We are heartened by the Leapfrog organization’s recognition of our staff’s efforts to deliver excellent care, and we remain steadfast in our goal to be sure that our patients and families receive the best care possible when they come to us.
Susan A. Reeves, EdD, RN, executive vice president of DHMCDartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), the flagship academic medical center of Dartmouth Health, received an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade for spring 2022. This national distinction recognizes DHMC’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital.
“The delivery of safe and consistently high quality care does not just happen. It takes a deep commitment and keen focus by our staff for every minute of every day,” said Susan A. Reeves, EdD, RN, executive vice president of DHMC. “We are heartened by the Leapfrog organization’s recognition of our staff’s efforts to deliver excellent care, and we remain steadfast in our goal to be sure that our patients and families receive the best care possible when they come to us.”
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.
"Dartmouth Health is committed to achieving the highest quality standards on behalf of our patients and our communities,” said Carol L. Barsky, MD, MBA, chief quality and value officer for Dartmouth Health. “The Leapfrog ‘A’ recognizes the work of our entire healthcare team, at the bedside, making patient safety our highest priority."
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
“Our participation in the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade highlights our commitment to a culture of safety,” said Michael S. Calderwood, MD MPH, chief quality officer for DHMC. “Our learning culture relies on the conclusions that we draw from our quality and safety data, our ability to learn from best practice around the country, and our willingness to implement changes aimed at continuously improving the care that we deliver. Our ‘A’ safety grade recognizes the incredible work that is done every day by our teams delivering high quality, innovative care.”
To see DHMC's full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org
About Dartmouth Health
Dartmouth Health, New Hampshire's only academic health system and the state's largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities. DHMC is consistently named the #1 hospital in New Hampshire by U.S. News & World Report, and recognized for high performance in numerous clinical specialties and procedures. Dartmouth Health includes its Dartmouth Cancer Center, one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the nation, and the only such center in northern New England; Dartmouth Health Children’s, including the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the state’s only children’s hospital and clinic locations around the region; member hospitals in Lebanon, Keene and New London, NH, and Windsor, VT, and Visiting Nurse and Hospice for Vermont and New Hampshire; and more than 24 clinics that provide ambulatory services across New Hampshire and Vermont. Through its historical partnership with Dartmouth and the Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth Health trains nearly 400 medical residents and fellows annually, and performs cutting-edge research and clinical trials recognized across the globe with Geisel and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, VT. Dartmouth Health and its more than 13,000 employees are deeply committed to serving the healthcare needs of everyone in our communities, and to providing each of our patients with exceptional, personal care.