{"id":245344,"date":"2026-05-06T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T12:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=245344"},"modified":"2026-05-06T23:17:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T03:17:13","slug":"raising-the-bar-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/05\/raising-the-bar-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising the Bar Again"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Earning top marks for patient safety once is notable. Doing it 11 consecutive times is something else entirely.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uconnhealth.org\/locations\/uconn-john-dempsey-hospital\">UConn John Dempsey Hospital<\/a> has again received an \u201cA\u201d Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, extending its streak to 11 straight grading cycles and placing it among a select group of hospitals nationwide to achieve sustained excellence in patient safety.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"John Dempsey Hospital Secures 11th Straight \u2018A\u2019 for Safety\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P3B240DRZkE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Maintaining that level of performance over time is no small feat. It reflects not just strong outcomes, but a deeply embedded system designed to continuously improve how care is delivered.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_245490\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-245490\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-245490 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"11 green &quot;A&quot; lawn signs under shrubbery that spells &quot;UConn&quot; on the UConn Health campus, with the lab building in the background\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-420x420.jpg 420w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-275x275.jpg 275w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1-665x665.jpg 665w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Leapfrog-11-As_Drone_photo_20260506_DJI_20260506072231_0042_D-1200x1200-1.jpg 1200w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/300;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-245490\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">UConn Health displays lawn signs showing 11 consecutive \u2018A\u2019 grades for hospital safety from the Leapfrog Group. (Photo by Ethan Giorgetti)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cConceptually, we have really strong quality outcomes, but that doesn\u2019t happen by accident,\u201d said Scott Allen, Chief Medical Officer, UConn John Dempsey Hospital. \u201cIt comes from a deliberate structure and a culture focused on continuous performance improvement. That starts with leadership setting expectations and building a culture of safety that extends to every member of our staff.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At UConn Health, that culture shows up in the day-to-day work behind the scenes. Efforts to reduce hospital-acquired infections relies on dedicated clinical teams working closely with Epic analysts to implement meaningful changes within the electronic health record that influence care practices and improve outcomes. Leadership remains actively engaged, asking questions, monitoring progress, and ensuring accountability when performance falls short.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnother key driver of our success with Leapfrog is the strength of our teams,\u201d said Michelle DeLayo, associate vice president, Nursing Administration. \u201cFrom physicians and advanced practice providers to nurses, aides, and our consult and ancillary services, the level of interdisciplinary communication and collaboration across our organization is exceptional. That shared commitment ensures we are consistently delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_245350\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-245350\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-245350 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-300x200.png\" alt=\"A man and woman standing in front of the uconn health logo holding signs that say &quot;A&quot;\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-630x420.png 630w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-150x100.png 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT-998x665.png 998w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/caryl-and-scott-for-UCT.png 1500w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/200;\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-245350\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Scott Allen, CMO and Caryl Ryan, COO and CNO, celebrate another Leapfrog &#8220;A&#8221; rating for UConn John Dempsey Hospital. (Tina Encarnacion \/ UConn Health photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The same rigor is applied to patient experience. Using a data-driven approach, the patient experience team partners with clinical areas to review feedback, identify gaps, and implement action plans, with ongoing leadership oversight to sustain improvement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis kind of sustained performance doesn\u2019t happen without consistency, transparency, and accountability at every level of the organization,\u201d said Caryl Ryan, COO and CNO, UConn John Dempsey Hospital. \u201cOur teams are committed to continuously evaluating how we deliver care and making the necessary changes to ensure the safest possible environment for our patients.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade evaluates hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of errors, injuries, infections, and the systems in place to prevent harm. It is the only national rating focused exclusively on preventable patient safety events and is updated twice a year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUConn John Dempsey Hospital\u2019s sustained \u2018A\u2019 rating reflects an organization-wide commitment to protecting patients and delivering safe care,\u201d said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. \u201cMaintaining this level of excellence over time demonstrates that patient safety is a priority embedded in everyday practice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis achievement reflects UConn Health\u2019s focus on consistently providing the highest quality of care to our patients,\u201d said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO UConn Health. \u201cConsistently delivering safe, high-quality care requires discipline, teamwork, and a shared commitment to excellence. Earning this distinction 11 consecutive times reflects the dedication of our entire workforce and our mission to provide the very best care to the people of Connecticut.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UConn John Dempsey Hospital Secures 11th Straight \u2018A\u2019 for Safety<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":139,"featured_media":245489,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":179,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2429,2231,2672,179],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2209],"class_list":["post-245344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-awards-scholarships","category-health-well-being","category-healthcare-reimagined","category-uconn-health"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-16 08:27:57","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/139"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=245344"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":245511,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/245344\/revisions\/245511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/245489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=245344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=245344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=245344"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=245344"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=245344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}