THOMASTON, Ga., Nov. 13, 2025 — Upson Regional Medical Center earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent, national nonprofit organization focused on patient safety. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals nationwide based on their overall performance in preventing errors, accidents, injuries and infections.
“This is a phenomenal achievement,” shares Upson Regional Chief Executive Officer Dan Owens. “Leapfrog uses 27 evidence-based measures to grade hospitals on patient quality and safety, which makes it a balanced and rigorous reflection of the overall quality of care being provided at hospitals across the country.”
Upson Regional is one of only 19 hospitals in Georgia to have earned an “A” safety grade for Fall 2025. This high score places Upson Regional in the top 25% of all 79 general hospitals in the state for its rigorous standards of patient quality and safety.
“Achieving top scores is a team effort that requires daily focus and exceptional effort by all our care team,” Owens adds.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.
“Leapfrog contains so many standards that you have to meet, not only things like mortality and readmissions, but they’re also looking at nurse-staffing ratios, hand hygiene and complication rates,” says Upson Regional Chief Quality Officer Suzanne Streetman. “The ‘A’ safety grade gives us a better reflection on where we are as a hospital and how high quality we are.”
Upson Regional’s commitment to providing “excellent care rooted in compassion for all” is reflected in the high marks the hospital received in its effective practices to prevent errors, provide quality nursing and bedside care for patients and responsiveness of hospital staff to patients’ needs.
“The impact this ‘A’ safety grade has on our patients is reaffirmation that they get the best care possible at Upson Regional,” states Upson Regional Chief Nursing Officer Penny Nole. “The community will see evidence that Upson Regional can be their hospital of choice.”
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Media Contact: Director of Growth and Strategy Chelsea Peterson, BSN, RN
Upson Regional Medical Center
(706) 647-8111, ext. 1242
