St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor Earns 2021 Leapfrog Top Teaching Hospital Award for Outstanding Quality and Safety

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Bobby Maldonado

248-858-6662


Bobby.Maldonado@stjoeshealth.org

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Dec. 7, 2021) – Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor was named a Top Teaching Hospital nationally by The Leapfrog Group. Announced today, the Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. The Top Hospital designation is bestowed by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers recognized as the toughest standard-setters for health care safety and quality.

“To be nationally recognized for patient safety standards is an incredible accomplishment for our medical teams, especially given the challenges and pressures they face every day amid the ongoing pandemic," said Alonzo Lewis, president of St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor. “I commend all our colleagues for rising to the challenge, for not letting up, and for assuring the communities we serve that their loved ones are receiving safe, high-quality care."

Over 2,200 hospitals were considered for the award. Among those, St. Joe's received a Top Teaching distinction. A total of 149 top hospitals nationwide were selected as Top Hospitals, including:

• 8 Top Children’s
• 46 Top General
• 23 Top Rural
• 72 Top Teaching

Two other Trinity Health Michigan hospitals, St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea and Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, also received Top Teaching distinction.

The quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, surgery, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication and other errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.

To qualify for the Top Hospitals distinction, hospitals must rank top among peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which assesses hospital performance on the highest standards for quality and patient safety. To see the full list of institutions honored as 2021 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.

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About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information, they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.

About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a health care organization serving seven counties in southeast Michigan including Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, and Lenawee. It includes 548-bed St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 497-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy Livonia, 66-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, and 133-bed St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea. Combined, the five hospitals are licensed for 1,548 beds, have five outpatient health centers, six urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 15,300 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 2,700 physicians. SJMHS has annual operating revenues of about $2 billion and returns about $115 million to its communities annually through charity care and community benefit programs.