| BMC Earns Another Straight A for Patient Safety |
| November 14, 2018 For Immediate Release Berkshire Medical Center Among Only 42 Hospitals Nationwide to Receive Straight A Grade for Patient Safety from The Leapfrog Group PITTSFIELD, MA - The Leapfrog Group, a Washington D.C-based organization aiming to improve healthcare quality and safety for consumers and purchasers, has announced the Fall 2018 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades and awarded Berkshire Medical Center the elite designation of ‘A’ for its continued achievement in patient safety. BMC is one of only 42 “Straight A” hospitals in the United States to be awarded an ‘A’ every grading cycle since 2012. “This consistent recognition for patient safety is reflective of the dedication our care team has to providing nothing but the best and safest care possible,” said David Phelps, President and Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Health Systems. “I congratulate and thank our physicians, nurses and all support staff who have and continue to contribute to this commitment to excellence, which places BMC among an elite group of hospitals nationwide for patient safety.” “Only a very select group of hospitals nationally continue to earn an A Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade year after year. It shows an unbroken commitment to protecting patients from preventable errors and accidents that harm and even kill too many people in our country every day. Thanks to Berkshire Medical Center for always putting your patients first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “The physicians, nurses and entire care team at Berkshire Medical Center can and should be proud of this remarkable accomplishment,” said Gray Ellrodt, MD, BMC Chief Quality Officer and Chairman, Department of Medicine. “By adhering to rigorous guidelines for each and every patient, our community can be secure in knowing that their hospital is among the elite 2% of healthcare providers whose commitment to their safety is consistently validated by these national ratings.” The Safety Grade assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms. Developed under the guidance of an Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to approximately 2,500 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is peer reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. To see more details on Berkshire Medical Center’s performance, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter and Facebook. 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 collects and transparently reports hospital 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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