Flaget Memorial Hospital Nationally Recognized with an ‘A’ Rating for Hospital Safety by The Leapfrog Group

BARDSTOWN, Ky. (May 6, 2021) – Flaget Memorial Hospital, part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, was awarded an ‘A’ rating in the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing exceptional patient safety. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety.

The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to more than 2,700 general acute care hospitals in the U.S., which is updated every six months. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only rating solely focused on a hospital’s ability to protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries, and infections.

This is the third time in the last two years that Flaget Memorial Hospital has received an ‘A’ rating. In the spring 2021 survey, only one-third of all hospitals received an ‘A’ rating.

“We are very proud to receive this recognition once again from The Leapfrog Group,” said Jennifer Nolan, president, Flaget Memorial Hospital. “At Flaget Memorial Hospital, we are committed to providing exceptional care for patients in the Nelson County area, and receiving this designation for the third time in the last two years helps patients know that they are truly in the best hands when they visit our facility.”

Notably, 27 hospitals across the U.S. have achieved 19 consecutive “A” grades, which represents an “A” in every biannual grading cycle since the launch of the Safety Grade in spring 2012.

“We find that straight ‘A’ hospitals have strong structures of safety in place,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “These hospitals are continuously learning, monitoring data, and addressing areas of improvement.”

Straight “A” hospitals have shared how they were better prepared for COVID-19 thanks to their sustained leadership focus on patient safety as a top institutional priority.

“Hospitals with a consistent pattern of protecting patients from errors, accidents and injuries, like these straight ‘A’ hospitals, seem to have been more prepared when the pandemic hit,” Binder said. “For many, safety and quality are embedded in their daily work at all levels of the organization, which prepared them in turn to respond to the rapidly evolving pandemic. As a part of this culture, straight ‘A’ hospitals have consistently shown a commitment to their workforce, empowering them to ask questions and share safety concerns.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is reviewed by a National Expert Panel and receives guidance from the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is updated twice per year. It is independently assessed, peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public.

For more information about the Safety Grades, as well as individual hospital grades and state rankings, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.

About CHI Saint Joseph Health
CHI Saint Joseph Health, part of CommonSpirit Health, is one of the largest and most comprehensive health systems in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with 100 locations in 20 counties, including hospitals, physician groups, clinics, primary care centers, specialty institutes, home health agencies and an ambulatory Care Center. The hospitals in CHI Saint Joseph Health are Flaget Memorial Hospital, Saint Joseph Berea, Saint Joseph East, Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph Jessamine, Saint Joseph London, Saint Joseph Mount Sterling, and Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East. In total, the health system serves patients in 35 counties statewide. CHI Saint Joseph Health is dedicated to providing a wide array of services toward a goal of building a healthier future for all. CHI Saint Joseph Health embodies a strong mission and faith-based heritage and works through local partnerships to expand access to care in the communities it serves.

About Flaget Memorial Hospital
Flaget Memorial Hospital, part of CHI Saint Joseph Health, is a 52-bed facility located in Bardstown, Kentucky. Established in 1951 by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the facility serves residents of Nelson, Hardin, Marion, Washington, Spencer, Bullitt and LaRue counties. The facility is also home to Nelson County’s first full-service cancer center and is nationally recognized for orthopedic and surgical care, as well as inpatient satisfaction.

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 forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new 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.

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