Valley Health’s Acute Care Hospitals Earn National Recognition for Patient Safety

Valley Health’s two acute care hospitals – Winchester Medical Center (WMC) and Warren Memorial Hospital (WMH) -- have each earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent, nonprofit national watchdog organization, recognizing their achievements in protecting patients from harm in the hospital setting.

The Leapfrog Group assigned an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to nearly 3,000 general acute care hospitals across the country based on over 30 evidence-based patient safety performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems in place to prevent harm.

This is the fifth consecutive “A” for Winchester Medical Center, a distinction The Leapfrog Group recognizes as Straight A’s for 2020-2022, placing WMC in elite company with only 14% of the U.S. hospitals graded this spring. WMC is the highest graded facility in the Northern Shenandoah Valley and Eastern Panhandle region.

“I’m pleased that both of our acute care hospitals have earned “A” safety grades from Leapfrog,” said Mark Nantz, Valley Health President and CEO. “The last two years have reinforced our processes and our appreciation for the role each of us plays in ensuring the safety of patients, as well as families, staff, and the larger community. Valley Health caregivers are highly engaged and committed to providing safe, high quality care for every patient, every time.”

Warren Memorial Hospital Administrator Jennifer Coello said the hospital’s “A” safety grade is an affirmation of her staff’s focus on patient safety. “Our patients trust us to do everything in our power to improve their health. That is a privilege we take seriously. So patient safety is top of mind for our entire team, every day, on every shift, throughout the hospital.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. The latest Hospital Safety grades show significant variation in patient safety performance across U.S. hospitals, which underscores the importance of access to information that allows patients to select the safest hospital for their care.

To see the full grade details for WMC and WMH and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.