Healthgrades Names HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award Recipient

HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital announced today that it has been recognized as a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, the #1 site Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. This achievement reflects HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital’s clear commitment to safe, patient-centered care and puts the organization in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety for the seventh straight year.

In addition to this recognition for patient safety, HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital, formerly Lehigh Regional Medical Center was recently the recipient of accolades based on its exceptional performance in key service areas, gallbladder surgery and hip fracture treatment. These achievements further underscore the organization’s commitment to delivering compassionate, individualized care at every step of the patient journey.

HCA Florida Healthcare, one of the state’s leading health systems, announced February 27 that it completed the purchase of Lehigh Regional Medical Center from California-based Prime Healthcare. The 53-bed hospital in Lehigh Acres, Florida, has operated in Lee County and surrounding counties since 1965.

“We are incredibly proud of our team on this accomplishment. This illustrates the commitment from our dedicated physicians, nurses and colleagues to put our patients first in every single interaction.  We are dedicated to driving patient safety and quality outcomes for the community we serve,” says Paige Laughlin, Chief Executive Officer of HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital.

HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital’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, HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital 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 HCA Florida Lehigh Hospital for providing consistently exceptional care while preventing serious injuries, giving patients their best chance of a seamless recovery.”