The Leapfrog Group Wednesday released its spring 2026 Hospital Safety Grade – and Northeast Georgia Health System (HGHS) has three of its hospitals with As or Bs. A fourth comes in with a C.
The biannual report assigns a grade to the country’s hospitals based on their ability to protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections. It is the only ratings program focused exclusively on how safe hospitals are for patients.
Grading “A” among NGHS facilities were hospitals in Winder (an A), Gainesville and Braselton (Bs), and Habersham (a C).
National data from the report shows “significant improvement” in 17 measures of errors and infections. This includes healthcare-associated infections, bar code medication administration, computerized physician order entry and five patient experience measures.
“The good news is that hospitals across the country are making meaningful strides in patient safety and helping save countless lives,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “But not all hospitals are the same. That’s why it’s so important for people to consult Safety Grades and do their research when choosing a hospital.”