Two hospitals in the county received “A” grades for safety from a national nonprofit health care watchdog.

Butler Memorial Hospital and UPMC Passavant — Cranberry received the top “A” grades in the biannual 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades report that was released Monday. BMH also was named one of top general hospitals in the country by the organization.

BMH officials commended hospital staff for their efforts in earning the recognitions.

“BMH has been named one of the 105 Top Hospitals, and one of the Top 29 General Hospitals, in the U.S. Congratulations to our staff on a superb effort and great achievement. BMH again proves that it is one of the best hospitals in the United States, ” said Ken DeFurio, Butler Health System president and CEO.

“Though the letter grades and this recognition for the organization are new, our staff efforts are not, and have been absolutely critical to arriving at this distinction. Without a doubt, such could not have occurred without their hard work and dedication to their craft despite a global pandemic that has required everyone to endure countless changes and pressures. I am proud of this team and its efforts,” said Dr. Elliot Smith, physician groups president and chief quality officer.

Lisa M. Bryan-Morris, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services at UPMC Passavant, said the hospital's staff is dedicated to caring for patients.

“I am so proud of the unwavering effort and dedication that our nurses, doctors, and health care workers put forth every day as they focus on the quality care of our patients,” Bryan-Morris said. “We take great pride in providing an optimal patient experience focused on consistent quality and safety. The Leapfrog recognition is one of many designations that we are delighted to share with the Passavant community.”

Leapfrog's safety grade is reviewed by a national expert panel and receives guidance from Johns Hopkins Medicine's Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. The biannual safety grade is independently assessed, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

Data used to calculate grades include up to 27 measures, gathered primarily from the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. While the data does not yet include findings collected during the height of COVID-19, the data offers an indication of how well hospitals implemented fundamental safety precautions before the pandemic, an important factor in preparedness. The Hospital Safety Grade is updated every six months.

The elite Top Hospital award recognizes the highest quality hospitals as identified through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Less than 5% of all eligible facilities receive the award.

Excellence across many areas of hospital care is considered for the competitive award, including preventing infections, reducing unnecessary C-sections, avoiding medication errors, maternity care, pediatrics, and safe surgery. The survey compares hospitals' performance on standards of patient safety, quality, efficiency, and management structures that prevent errors, providing the most comprehensive picture of how patients fare at individual institutions.