Seven Ardent Health Hospitals Earn Top ‘A’ Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group for Spring 2025
Ardent Health (NYSE: ARDT), a premier provider of healthcare services in rapidly growing mid-sized urban markets across the United States, announced today that seven of its hospitals have received the highest possible mark—an “A” grade—in the Spring 2025 Hospital Safety Grades released by The Leapfrog Group. This national recognition underscores Ardent’s steadfast commitment to delivering high-quality, safe, and patient-centered care across its expanding network of healthcare facilities.
The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality and safety, assigns letter grades—ranging from “A” to “F”—to general acute-care hospitals nationwide. These grades are based on more than 30 publicly available performance measures, including metrics related to medical errors, preventable infections, surgical complications, and hospital systems designed to prevent harm. The program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and updated twice each year—in the spring and fall.
For the Spring 2025 grading period, 81% of Ardent’s eligible hospitals earned either an “A” or “B” grade, significantly outperforming the national average of 56% for similarly eligible facilities. This result reflects the organization’s continued progress in advancing its safety culture and clinical excellence across diverse regions.
The Seven Ardent Hospitals That Received an “A” Hospital Safety Grade:
- Hackensack Meridian Pascack Valley Medical Center – Westwood, New Jersey
- Hillcrest Hospital South – Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Hillcrest Medical Center – Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Lovelace Women’s Hospital – Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Seton Medical Center Harker Heights – Harker Heights, Texas
- UT Health Henderson – Henderson, Texas
- UT Health Jacksonville – Jacksonville, Texas
These hospitals demonstrated outstanding performance across a wide range of patient safety indicators, including low rates of hospital-acquired infections, high hand hygiene compliance, timely responsiveness to patient needs, and strong leadership engagement in safety initiatives.
A Culture Rooted in Safety and Patient-Centered Care
“At Ardent, safety is our highest priority, ensuring the well-being of every patient, team member and visitor in our care,” said Marty Bonick, President and CEO of Ardent Health. “This recognition reflects our deep commitment to patient-centered care and a strong culture of safety—made possible by the dedication of our teams who work tirelessly to deliver exceptional care each day.”
Bonick emphasized that earning top marks from The Leapfrog Group is not just about receiving an external accolade—it is about affirming the values that underpin Ardent’s mission and operational ethos. From hospital executives to frontline clinicians, Ardent’s teams are actively engaged in continuous improvement efforts focused on risk reduction, transparent communication, and adherence to evidence-based safety protocols.
Third-Party Validation from a Trusted Watchdog
Founded in 2000 by a coalition of large employers and purchasers of health benefits, The Leapfrog Group was created to drive a market-based approach to health care quality and safety. Its Hospital Safety Grade program remains the only national rating system that focuses exclusively on how well hospitals protect patients from preventable harm. According to Leapfrog, preventable medical errors and safety-related issues cause more than 500 deaths per day in the U.S.—a staggering statistic that underscores the urgency of safety improvements across the healthcare system.
“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Ardent Health, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.”
Binder added that the Spring 2025 results were particularly meaningful given the challenging operating environment many hospitals face, including workforce shortages, financial constraints, and post-pandemic recovery efforts. “Maintaining and advancing safety during turbulent times is no small feat,” she said.
Building a System-Wide Commitment to Safety
Ardent Health operates more than 30 hospitals and over 200 sites of care across six states. The health system has built its reputation around personalized care in community-focused settings, balancing advanced clinical capabilities with a patient-friendly approach.
The organization’s enterprise-wide quality and safety program includes:
- Centralized Monitoring and Reporting: Regular safety data reporting through dashboards and scorecards ensures transparency and timely intervention.
- Standardized Protocols: Implementation of standardized, evidence-based clinical practices across facilities to reduce variation and improve outcomes.
- Training and Education: Continuous education for clinical and non-clinical staff on best practices in patient safety and quality improvement.
- Leadership Rounding and Engagement: Hospital leaders frequently visit units to engage directly with staff, identify safety concerns, and reinforce a safety-first mindset.
- Patient and Family Involvement: Encouraging patients and families to speak up and participate in safety checks contributes to a more collaborative care environment.
Outpacing the National Average
The fact that over 80% of Ardent’s eligible hospitals earned either “A” or “B” grades from Leapfrog, compared to a national average of just 56%, is a testament to the system’s proactive safety strategies. While some healthcare organizations treat accreditation and rating programs as once-a-year efforts, Ardent approaches them as an ongoing process integrated into daily clinical operations.
“This achievement is a reflection of the relentless work of our clinical teams and operational leaders who ensure safety is always front and center,” said Dr. Thomas Jensen, Chief Medical Officer at Ardent Health. “Whether it’s reducing central line infections, improving surgical safety checklists, or strengthening fall prevention protocols, we take a holistic view of what it means to deliver safe, compassionate care.”
Transparency and Public Accountability
One of the defining features of The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is its public accessibility. Consumers can search safety grades for hospitals in their area by visiting www.hospitalsafetygrade.org. This enables patients and families to make informed decisions based on hospital performance in critical areas that directly affect outcomes.
By participating in these public reporting initiatives, Ardent not only holds itself accountable to external benchmarks but also reinforces its promise to deliver care that meets the highest national standards.
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, Ardent Health remains committed to elevating safety and quality as key pillars of its strategic vision. Future initiatives include expanding digital health tools to support clinical decision-making, leveraging artificial intelligence to identify risk patterns, and increasing collaboration across facilities to share best practices system-wide.
“The journey to zero harm is never complete, but recognitions like this affirm that we are on the right path,” said Bonick. “We are proud of what our teams have accomplished and even more excited about what lies ahead.”
