Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) received its eighth consecutive “A” – the highest grade possible – for hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group. This national distinction recognizes CMMC’s success with protecting patients from harm and errors in the hospital.
“This is a remarkable achievement for CMMC, but should come as no surprise,” said Steve Littleson, DBA, FACHE, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare. “It is a validation of the extraordinary work our team members do every day on behalf of our patients. Getting eight consecutive “A” grades is impressive enough. But to be recognized for maintaining these high standards throughout the pandemic and other challenges facing the entire healthcare industry speaks volumes about the quality of care we provide at CMMC.”
“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 thirty national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.
Only about half of Maine hospitals receive a Leapfrog hospital safety grade.
“I could not be prouder of our entire team,” said Central Maine Healthcare Chief Medical Officer John L. Alexander, MD, MHCM, FACEP. “Patient safety is the main consideration in everything that happens here, so it is very encouraging to be recognized once again by the Leapfrog Group.”
In late 2021, the Leapfrog Group announced Bridgton Hospital and Rumford Hospital, both part of the Central Maine Healthcare system, were among the group’s Top Rural Hospitals.
Developed under the guidance of a national expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,700 U.S. acute- care hospitals twice a year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent. The results are free to the public.
About Central Maine Medical Center
Central Maine Medical Center located in Lewiston, is a Level II Trauma Center serving Androscoggin County and the surrounding region. CMMC’s “Centers of Excellence” include the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute, the Central Maine Cancer Center, and a Trauma Services Program. CMMC is also the southern Maine base for LifeFlight of Maine, the state’s only medical helicopter service. Supported by the latest technologies, CMMC’s skilled professionals provide outstanding care delivered with compassion, kindness, and understanding. Learn more at: www.cmmc.org.
About Central Maine Healthcare
Central Maine Healthcare (CMH) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving 400,000 people living in central, western, and mid-coast Maine. CMH’s hospital facilities include Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Bridgton Hospital, and Rumford Hospital. CMH also supports Central Maine Medical Group, a primary and specialty care practice organization. Other system services include the Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute, a regional trauma program, LifeFlight of Maine’s southern Maine base, the Central Maine Cancer Center, and other high-quality clinical services. Learn more at www.cmhc.org.
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 and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC 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.