Rating reflects ongoing commitment to patient safety and quality care
Northwell Health has once again demonstrated its leadership in patient safety and clinical excellence, with fifteen of its hospitals receiving an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group for Fall 2025. This achievement highlights the system’s unwavering commitment to preventing medical harm and delivering the highest levels of safe, reliable, and patient-centered care.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is recognized nationally as the only rating program exclusively focused on hospital safety. Issued twice annually, it evaluates more than 3,000 acute-care hospitals across the United States, assigning letter grades from A through F. These grades are based on a comprehensive set of evidence-based metrics that measure how well hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. An “A” grade represents the gold standard in hospital safety, indicating strong performance across a variety of measures including infection control, care team responsiveness, safety leadership, and adherence to best practices.
A Systemwide Achievement Driven by Culture and Commitment
This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire workforce to the safety and well-being of our patients,” said John D’Angelo, MD, president and CEO of Northwell Health. “We’re proud to see so many of our hospitals earn top marks from Leapfrog, which reinforces the system-wide culture of safety and quality that defines our care.”
Dr. D’Angelo emphasized that receiving an “A” grade is not an endpoint but a reflection of ongoing vigilance, collaboration, and innovation across every level of the organization. From frontline staff to senior leadership, the health system strives to build safety into every step of the patient journey—whether in the emergency department, operating room, inpatient units, or outpatient facilities.
Achieving this level of performance across so many hospitals doesn’t happen overnight,” added Peter Silver, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer at Northwell Health. “It’s the result of relentless focus on evidence-based practices that reduce harm and improve outcomes for every patient we serve. Our teams continually challenge themselves to improve processes, enhance communication, and implement new safety strategies that meet the evolving needs of our communities.”
Dr. Silver highlighted several system-wide initiatives that have contributed to this success, including advanced infection prevention protocols, enhanced hand-hygiene monitoring, rapid-response training, and robust patient-engagement programs focused on transparency and shared decision-making.
Impact of Nuvance Health Integration
This fall’s Leapfrog grading cycle marks the first full assessment since Nuvance Health officially joined Northwell Health earlier in the year, an expansion that has significantly strengthened the system’s regional presence across New York and Connecticut. With the integration of high-performing facilities like Putnam Hospital, Northern Dutchess Hospital, Sharon Hospital, and Danbury Hospital, all of which earned “A” grades in the fall 2025 ratings, Northwell has broadened its reach while maintaining the same rigorous safety standards across its growing network.
The successful performance of these newly added hospitals underscores the value of bringing the organizations together. According to system leaders, integrating clinical teams, safety protocols, and quality improvement frameworks has allowed for the seamless exchange of best practices and the introduction of new technologies aimed at improving patient care.
The expansion also reflects Northwell’s ongoing commitment to serving diverse communities with accessible, high-quality, and safe medical services. Patients across the Greater New York and Connecticut regions now benefit from a more unified network of resources, expanded specialty care options, and a strengthened focus on safety and quality improvement.
Leapfrog’s Recognition: A Benchmark of Trust
Earning an ‘A’ grade means Northwell Health made a true commitment to put patient safety first,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the leadership, Board, clinicians, staff and volunteers who all had a role to play in this achievement.”
Binder emphasized that the Leapfrog Safety Grade serves as a trusted benchmark for patients, families, employers, and health care professionals across the country. The program’s rigorous methodology evaluates a wide range of indicators, including:
- Hospital-associated infection rates, such as MRSA and C. difficile
- Surgical safety measures, including adherence to checklists and complication rates
- Nurse and physician staffing levels
- Medication administration protocols
- Use of electronic systems that help prevent medical errors
- Responsiveness to critical situations, such as rapid treatment of sepsis or cardiac events
- Patient communication and education efforts
An “A” grade signals that a hospital consistently adheres to these best practices and maintains strong outcomes that reflect a true culture of safety.
Why Hospital Safety Grades Matter
Patient safety remains one of the most important measures of health care quality. Preventable medical harm continues to be a significant challenge nationwide, affecting millions of patients each year. Organizations like The Leapfrog Group work to close this gap by offering transparent, easy-to-understand ratings that help consumers make informed decisions about where to receive care.
For health systems like Northwell, the Leapfrog grades serve as both a point of accountability and a motivator for continuous improvement. They help drive investments in staff training, technology, and evidence-based clinical processes.
Moreover, safety grades promote collaboration across departments and disciplines. At Northwell, quality teams analyze data trends, conduct audits, share safety lessons, and coordinate improvement strategies across all hospitals—ensuring that successful practices in one facility can be replicated systemwide.
A Continuing Journey Toward Excellence
As Northwell Health celebrates the success of its fifteen hospitals earning “A” grades, leaders emphasize that the journey toward excellence is ongoing. The health system continues to invest in advanced clinical training, patient-safety technology, digital innovation, and workforce development initiatives that support high-quality care.
From expanding real-time safety analytics to implementing new protocols designed to prevent falls, infections, and medication errors, Northwell remains focused on pushing the boundaries of what is possible in safe patient care.
The recognition in Fall 2025 marks a milestone—but also fuels momentum for further progress. For the patients and communities Northwell serves, it reaffirms the system’s commitment to creating a health care environment where safety is not merely a standard but a deeply embedded value.
About Northwell Health
Northwell is the largest not-for-profit health system in the Northeast, serving residents of New York and Connecticut with 28 hospitals, more than 1,000 outpatient facilities, 22,000 nurses and over 20,000 physicians. Northwell cares for more than three million people annually in the New York metro area, including Long Island, the Hudson Valley, western Connecticut and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Northwell is New York State’s largest private employer with over 104,000 employees – including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners and Nuvance Health Medical Practices – who are working to change health care for the better. Northwell, named a TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025, is making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. Northwell is training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies.
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