AUGUSTA – MaineGeneral Medical Center earned the top grade of A on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade released recently. This national distinction celebrates MGMC’s achievements in protecting hospital patients from preventable harm and errors.

“System-wide, MaineGeneral staff take great pride in providing high-quality, patient-centered care. We are proud to receive an ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group, recognizing the achievements of our staff,” Nathan Howell, president and CEO of MaineGeneral Health, said in a news release.

“Everyone who works at MaineGeneral Medical Center should be proud of this ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade. It takes complete dedication at every level, and an ironclad commitment to putting patients first,” Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said in the release.

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

This is the second “A” designation in a row for MaineGeneral.

To see MaineGeneral Medical Center’s full Leapfrog Group grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.

For a list of MaineGeneral’s quality and safety awards, go to mainegeneral.org.