Leapfrog Group awards NEA Baptist ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade

JONESBORO, Ark. –The Leapfrog Group awarded NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital an “A” Hospital Safety Grade.

This national distinction celebrates the hospital’s achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and errors.

“NEA Baptist is honored to receive this ‘A’ rating from LeapFrog because it demonstrates our team’s commitment to providing high-quality care to our patients and community,” said Sam Lynd, CEO and administrator of NEA Baptist. “It’s a unique honor for us as NEA Baptist is the only Arkansas hospital east of Little Rock to earn an ‘A’ rating from Leapfrog.”

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the United States, based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.

“I applaud NEA Baptist’s leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients. This hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.”

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

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. 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. For more, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.

NEA Baptist Health System comprises NEA Baptist Clinic, NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital and NEA Baptist Fowler Family Center for Cancer Care. The 228-bed hospital offers cancer care, heart care through the Heart Center, labor and delivery services through the hospital’s Women’s Center, as well as a number of inpatient and outpatient services, emergency care, and surgical services, such as weight loss surgery, neurology, respiratory care and pulmonary rehabilitation. NEA Baptist Clinic has more than 110 physicians practicing in over 35 specialties and offering a wealth of services, from pediatrics to orthopedics. For more information about NEA Baptist, please call 870-936-1000 or visit www.baptistonline.org/locations/nea.