The Leapfrog Group is out with its 2026 patient safety and quality of care ratings for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers nationwide.

Released July 27, this year’s findings include more than 6,000 facilities, marking the highest level of participation in the nonprofit’s 26-year history.

More than 200 New Jersey healthcare providers are included in this year’s ratings.

According to the organization, the hospital results are based on providers’ voluntary participation in the 2026 Leapfrog Hospital Survey.

This year also marks the launch of the ASC Public Reporting Program, which reports safety and quality information for ambulatory surgery centers nationwide.

For the ASC ratings, Leapfrog evaluated data from:

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Voluntarily uploaded and verified accreditation information submitted by facilities
• Voluntary reporting through the 2026 Leapfrog ASC Survey 2.0

Hospital measures include:

• Patient safety
• Specialty care
• Surgery

ASC measures include:

• Patient safety
• Surgery

‘Transparency is now the norm’

Leapfrog President and CEO Leah Binder thanked hospitals and ASCs for their participation in the surveys and “for their leadership and accountability.”

“It took more than two decades to get here, but this record participation confirms that transparency is now the norm in American health care – and declining to be transparent is the exception,” Binder said.

Linda Schwimmer, president and CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, is chair of The Leapfrog Group‘s board of directors. She said Leapfrog’s regional leaders work with health care providers to “keep pushing for the transparency patients deserve.”

“Transparency on quality creates greater awareness, focus and accountability, all of which lead to better care for patients,” Schwimmer added. “That is why this growth in public reporting matters.”

The Leapfrog Group publishes biannual Hospital Safety Grades, rating most general hospitals in the U.S. based on their ability to protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

On the latest report card, New Jersey had 29 “A” graded hospitals. That placed the state sixth in the nation, based on the percentage of top scores.