By Danielle Pierce

 All VCU Health hospitals earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety, making it the only health system in Virginia to achieve all “A’s” for each hospital for Fall 2025.

Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to nearly 3,000 hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. Hospitals with an "A" grade excel in 22 evidence-based measures and benefit by actively protecting patients from harm and improving patient outcomes, such as reduced length of stay and mortality rates. Only 32% of hospitals nationwide receive this top mark.

“We are thrilled to see all three hospitals achieve the highest grade for patient safety,” said Marlon Levy, M.D., MBA, senior vice president for VCU Health Sciences and CEO of VCU Health. “This means that no matter where they are during a time of need, patients can trust that they’ll receive the same safe, quality health care at any VCU Health hospital across the region.”

VCU Health’s hospitals earning the “A” safety grade include VCU Medical Center in Richmond, VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, and VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital in Tappahannock.

All three hospitals earned top marks for performance in medication safety (medication scanning and performance of EMR system to protect patients from medication errors) and hand hygiene.

Additionally, VCU Medical Center is in the top 3% in the nation for patient safety performance, according the Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) 90. This measure reflects how often patients experience complications or harmful events after surgery, procedures, or during a hospital stay.

“Maintaining an ‘A’ grade for patient safety at VCU Medical Center means more than the recognition,” said Jim Willis, president of VCU Medical Center. “It’s a testament to the unwavering dedication to a culture of excellence and delivering compassionate care that is at the heart of everything we do. We are very proud of the results of this survey.”

The “A” ratings reflect a dedicated, multi-year effort across the health system to increase safety protocols for all patients.

“Quality and safety are at the heart of everything we do at CMH. Every team member plays a vital role in creating an environment where patients feel safe, valued, and care for,” said Sheldon Barr, president of VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. “This Leapfrog score reflects their compassion, teamwork, and dedication to delivering the highest quality care to our community."

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is 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. The program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“Delivering safe, high-quality care, in a manner that makes you feel cared for is central to who we are,” said Josh Hammond, interim president of VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital. “We’re proud to be recognized by The Leapfrog Group for our continued excellence. Through collaboration across VCU Health, we’re always learning and improving so that our neighbors can count on exceptional care, right here at home.”

Explore VCU Health’s full grade details from The Leapfrog Group.

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