Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center was awarded an “A” Hospital Safety Grade for the eleventh consecutive time by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. This designates Piedmont Athens as a “Straight A” hospital, defined as hospitals that have an A for fall 2025 and have sustained that grade for the last five or more grading rounds.

“Earning our 11th consecutive ‘A’ grade from The Leapfrog Group is a tremendous achievement that reflects Piedmont Athens Regional’s consistent and persistent dedication to patient safety and clinical excellence,” said Michael Burnett, CEO of Piedmont Athens Regional. “This recognition would not be possible without the hard work and commitment of every member of our team. I want to thank all of our employees for their unwavering focus on delivering the highest quality care to our patients.”

The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of patient safety focused exclusively on errors, accidents, injuries and infections. 

“My sincere congratulations to Piedmont Athens Regional for upholding patient safety standards through thick and thin, achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade for 11 consecutive rounds of the Safety Grade,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Consistently earning an A demonstrates a long-term, organization-wide commitment to putting patient safety first.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries and infections that can lead to harm or even death. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To see Piedmont Athens Regional’s full grade details and to find essential patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. Connect with The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and stay updated through The Leapfrog Group newsletter.