Dignity Health Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Achieves 6th Consecutive Hospital ‘A’ Safety Grade in Patient Safety

GRASS VALLEY, Calif.  MAY 9, 2026 – Dignity Health Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital (SNMH), a member of CommonSpirit, earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade for the sixth consecutive grading round by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit watchdog focused on patient safety. This recent award continues the Hospital’s “Straight A” designation, defined as hospitals that have an “A” for Spring 2026 and have sustained that grade for the last five or more grading rounds. According to The Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2025 data, 346 hospitals nationwide achieved “Straight A” status, representing approximately 12% of all eligible hospitals.

“Achieving our sixth consecutive ‘A’ Safety Grade is a tremendous honor and a testament to the consistency that  every single member of our Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital team aspires to in creating a  culture of safety,” said Scott Neeley, MD, President and CEO of Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital. “Patient safety continues to be the foundation we build upon, and these consecutive recognitions from The Leapfrog Group reaffirm our commitment to providing the highest quality, safest care to our community every day. We are incredibly proud of our entire team for their relentless pursuit of excellence.”

The Leapfrog Group assigns an “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” or “F” grade to all general hospitals across the country using evidence-based measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them. Of all US health care systems, CommonSpirit has the largest number of hospitals with ‘Straight A’ designations, a testament to their consistent commitment to patient safety and quality care.

“Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital deserves recognition for its unwavering focus on protecting patients and delivering safe care, earning an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade for six consecutive cycles,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Sustaining this level of excellence over time shows a true, organization-wide commitment to making patient safety a top priority every single day.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, injuries and infections that can lead to harm or even death. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. Top Hospital designations, such as the Leapfrog Top Rural Hospital designation Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital has attained the past three consecutive years, are announced annually in the winter.

This latest ‘A’ recognition builds upon Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital’s recently announced milestone of five consecutive years without a single Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection (CLABSI), further demonstrating the hospital’s deep-rooted commitment to patient well-being through embedded routines, procedures, and policies.

To see Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital’s full grade details and to find essential patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org. Connect with The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, and stay updated through The Leapfrog Group newsletter.