The Leapfrog Group recently awarded Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) an A grade for its efforts to keep patients safe from infections, errors and accidents.

“This recognition reflects a true dedication to quality care and patient safety by our highly-trained physicians, nurses, therapists, technicians and support staff,” said Christopher K. Dorman, President/CEO of Tift Regional Health System (TRHS).

The Leapfrog Group is a national not-for-profit organization that strives for safety, quality and affordability of healthcare in the U.S. by promoting transparency. The Hospital Safety Score uses a wide range of evidence-based measures related to patient safety to calculate a numerical score for all eligible U.S. hospitals. The numerical safety score is then converted into a letter grade designed to give the public free and unbiased information they can use to protect themselves and their families.

“This A grade from the Leapfrog Group validates achievement in preventing harm within the hospital, and we are proud of our team,” said Dr. Jessica Beier, TRHS Medical Director of Quality and Safety. “They work hard to foster a safe, compassionate environment of care. TRMC has received five A grades from Leapfrog in the past three years.”

The scores are calculated using numerous measures, all based on publically-available data, to produce an overall “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” score. TRMC also volunteered to participate in the Leapfrog Group’s survey process. The Hospital Safety Score signifies the overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. To view Tift Regional Medical Center’s full score, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.

“TRMC has many initiatives in place which keep quality care and safety at the forefront,” said LeAnn Pritchett, RN, TRHS Director of Patient Safety. “This includes a quality council comprised of clinical leaders, administrative staff and hospital board members which review outcomes and individual cases to identify opportunities for performance improvement. TRMC conducts a daily patient safety check-in between a member of the executive team and managers from nursing units and support areas. All staff members also participate in patient-safety measures for their respective areas and attend periodic training.”

Dorman said that the Leapfrog grade A score is to be celebrated, but quality is an ongoing journey. “We can’t take a break,” he said. “Tift Regional must continue to adopt the latest techniques and best practices to ensure quality, harm-free care for our patients.”