Date Given: 12/2/2015 12:00:00 AM

For the fifth time in six years, The Leapfrog Group has named Inland Hospital to its annual list of Top Hospitals. This coveted and respected recognition showcases Inland’s dedication to Leapfrog’s vision of providing the safest, highest quality health care for consumers and purchasers alike.
 
“We are humbled to receive this honor for the fifth time,” says John Dalton, Inland Hospital President/CEO. “I am proud to work with providers and staff whose commitment to safety and quality give real meaning to the words “Inland Hospital - where you come first.”
 
Inland was one of only 24 Top Rural Hospitals in the US recognized and selected from hospitals participating in The Leapfrog Group’s annual survey. The list also includes 62 Top Urban Hospitals and 12 Top Children’s Hospitals. Other EMHS member hospitals awarded Top Rural Hospital included Blue Hill Memorial Hospital and Sebasticook Valley Health in Pittsfield.
 
The selection is based on the results of The Leapfrog Group’s annual hospital survey, which measures hospitals’ performance on patient safety and quality, focusing on three critical areas of hospital care: how patients fare, resource use, and management structures established to prevent errors. Performance across many areas of hospital care is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including survival rates for high-risk procedures and a hospital’s ability to prevent medication errors.
 
“Leapfrog’s Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most prestigious distinctions any hospital can achieve in the United States,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Top Hospitals have lower infection rates, better outcomes, decreased length of stay and fewer readmissions. By achieving Top Hospital status, Inland Hospital has proven it prioritizes the safety of its patients, is committed to transparency and provides exemplary care for families and patients in the Waterville area. I congratulate the board, staff, and clinicians of Inland whose efforts achieved these results.”
 
The Top Hospital award is given to urban, rural and children's hospitals that publicly report their performance through the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey and meet the high standards defined in each year's Top Hospitals Methodology.  To see the full list of institutions honored as a 2015 Top Hospital, please visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.
 
Leapfrog also honored Inland Hospital last month with an A Grade in its bi-annual Hospital Safety Score program. Inland is one of only 133 in the US and only six in Maine to have achieved straight A’s for safety since the Hospital Safety Score program began in 2012.
 
Inland Hospital is a member of EMHS (Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems), an integrated health delivery system serving the state of Maine.
 
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 forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. Hospital Safety Score, 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.