Healthgrades names St. Francis Medical Center a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient
St. Francis Medical Center, a member of Prime Healthcare, announced today that it has been recognized as a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. This achievement reflects St. Francis Medical Center’s clear commitment to safe, patient-centered care and puts the organization in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety. This is the second consecutive Healthgrades’ Patient Safety Excellence Award™ earned by the hospital.
“This award represents the hard work and teamwork of our physicians, staff and hospital leaders,” said St. Francis CEO Clay Farell. “Attaining this recognition two years in row is a testament to the culture of safety and quality we have built across the medical center. It is a shared accomplishment that translates into the best care and outcomes for our patients.”
St. Francis Medical Center’s high benchmark for safety is further demonstrated by two additional recognitions it received this past year – the Hospital Safety Grade A from The Leapfrog Group and the Patient Safety Grade A from the Lown Institute Hospital Index. In addition, the hospital has earned consecutive Stroke Gold Plus achievement awards by the American Heart Association, achieved certification as a Thrombectomy-capable Stroke Center by The Joint Commission and maintains licenses and designations for specialized services such as Emergency Department obstetrics, pediatrics and geriatrics, trauma services and STEMI care, all of which demand high standards for safety.
St. Francis Medical Center’s achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. To determine the top-performing hospitals for patient safety, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Healthgrades’ analysis revealed significant performance gaps between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, making it increasingly important for consumers to seek care at a hospital with top safety ratings. From 2021-2023, 173,280 preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for nearly 76% of these incidents.* The annual study found that patients treated in hospitals that received the 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:
- In-hospital falls resulting in fracture (54% less likely)
- Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 55% less likely)
- Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 69% less likely)
- Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (72% less likely)
“As a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient, St. Francis Medical Center consistently puts the well-being of their patients and staff at the forefront, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide,” said Debra Gradick, MD, FACEP, senior physician consultant at Healthgrades. “We commend St. Francis for providing consistently exceptional care while preventing serious injuries, giving patients their best chance of a seamless recovery.”
Where a person is treated matters, which is why Healthgrades is committed to providing the most scientifically accurate information about doctors and hospitals – with data insights not available anywhere else. Consumers can visit healthgrades.com for guidance on how to find safe, high-quality care in 2025.
*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2024.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2021 through 2023 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Awards Methodology.
