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Two local HCA North Florida Division hospitals - Osceola Regional Medical Center and Central Florida Regional Hospital - were awarded 'A' grades from The Leapfrog Group's Fall 2018 Hospital Safety Grade. The designation recognizes the hospitals' efforts in protecting patients from harm and meeting the highest safety standards in the United States. The Leapfrog Group is a national organization committed to improving health care quality and safety for consumers and purchasers. The Safety Grade assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to hospitals across the country based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms among patients in their care.

"We are thrilled to once again receive an 'A' rating from The Leapfrog Group," said Davide Carbone, CEO of Osceola Regional Medical Center. "This score is a great representation of our team's commitment to providing high-quality care to every patient that comes through our doors."?

"Ensuring patient safety is our staff's top priority, and is a responsibility we take seriously," said Wendy Brandon, CEO of Central Florida Regional Hospital. "It is an honor to receive recognition for exemplifying HCA's dedication to the care and improvement of human life."

"Leapfrog's Hospital Safety Grades recognize hospitals like Osceola Regional Medical Center and Central Florida Regional Hospital that focus on advancing patient safety. This ranking provides an important resource for patients, and a benchmark for hospitals, to determine how care at one hospital compares to others in a region," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "Hospitals that earn an A Hospital Safety Grade deserve to be recognized for their efforts in preventing medical harm and errors."

Developed under the guidance of a National Expert Panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades. Out of more than 5,500 hospitals nationwide, approximately 2,600 facilities were recognized and only 855 received 'A' grades this fall.

To see Osceola Regional Medical Center's and Central Florida Regional Hospital's full grade details, and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.