The four hospitals in the LewisGale system have earned a coveted “A” grade, recognizing their success rate in protecting patients overall and in providing safe healthcare.
The “Leapfrog Safety Grade” is a national recognition from a watchdog that intends to help improve quality and safety in health care. The “A” is its highest grade for performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections, and other harm to patients in their care.
The LewisGale system includes hospitals in Alleghany County, Montgomery County, Pulaski and the Medical Center in Salem, all of which earned an “A.” A third of the 2,600 hospitals graded nationally earned the highest designation.
Dr. Steven Pasternak, an ER physician and Chief of Staff at LewisGale Medical Center, said, “I’m incredibly proud of our Medical Staff and team of LewisGale associates for their commitment to our patients, as well as for the care they provide – both of which result in continued strong patient satisfaction and improved health outcomes.”
LewisGale Market President Lance Jones said, “When coupled with compassion and a dedication to providing the highest levels of quality patient care every day, they are hallmarks of the LewisGale name.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent, and the results are free to the public.
About the Writer:
Dan Smith is an award-winning Roanoke-based writer/author/photographer and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame (Class of 2010). His blog, fromtheeditr.com, is widely read and he has authored seven books, including the novel CLOG! He is founding editor of a Roanoke-based business magazine and a former Virginia Small Business Journalist of the Year (2005).
