Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Earns ‘A’ Grade for Patient Safety in Leapfrog’s Spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score

Alexandria VA – April 27, 2016 – New Hospital Safety Scores, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S. health care system, were announced today by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog. Inova Mount Vernon Hospital was one of 798 hospitals to receive an A, ranking it among the safest hospitals in the United States.

An “A” Hospital Safety Score represents the gold standard for patient safety and is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading patient safety experts. The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the Hospital Safety Score is free to the public and designed to provide consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when facing a hospital stay.

Deborah Addo, hospital Chief Executive Officer, says “when it comes to quality and safety at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, we never grade ourselves on the curve. This strong endorsement by The Leapfrog Group validates the results of our relentless commitment to patient safety. I salute our entire team for working so hard to achieve this recognition.” Addo notes that this announcement marks the hospital’s fourth consecutive “A” Hospital Safety designation by The Leapfrog Group.

“Avoidable deaths in hospitals should be the number one concern of our health care leaders. Hospitals that earn an ‘A’ from Leapfrog are leaders in saving lives, and we commend them and urge their continued vigilance,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.

Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. For the first time, the Hospital Safety Score includes five measures of patient-reported experience with the hospital as well as two of the most common infections, C.diff and MRSA.

To see Inova Mount Vernon Hospital’s full score, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

Media Contact: Curt McCormick, Director, Communications, (703) 664-7109, curtis.mccormick@inova.org

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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 collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. Hospital Safety Score, 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 Inova Mount Vernon Hospital

Inova Mount Vernon Hospital is a 237-bed hospital offering patients convenience and state-of-the-art care in a community environment. The hospital sits on 26 acres of beautifully landscaped open space, where patients can find moments of serenity in our specially designed gardens. Inova Mount Vernon Hospital is home to the nationally recognized Inova Joint Replacement Center and Inova Rehabilitation Center. Both are ranked among the top orthopedic and rehabilitation programs in the nation. It also houses the Wound Healing Center, the Washington, DC region’s only 27/4 hyperbaric treatment service.

For 2015-16, Inova Mount Vernon Hospital was named a “Top Hospital” in the Washington, DC area by U.S. News & World Report, and has received multiple “A” Hospital Patient Safety Score rankings by The Leapfrog Group.