            The Safety Grade is the only rating solely focused on a hospital's ability to protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. The latest grades provide a look at the impact of COVID-19 on patient safety, with several measures included in the grade showing a significant decline.

            To see St. Luke's full grades, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.