Memorial Hospital and Mercy Southwest join Dignity Health hospitals across California earning the most safety awards than any other health system in the state

Memorial Hospital earns five “Straight A”, Hospital Safety Grades from The Leapfrog Group, and Mercy Hospital Southwest received a consecutive “A” grade rating for the Spring 2025 cycle

BAKERSFIELD, CA, MAY 1, 2025 – Dignity Health—Memorial Hospital and Mercy Hospital Southwest earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.

“This recognition is a direct result of the hard work, collaboration, and continuous improvement efforts of our physicians, nurses, and staff,” said Ken Keller, President & CEO of Memorial Hospital. I am honored to lead a team that is dedicated to patient safety, allowing us to earn our fifth consecutive ‘A’ grade from the Leapfrog Group.”

“Our ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group underscores our commitment to providing safe and reliable health care in our community,” said Simon Ratliff, President & CEO, Mercy Hospitals Bakersfield. “This achievement demonstrates our staff’s dedication to maintaining trust by prioritizing patient safety.”

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Memorial Hospital & Mercy Hospital Southwest, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.”

Additionally, both hospitals have been honored with 2025 "Best Of" Bakersfield Readers Choice Awards. Memorial Hospital earned “Best Hospital” in the Bakersfield Californian 2025 Best of Readers’ Awards. Mercy Hospital Southwest was named “A Favorite” hospital.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in

the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To explore full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. Connect with The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and stay informed through The Leapfrog Group newsletter.

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About Dignity Health California

Dignity Health California is a nonprofit network of over 9000 physicians, more than 35,000 employees, 29 acute care hospitals, and 200-plus care-centers, including community hospitals, urgent care, surgery and imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics. Dignity Health California provides award-winning care to communities in five primary markets across the state: North State, Sacramento, Central Valley, Central Coast, and Southern California.

Dignity Health is a member of CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit Catholic healthcare organizations, dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality, and affordable patient-centered care with special attention to the poor and underserved. Learn more at DignityHealth.org and CommonSpirit.org.

About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.