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

“During this difficult time in health care, it is gratifying to be recognized as a leader in patient safety and patient experience,” said Steven Snelgrove, president of Howard County General Hospital. “Despite the impact of national and worldwide situations, such as the current pandemic, our number one priority remains keeping our patients safe.”

Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to approximately 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 HCGH’s full grade, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.