Roper St. Francis Healthcare celebrates straight ‘A’ grades for safety

All four hospitals at Roper St. Francis Healthcare have earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog.

Roper Hospital, Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital, Mount Pleasant Hospital and Berkeley Hospital received the highest possible marks during Leapfrog’s spring 2026 grading period for protecting patients from preventable harm and errors. The Leapfrog Group made the announcement Wednesday, May 6, as Roper St. Francis Healthcare kicked off National Nurses Week and National Healthcare Week observations that celebrate all its teammates and providers for their contributions to top-quality patient care.

“This recognition reflects the work happening across our entire system — a steady focus, vigilance and shared commitment to patient safety,” Roper St. Francis Healthcare President & CEO Joseph DeLeon said. “Our teammates and medical providers keep safety at the center of everything they do and continue to earn the trust of our patients and our communities.”

Leapfrog assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent them.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s commitment to high quality is part of its 2030 Strategic Plan efforts to address the future clinical needs of the Charleston region.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the United States. This program is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“Achieving an ‘A’ Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, President & CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Roper St. Francis Healthcare, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.”