Grade from The Leapfrog Group places Stony Brook among the safest hospitals in the nation.
STONY BROOK, NY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024 – Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) and Stony Brook
Southampton Hospital (SBSH) have both earned an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade for fall 2024 from The
Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. Leapfrog
assigns letter grades to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 performance measures
reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to
prevent them.
"These 'A' grades from The Leapfrog Group validate our commitment to delivering the highest standard
of safe, quality care,” said William A. Wertheim, MD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Stony Brook
Medicine. “This recognition reflects every member of our healthcare team’s dedication to ensure our
patients receive exceptional care in the safest possible environment."
“This top mark is a testament to the dedication of every Stony Brook professional to go above and
beyond to protect patient safety,” said Carol Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ, Chief Executive Officer of Stony
Brook University Hospital. “Earning an ‘A’ grade means exceptional, safety-focused healthcare is right
here when patients in our community need it, delivered by a team that always puts safety first.”
To add to this significant achievement, SBSH received an ‘A’ grade for the second year in a row. This
makes it one of only 17 hospitals in New York State to achieve two consecutive ‘As’ – in Spring and Fall,
2024.
“We are honored to have again earned the nation’s top distinction for patient safety, an ‘A’ from the
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade,” said Emily Mastaler, Chief Administrative Officer, Stony Brook
Southampton Hospital. “The fall ‘A’ grade, follows our spring ‘A’, and represents the tireless
commitment of every one of our team members, who work 24/7, year-round, to ensure our patients’
safety.”
“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade is a significant accomplishment for Stony Brook University
Hospital and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog
Group. “It reflects enormous dedication to your patients and their families, and your whole community
should be proud. I extend my congratulations to both hospitals, its leadership, clinicians, staff and
volunteers for their tireless efforts to put patients first.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on
preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United
States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice
annually, in the fall and spring.
To explore SBUH and SBSH’s full grade details and to find valuable tips for staying safe in the hospital,
visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
About Stony Brook University Hospital:
Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) is Long Island’s premier academic health center. With 624 beds,
SBUH serves as the region’s only tertiary care center and Regional Trauma Center, and is home to the
Stony Brook University Heart Institute, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Children’s
Hospital and Stony Brook University Neurosciences Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk County’s
only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive
Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center
of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sbuh.
About Stony Brook Southampton Hospital:
With 124 beds, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) is staffed by more than 280 physicians,
dentists, and allied health professionals representing 48 medical specialties. A campus of Stony Brook
University Hospital, SBSH offers a diverse array of clinical services, ranging from primary medical care to
specialized surgical procedures, including cardiac catheterization, orthopedics and bariatrics. The sole
provider of emergency care on Long Island’s South Fork, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is a
provisional Level III adult Trauma Center. The hospital includes The Phillips Family Cancer Center, a
Heart and Stroke Center, Breast Health Center, The Center for Advanced Wound Healing, Wellness
Institute, and 32 satellite care centers throughout the South Fork of Long Island. The hospital is the
largest employer on the South Fork with more than 1,200 employees. To learn more, visit
www.southampton.stonybrookmedicine.edu.
About The Leapfrog Group:
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit
organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade,
Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety,
helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and
infections. For more, follow them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and sign up for their
newsletter.