Seventeen hospitals in the Philadelphia area receive top grades in the latest fall health report card.
In a notable shift for the Philadelphia area’s healthcare landscape, none of the region’s hospitals received a “D” grade for safety in the latest assessment by Leapfrog, a respected national hospital watchdog organization. This reflects a significant improvement in hospital safety standards in the region.
Leapfrog, which evaluates safety for approximately 3,000 hospitals across the United States, publishes ratings biannually. Its assessment is based on a comprehensive methodology that considers 22 critical safety metrics, including infection rates and preventable errors, reported by hospitals to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Additionally, the organization incorporates data from seven other safety indicators gathered through a voluntary survey completed by hospitals. The current ratings, reflecting data collected from 2021 to 2025, mark a turning point for local health facilities.
A total of 41 hospitals in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, including surrounding counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, underwent evaluation. Of these, 17 institutions received top marks, with hospitals owned by Jefferson Health, Main Line Health, and Virtua Health achieving “A” ratings, indicative of their commitment to patient safety and quality care.
While many hospitals made significant strides, Penn Medicine hospitals were assigned “C” grades, having faced downgrades last year due to a methodological change in Leapfrog’s rating system. Previously, hospitals that did not provide their own data were scored based on the average performance of their peers. The new approach assigns the lowest rating to such institutions for those unreported categories, impacting Penn Medicine’s overall standing.
Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital represent a recent troubling chapter in the region’s healthcare provision. Historically rated with “D” grades due to persistent safety concerns, these facilities closed earlier this year following severe financial mismanagement and neglect. Their shutdown was executed by Prospect Medical Holdings, their for-profit owner, as a part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.
Amidst these shifts, Chestnut Hill Hospital, under the auspices of Temple Health, observed a positive change, moving from a “D” grade in the spring to a “C” this fall. Meanwhile, Temple’s main hospital and the Jeanes campus experienced a decrease in performance, achieving “B” ratings after earlier securing “A” grades.
The Leapfrog ratings serve as an essential benchmark for patients and health professionals alike, providing crucial information on hospital performance and safety. Understanding how each facility fared can empower patients in making informed healthcare decisions.
