Both NCH Baker & North Naples, Florida Hospitals Nationally Recognized with an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

Hospitals receive high marks from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization.

Naples, Florida, Nov. 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NAPLES, Fla. – November 30, 2021 NCH Baker Hospital and NCH North Naples Hospital have both received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2021. This national distinction recognizes our achievements in protecting patients from harm and error in the hospital. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients.

More patients are demanding transparency from their health care providers and are turning to independent organizations, such as the Leapfrog Group, in an effort to provide confirmation on the choices they make when looking for quality care. An “A” grade from the Leapfrog Group is the gold standard when it comes to patient safety and is a major achievement for those who earn it.

In the past two years, NCH has come a long way to achieve today’s A grade from Leapfrog. We have transformed the way we review data to improve our quality metrics and enhance the patient experience. We have pulled together a team led by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kristin Mascotti and Chief Quality Officer, Dr. Carlos Quintero, to focus efforts on improving quality with an exceptional patient experience. Transparency with our staff and community, along with inviting physicians, both independent and employed, to be part of the decision-making process have contributed to the exceptional grades we have received today.

“I am proud of the NCH team for their dedication to patient safety and quality,” said Carlos Quintero, MD, Chief Quality Officer, NCH Healthcare System. “These “A” grades from Leapfrog Group are proof positive that our efforts to continually provide a safe environment for our patients are not only working but are also being nationally recognized as exceptional.”

“An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It is very rare for a hospital to go from a “D” to an “A,” and exceptionally rare to do so this quickly. I thank the leadership and workforce of NCH for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

“Providing quality care to those we serve has always been at the forefront of our mission to help everyone live a longer, happier, healthier life,” said Paul Hiltz, President & CEO, NCH Healthcare System. “We thank Leapfrog for recognizing the outstanding outcomes NCH provides to the community, and I thank our staff for their efforts and dedication that earned us this notable recognition. It is this passion for providing top-notch care that not only earned us this distinction today, but will help us achieve other momentous awards as we move forward.”

To see NCH’s full grade details visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

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About NCH Healthcare System

The NCH Healthcare System is a not-for-profit, multi-facility healthcare system located in Naples, Florida, and is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The System is more than just two hospitals (referred to as the NCH Baker Hospital and NCH North Naples Hospital) with a total of 713 beds. NCH is an alliance of 775 physicians and medical facilities in dozens of locations throughout Collier County and southwest Florida that offers nationally recognized, quality health care to our community. Our mission is to help everyone live a longer, happier, healthier life. For more information, visit www.NCHmd.org.

About The Leapfrog Group

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 and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC 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.

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CONTACT: Shaheen Solomon NCH Healthcare System 404-880-0080 shaheen@thepartnership.com