MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization committed to driving quality, safety, and transparency in the U.S. health care system, on Wednesday released new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide. Colquitt Regional Medical Center was one of 823 hospitals, and one of only 13 in Georgia, to receive an “A” for its commitment to reducing errors, infections, and accidents that can harm patients.

“I am so proud of our staff,” said Colquitt Regional CEO Jim Matney. “We challenge our employees every day to be exceptional. We ask them to go above and beyond what is required and to treat every patient as if they were a family member. This ‘A’ rating is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our physicians and staff.”

This is the sixth consecutive “A” rating that has been received by Colquitt Regional. Colquitt Regional is one of only two hospitals in South Georgia to earn an “A” rating for the Spring 2017 and they are the only hospital in the region to have six consecutive “A” ratings, the hospital said in a press release. A special celebration was held Wednesday to share news of the “A” with hospital employees.

“Hospitals that earn top marks nationally in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, have achieved the highest safety standards in the country,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “That takes commitment from every member of the hospital staff, who all deserve thanks and congratulations when their hospitals achieve an ‘A’ Safety Grade.”

Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

Richard Bass, chairman of the Colquitt Regional Board of Trustees, could not be more pleased. “Every patient that walks into Colquitt Regional deserves the very best care available and this rating shows just how seriously we take patient safety. It is the number one priority and I commend every employee for the role that they play in delivering safe and exceptional care to patients,” said Bass.

To see Colquitt Regional’s full grade, and to access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org or follow the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade mobile app for Apple and Android devices.