FARMINGTON – Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Franklin Memorial Hospital was named a Top Rural Hospital by The Leapfrog Group for the first time on Dec 7. The Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive.
The Top Hospital designation is awarded by The Leapfrog Group, an independent hospital watchdog organization.
“We are deeply honored to be one of 18 rural hospitals recognized nationwide by this award, which underscores our organizational effort and collective commitment of our staff, physicians, and hospital leadership to the highest standards of care,” said Miriam Leonard, Franklin Memorial Hospital chief operating officer. “We leverage ratings such as these as a tool to continually improve. This recognition together with our October “A” recognition, also from The Leapfrog Group, demonstrates that we’re making great advances in providing the highest quality of care to the residents and visitors of Greater Franklin County.”
Among thousands of hospitals in the country, Franklin Memorial Hospital received a Top Rural Hospital distinction, recognized nationally alongside:
- 10 Top Children’s Hospitals
- 45 Top General Hospitals
- 18 Top Rural Hospitals
- 36 Top Teaching Hospitals
Performance across many areas of hospital care is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.
“We are proud to recognize Franklin Memorial Hospital as a 2017 Leapfrog Top Hospital. This demonstrates extraordinary dedication to patients and the local community. The entire staff and board deserve praise for putting quality first and achieving results,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog.
To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must submit a Leapfrog Hospital Survey. The selection of Top Hospitals 2017 is based on surveys from nearly 1,900 hospitals. To see the full list of institutions honored as 2017 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.
Do your research of Leapfrog. “Jeff Dye, president of the New Mexico Hospital Association, told Modern Healthcare that many of the hospitals did not participate in the survey, because they “see it as extortion to obtain a higher score. A handful of hospitals challenged The Leapfrog Group’s safety grades, calling the methodology flawed and noting that the system favors hospitals that participate in the organization’s voluntarily reporting system.’ I appreciate having a local hospital, but why the need for erroneous pats on the back. Did you know that I won best of show for baking? I was the only participant but nonetheless, I won Best of Show.
Also of note is that FCHN has many great employees who give greatly of themselves to care for those in this community. While this is just an award it is recognition to all those tremendous employees that deserve a pat on the back wherever it may originate.