Fond Du Lac Times

Watertown Regional Medical Center has been awarded an "A" Hospital Safety Grade by The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization focused on patient safety and care standards. This marks the eighth time in 11 grading periods that Watertown Regional has achieved this top grade. It is one of 17 hospitals in Wisconsin to receive this recognition in Leapfrog's Spring 2025 ratings.

Leapfrog grades hospitals from "A" to "F" based on over 30 performance measures related to errors, accidents, injuries, and infections. Less than one-third of approximately 3,000 hospitals reviewed nationwide earn an "A" grade.

Richard Keddington, CEO of Watertown Regional Medical Center, expressed satisfaction with the result: “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.” He credited the hospital's team for their efforts in maintaining a safe environment for patient care.

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, praised the dedication to patient safety at Watertown Regional: “Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety.”

The award adds to other recent recognitions for Watertown Regional. In April, it received Healthgrades' 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award. Previously, it earned a Leapfrog A during Fall 2024 ratings and Healthgrades’ 2025 Specialty Excellence Award for Joint Replacement. Additionally, Christine “Chris” Kelsey was honored with ScionHealth’s 2024 Monarch Caring and Community Award.

Keddington noted that these awards encourage staff and validate their hard work: “Our focus is providing the best patient outcomes and experiences in the safest environment possible.”

For more information on Watertown Regional's safety grades or other local hospitals' grades, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.