UConn John Dempsey Hospital Secures 11th Straight 'A' for Safety
Dr. Scott Allen, CMO and Caryl Ryan, COO and CNO celebrating 11 consecutive Leapfrog "A" ratings for UConn John Dempsey Hospital
Earning top marks for patient safety once is notable. Doing it 11 consecutive times is something else entirely.
UConn John Dempsey Hospital has again received an "A" 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.
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.
"Conceptually, we have really strong quality outcomes, but that doesn't happen by accident," said Scott Allen, Chief Medical Officer, UConn John Dempsey Hospital. "It 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."
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.
"Another key driver of our success with Leapfrog is the strength of our teams," said Michelle DeLayo, associate vice president, Nursing Administration. "From 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."
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.
"This kind of sustained performance doesn't happen without consistency, transparency, and accountability at every level of the organization," said Caryl Ryan, COO and CNO, UConn John Dempsey Hospital. "Our teams are committed to continuously evaluating how we deliver care and making the necessary changes to ensure the safest possible environment for our patients."
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.
"UConn John Dempsey Hospital's sustained 'A' rating reflects an organization-wide commitment to protecting patients and delivering safe care," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "Maintaining this level of excellence over time demonstrates that patient safety is a priority embedded in everyday practice."
"This achievement reflects UConn Health's focus on consistently providing the highest quality of care to our patients," said Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, CEO UConn Health. "Consistently 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."
