HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Meritus Medical Center was awarded an “A” Hospital Safety Grade for the sixth consecutive time by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety.

This designates Meritus as a “Straight A” hospital, defined as hospitals that have an A for fall 2025 and have sustained that grade for the last five or more grading rounds.

Meritus earned its first “A” grade in the spring of 2023. It is in the top 12 percent of hospitals nationwide to achieve this consistent excellence.

“It’s gratifying to know the hard work and dedication of our team members is being recognized by achieving six straight A Hospital Safety Grades,” said Carrie Adams, Meritus chief operating officer. “We are community obsessed and patient focused, and we will continue to provide our patients expert care close to home. It’s why we’re here.”

The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

“My sincere congratulations to Meritus Medical Center for upholding patient safety standards through thick and thin, achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade for six consecutive rounds of the Safety Grade,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Consistently earning an A demonstrates a long-term, organization-wide commitment to putting patient safety first.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries and infections that can lead to harm or even death. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To see Meritus’ full grade details and to find essential patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. Connect with The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and stay updated through The Leapfrog Group newsletter.

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Meritus Health, Western Maryland’s largest health care provider, is located at the crossroads of Western Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The mission of Meritus Health is to improve the health of the region by providing the best healthcare, health services and medical education. As an anchor organization for the community, Meritus has more than 4,000 employees and serves more than 200,000 residents of the tristate region through Meritus Medical Center, Brook Lane Health Services, Meritus Medical Group, Meritus Home Health, Meritus Equipped for Life, and the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine. More information can be found at www.MeritusHealth.com or visit our Facebook page or LinkedIn page.

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 for patient safety. 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.