Spring 2026 Safety Grade is a national recognition for commitment to patient safety
NEW HAVEN, CT (May 6, 2026) – Bridgeport Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Yale New Haven Hospital and Westerly Hospital (RI) earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety, underscoring Yale New Haven Health’s ongoing commitment to delivering the safest possible care.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns letter grades ranging from “A” to “F” to general hospitals nationwide, based on evidence-based measures focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries and infections.
“Earning top safety grades across our health system reflects a deep and sustained commitment to protecting our patients from harm,” said Christopher O’Connor, CEO, Yale New Haven Health. “Safety is not a program at our hospitals – it is a foundational value that guides everyday actions, from infection prevention and medication safety to consistently following stringent clinical protocols.”
These results are driven by strong infrastructure, disciplined use of best practices and constant attention to improvement. Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London earned a “B.”
“High-reliability care depends on thousands of decisions made correctly every day,” said Deborah Rhodes, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer, Yale New Haven Health. “Our teams have hardwired patient safety into daily practice and these grades reflect their vigilance, teamwork and unwavering focus on quality.”
Yale New Haven Health continues to prioritize key patient safety initiatives, including falls prevention, reduction of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) and prevention of post-surgical complications, supported by robust data, clinician engagement and system-wide accountability.
“An ‘A’ grade is a strong sign that our hospitals are deeply committed to protecting patients from harm,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We commend the leadership, board, clinicians, staff and volunteers for the role each played in earning this distinction.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections, and injuries, which together claim the lives of more than 500 patients every day in the United States. The program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, free to the public, and updated twice annually in the spring and fall.
Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS), the largest and most comprehensive healthcare system in Connecticut, is recognized for advanced clinical care, quality, service, cost effectiveness and commitment to improving the health status of the communities it serves. YNHHS includes five hospitals – Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, Westerly and Yale New Haven hospitals, several specialty networks and Northeast Medical Group, a non-profit medical foundation with several hundred community-based and hospital-employed physicians. YNHHS is affiliated with Yale University and Yale Medicine, the clinical practice of the Yale School of Medicine and the largest academic multi-specialty practice in New England. Yale New Haven Hospital is the primary teaching hospital of Yale School of Medicine. www.ynhhs.org
