How safe are Bellingham-area hospitals? See latest patient care report card
How safe are Bellingham-area hospitals?
One Bellingham hospital earned an “A” for patient care and safety in The Leapfrog Group’s latest report.
The nonprofit organization issues Hospital Safety Grade reports twice a year for general hospitals across the United States.
Grades are based on hospitals’ ability to “protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections,” The Leapfrog Group said, with A being the highest grade and F the lowest.
About 18.8% of 48 hospitals in Washington — nine in total — received “A” grades for patient safety in spring 2026.
According to The Leapfrog Group, the lowest grade any Washington hospital received was a “C.”
“The good news is that hospitals across the country are making meaningful strides in patient safety and helping save countless lives,” Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said in a May 6 news release. “But not all hospitals are the same. That’s why it’s so important for people to ... do their research when choosing a hospital.”
Here’s what to know:
Is Bellingham hospital safe for patients?
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, 2901 Squalicum Pkwy in Bellingham, received an “A” in The Leapfrog Group’s spring 2026 report.
The hospital has received straight As since fall 2023, according to the nonprofit group.
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center received average or above-average marks for its work to prevent infections, safety problems such as collapsed lungs and problems with safety including blood leaks and serious breathing problems.
However, the hospital scored slightly lower marks in terms of communication with doctors and nurses and the responsiveness of hospital staff.
It also needs to improve its practices to prevent errors, including handwashing and communication about medicines.
Why didn’t Skagit County hospitals get safety grades?
Some hospitals in Washington were not given safety grades in this spring’s report, following a recent court ruling.
A federal court ruled in favor of five Florida hospitals, finding that The Leapfrog Group’s methodology violated Florida’s unfair and deceptive business practices law, according to the American Hospital Association.
“Leapfrog’s change in methodology has no scientific basis, unfairly penalizes non-participating hospitals, and misrepresents hospital safety,” Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks wrote in the ruling.
For its spring 2026 report, The Leapfrog Group said it did not assign grades to 450 hospitals nationwide that chose not to participate its survey.
Instead, those facilities were labeled as “grade not assigned.”
In Washington, a total of seven hospitals did not have assigned grades in The Leapfrog Group’s spring 2026 report. They included:
- Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon
- Island Health in Anacortes
- Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington
How did Leapfrog Group grade hospitals?
In spring 2026, The Leapfrog Group graded more than 2,300 hospitals across the nation on patient safety.
Grades were calculated by using “evidence-based measures” in five categories:
- Infections
- Problems with surgery
- Safety problems
- Practices to prevent errors
- Doctors, nurses and hospital staff
“You should never refuse care in an emergency because of a hospital’s Safety Grade, but use this website as a guide for planned events and a research tool for potential emergencies,” The Leapfrog Group said on its website.
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 8:30 AM.