Three Central Mass. hospitals receive top safety grade

Heywood Healthcare CEO Winfield Brown

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By Sloane M. Perron

The Leapfrog Group has released its bi-annual Hospital Safety Guide scores, giving three Central Massachusetts hospitals A ratings for their dedication to patient safety.

Heywood Hospital in Gardner, Marlborough Hospital, and Milford Regional Medical Center, all received A ratings for fall 2021. The worst rating for a Central Massachusetts hospital was the D score UMass Memorial Medical Center's Memorial Campus in Worcester received.

The hospitals are evaluated using 30 national performance measures under the categories: infections, problems with surgery, safety problems, practice to prevent errors, and doctors, nurses & hospital staff. The Leapfrog Group, which is based in Washington, D.C., scores 2,600 hospitals around the nation.

Here are all Leapfrog Hospital Safety Guide’s ratings for Central Massachusetts hospitals in fall 2021:

Harrington Memorial Hospital in Southbridge: B. In 2020, Harrington held an A rating but decreased results in the safety problems, practice to prevent errors, and doctors, nurses, and hospital staff areas resulted in a B rating.

Heywood Hospital in Gardner: A. This is the third straight A that Heywood Hospital has received from the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Guide.

Marlborough Hospital: A. This is the fifth consecutive time Marlborough Hospital has received an A rating.

Milford Regional Medical Center: A. Since fall 2018, Milford Regional Medical Center has received consecutive As.

HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital in Leominster: C. After previously receiving a B rating, HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital experienced a drop in its safety problems, practices to prevent errors, and doctors, nurses, and hospital staff categories.

Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester: B. Since spring 2020, Saint Vincent Hospital has received consecutive Bs.

MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham: C. Since spring 2020, MetroWest Medical Center has consistently held a C rating.

UMass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus in Worcester: D. In the past five surveys, UMass Memorial’s Belmont Street location held a C rating. This year, the hospital scored below average in the problems with surgery category resulting in a D rating.

UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus in Worcester: C. Since fall 2018, the University Campus has received seven consecutive C ratings.