Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital (PPMH) received an ‘A’ grade in the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade a national distinction recognizing Phoebe’s achievements protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. This is Phoebe’s fourth straight top hospital safety grade.

“Our Phoebe Family members have faced unprecedented challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but their commitment to patient safety has not wavered. Each one of our team members works hard every day to provide the highest quality of care, and I am extremely proud of our team for earning another ‘A’ from the Leapfrog Group,” said Kathy Hudson, MD, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer.

 The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns an ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D,’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country, and the grades are updated every six months. It is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care.

Phoebe’s commitment to safety first goes beyond the walls of the hospital. Phoebe recently launched a new campaign, Your Care Can’t Wait, that stresses the importance of avoiding delays in care which can put the patient’s safety and health at risk. The campaign encourages patients to see their providers to schedule annual checkups, routine screenings or to jumpstart the management of chronic medical conditions.

“We understand that due to the pandemic many in the community might be nervous to see a provider or go to a clinic. But at Phoebe, safety is our top priority, not just in our hospitals but also in our primary care and specialty clinics,” said Derek Heard, MD, Phoebe Physicians Medical Director of Primary Care. “If it’s been more than a year since you’ve seen your primary care provider, it’s time to make an appointment. We are ready to care for our patients and have adapted to further ensure patients’ safety.”

Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.

“An ‘A’ safety grade is an elite designation that your community should be proud of,” said Lean Binder, President & CEO of The Leapfrog Group.  “The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for hospitals, but Phoebe shows us it is possible to keep a laser focus on patients and their safety, no matter what it takes.”

Patients can schedule appointments with Phoebe primary care physicians and learn more about recommended health screenings – including at what age and how often you should have them – at www.phoebehealth.com/cantwait.