Compiled by SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Huntsville Hospital is strongly disputing a new national safety report that assigned the facility an “F” rating for patient safety and medical errors, calling the findings both “unfair” and “not reflective of reality.”
In a statement released Sunday and posted to the hospital’s website, officials took issue with the methodology used by The Leapfrog Group, a respected national nonprofit that scores hospitals on how well they protect patients from preventable harm and errors.
“The Leapfrog survey is not an accurate measure of patient safety at Huntsville Hospital,” the statement read. “The hospital did not complete this voluntary 353-page survey, yet Leapfrog chose to publish a rating with incomplete information.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, updated twice a year, uses publicly available hospital performance data from Medicare and Medicaid, along with voluntary survey responses, to assign letter grades (A–F) to nearly 3,000 general hospitals across the U.S. The latest Spring 2025 report focused heavily on surgical outcomes, error prevention, infection control, and staff responsiveness.
Concerning outcomes
According to the report, Huntsville Hospital scored poorly in several outcome-based categories. Most notably, it had a significantly higher-than-average death rate among patients who suffered serious but treatable post-surgical complications such as pneumonia, heart attack, or acute kidney failure. While top-rated hospitals reported 85 deaths per 1,000 such cases, Huntsville Hospital reported 222—placing it among the lowest performing nationally.
Other safety concerns included low scores in categories related to medication administration, ICU staffing with specially trained doctors, and electronic physician order entry systems. These are essential tools for catching prescription errors and ensuring prompt care in emergencies.
Why the score fell
Because Huntsville Hospital chose not to submit Leapfrog’s voluntary hospital survey, the organization assigned default low scores in several process-based measures. This includes metrics like hand hygiene, teamwork training, leadership commitment to safety, and nursing support—all of which rely on hospital self-reporting.
Leapfrog’s methodology penalizes hospitals for withholding voluntary survey data. In a FAQ section on its website, the nonprofit says:
“Hospitals that do not report to the Leapfrog Hospital Survey receive the lowest score for all measures where Leapfrog is the only available data source.”
Hospital: ‘We excel in most areas’
In its rebuttal, Huntsville Hospital emphasized its many recognitions from other independent health organizations. The hospital cited its No. 1 regional ranking in north Alabama and No. 2 statewide in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024–25 Best Hospitals list, where it earned high marks in 10 specialties and procedures. It is also a certified stroke center and has been named one of “America’s 50 Best” cardiac surgery programs by Healthgrades for seven consecutive years.
Additionally, the hospital pointed to accolades from Forbes and Newsweek, including recognition as one of the “Best Employers in Alabama” and one of “America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women.”
“Every employee and physician in the HH Health System completes mandatory training in patient safety and high reliability,” the hospital said. “HH excels in most quality ratings and scores poorly in a Leapfrog survey that it does not complete.”
The bigger picture
The hospital’s response underscores a broader debate in the healthcare community over transparency and how best to measure quality and safety. While Leapfrog has become a go-to reference for many consumers seeking objective comparisons, some hospitals argue that its methodology can be overly punitive and not reflective of real-world patient care—especially when a facility chooses not to participate in its survey.
Still, with increasing emphasis on data-driven accountability and patient empowerment, the grades from organizations like Leapfrog continue to carry weight in public perception.
For full safety ratings, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.
