Hospitals receive A grades from Leapfrog

Published May 25, 2022

Hospitals in Fort Smith, Rogers and Jonesboro received A grades in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for achievements in protecting patients from harm and errors in the hospital.

Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, grades hospitals across the country based on more than 30 performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents, infections and the protocols hospitals have to prevent patient harm. It is the 12th straight A for Mercy Hospital Fort Smith and the sixth straight A for Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas in Rogers. 

St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro also has consecutively earned the highest letter grade. Administrator Michael Givens stressed how St. Bernards earned the top grade during a time of high-patient volumes.

“We had our highest census ever at St. Bernards in January 2022,” Givens said, “and our team still adhered to and improved upon our safety goals. I’m proud how they met challenging circumstances without compromising our most important duties as a health care provider.”

These hospitals are three of only nine hospitals throughout the state to earn an A grade from Leapfrog this spring.