MOULTRIE, Ga. – Colquitt Regional Medical Center has received its 15th “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group. This is a national distinction recognizing the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.
The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States, based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.
“Our hospital has built a culture where patient safety is at the core of each patient interaction,” said Colquitt Regional President and CEO Jim Matney. “From trainings and educational opportunities to daily team huddles, we are ensuring that our employees have the necessary resources and procedures put in place to continue delivering the safest care possible. This recognition is highly commendable and I am proud of each employee for the invaluable role they have played in this accomplishment.”
Among the 30 measures used to evaluate each hospital, Colquitt Regional earned a perfect score in the following categories: computerized physician order entry, bar code medication administration, ICU physician staffing, culture of leadership structures and systems, culture measurement, feedback and intervention, nursing workforce, and hand hygiene.
“I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said The Leapfrog Group President and CEO Leah Binder. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients. The hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.”
Colquitt Regional also scored 91 percent or higher in the categories of nurse communication and doctor communication.
“Receiving an ‘A’ is no small task, especially when your team has done it 15 times,” said Hospital Authority Chairman Richard E. Turner, Jr. “Both the administration and employees of Colquitt Regional have worked together to earn these 15 ‘A’s and create a health system where patients know they will be treated with safe care from the moment they enter our facility.”
Colquitt Regional was awarded its ‘A’ grade on November 16, when Leapfrog announced grades for the fall 2022 update. To see Colquitt Regional’s full grade details and to view the scores of other hospitals in the region, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.
