Northern Light Inland Hospital in Waterville  Contributed photo

WATERVILLE — Northern Light Inland Hospital has received an A in the spring 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade program. This national distinction recognizes Inland’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and error in the hospital.

“We are pleased to receive this honor,” Tricia Costigan, Inland Hospital president, said in a news release. “We are about to celebrate Nurses Week and Hospital Week this month so it’s the perfect time to recognize all our staff for their dedication to providing the best patient experience possible. The A grade is a reflection of our teams’ focus on safety and service every day. We are very proud of this recognition and honored to serve our patients and their families,”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms 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.

“Everyone who works at Inland Hospital should be proud of this ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade,” Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said in the release. “It takes complete dedication at every level, and an ironclad commitment to putting patients first. I thank Inland, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for caring so deeply for its patients and their safety.”

To see Inland Hospital’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.