Independent watchdog organization gives Blessing Hospital ‘A’ grade for patient safety

QUINCY — Blessing Hospital patients receive care rated among the safest in the nation. For the third straight survey period, an independent national watchdog organization has given Blessing Hospital a grade of “A” for patient safety.

The Leapfrog Group, founded by 2,000 large employers and other purchasers of healthcare, assigns a letter grade of A through F every six months to 2,700 general hospitals across the country. The grade received is based on more than 30 performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents, infections and systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. Around one-third of hospitals surveyed typically receive a grade of “A.” Blessing also earned “A” grades during the survey periods in spring 2021 and fall 2020.

“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. “I thank the leadership, the providers and workforce of Blessing Hospital for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”

“Safety is an around-the-clock, every-day-of-every-week commitment,” said Dr. Mary Frances Barthel, chief quality and safety officer for Blessing Health System, in a press release. “It starts with precision planning of the processes and procedures of care delivery, coupled with constant review and improvements as needed. That is followed by a care team dedicated to carrying out the processes and procedures with every patient every time to deliver the level of care patients expect and deserve.

“Healthcare providers are humans and humans are not perfect. And no process or procedure is foolproof. But the residents of the communities we serve can look at this grade ‘A’ and know that an independent, third-party of experts feels Blessing is delivering healthcare on par with the safest available in the country today.”

“No matter where a person works or what they do, most bring with them a dedication to doing the very best they can for their customers. That’s how the Blessing Hospital healthcare team approaches each day,” said Maureen Kahn, president and chief executive officer for Blessing Health System/Blessing Hospital. “The dedication of Blessing caregivers inspires the trust of patients and their loved ones, and that trust brings purpose and value to our work. I thank residents of the region for their trust in us, and I thank our caregivers for their commitment to safety which helps inspire that trust.”

To see Blessing Hospital’s grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.