Michigan Patient Safety Rankings Rise, DMC Hospitals Receive Failing Grades

Michigan Hospitals See Improved Safety Rankings, But Not Without Controversy

In a notable shift, Michigan hospitals have made strides in improving patient safety, as reflected in the latest rankings from the independent Leapfrog Group. According to their annual report, 24 hospitals in the state have earned an “A” for their commitment to safety.

The report evaluates hospitals based on a range of safety criteria, including patient falls, hospital-acquired infections, and surgical errors such as objects left in patients’ bodies.

However, not all hospitals celebrated this year’s results. The Detroit Medical Center (DMC) faced increased scrutiny as three of its facilities, DMC-Sinai Grace, DMC-Harper University, and DMC-Detroit Receiving, received failing grades in the 2025 report, up from two last year.

In response, DMC has criticized the Leapfrog Group’s grading system. They referenced a recent lawsuit filed by Florida hospitals against Leapfrog, challenging the integrity of the rankings.

“We stand with our sister hospitals, which earlier this week filed a complaint in Florida against The Leapfrog Group’s inaccurate, corrupt and dangerous rankings. Leapfrog’s scoring system deceives patients and rewards hospitals that either pay them or supply free data for their flawed [hospital] survey, while punishing those that do not participate with inaccurate scores based on fabricated data,” DMC stated.

DMC also emphasized their continuous efforts to enhance patient safety and quality care, arguing that the current ratings system damages the trust essential for effective healthcare.

Leapfrog defends its methodology, highlighting that their Hospital Survey is a voluntary initiative where hospitals report their safety and quality data. The group assigns a Safety Grade to all general hospitals in the U.S. using both self-reported and publicly accessible data, primarily sourced from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Leapfrog remains committed to its grading process, viewing the lawsuit as an effort to prevent patients from accessing crucial safety information.