FLEMING ISLAND – Baptist Medical Center Clay received its first grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit organization that advocates for transparency and safety in health care. Baptist Clay set the bar high, receiving an “A” grade in its first season of eligibility since the hospital’s opening in December 2022.

Baptist Clay is among less than 32% of hospitals nationwide to receive an “A.”

“Safety is not just a priority, it’s central to everything we do,” said Ed Hubel, FACHE, hospital president of Baptist Clay. “Baptist Clay’s ability to start strong and receive an ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group right out of the gate is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to quality and safety in every interaction”

The Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades based on performance measures and processes hospitals have in place to protect patient safety and promote good outcomes and experiences. This independent grading system helps patients make informed decisions to protect themselves and their families from medical errors, injuries and infections. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

Letter grades of “A” through “F” are assigned to hospitals using calculations based on nearly 30 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, combined with additional information Baptist Health voluntarily submits for the overall score.

“Receiving top scores from The Leapfrog Group reflects the dedicated people and the strong processes we have in place,” said Jeremy Goodman, MD, MBA, FACHE, vice president and system quality officer at Baptist Health. “We believe every team member plays a vital role in creating a safe environment for our patients. And when people are empowered with the right tools and processes, the outcomes are truly exceptional for patient care and our community at large.”

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are released twice a year, and nearly 3,000 hospitals across the county receive a rating.

The rating is taken into consideration:

• Process measures (how a hospital gives patients recommended treatment, including the responsiveness of hospital staff)

• Structural measures (the environment where patients receive care)

Outcomes measures (what happens to a patient while receiving care)

To learn more about Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.