New Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S., were announced in late October by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Houston Medical Center was one of 844 hospitals to receive an “A”, ranking among the safest hospitals in the United States.

“The hard work of our staff and physicians have allowed us to maintain this A rating as it relates to the quality care we are providing to our patients,” stated Cary Martin, Chief Executive Officer for Houston Healthcare. “This grade is indicative of our ongoing commitment to providing quality care and patient safety and demonstrates the dedication of our entire team. We take our obligation to improve the healthcare of our community seriously and will continue to work hard toward that goal.”

“Protecting patients from harm is the most important charge for any hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We recognize and appreciate ‘A’ hospitals’ vigilance and continued dedication to keeping their patients safe.”

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

To see Houston Medical Center’s full grade, 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.