Merit Health Wesley Earns ‘A’ Grade for Patient Safety

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - This is a press release from Merit Health Wesley.

Hattiesburg – New Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S., were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Merit Health Wesley was one of 844 hospitals to receive an “A”, ranking among the safest hospitals in the United States.

“Patient safety remains our top priority,” said Mike Neuendorf, Merit Health Wesley Chief Executive Officer. “We work hard to continue to create an environment in which patients can receive safe, quality care. It’s rewarding to know that these efforts are not only recognized by our patients, but also by patient-safety experts.”

“Protecting patients from harm is the most important charge for any hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We recognize and appreciate ‘A’ hospitals’ vigilance and continued dedication to keeping their patients safe.”

Developed under the guidance of an Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

Merit Health Wesley has also received other accolades recently, receiving certification as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by the American Heart Association, American Stroke Association and The Joint Commission. The hospital was also awarded by the American Heart Association with a Gold-Plus Quality Award for Heart Failure Care. Merit Health Wesley is the area’s first and only accredited Chest Pain Center and the only area hospital to be accredited for Heart Failure care from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.

To see Merit Health Wesley’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe while in a hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org or follow The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade mobile app for Apple and Android devices.