Butler Memorial Hospital Recognized by the Leapfrog Group for Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade

BUTLER, PA, November 6, 2023 – Butler Memorial Hospital, part of Independence Health System continues to be nationally recognized for adhering to the highest standards of excellence in patient care by prioritizing safety and protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. 

Butler Memorial achieved an ‘A’ grade in The Leapfrog Group’s fall 2023 Hospital Safety Grade program, making it among 201 hospitals nationwide to achieve the recognition for 9 consecutive grading periods and among only 16 hospitals throughout Pennsylvania to do the same. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization that sets standards for excellence in patient care. During the fall 2023 grading period, 30% of hospitals nationwide received an ‘A’ grade.

“We are proud of the staff and caregivers at Butler Memorial Hospital for this most recent accomplishment,” said Ken DeFurio, president and CEO of Independence Health System. “Not only has the team met the highest standards of excellence in patient care to achieve this most recent ‘A’ grade, but they did it consistently for 9 consecutive grading periods. We applaud their dedication to provide the best care possible to our community.”   

Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. It is the only hospital ratings program exclusively based on hospital prevention of medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day nationally. 

“The team of caregivers at Butler Memorial Hospital are dedicated to providing the highest standards of care possible,” said Karen Allen, president of Independence Health System’s Butler Memorial & Clarion Hospitals. “Safety and quality care are always a top priority during a patient’s stay. By achieving another ‘A’ safety grade from The Leapfrog Group, Butler Memorial Hospital has demonstrated its commitment to providing the safest, highest quality care in our region. Our administration is proud of the outstanding work, dedication and professionalism of the Butler Memorial Hospital team and their continued accomplishments.”

“Earning an ‘A’ Grade means Butler Memorial Hospital made a true commitment to put patients first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the leadership, Board, clinicians, staff and volunteers that all had a role to play in this achievement.” 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually in the fall and spring. To see Butler Memorial Hospital’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook and via its newsletter. To learn more about Independence Health System’s services and programs, visit www.independence.health.

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Nationally recognized for quality care, Independence Health System comprises Butler Memorial, Clarion, Frick, Latrobe and Westmoreland Hospitals with a combined bed count of 925.  With more than 1,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and 7,300 employees, the System is now the third largest in western Pennsylvania serving a population base of 750,000 in a footprint spanning more than 10 counties.

The System includes tertiary programs that are rated among America’s best for cardiac care and surgery by Healthgrades in its Top 100 and Top 50 designations, and one of only five in Pennsylvania to achieve a five-star rating in cardiac surgery. In similar fashion, the prestigious Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) bestowed its top three-star rating. Historically, less than 10 percent of programs within the STS data base achieve this elite standing. The hospitals of Independence Health System also have earned a host of accolades from such prestigious outlets and sources as US News and World Report, Newsweek Magazine, the American College of Radiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Surgeons, the Joint Commission, Leapfrog and the American Heart/Stroke Association.

Locally owned and locally controlled, Independence Health System offers its patients low-cost, high-quality care across the care spectrum in such specialties as cardiology, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, women’s health and obstetrics, emergency medicine, behavioral health and primary care. Its network of outpatient centers sees more than 1.2 million visits annually. The homecare division further supports patients at all stages of life with home health and hospice services. 

Independence Health System continues to change the healthcare landscape in western Pennsylvania by meeting patient needs through superb physician expertise, outstanding nursing, the latest in technology and programmatic depth.

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