Macon, Ga. (Nov. 10, 2021) – Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North were awarded an ‘A’ for the fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North’s achievements protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. The Safety Grade assigns an ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months.  The 2021 fall ‘A’ grade marks the 7^th straight ‘A’ season for Piedmont Macon and the 3^rd straight ‘A’ for Piedmont Macon North. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North are the only hospitals within 30 miles to receive an ‘A’ for the fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report (the only two hospitals to receive a grade above a ‘C’). 

Across the country, 32% of hospitals received an "A," 26% received a "B," 35% received a "C," 7% received a "D," and less than 1% received an "F.” The Leapfrog Patient Safety Grade is based on a hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harms to patients in their care. 

“At Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North, we hold patient safety to the highest of standards,” said Dr. Gary Bernstein, Chief Medical Officer of Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North. “Our team works collaboratively every day to ensure that patient safety comes first. Receiving an ‘A’ grade is a testament to every employee at Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North and our continuing commitment to every patient we treat.” 

 “We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and health care workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. health care system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”

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 2,600 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. To see Piedmont Macon and Piedmont Macon North’s full grade details and to access safety grades on all local hospitals, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.