Delmarva's Safest Hospitals

TidalHealth was again nationally spotlighted in the May 1 release of the Spring 2025 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report and remains the highest rated health system in patient care and patient safety in the region.

Atlantic General Hospital (AGH) in Berlin, Md., TidalHealth Nanticoke in Seaford, Del. and  TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury, Md. were all awarded an “A” grade, Leapfrog’s highest honor. The designation recognizes each hospital for its efforts in protecting patients from preventable harm and errors and providing safer healthcare.

Combined, the “A” grades at the three hospitals make TidalHealth, as rated by Leapfrog, the safest health system for patients in the region.

“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 all three TidalHealth hospitals, their leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients on the Delmarva Peninsula come first.”

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional was also named a “Straight A” Hospital for earning the A grade for at least the last two consecutive years. The Salisbury hospital is the only on the Eastern Shore named in this special category. This is the second consecutive ratings period with an “A” grade for TidalHealth Nanticoke and the fifth for TidalHealth Peninsula Regional. 

According to Dr. Debra Sheets, Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness & Corporate Compliance Officer, TidalHealth continues to focus efforts on patient safety and quality across the system, not just sustaining performance but continuously improving key quality measures.

This spring, AGH and TidalHealth Peninsula Regional are two of just 13 hospitals in Maryland to achieve an “A” and the lone representatives on the Eastern Shore. In Delaware, TidalHealth Nanticoke is one of just three hospitals to achieve that distinctive honor, and the only downstate hospital to do so. 

“Safety is foremost for all healthcare providers. Our team at Atlantic General Hospital worked extremely hard over the past year to improve to an ‘A,’ which is an outstanding achievement in support their patient safety mission. Achieving an ‘A’ rating—and doing it multiple times consecutively at TidalHealth Nanticoke and TidalHealth Peninsula Regional—only happens because all three teams are dedicated to a multidisciplinary approach involving clinical and non-clinical partners focused on improving processes to enhance exceptional care and safety,” said Steve Leonard, Ph.D., MBA, FACHE, President/CEO of TidalHealth. “In addition to our providers and nurses, there are always key contributors at both hospitals like the pharmacy staff who provided input and leadership into reducing infections and our information technology team that is always crucial to our successes.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as systems that hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

“At TidalHealth Nanticoke, patient safety isn’t just a priority—it’s a promise we deliver on every day,” said Penny Short, MSM, BSN, RN, President of TidalHealth Nanticoke. “Achieving an ‘A’ grade for a second consecutive period reflects the deep commitment of our entire team in Seaford to uphold the highest standards in clinical excellence, safety practices, and compassionate care. We’re proud to serve our community with the safest and most reliable healthcare in downstate Delaware.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. 

“Earning an A grade demonstrates the commitment that the entire team at Atlantic General has made to patient safety and quality healthcare, as well as our journey in becoming a high-reliability organization. Multidisciplinary efforts to hardwire best practices here at Atlantic General have been the foundation for earning an A grade for the Spring 2025 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade,” added Bonita Conner, DNP, RN, CPHQ, CPAN, CAPA, NE-BC, Director of Quality and Infection Prevention.

Last year, TidalHealth Nanticoke was presented a 5-Star Ranking by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The Seaford hospital is the only hospital in Delaware to be awarded the prestigious 5-Stars from CMS in 2024, the organizations gold standard rating for care and outcomes.

TidalHealth Peninsula Regional was also the recipient of Healthgrades BEST 50 American Hospitals for Vascular Surgery and BEST 100 American Hospitals for Spine Surgery in the United States awards in their recently issued 2025 Star Report.