Four California hospitals were slapped with “D” safety grades in a newly released Spring 2026 Hospital Safety report, landing them among the state’s worst performers for preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.
El Centro Regional Medical Center, Los Angeles Community Hospital, Norwalk Community Hospital, and Pioneers Memorial Hospital were the only hospitals in California to receive the alarming near-failing grades in the biannual rankings, according to the Leapfrog Group’s study.
Norwalk Community Hospital showed modest improvement after previously receiving an “F” grade last year. At the time, hospital officials argued the score did “not accurately reflect” safety levels and said incomplete information had impacted the rating.
The new report paints a broader picture of hospital safety across the Golden State, with 113 hospitals earning top “A” grades, including 48 “straight A” hospitals recognized for consistently high patient safety standards.
California ranked 10th in the nation for the percentage of hospitals receiving “A” grades.
Meanwhile, 67 hospitals across the state received middling “C” grades, while dozens more landed “B” scores.
Leapfrog’s twice-yearly report evaluates general hospitals on their ability to protect patients from preventable harm, including dangerous infections, medication mistakes, and avoidable injuries.
Among California’s top-performing hospitals were major systems, including multiple Kaiser Permanente facilities, Stanford Health Care, Hoag Hospital, and Loma Linda University Medical Center.
Leapfrog said hospitals have shown measurable improvements in patient safety, particularly through reduced infection rates and increased use of computerized medication-ordering systems designed to catch prescribing errors.
“The good news is that hospitals across the country are making meaningful strides in patient safety and helping save countless lives,” Leapfrog Group President and CEO Leah Binder said in a statement.
For California patients, however, the report highlights stark disparities depending on where they seek care, with four hospitals now facing heightened scrutiny over patient safety concerns while more than 100 others received top marks.
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