Downey Medical Center earns an ‘A’ hospital safety grade from The Leapfrog Group

DOWNEY – Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center has earned an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade – the highest possible – for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog. This marks the medical center’s fifth consecutive ‘A’ grade, qualifying it for Leapfrog’s exclusive “Straight A” designation, which is earned by only 16% of hospitals nationwide.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients each day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually: in the fall and in the spring.

“Earning a fifth consecutive ‘A’ and achieving Leapfrog’s Straight A designation is a powerful reflection of the consistency and vigilance our teams bring to patient safety every day,” said Mitch Winnik, senior vice president and area manager, Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center. “Only a small percentage of hospitals nationwide maintain this level of performance over time, and I’m incredibly proud of our physicians and staff whose commitment makes this achievement possible.”

Leapfrog assigns an ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D’ or ‘F’ grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. 

“Patient safety is foundational to how we deliver care, and this recognition reflects the everyday care and attention our teams bring to their work and the standards we hold ourselves to on behalf of our patients,” said Dr. Laurie Anne Chu, area medical director, Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center. “I’m grateful to our physicians and staff for sustaining this level of excellence and for continually raising the bar for safe, high-quality care.”

Patient safety is a cornerstone of Kaiser Permanente’s unique integrated model of Value-Based Care. It’s also a testament to the healthcare organization’s 80-year commitment to the health of patients and the communities it serves.