Leapfrog assigns an “A," “B," “C," “D" or “F" grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 measures of errors, accidents, injuries and infections as well as the systems that hospitals have in place to prevent them. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade stands as the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that kill more than 500 patients a day in the U.S.
The grades for both hospitals reflect Harris Health’s commitment and ongoing progress to patient safety and quality care.
The Leapfrog Safety Grade (A, B, C, D or F) is awarded twice a year by The Leapfrog Group, after evaluating hospitals on a range of patient safety measures, including infection rates, patient injuries and overall hospital processes to prevent harm.
“We are pleased to receive this acknowledgement of the quality work being done by both of our flagship hospitals,” says Esmaeil Porsa, MD, president and CEO, Harris Health. “Patient safety is at the core of everything we do, and this grade reflects the hard work and commitment of our medical staff, nurses and support teams. We will continue to innovate and improve to ensure the highest standard of care for our patients.”
Leapfrog is an organization based in Washington, D.C. that aims to improve healthcare quality and safety in hospitals. It grades more than 2,700 general acute-care hospitals across the nation twice annually.
The award is part of the 2025 Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America awards program—a national honor recognizing organizations that put people first and make employee well-being a top priority.
“At Harris Health, our people are our greatest strength," says Omar Reid, executive vice president and Chief People Officer. “Being named the No. 1 Healthiest Workplace in America is a powerful affirmation of our shared belief that when our employees are healthy, supported and well, they can deliver the very best care to those we serve. Caring for our people is essential to caring for our patients.
“This incredible achievement celebrates every employee who makes wellness a daily priority. Together, we're leading the way in showing that when a culture of care begins within, it extends outward—to our patients, our families and our community."
This isn't the first time Harris Health led the way nationally: the system has consistently ranked among the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America for several years—No. 4 in 2024, No. 3 in 2023, No. 1 in 2022, No. 45 in 2021, No. 6 in 2020, No. 2 in 2019 and No. 64 in 2018. This prestigious distinction underscores Harris Health's ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of health and wellness that supports the people who make our mission possible—our employees. From physical fitness and nutrition programs to mental health and emotional support, Harris Health continues to invest in initiatives that help employees feel and perform at their best.
“Our employees dedicate their time and energy to caring for patients and our community, and it's just as important that they take time to care for themselves," says Michele Hunnicutt, administrative director, Employee Wellness. “Through fitness challenges, nutrition programs, mindfulness activities, educational webinars and our Employee Assistance Program, we're helping staff build balance and resilience so they can thrive both inside and outside the workplace."
The five-minute video features hospital leadership, physicians, nurses and a family testimonial on why the construction of a 100-inpatient bed facility is needed for the hospital. The video will be used in public presentations to educate the community about the eminent domain initiative to acquire 8.9 acres of Hermann Park land to build the expansion. To learn more about the expansion plans, visit
harrishealth.org or to make comments about the expansion, do so by submitting your feedback at
BenTaubExpansion@harrishealth.org.
The event, held in partnership with the library’s Back-to-School Fair, helped families prepare for the school year, gain vital healthcare information from Harris Health physicians, and receive school vaccines and supplies—all while fostering meaningful dialogue around community health and wellness.
Let’s Talk Health: Community Learning Series is an effort inspired by Hilary Ma, MD, medical director, oncology program, Harris Health Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and professor, Health Disparities Research and General Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The series is designed to bring healthcare expertise directly to the heart of the community — making trusted health information more accessible and relevant. It empowers residents to ask informed questions, identify credible health information, and address the issues that matter most to their families and neighborhoods. The goal is to build stronger relationships between physicians and residents and support healthier communities.
With the support of dedicated partners and volunteers, the first event made a meaningful impact:
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334 community members served
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12 vaccines administered on-site
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40 attendees participated in an educational Vaccine 101 session with physicians Divya Bhamidipati, MD, (Adult Infectious Diseases, UT Health) and Megan Carey, MD, (Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine)
“It was such a wonderful turnout,” Ma says. “This event was an auspicious start to what we hope will be a lasting effort to keep our communities informed, healthy, and prepared.”
