Portsmouth and Derry, N.H. – Portsmouth Regional Hospital (PRH) and Parkland Medical Center (PMC) have been recognized with “A” grades in the spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries and infections. The hospital safety score is compiled and administered under the guidance of The Leapfrog Group — a leading expert on patient safety.

This “A” score is the fourth consecutive “A” for PRH and the third consecutive “A” for PMC. PRH and PMC are two of six hospitals (out of 13) in NH and two of 798 hospitals (out of 2500) nationwide to receive an “A,” ranking them among the safest hospitals in New Hampshire and the United States.

For the first time, the Hospital Safety Score includes five measures of patient-reported experience with the hospital as well as two of the most common infections, C.diff and MRSA.

“This recognition is a reflection of our relentless commitment to patient safety and well-being,” said Dean Carucci, chief executive officer, Portsmouth Regional Hospital.

“We are proud to have earned this honor and we strive every day to meet and exceed these nationally recognized standards,” stated Jeff Scionti, interim chief executive officer, Parkland Medical Center.

The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the score is free to the public and designed to give consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when facing a hospital stay.

“Avoidable deaths in hospitals should be the number one concern of our healthcare leaders. Hospitals that earn an ‘A’ from Leapfrog are leaders in saving lives, and we commend them and their continued vigilance,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the hospital safety score uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” score representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm.

To see Portsmouth and Parkland’s full score, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices.