Mercy Hospital NWA Earns 'A' Grade for Patient Safety

Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers was among the high-performing hospitals across the U.S. to receive an “A” for commitment to reducing errors, infections, and accidents that can harm patients.

Hospital Safety Scores assigns A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provides the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S. health care system. Those scores were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit patient safety advocate.

“Patient safety has always been a priority for Mercy caregivers and this latest acknowledgement from The Leapfrog Group is confirmation that our team is meeting our mission of exceptional service and compassionate care,” said Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas President Eric Pianalto.

 Seven Mercy Hospitals in Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas earned a score of A in the semi-annual ratings.   

“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 patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

To see Mercy Hospital Fort Smith’s and Mercy Hospital Rogers’ full grades, 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. Consumers can also download the free Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

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 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.