Mercy Receives Leapfrog 2015 Top Hospital Award

December 1, 2015

(DURANGO, COLO.)The Leapfrog Group has named Mercy Regional Medical Center to its annual list of Top Rural Hospitals in the nation. This recognition showcases Mercy's commitment to Leapfrogs vision of providing the safest, highest quality health care for consumers and purchasers alike. The announcement was made today at Leapfrogs annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Ninety-eight hospitals—approximately six percent of the more than 1,600 that were eligible—received the Top Hospital designation. The 2015 list includes 24 Top Rural Hospitals, 62 Top Urban Hospitals, and 12 Top Childrens' Hospitals. Mercy was one of only three hospitals in Colorado to be recognized.

Mercy's receipt of Leapfrogs Top Rural Hospital award is a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of our physicians, allied health professionals, nurses, staff, leaders and community partners. It is their daily commitment, combined with the support from our local community and Centura Health, that makes it possible to achieve such success, said Mercy Chief Medical Officer Bill Plauth, M.D. Though Mercy is proud of the recognition, as a high reliability organization, we continue to strive to improve on our past record so that safe, best-practice medicine, tailored to the needs of our patients, is achieved consistently, he added.

The selection is based on the results of The Leapfrog Groups annual hospital survey, which measures hospitals performance on patient safety and quality, focusing on three critical areas of hospital care: how patients fare, resource use, and management structures established to prevent errors. Performance across many areas of hospital care is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including survival rates for high-risk procedures and a hospitals ability to prevent medication errors.

Leapfrogs Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most prestigious distinctions any hospital can achieve in the United States, said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. Top Hospitals have lower infection rates, better outcomes, decreased length of stay and fewer readmissions. By achieving Top Hospital status, Mercy Regional Medical Center has proven it prioritizes the safety of its patients, is committed to transparency and provides exemplary care for families and patients in the Four Corners region. I congratulate the board, staff, and clinicians of Mercy Regional whose efforts achieved these results.

The Top Hospital award is given to urban, rural and children's hospitals that publicly report their performance through the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey and meet the high standards defined in each year's Top Hospitals Methodology.

To see the full list of institutions honored by Leapfrog as a 2015 Top Hospital, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.

 

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About Mercy Regional Medical Center
Mercy Regional Medical Center is an 82-bed acute care hospital in Durango, Colorado. As a non-profit hospital that is part of the Centura Health network, Mercy is committed to improving the health and wellness of the communities it serves in the Four Corners region. See Mercy Regional Medical Center for more information.

About Centura Health
Centura Health connects individuals, families and neighborhoods across Colorado, Utah and western Kansas with more than 6,000 physicians and 19,400 of the best hearts and minds in health care. Through our 16 hospitals, two senior living communities, health neighborhoods, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life Colorado, we are making the regions best health care accessible and affordable in every community we serve. We believe you can inspire the people you care about to live healthier lives by encouraging them to do the little things that can make a big difference. Were Centura Health, and were here for your health. For information on Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit our homepage.

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, Leapfrogs 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.

Media Contact
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