UF Health Shands Hospital once again earns highest grade for safety

Press release from UF Health

BY MATT WALKER

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — UF Health Shands Hospital has once again earned an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that assesses and reports on quality and safety in hospitals and outpatient surgery centers.

The honor highlights the hospital’s efforts and accomplishments in protecting patients from preventable harms and errors.

“Achieving an ‘A’ grade from Leapfrog is a testament to the relentless focus our teams place on patient safety and clinical excellence,” said John Hollingsworth, M.D., chief quality officer for UF Health Shands hospitals and practices. “It reflects a shared commitment across every corner of our organization to do what’s right for our patients — consistently, compassionately, and at the highest standard.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused only on preventing medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, transparent, and free to the public. Grades are updated every fall and spring.

“We are extremely pleased that UF Health Shands Hospital continues to earn the top safety grade from Leapfrog,” said Michael Holmes, M.S.A., UF Health senior vice president and regional president of the Greater Gainesville market. “Our team members strive day in and day out to provide the best possible experience for our patients, and this grade illustrates this continued commitment to patient safety and quality.”

While dedication, engagement, and innovation lay the groundwork for providing a great patient experience, recognition by organizations like Leapfrog help confirm UF Health’s values and strategies when it comes to patient care.

The Leapfrog Group was founded in 2000 with a mission to drive a movement of giant leaps for patient safety. The organization conducts surveys to collect and report performance in hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. Its safety grade initiative complements Leapfrog’s other efforts by assigning letter grades to hospitals based on their patient safety record to better assist consumers in protecting against errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

Visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org to see full details about UF Health Shands Hospital’s grade and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital.