The Leapfrog Group names UCMC a Top Teaching Hospital for seventh time

For the seventh time, The Leapfrog Group has named the University of Chicago Medical Center a Top Teaching Hospital for its high standards in patient safety and quality of care. It is one of only 75 hospitals in the country to earn the distinction.

The award is widely acknowledged as one of the most competitive honors an American hospital can receive. The Leapfrog Group, a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers, is known as one of the toughest standard-setters for healthcare safety and quality.

The news comes after Leapfrog gave the medical center its 26th consecutive "A" grade for hospital safety in November, making it the only research-intensive academic medical center in the nation with this track record.

“We are honored to be recognized with The Leapfrog Group’s Top Teaching Hospital award again,” said Vineet Arora, MD, Dean for Medical Education at UChicago Medicine. “It is a true testament to the continuous hard work and dedication of the faculty, staff, residents, fellows and students at the University of Chicago Medical Center and Pritzker School of Medicine to caring for the communities we serve on Chicago’s South Side.”

Rigorous criteria reviewed, achieved

To qualify as a Top Teaching Hospital, applicants must rank top among their peers on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey — an annual, voluntary review that assesses hospital performance — and excel in their teaching hospital category.

The survey measures nine performance areas. Among the criteria: patient rights and ethics, safer surgery practices, maternity and pediatric care, and preventing medication errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.

“The University of Chicago Medical Center has set the standard for patient safety, earning the prestigious distinction of a Top Hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This elite honor reflects the exceptional efforts of the entire team and places the University of Chicago Medical Center among the nation’s elite in healthcare.”

Legacy of Leapfrog excellence

In a list of winners published Tuesday, The Leapfrog Group recognized 134 “Top Hospitals” across four different categories — Children’s, General, Rural and Teaching. Nearly 2,400 hospitals were considered for the award. The winners will be recognized at The Leapfrog Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday evening.

Located in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, the medical center is the hub of the UChicago Medicine health system. It has appeared on Leapfrog’s Top Hospitals list in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

To see the full list of 2024 Top Hospitals, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/tophospitals.