Loma Linda University Medical Center and East Campus hospitals were recognized nationally for achievements in patient safety and quality, receiving an “A” for fall 2021 from The Leapfrog Group, an independent watchdog organization. Announced today, the designations are widely considered one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive.

This achievement follows the hospitals’ spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade “A” award, making it the sixth and seventh consecutive A-ratings for the Medical Center and East Campus hospitals, respectively.

“While the pandemic period challenged us in many areas, these Leapfrog awards affirm our ongoing commitment to patient safety as a key part of our exceptional care,” says Trevor Wright, interim CEO of Loma Linda University Health hospitals, adding that the recognition is a great tribute to Loma Linda University Health care teams’ dedication to putting patients first, especially in a time of critical community need.

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. 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.

Loma Linda University Medical Center and East Campus are home to more than 6,500 employees, including specialists, physicians, nurses, and support staff. Backed by comprehensive inpatient and outpatient healthcare services, employees at the hospitals are dedicated to providing a safe and healing environment for their patients.

To see the hospitals’ full grade details or access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org. For more information about Loma Linda University Health services, providers, or to schedule an appointment, please visit lluh.org or call 909-558-4000.

This article was originally published on the Loma Linda University Health news site