Leapfrog's BEST in Patient Safety

TidalHealth was again nationally spotlighted in today’s release of the Fall 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade report and is now the highest rated health system in patient care and patient safety in the region.

Both TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury, Md. and TidalHealth Nanticoke in Seaford, Del. were awarded an “A” grade, Leapfrog’s highest honor. The designation recognizes both hospitals for their efforts in protecting patients from preventable harm and errors and providing safer healthcare.

This is the fourth consecutive ratings period with an “A” grade for TidalHealth Peninsula Regional. Combined, the “A” grades at the two hospitals make TidalHealth, as rated by Leapfrog, the safest health system for patients in the region.

According to Dr. Debra Sheets, Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness & Corporate Compliance Officer, TidalHealth saw overall strong improvement in infection rates with consistent strong performance in the other survey measures at the Salisbury hospital. 

In Seaford, using the Epic documentation system, TidalHealth Nanticoke saw great improvement in Computerized Physician Order Entry results to a full 100% score on this measure. “This measure is highly weighted because it hardwires safety into the medication ordering system, ensuring accuracy in drug, dosage, and frequency,” added Sheets. 

This fall, TidalHealth Peninsula Regional is one of just 11 hospitals in Maryland to achieve an “A” and the lone representative on the Eastern Shore. In Delaware, TidalHealth Nanticoke is one of just 2 hospitals to achieve that distinctive honor, and the only downstate hospital to do so. 

“Safety is foremost for all healthcare providers. Improving that rating at TidalHealth Nanticoke to an ‘A’ is an outstanding achievement in support of that mission. Achieving an ‘A’ rating—and doing it multiple times consecutively at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional—only happens because both 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.

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for both TidalHealth hospitals,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to their patients and families, and the entire Delmarva Peninsula should be proud. I extend my congratulations to TidalHealth, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”

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. 

Earlier this year, TidalHealth Nanticoke was also presented a 5-Star Ranking by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The Seaford hospital was the only hospital in Delaware to be awarded the prestigious 5-Stars from CMS, 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 2025 Star Report issued last month.