Mississippi has lost ground in a new report that details hospital safety, but a local hospital has not.

In the most recent fall report for Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, Mississippi ranked No. 22 in the nation for hospital safety. It was a four-place drop from the state’s No. 18 slot in the spring, when 35 percent of hospitals earned top scores.

Fewer than one-third of the state’s hospitals received an “A” grade in the latest report — just 29.3 percent. King’s Daughters Medical Center is one of those “A” hospitals, however, keeping its top safety ranking.

Only 12 hospitals in the state got the “A” grade. Eleven earned “B” scores and 17 received “C” grades. Only one hospital got a “D,” and none failed.

Grades are assigned by an expert panel of physicians who evaluate hospitals based on process, structural and outcome measures. The grades take into consideration such factors as effectiveness at managing risks, including infection, surgery complications, harmful events for patients, practice errors and adequate staffing.

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are assigned to approximately 3,000 general acute-care hospitals across the United States, both in the spring and fall annually. The total score is the total of a process/structural measures score and outcome measure, each accounting for 50 percent of the grade.

“The Leapfrog Group has led the effort in creating a culture for patient safety in hospitals across America. This is exciting for KDMC to receive an A in Hospital Safety from Leapfrog,” said KDMC CEO Scott Christensen. “All of the KDMC family is committed to safe, efficient, and compassionate care as we achieve our mission of always providing quality health and wellness in a Christian environment. It is a great honor to receive this recognition, and also a true reflection of the quality of our medical staff and KDMC family.”

“An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a sign that hospitals are continuously evaluating their performance, so that they can best protect patients,” said Leapfrog Group CEO and president Leah Binder. Your hospital team should be extremely proud of their dedication and achievement.”

To see KDMC’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org