The Safest Hospital in Indiana—and What That Means To You

It’s an honor when one watchdog organization names you one of the safest hospitals in the area. But when two hospital-rating organizations confirm you’re one of the safest hospitals in America, you know you’re doing something right.

That’s what’s happened at Hancock Regional Hospital—recently named among Central Indiana’s safest hospitals by The Leapfrog Group; and the safest hospital in Indiana by the Lown Institute Hospitals Index. 

For the third, consecutive six-month period, Hancock Regional has earned an “A” grade for hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group,  a nonprofit watchdog organization that monitors and reports on hospital safety. The Leapfrog grade is based on a number of factors related to how likely you are to experience an accident, injury, error, or harm at the hospital. Only four other hospitals in the entire Central Indiana region received a Leapfrog “A” grade.

Based on reports that about 200,000 people die in hospitals each year due to preventable mistakes, The Leapfrog Group developed the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade—a letter grade that rates how safe hospitals are for patients. It was designed to help patients quickly identify the safest hospitals in their area, and to compare them with other local hospitals.

The Lown Institute Hospitals Index measures the social responsibility of hospitals throughout the nation. The index lists Hancock Regional Hospital as the safest hospital in Indiana—and the 13th-safest in America, making it one of only two Indiana hospitals among the 80 safest facilities in the country.

The Lown Institute is a healthcare think tank and was the first to publish a national ranking of hospital social responsibility. The Lown Institute Hospital Index includes 54 metrics in three categories: equity, value, and outcomes. Lown also gave Hancock Regional an “A” grade for patient satisfaction, including communication, care transition, and cleanliness.

But what do those ratings mean for you if you’re a patient at Hancock Regional Hospital? For one thing, it means you’re less likely to have an accident or contract an illness while you’re at the hospital. It also means Hancock Health doctors, nurses, and associates are some of the best at caring for their patients—even under circumstances as challenging as they’ve faced during the pandemic.

“We’re committed to patient safety and satisfaction because our patients are family,” said Steve Long, president and CEO of Hancock Health. “Our facilities—from our surgical department to our emergency room—are top-of-the-line, and our nurses and physicians are the best around. Patient safety and satisfaction come naturally to our team.

“Throughout a challenging year that has seen our community battling a global pandemic, we have never lowered our standards or expectations for patient care.”

It does make a difference where you get your health care. Hospital safety has never been more important—and it’s a big part of Hancock Health’s commitment to making health possible across East Central Indiana and beyond. Visit HancockRegionalHospital.org to learn more and find your Hancock health care team.