Grinnell Regional Medical Center Awarded Coveted 2013 Leapfrog Top Hospital Distinction

Third Time, Recognized for Safety and Quality

The Leapfrog Group named Grinnell Regional Medical Center to its annual list of Top Hospitals. The announcement came at Leapfrog’s Annual Meeting on December 3 in Washington, DC, which gathered key decision-makers from Leapfrog's network of purchaser members, industry partners, healthcare stakeholders, and national collaborators.

“We are very pleased that Grinnell Regional Medical Center was recognized as a top rural hospital again this year” said Garth Bowen, Co-chair of the Iowa Health Buyers Alliance.

“The field of hospitals’ considered for this year’s elite Leapfrog Top Hospital distinction was more competitive than ever. By achieving the Top Hospital accolade, they have demonstrated exemplary performance across all areas of quality and patient safety that are analyzed on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. If my family or friends needed care, I’d be comfortable sending them to these distinguished hospitals,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.

GRMC was selected as a Top Hospital out of a record number of 1,324 hospitals participating in The Leapfrog Group’s annual survey. It was also selected as a top rural hospital in 2012 and 2010. GRMC is the only Iowa hospital selected in 2013.

“We are thrilled to be recognized a third year for our patient safety, quality, and efficiency,” says Bill Menner, GRMC Board of Directors president. “Quality of care has been a priority for many years at GRMC. Earning this award again shows local residents that their community hospital is exceptional. We’re very proud to be recognized.”

Mayo Clinic – Saint Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN - which provides care for many Iowans - has also been consistently recognized by The Leapfrog Group for patient safety and other quality measures. It was selected as a top urban hospital in 2009 through 2012.

Ninety hospitals across the country earned the Top Hospital Distinction: 22 Top Rural Hospitals, 55 Top Urban Hospitals, and 13 Top Children’s Hospitals. Hospitals reaching this achievement include academic medical centers, teaching hospitals, children’s hospitals, and community hospitals in rural, suburban, and urban settings. The selection is based on the results of the Leapfrog Group’s 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 in place to prevent errors. The results of the survey are posted on a website (http://www.leapfroggroup.org/cp) open to patients and families, the public, employers and other purchasers of health care.

About The Leapfrog Group

The Leapfrog Group (www.leapfroggroup.org) is a national organization using the collective leverage of large purchasers of healthcare to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality, and affordability of health care for Americans. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey allows purchasers to structure their contracts and purchasing to reward the highest performing hospitals. The Leapfrog Group was founded in November 2000 with support from the Business Roundtable and national funders, and is now independently operated with support from its purchaser and other members.

About The Iowa Health Buyers Alliance: The IHBA (www.ihbaonline.org)  is an association of health care consumers and purchasers working together for better health, better health care and better value. We support a patient centered health system, improved care quality, wellness and increased transparency and public disclosure. Our members include public and private employers, labor organizations, and consumer groups.

About The Health Policy Corporation: The HPCI (www.hpci.org) is an employer led business and health coalition. Through joint employer initiatives, its work focuses on getting the greatest value for the dollar invested in health care and improvements in the health of the community.