12 times in a row: Adventist Health Bakersfield nationally recognized with ‘A’ Leapfrog Safety Grade

Adventist Health Bakersfield has received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade 12 consecutive times by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. This milestone means that Adventist Health Bakersfield is one of only 20 hospitals in the country to be awarded an “A” in every Hospital Safety Grade cycle since 2017, including this latest grade update, reflecting safety during the height of the pandemic.

“This momentous achievement places Adventist Health Bakersfield as the leader in safety across the Central Valley and among the top hospitals graded nationwide and demonstrates our consistently high safety and quality outcomes,” said Jason Wells, President of the Adventist Health Central Valley Network. “This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team, who consistently strive for excellence in patient safety, quality, and care.”

The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. Adventist Health Bakersfield excels in many areas including total knee replacement, low rate of c-section deliveries and preventing and responding to patient harm.

“We find with these newest Hospital Safety Grades that patient safety has suffered major setbacks nationally during the pandemic. But that’s not the case at this hospital, which has earned straight ‘A’ grades for more than a decade,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “That is an extraordinary accomplishment, particularly now, and shows a relentless determination to put patients first no matter what the circumstances. My congratulations for inspiring all Americans with your leadership against all the odds.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To see all the grades of all local hospitals 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.