Beaufort Memorial Earns 2022 Top Hospitals Award for Outstanding Quality and Safety
December 28, 2022
We all want access to Grade A healthcare. We know that achieving an “A” means a commitment to pursuing and achieving the best, which is especially important when you’re looking for medical services and care. And the best news: It’s right in our backyard.
Beaufort Memorial Hospital was recently named a Top General Hospital by The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization that advances patient safety in hospitals. Beaufort Memorial is one of only three general hospitals in South Carolina to earn the distinction.
The Leapfrog Top Hospitals Award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive awards American hospitals can receive. Granted to a select group of hospitals that have earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade, only 5% of the nation’s hospitals were recognized as “Top” this year.
More than 2,200 hospitals were considered for the award and just 32 were named Top Hospitals in the Top General Hospitals category. Across four categories, a total of 115 Top Hospitals were selected, placing Beaufort Memorial in the nation’s top 5%.
“To be recognized among the nation’s top five percent of hospitals for high quality and safe care is an honor and our entire staff deserves the thanks and congratulations,” said Beaufort Memorial President and CEO Russell Baxley. “This type of recognition can only be achieved with a hospitalwide commitment to safety, involving everyone from housekeeping and food services to the nurses, doctors and technicians on our medical team. Their hard work and vigilance to keep patients, visitors and each other safe is central to the values we hold as an organization. I am proud to work alongside this amazing team.”
Maternity and orthopedic care were among the top patient care areas where Beaufort Memorial received recognition.
“The Birthing Center team’s consistent focus on providing the best care to each and every mother and newborn is in part why Beaufort Memorial is being recognized,” said Dr. Gregory A. Miller, chief of obstetrics and board-certified OBGYN who delivers hundreds of babies at Beaufort Memorial each year. “We’re minimizing the need for cesarean deliveries and all the risks they pose to mother and child. Potential health concerns for new mothers are actively addressed. We have an experienced and highly skilled team of nurses and pediatricians in the Level II nursery caring for babies and ensuring they are screened and treated for conditions before they result in harm.”
The quality of patient care across many areas of hospital performance is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, practices for safer surgery, maternity care and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors.
“When compared to the rest of the nation, our team has a level of proficiency with all the aspects of patient care that are essential to a successful surgery,” said Dr. Edward Blocker, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Beaufort Memorial Orthopaedic Specialists. “What that means for joint replacement patients is better outcomes and a shorter length of stay. It also means we see fewer complications and readmissions after surgery.”
About Hospital Safety Grades
For the last 10 years, the Leapfrog Group has assigned letter grades to hospitals throughout the United States, based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and freely available to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.
“We are honored to recognize Beaufort Memorial as a Top Hospital this year,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Beaufort Memorial Hospital has demonstrated that they truly put patients first. We congratulate the board, staff, and clinicians whose efforts made this honor possible.”
Advancing Patient Safety Efforts
Beaufort Memorial has been advancing hospital-wide patient safety efforts for many years; the results of which have garnered the organization state and national recognition. Currently, Beaufort Memorial is one of only three South Carolina hospitals with advanced certification for hip and knee replacement from The Joint Commission, the accrediting body for all hospitals in the nation.
This focus on safety continues to be especially important as the hospital embarks on a multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion of its Surgical Pavilion in Beaufort. The project will include the addition of two state-of-the-art surgical suites to accommodate the growing demand for advanced procedures, enlarge existing suites to optimize the surgical process, and attract top physicians.
“The caliber of staff at Beaufort Memorial Hospital is why we’ve been ranked in the top 5% across the nation for quality and safety,” Baxley said. “Everyone understands how important it is to provide safe, quality care to every one of our patients, and we allow safety to inform every intervention that occurs in our hospital.”
Learn about the other awards and recognition received by Beaufort Memorial on our Awards and Recognition page.