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NCH nationally recognized with an 'A' for the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) received an "A" grade in the spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction recognizing NCH's achievements protecting patients from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization committed to health care quality and safety. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns an "A," "B," "C," "D," or "F" grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months. It is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospitals' prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care.

"To achieve the "A" distinction for the fifth consecutive time is a strong reflection of the commitment of our team, but to achieve it during an unprecedented time of a global pandemic is outstanding," said NCH Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, Alan Loren, M.D., PhD. "It is a testament to the quality of people in our organization. From our clinical teams to our support staff, this was accomplished by the collective effort of everyone in this organization whose mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve and to meet individuals' healthcare needs."

"An 'A' safety grade is an elite designation that your community should be proud of," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for hospitals, but NCH shows us it is possible to keep a laser focus on patients and their safety, no matter what it takes."

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 2,700 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.

NCH was awarded an "A" grade today when Leapfrog updated grades for spring 2021. To see NCH's full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.

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About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

About Northwest Community Healthcare

In January 2021, Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH) joined NorthShore University HealthSystem. The NCH Arlington Heights campus features a 509-bed hospital with a Level II Trauma Center, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and dedicated pediatric emergency department. Throughout the northwest suburbs, NCH has 23 doctor's offices; five immediate care centers; seven physical rehabilitation sites; and 13 lab locations. For a comprehensive listing of physicians and programs visit nch.org.

Headquartered in Evanston, NorthShore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system that includes 6 hospitals-Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park, Skokie, Swedish and now NCH. Together, the NorthShore system provides clinical excellence and community-focused care across Chicagoland. NorthShore consistently ranks as a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital in the United States, with an established reputation for exceptional patient care and is a national pioneer in the implementation of advanced health information technology. For more information, please visit NorthShore.org and SwedishCovenant.org.

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