Leapfrog Group Recognizes BayCare Hospitals For Keeping Patients Safe

CLEARWATER, FL — Nine BayCare Health System hospitals received an “A” grade and two received a “B” from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit that recognizes U.S. hospitals for their achievements in protecting patients from harm and promoting safety in the delivery of health care.

The Leapfrog Group collects, analyzes, and reports data about hospital infections, accidents, errors and injuries at more than 2,700 general, acute-care hospitals. It awards its Hospital Safety Grades twice each year, in the spring and fall. The grades range from “A” through “F” and are released publicly so health care consumers can make informed choices about where to receive care. Leapfrog announced the spring grades today. About 33 percent of hospitals received an “A.”

“BayCare’s true north is clinical excellence, and that includes providing safe, effective care to everyone we serve,” said Tommy Inzina, BayCare president and CEO. “And because continuous improvement is so important at BayCare, all of our hospitals will work to achieve even higher scores year after year. I’m proud of the effort our teams put forth every day to keep our patients safe.”

These nine BayCare hospitals, all located in Florida, earned “A” grades:

• Bartow Regional Medical Center in Bartow
• Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor
• Mease Dunedin Hospital in Dunedin
• Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater
• Morton Plant North Bay Hospital in New Port Richey
• South Florida Baptist Hospital in Plant City
• St. Anthony’s Hospital in St. Petersburg
• St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa
• St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview

BayCare’s Winter Haven Hospital in Polk County and St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz received “B” grades.

The data used for the spring report was gathered just prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said that the 27 performance measures used for this spring’s safety grade serve as a proxy for the safety of care provided to COVID-19 patients. For example, a hospital with infection control procedures in place is better equipped to protect patients and health care workers, she said.

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 15 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care and wellness.