Richard Keddington Chief Executive Officer | Watertown Regional Medical Center
Richard Keddington Chief Executive Officer | Watertown Regional Medical Center
Watertown Regional Medical Center has received an "A" Hospital Safety Grade from the national nonprofit organization The Leapfrog Group, which focuses on patient safety and care standards. This mark signifies the eighth occasion the medical center has attained this top grade in the last eleven grading periods conducted by Leapfrog. Watertown Regional stands among the 17 hospitals in Wisconsin to earn this top rating in the Spring 2025 evaluation.
Leapfrog Group assigns grades ranging from "A" to "F" to hospitals nationwide, relying on more than 30 national performance measures related to errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. These measures also consider the systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. Fewer than one-third of the 3,000 hospitals reviewed meet the criteria for an "A" grade.
"Getting an ‘A’ in anything is always a good feeling, but when the top grade is for patient safety at your hospital, it is an especially welcome result," said Richard Keddington, CEO of Watertown Regional Medical Center. "Our team works diligently to create and maintain the safest environment possible for patient care."
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is unique in focusing solely on preventable medical errors, infections, and injuries, which reportedly account for more than 500 patient deaths daily in the U.S. The program is both peer-reviewed and publicly accessible, with updates provided twice annually in fall and spring.
"Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety," remarked Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "I extend my congratulations to Watertown Regional Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff, and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first."
The recent accolade continues a series of acknowledgments for Watertown Regional Medical Center. This hospital also earned the Healthgrades 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award in April and the Specialty Excellence Award for Joint Replacement in 2025. Additionally, Christine “Chris” Kelsey, RN, a medical-surgical nurse, received the ScionHealth’s 2024 Monarch Caring and Community Award.
Keddington added, "These awards encourage everyone who works here and validate their hard work. Our focus is providing the best patient outcomes and experiences in the safest environment possible."
For further details on safety grades, HospitalSafetyGrade.org allows users to access information by city/state or zip code.
About Watertown Regional Medical Center: The hospital has served Dodge and Jefferson counties for over 115 years, offering a wide range of medical services. It is a joint venture between the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation and ScionHealth.
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About The Leapfrog Group: Established in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, the group is a nonprofit organization advocating for advancements in patient safety. It offers grades based on hospitals' records in managing patient safety.
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