(ST. JOSEPH) - Corewell Health Lakeland Hospital and Corewell Health Niles Hospital, formerly Spectrum Health Lakeland Medical Center and Spectrum Health Lakeland Niles Hospital, have achieved an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group.

This national distinction recognizes Corewell Health South’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care.

“We are proud to have our hospitals recognized with an A grade by The Leapfrog Group for our continued efforts to deliver safe, high quality health care in Southwest Michigan,” said Loren B. Hamel, MD, president, Corewell Health South. “This distinction further affirms the commitment our team members make every day, everywhere to keep our community safe and well.”

The Leapfrog Group is an independent national watchdog organization with a 10-year history of assigning 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 free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.

“I applaud the hospital leadership and workforce for their strong commitment to safety and transparency,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients. Your hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.”

To see Corewell Health South hospital’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org