St. Joseph's Receives an "A" for Patient Safety

It is calculated by patient safety experts, peer reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

STOCKTON, November 2, 2017 - The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization, recently released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. The Safety Grade assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to hospitals nationwide based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms. Dignity Health - St. Joseph's Medical Center was one of 832 awarded an "A" for its commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest safety standards in the U.S. 

"Patient care and safety are our top priories," said Don Wiley, president and CEO of St. Joseph's Medical Center. "Every day, our doctors, nurses, and other caregivers work together to improve care. Receiving this 'A' grade affirms our diligent work."

Developed under the guidance of a Blue Ribbon National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by patient safety experts, peer reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

"It takes consistent, unwavering dedication to patients to achieve the highest standards of patient safety. An 'A' Safety Grade recognizes hospitals for this accomplishment," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "We congratulate the clinicians, Board, management and staff of St. Joseph's Medical Center for showing the country what it means to put patient safety first." 
  
To see St. Joseph's Medical Center's full grade, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org. 

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About St. Joseph's Medical Center

St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 347 beds, a physician staff of over 600, and more than 2,300 employees. St. Joseph's specializes in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services including neonatal intensive care. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. Founded in 1899 by Fr. William O'Connor and administered by the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, St. Joseph's continues to lead the region in medical innovation. St. Joseph's Medical Center is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. In FY 2016, St. Joseph's provided over $57 million in charity care, community services, and unreimbursed patient care. St. Joseph's Medical Center is a member of Dignity Health, a system of ancillary care sites, medical foundations, and acute care hospitals serving California, Arizona and Nevada.