Highlighting its nationally-recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, LincolnHealth was named a Top Rural Hospital by The Leapfrog Group for the seventh time in eight years. The Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive. Top Hospital designation is awarded by The Leapfrog Group, an independent hospital watchdog organization.

“It takes a tremendous team effort and an unrelenting focus on quality and patient safety by the entire LincolnHealth team to earn this award,” commented LincolnHealth President Jim Donovan. “It also takes a champion and leader who works tirelessly to maintain this necessary focus and to be the expert who is always there to step-up and help a colleague.  Our champion and leader is Cindy Coyne and I am very grateful for all she does and how well she does it.  She helps drive us all to be better,” Donovan said. “When you combine her leadership with hundreds of employees who are dedicated to quality and safety, great things happen,” he added.

LincolnHealth was one of only 17 rural hospitals in the United States to receive a Top Rural Hospital distinction this year.

Performance across many areas of hospital care is considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, maternity care, and the hospital’s capacity to prevent medication errors.

“Being acknowledged as a Top Hospital is an incredible feat achieved by less than six percent of eligible hospitals nationwide,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “With this honor, LincolnHealth has established its commitment to safer and higher quality care. Providing this level of care to patients in Lincoln County requires motivation and drive from every team member. I congratulate the board, staff and clinicians, whose efforts made this honor possible,” she added.