HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston.

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

A new nationwide hospital safety report has revealed how well Ulster and Sullivan county medical centers are protecting patients from preventable harm.

The Leapfrog Group released its Fall 2025 Hospital Safety Grades on Thursday, Nov. 13, evaluating more than 3,000 hospitals on their ability to prevent medical errors, infections, accidents, and other complications. The nonprofit issues the grades twice a year, assigning each hospital a letter grade from A through F.

The report focuses on safety problems that Leapfrog says harm one in four hospital inpatients nationally and contribute to as many as 250,000 deaths each year. The ratings are based on peer-reviewed methodology and are developed with guidance from a national panel of patient safety experts.

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said this year’s analysis also reviewed how hospital system consolidation affects patient safety. According to the organization, 94 percent of A-rated hospitals this fall are part of a larger health system.

Ulster & Sullivan County Grades

Two regional hospitals were evaluated in this cycle:

  • Ulster County: HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston: C
  • Sullivan County: Garnet Health Medical Center–Catskills in Harris:  B

Leapfrog notes that an A grade reflects excellence in areas such as infection control, hand hygiene, staffing levels, and rapid response to critical events.

Full results for all hospitals — including statewide comparisons and detailed category scores — are available on the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade website.

See how other Hudson Valley hospitals fared in this earlier Daily Voice report.