‘Elite’ SLO County hospital among safest in the US, new report says. Here’s why
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Three Central Coast hospitals earned A grades for patient safety from Leapfrog.
- French Hospital achieved its 27th consecutive A, marking it an 'elite' facility.
- Leapfrog ratings factor infection rates, medical errors and staff practices.
Three Central Coast hospitals are among the country’s safest health care facilities, according to a nonprofit organization that evaluates patient safety and care.
The Leapfrog Group issues Hospital Safety Grade reports twice a year for nearly 3,000 general hospitals in the United States.
Grades are based on several critical factors, including rates of preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.
The group’s latest report, released May 1 and searchable as an online database, grades health care facilities across the nation on a scale of A to F — with A being the highest grade and F the lowest.
Here’s which local hospitals scored the highest:
What are the safest hospitals on the Central Coast?
Out of five hospitals on the Central Coast, three received A grades in The Leapfrog Group’s spring 2025 report.
French Hospital Medical Center, 1911 Johnson Ave. in San Luis Obispo, was rated the safest hospital in San Luis Obispo County.
It earned high scores for handling problems arising during surgery, having effective practices to prevent medical errors and employing responsive, effective and communicative hospital staff.
The SLO hospital was one of 346 places The Leapfrog Group spotlighted as “straight A” hospitals for maintaining top marks for five or more grading rounds.
French Hospital is one of 11 “elite” hospitals to have earned A’s for every year The Leapfrog Group has been giving out grades, the nonprofit said in a news release.
It was French Hospital’s 27th consecutive time earning an A grade, dating back to 2012, according to a hospital news release.
“This reflects our commitment to patient safety and healthcare excellence, driven by the dedication and expertise of our team,” Sue Andersen, president and CEO of French Hospital, said in the release. “We are incredibly proud.”
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital, 345 South Halcyon Road in Arroyo Grande, also received The Leapfrog Group’s highest grade possible for patient safety and care practices.
The San Luis Obispo County hospital received better-than-average hospital scores for handling safety problems, such as blood clots, collapsed lungs and patient injuries.
It achieved high marks for preventing medical errors through effective staff teamwork, extensive hand washing and safe medication administration practices.
Marian Regional Medical Center, 1400 East Church St. in Santa Maria, earned an A grade for spring 2025 as well.
The hospital in northern Santa Barbara County secured top marks from The Leapfrog Group for providing excellent nursing and bedside care and employing specially-trained doctors to treat patients in the intensive care unit.
Marian Regional Medical Center also scored better than average in terms of preventing infections and having effective practices and leadership in place to prevent medical errors, according to the report.
All three hospitals are owned and operated by Dignity Health Central Coast.
Which grades did other SLO County hospitals receive?
Here’s how The Leapfrog Group graded other San Luis Obispo County hospitals:
C grades
Adventist Health Sierra Vista, 1010 Murray Ave., San Luis Obispo
D grades
Adventist Health Twin Cities, 1100 Las Tablas Road, Templeton
How did The Leapfrog Group grade health care facilities?
The Leapfrog Group grades health care facilities on a scale from A to F based on their “overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors.”
According to the group, these grades are calculated using up to 31 national performance measures sourced from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, The Leapfrog Hospital Survey and other data sources.
Under the guidance of a panel of patient safety experts, The Leapfrog Group selected about two dozen evidence-based measures, grouped into five key categories, to determine its scoring methodology.
Those categories are:
- Infections
- Problems with surgery
- Safety problems
- Practices to prevent errors
- Doctors, nurses and hospital staff
This story was originally published June 7, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of the article included an improper spelling of Sue Andersen, the president and CEO of French Hospital. The error has been corrected.
