St. Joseph’s Medical Center Earns An ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group

“A” grade for fall 2024 is a national recognition for commitment to patient safety 

(STOCKTON, CA) November 15, 2024 – Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Medical Center earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. St. Joseph’s also received an “A” rating in Spring 2024.  

“This achievement is a true testament to St. Joseph’s dedication to providing excellent quality of care to the San Joaquin Community,” said Chief Medical Officer Michael Herrera, DO. “Receiving our second consecutive ‘A’ rating from Leapfrog demonstrates the top-tier care and premier skill sets that St. Joseph’s and our clinical staff provide locally.”

“Our leadership and staff are hyperfocused on High Reliability Organization, which allows us to consistently improve the quality of care that we are able to offer the Stockton population,” said Anitra Williams, DNP, Chief Nursing Executive. “I’m immensely proud of our Quality and Clinical Departments for their commitment to paying attention to detail and keeping our community safe and healthy.”

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for St. Joseph’s Medical Center,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community should be proud. I extend my congratulations to St. Joseph’s, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

To see St. Joseph’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram and via The Leapfrog Group newsletter. 

For more information on St. Joseph’s Medical Center’s safety protocols and services, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton. 

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About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

About St. Joseph’s Medical Center 
Dignity Health St. Joseph's Medical Center is a not-for-profit, fully accredited, regional hospital with 355 beds, a physician staff of over 700, and more than 2,700 employees. Specializing in cardiovascular care, comprehensive cancer services, and women and children's services, St. Joseph's is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. As a Sponsoring Institution for Graduate Medical Education, St. Joseph’s supports rapidly growing educational programs for both resident physicians and medical students. In addition to being nationally recognized as a quality leader, St. Joseph's is consistently chosen as the "most preferred hospital" by local consumers. St. Joseph's is the largest hospital, as well as one of the largest private employers in San Joaquin County. 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 a member of Dignity Health/CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit Catholic health system with care sites across 21 states dedicated to advancing health for all people. For more information, please visit DignityHealth.org/Stockton.