Library staff also shared their enthusiasm. “We were honored to see so many families come through our doors to learn and get connected to resources,” says Dione McLaughlin, staff member, McCrane Library. “Events like this show the power of collaboration and community.”
Whether presenting, answering questions, greeting families, or coordinating logistics, everyone involved helped create a warm, welcoming, and informative space for the community.
Building on the success of this launch, Harris Health CARE is continuing the Let’s Talk Health model through Harris Health Precinct Townhall a series focused on keeping community members informed about system updates and priorities. During these sessions, Harris Health hosts health education panels that complement the updates with engaging discussions on key health topics such as cancer prevention, nutrition and diabetes, and Food Farmacy initiatives.
These panels create an opportunity to connect organizational updates with meaningful conversations about wellness—reinforcing Harris Health’s commitment to transparency, education, and partnership with the community.
What began as a back-to-school collaboration has now evolved into a broader effort to make health communication, education, and empowerment central to the Harris Health experience.
“These national recognitions for our outstanding heart and stroke care at both our hospitals are well-deserved and a clear indication of the incredible work performed by our dedicated and talented staff on a daily basis,” says Glorimar Medina, MD, CEO- Hospital Campuses, Harris Health. “Our teams at LBJ and Ben Taub hospitals have only one thing in mind: providing patients the best possible care that meets or exceeds high national standards.”
Though best known for trauma and emergency care, Ben Taub and LBJ hospitals are building a national reputation of excellence in their care of brain and heart patients—particularly ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) at Ben Taub Hospital.
Ben Taub Hospital—Recipient of 2025 national honors in heart and stroke care:
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Get With The Guidelines
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Coronary Artery Disease NSTEMI – Gold
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines
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Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Receiving Center – Gold Plus
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines
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Resuscitation Target Survival
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Resuscitation Target CPR
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Resuscitation Gold-Adult
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Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus Award
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Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Mission Lifeline – Regional Award
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Southeast Texas M:L Regional Report
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2025 Platinum Performance Achievement Award – Chest Pain – MI Registry
LBJ Hospital—Recipient of 2025 national honor in heart care:
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Get With The Guidelines
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Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring Silver Plus
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Gold in Resuscitation
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Get With The Guidelines
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Heart Failure Gold Plus
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Target: Heart Failure Optimal
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
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Get With The Guidelines
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Stroke Gold Plus
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Target Stroke Honor Elite
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Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
Hospitals receiving Get With The Guidelines® Gold Plus Achievement Awards ensure heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines. Both Ben Taub and LBJ hospitals reached the aggressive goal of treating at least 85% of patients with AHA’s defined core standards of care for consecutive calendar years.
Facilities like LBJ Hospital also received the silver plus level achievement award in Get With The Guidelines – Coronary Artery Disease STEMI Referring for its ability to stabilize and transfer coronary patients to appropriate facilities for specialized STEMI care. Hospitals that receive the Get With The Guidelines awards have reached an aggressive goal of treating patients to core standards of care on a consistent basis.
Ben Taub Hospital is a Comprehensive Stroke Center certified by DNV Healthcare. As such, the hospital meets or exceeds quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidence-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients receive education on managing their health and get a scheduled follow-up visit, as well as other care transition interventions.
If approved by the court, Harris Health would purchase through eminent domain 8.9 acres of Hermann Park land needed to build a proposed 100-inpatient bed facility.
In September, the Harris Health Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a resolution calling for the acquisition of park land to support the critically needed expansion of the hospital. Ben Taub Hospital has been consistently operating at and beyond its 402-bed capacity, and the need for its healthcare services is expected to grow at a rapid pace in the coming months and years.
Additionally, due to Harris County's current and projected population growth, the hospital expects demand to grow by as much as 18,000 emergency visits over the next 10 years, requiring additional bed capacity.
The $410 million expansion project is funded by Harris Health's $2.5 billion bond package that was overwhelmingly approved by Harris County voters in 2023. Harris County Commissioners Court will consider the initiative for eminent domain in January 2026.