Media Contact:
Carol Ann Campbell
New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
cacampbell@njhcqi.org (973-567-1901)
Twenty-Nine Hospitals in New Jersey Earn an “A” on the Spring 2026 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
Six Fewer “A” Hospitals Than Last Round of Leapfrog Reports
TRENTON, New Jersey — May 6, 2026 – The Leapfrog Group today released its Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Grades, assigning hospitals nationwide a letter grade from “A” to “F” based on how well they protect patients from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. In New Jersey, the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute serves as the regional leader for Leapfrog and provides valuable information to the media, purchasers, and the public to help residents better understand the safety of their local hospitals.
Eighty-two percent of New Jersey acute care hospitals, or 55 out of the 67 graded hospitals, received an A or B grade, one less than in Fall 2025. Seven hospitals went up a grade and 16 went down a grade, while 44 hospitals had no change.
Here’s the breakdown of the New Jersey Safety Grades:
- 29 A hospitals – 43% (6 less A’s than last round)
- 26 B hospitals – 39% (5 more B’s than last round)
- 10 C hospitals – 15% (same as last round)
- 2 D hospitals – 3% (1 more D than last round)
- 0 F hospitals – 0% (same as last round)
In a sign of their continuing commitment to safety, 15 New Jersey hospitals have earned Straight As for five rounds or more. Overall, New Jersey ranked #6 in the country for percentage of A hospitals (43.3%), down from #3 in Fall 2025 with 52.2% A’s. Critically, New Jersey continues to have the highest rate of Leapfrog Hospital Survey participation in the country at 100%. (One hospital, Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, did not receive a grade because not enough data was available, but they do participate in the survey.)
“We are encouraged that 100 percent of New Jersey hospitals participate in Leapfrog, demonstrating a commitment to transparency,” said Linda Schwimmer, President and CEO of the Quality Institute. “Many of these hospitals use the Leapfrog Survey as an internal quality improvement tool to track their performance throughout the year and strive to reduce or eliminate preventable medical errors, which are far too common.”
Hospital Safety Grades are updated twice per year by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog committed to patient safety.
In fall 2022, Leapfrog reported that several hospital acquired infections (HAIs) were at their highest peak since 2016. Since then, average HAI scores have declined dramatically nationwide for four measures.
New Jersey hospitals have seen a similar decline since 2016:
- Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) decreased by 67%.
- Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) decreased by 52%.
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) decreased by 37%.
- Clostridium difficile (C.diff) decreased by 37%.
Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, applauded progress nationally and among hospitals in New Jersey. “But there is still more work ahead to keep improving patient safety,” Binder said.
In Spring, 2026, some hospitals outside New Jersey will receive “Grade Not Assigned” due to a ruling by a federal court in South Florida. Leapfrog is not assigning Safety Grades to 450 hospitals that did not participate in the 2024 or 2025 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Leapfrog is pursuing an appeal and reviewing the Safety Grade methodology with its National Expert Panel to ensure the Hospital Safety Grade continues to be useful for consumers. Any proposed methodology changes will be announced and made available for public comment.
About The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. Among its initiatives, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade was launched in 2012 and assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections. It is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. It is fully transparent and free to the public, and grades are updated biannually in the fall and in the spring. To look up your hospital’s Safety Grade, please visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. For more from Leapfrog, follow us on X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram and sign up for our newsletter.
About the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute
The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety, quality, and affordability of health care. Since 1997, we have led statewide efforts to transform health care by bringing together our diverse members — including health systems, insurers, providers, consumer groups, and employers — to find solutions grounded in evidence and collaboration.
Our work spans policy development, quality improvement, and community health initiatives that advance evidence-based policies and champion best practices. Our Mayors Wellness Campaign drives community health and wellness in partnership with 400 New Jersey mayors.