MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center Awarded Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades for the Second Time

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center announced today that it 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 Saddleback Medical Center's clear commitment to safe, patient-centered care and puts the organization in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety for the second year in a row.

"We are truly honored to be recognized among the top 5% of hospitals for patient safety," says Brandi Cassingham, chief nursing officer, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. "It's a testament to the great work and commitment of our entire team from leaders to frontline staff to physicians. We are deeply committed to providing our community with the highest standards of patient safety, making us a trusted regional leader in quality health care."

Saddleback Medical Center's achievements are based solely on what matters most: 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, with four patient safety indicators accounting for nearly 76% of these incidents. * 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, Saddleback 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 Saddleback Medical Center for providing consistently exceptional care while preventing serious injuries, giving patients their best chance of a seamless recovery."

In addition to this recognition for patient safety, Saddleback Medical Center also 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 such as cardiology, gastroenterology, orthopedics and pulmonary care. These achievements further underscore the organization's commitment to delivering compassionate, individualized care at every step of the patient journey.

About MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center

MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is a member of MemorialCare, a not-for-profit, integrated health care delivery system.  Saddleback Medical Center received U.S. News & World Report high performance rankings for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm, Congestive Heart Failure, COPD, Diabetes, Heart Attack, Kidney Failure, Knee Replacement, Pneumonia, and Stroke. It was named among Healthgrade's America's 250 Best Hospitals, Top 50 U.S. Cardiovascular Hospitals, Orange County Register Best Orange County Hospitals and Top Workplaces; received Magnet Nursing Excellence designation and American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Care Gold Plus and among first U.S. hospitals earning Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center Certification and Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation. Centers of Excellence include cancer, heart, orthopedics, spine, neuroscience, gastroenterology, emergency and critical care, breast health, imaging, women's health, obstetrics, geriatrics, and minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. To learn more, visit memorialcare.org/saddleback.

About Healthgrades

Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering meaningful connections between patients, doctors, and hospitals. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content. For over 20 years, our health system, group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have helped our partners reach and engage consumers on their way to the doctor Healthgrades is part of RVO Health, a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group. RVO Health has the largest consumer health and wellness audience online across its brand portfolio, including Healthgrades, Healthline, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central and Bezzy, which touch every part of the health and wellness journey. RVO Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives each month.

SOURCE MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center