Rapides Regional receives Patient Safety Excellence Award

Rapides Regional Medical Center has been recognized as a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, the No. 1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. This achievement reflects Rapides Regional’s commitment to safe, patient-centered care and puts the organization in the top 10 percent of hospitals nationwide for patient safety.

In addition to this recognition for patient safety, Rapides Regional Medical Center was recently named one of America’s 250 Best Hospitals for overall clinical care, and the recipient of numerous accolades based on its exceptional performance in key service areas, including Cardiology, Orthopedics, Neurosciences, Pulmonary, Vascular, Gastrointestinal and Critical Care, ranking top 5 percent nationally in Pulmonary Care and top 10 percent nationally in Critical Care.

“These honors from Healthgrades show our commitment to providing high quality, efficient and compassionate health care services for our patients and community,” said Rapides Regional CEO Vernon Jones. “Patient safety is our top priority, and the Patient Safety Excellence Award is a tribute to the hard work of our colleagues and medical staff.”

Rapides Regional Medical Center’s achievements are based solely patient outcomes. To determine the top-performing hospitals for patient safety, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Healthgrades’ analysis revealed significant performance gaps between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, making it increasingly important for consumers to seek care at a hospital with top safety ratings.

From 2021-2023, 173,280 preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals. The annual study found that patients treated in hospitals that received the 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:

• In-hospital falls resulting in fracture (54% less likely)
• Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 55% less likely)
• Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 69% less likely)
• Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (72% less likely)

“As a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient, Rapides Regional Medical Center consistently puts the well-being of their patients and staff at the forefront, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide,” said Debra Gradick, MD FACEP, senior physician consultant at Healthgrades. “We commend Rapides Regional for providing consistently exceptional care while preventing serious injuries, giving patients their best chance of a seamless recovery.”