Four Central Mass. hospitals receive top safety rating

Photo | Grant Welker Milford Regional Medical Center

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Four hospitals in Central Massachusetts received an A for safety in twice-a-year reviews by a national group on Monday.

The Leapfrog Group's fall reviews include As for Harrington Hospital in Southbridge, Heywood Hospital in Gardner, Marlborough Hospital and Milford Regional Medical Center. Among the area's largest hospitals, Saint Vincent Hospital got a B and UMass Memorial Medical Center's Memorial and University campuses in Worcester both earned a C.

The Leapfrog Group scores more than 2,600 hospitals on a grade rank of patient safety based on publicly available data on prevention of medical errors, infections and other potential harms on patients. Of 58 hospitals rated across Massachusetts, 33 received As, 14 got Bs, and 11 got Cs.

How Central Massachusetts hospitals fared:

• Harrington Hospital: Southbridge: A. Four of the last seven reviews for Harrington have resulted in As.
• Heywood Hospital: Gardner: A. The last eight ratings have been split evenly for Heywood between As and Bs.
• Marlborough Hospital: A. It's the fourth A in the last seven rankings, including third straight.
• Milford Regional Medical Center: A. Seven of the hospital's last eight scores have been an A.
• HealthAlliance Leominster: B. It's the third straight B following five Cs.
• HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital: B. The hospital has consecutive Bs following two As, having not been previously scored.
• Leonard Morse Hospital, Natick: B. It's the fourth B in the last eight ratings, mixed with three Cs and an A.
• Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester: B. It's the second straight B for Saint Vincent, following five out of six As.
• MetroWest Medical Center, Framingham: C. This score is the hospital's most common, with five of the last eight scores landing as a C.
• UMass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus, Worcester: C. Six of the hospital's last eight scores have been Cs, mixed with two Bs.
• UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus, Worcester: C. One B score in early 2018 is the only score better than a C the hospital has received.