A nonprofit group that rates health care systems on quality, safety and transparency gave King’s Daughters Medical Center an “A” grade recently.

That’s great news for the hospital and the many communities it serves.

KDMC was one of 823 hospitals to receive an “A” for its commitment to reducing errors, infections and accidents that can harm patients. There were only a handful in the state to get the top grade.

“Hospitals that earn top marks nationally in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, have achieved the highest safety standards in the country,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “That takes commitment from every member of the hospital staff, who all deserve thanks and congratulations when their hospitals achieve an ‘A’ Safety Grade.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

We extend our congratulations to KDMC on the score. Brookhaven, Lincoln County and Southwest Mississippi are fortunate to have quality healthcare so close to home. KDMC helps make Lincoln County a great place to live and work.