Kootenai Health earns 'A' for patient safety

New Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety review organization. Kootenai Health was one of 844 hospitals to receive an “A," ranking it among the safest hospitals in the United States.

“I’m proud of the work our staff and physicians have done to make the hospital safe for our patients,” Robbie Garrett, Kootenai Health Executive Director of Quality, said. “We are continually working to create a culture of safety, helping to protect our patients and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.”

Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign letter grades to more than 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.

“Protecting patients from harm is the most important charge for any hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We recognize and appreciate ‘A’ hospitals’ vigilance and continued dedication to keeping their patients safe.”

To see Kootenai’s full grade, and access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org or follow The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter or Facebook.