The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, assigning letter grades to hospitals nationwide based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms. Howard County General Hospital (HCGH) was one of nearly 860 facilities awarded a top rating for its commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest safety standards in the U.S.

Developed under the guidance of a Blue Ribbon National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,500 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 HCGH’s full grade, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.