French Hospital Medical Center Achieves 25 Consecutive ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group

Straight A’s at the national level reflects unwavering commitment to patients

San Luis Obispo, CA, May 1, 2024 – French Hospital Medical Center was awarded an “A” Hospital Safety Grade today for the 25th consecutive time by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization. This accolade recognizes French Hospital as one of only 15 hospitals in the country and one of only 2 hospitals in California to earn an “A” Grade continuously since 2012. 

"This incredible achievement of 25 straight A’s in safety by the Leapfrog Group reflects the dedication and expertise of our amazing physicians and staff,” says Patrick Caster, President & CEO of French Hospital. “The commitment to patient safety has made our hospital a beacon of excellence. French Hospital also holds a 5 star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and  I am incredibly proud of our team!"

The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. 

“Everyone who works and volunteers at French Hospital should be so proud. French Hospital has made a clear and consistent effort to protect patients from harm. This is reflected in the outstanding and very remarkable distinction of earning an ‘A’ Safety Grade every cycle since the program’s inception 14 years ago,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I congratulate everyone at French Hospital for their national example and unwavering dedication to protecting patients from preventable harm.” 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries and infections that can harm and even kill. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.French Hospital earned an “A” every time the grades were updated since the creation of the Hospital Safety Grade in 2012. 

To see French Hospital’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, Instagram and via The Leapfrog Group newsletter. 

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About French Hospital Medical Center

French Hospital Medical Center is a state-of-the-art, 98-bed acute care hospital located in San Luis Obispo, California. French’s Oppenheimer Family Center for Emergency Medicine is the area’s most advanced emergency services center. The modern facility is home to the Copeland, Forbes, and Rossi Cardiac Care Center, is the county’s premier cardiac center, providing the latest cardiac and imaging technology, and the Hearst Cancer Resource Center offering free education, resources and support to cancer patients and their families. 

French Hospital Medical Center together with Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, and Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, make up Dignity Health Central Coast, a network of hospitals, physicians, and outpatient services including physician offices, ambulatory surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories and imaging centers, and a full service home health agency. To learn more, visit dignityhealth.org/frenchhospital.

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 for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and 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, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter.