By Christina Echegaray
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt has again been named a Leapfrog Top Hospital for 2023, earning the designation among an elite group of children’s hospitals across the nation.
Founded in 2000, The Leapfrog Group is a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage that works to encourage health care safety, quality and affordability. Leapfrog members provide health benefits to more than 37 million Americans who live in all 50 states.
“Quality and safety are paramount and central to everything we do in our daily commitment to provide children with the most comprehensive, compassionate health care possible. This achievement as a Leapfrog Top Children’s Hospital is a testament to the incredible teamwork and dedication that happens every day at Monroe Carell. I am truly grateful to all the Monroe Carell 'safety superheroes.' Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition,” said Meg Rush, MD, MMHC, President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Leapfrog has published these unranked lists since 2006. This is the seventh time that Monroe Carell has made the Top Children’s Hospitals list, which was announced Dec. 5.
Monroe Carell also joined two fellow Vanderbilt hospitals in this recognition. Vanderbilt University Hospital was named a Top Teaching Hospital and Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital was named a Top General Hospital.
The Top Children’s Hospital list designation adds to Monroe Carell’s performance-based distinctions for 2023. Earlier this year, Monroe Carell earned 10 out of 10 nationally ranked pediatric specialties in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Children’s Hospitals survey, and the hospital was also named to Money/The Leapfrog Group’s first-ever “Best Hospitals for Pediatrics” list.
The breakdown of this year’s list of 132 Top Hospitals is eight Top Children’s Hospitals; 34 Top General Hospitals; 15 Top Rural Hospitals; and 75 Top Teaching Hospitals.
Children’s hospitals, as well as general, rural and teaching hospitals, selected as a 2023 Leapfrog Top Hospital must meet rigorous standards — the nation’s toughest standards for safety and quality — as defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.
The selection of Leapfrog’s Top Hospitals is based on the results of the 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, completed by nearly 2,200 hospitals annually. Performance measures across many areas of hospital care that impact quality, safety and value are considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, maternity care and a hospital’s ability to prevent medication errors.