San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital In Banning Praised For Patient Safety

BANNING, CA — San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital has earned the highest mark possible in regard to patient safety, a national nonprofit watchdog announced Wednesday.

The hospital at 600 N. Highland Springs Avenue in Banning received an "A" grade from The Leapfrog Group as part of the watchdog's spring 2024 Hospital Safety Grades. Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to more than 3,000 general hospitals nationwide. The grades are based on how well the hospitals prevent medical errors, accidents and infections.

SGMH's achievement was remarkable, given that one year ago the hospital was graded a "C" by Leapfrog.

"At San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital we constantly strive to maintain the highest standards for patient safety, and it is gratifying to be recognized for those efforts," SGMH CEO Steven Barron said Wednesday. "I would like to thank all our associates and providers for their commitment to providing a safe environment and compassionate care to all of our patients and their families."

Since 1951, SGMH has provided healthcare services in the Pass Area, and today offers emergency care, surgical services, cardiology, maternity care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and inpatient/outpatient specialty services in behavioral health, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

While SGMH's services have improved greatly over the last several years, Leah Binder, president, and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said patient safety remains a "crisis-level hazard" in U.S. healthcare.

"Some hospitals are much better than others at protecting patients from harm, and that’s why we make the Hospital Safety Grade available to the public and why we encourage all hospitals to focus more attention on safety," Binder said.

Leapfrog reports that, based on peer-reviewed research, an estimated 250,000 people a year die of preventable errors and infections in hospitals, which makes patient safety problems the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Leapfrog grades are updated biannually in the spring and fall. To see the full spring 2024 grade details on all hospitals, including those across Riverside and San Bernardino counties, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.