Each of Norton Healthcare’s four adult-service hospitals received an “A” grade in the fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. This national distinction recognizes each facility’s achievements in protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. The four hospitals are Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital, Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital. (Pediatric hospitals are not rated by The Leapfrog Group). This is the fifth consecutive period (fall 2019, spring 2020, fall 2020, spring 2021 and fall 2021) that the four hospitals have received an “A” grade.

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harm to patients in their care.

“The hard work of our dedicated providers and employees, who consistently strive to deliver safe, high-quality care to our patients, is the reason each of our adult-service hospitals continue to get this ‘A’ ranking,” said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO, Norton Healthcare. “The past two years have been a challenge for everyone working in health care. I am incredibly proud of our team, who continues to keep the safety of our patients — and each other — at the center of all they do.”

“An ‘A’ safety grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO, The Leapfrog Group. “I thank the leadership and workforce of Norton Healthcare for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 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.

To see full grade details for each of Norton Healthcare’s four adult-service hospitals and get patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.