Washington Regional receives ‘A’ rating

Washington Regional Medical Center is the only hospital in Northwest Arkansas — and one of only four in the state — to earn an “A” Hospital Safety Score by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, according to a hospital statement.

The “A” score was awarded in the latest update to the Hospital Safety Score, the A, B, C, D or F scores assigned to U.S. hospitals based on preventable medical errors, injuries accidents and infections.

The Hospital Safety Score was compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety, including those from Harvard and Johns Hopkins. The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety (April 2013), Hospital Safety Score is designed to give the public information they can use to protect themselves and their families.

“Patient safety has always been a priority at Washington Regional, so we are particularly proud to be one of the very few to earn an ‘A’ for our safety practices,” said Bill Bradley, Washington Regional president and CEO. “This top score demonstrates the commitment that our employees, nurses and physicians have to provide our patients with safe, high-quality care.”