Following a series of “A” grades from a national watchdog group, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratzpatien Griffin Lake Forest Hospital slipped to a “B” in the latest patient safety rankings.
In the spring 2026 rankings released by The Leapfrog Group, Lake Forest Hospital received a “B” grade. The hospital had earned “A” grades in the previous six ranking periods dating back to spring 2023 after receiving “C” grades in fall 2021 and both surveys conducted in 2022.
But the spring 2026 results showed a different result.
“An A to a B shows there are still some areas this hospital needs to work on and recommit to, particularly infections and other areas where they can improve,” noted Katie Stewart, Leapfrog’s Director of Health Care Ratings.
Stewart said Leapfrog uses a panel of experts to review patient data submitted by hospitals. Grades are based on a hospital’s ability to protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections.
The rankings evaluate 32 evidence-based measures across categories, including infections, surgical problems, safety issues, and practices designed to prevent errors.
While LFH received strong marks in many areas, the hospital scored below average in some categories, including surgical site infections following colon surgery.
“Nationally, we know that hospitals are improving on infections, and in this case, (LFH) was higher,” Stewart said.
Stewart added the hospital has improved its score related to catheter use following surgeries, which can increase the risk of urinary tract infections. However, she said the hospital still remains below the national average in that category.
Another contributing factor involved complications following harmful events as well as patient falls and injuries.
“It certainly is an area to pay attention to because it could be indicative of other areas that need attention in a hospital, such as staffing and other measures put in place to prevent those errors,” Stewart said of the falls.
Overall, Stewart said grade fluctuations can occur when a hospital’s performance worsens or fails to improve at the same pace as other hospitals.
After the grades were released, Northwestern Medicine issued a statement.
“We appreciate Leapfrog’s efforts to provide accessible information and welcome ongoing dialogue to ensure these measures continue to evolve and accurately reflect quality, safety and the patient experience,” the statement said. “Northwestern Medicine is committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered care in the safest healthcare environment possible. Our physicians, nurses, and staff are deeply focused on delivering outstanding care while continuously working to improve outcomes for the patients we serve.”
A hospital spokeswoman added Lake Forest Hospital recorded about 11,800 inpatient admissions in 2025.
Leapfrog assessed approximately 2,400 hospitals nationwide in the latest survey, Stewart said. Of those hospitals, 33 % received an “A” grade while 26 % earned a “B.”
There were 81 hospitals graded in Illinois.
Earlier this year, Lake Forest Hospital completed an approximately 300,000-square-foot expansion featuring 96 medical-surgical beds and 18 observation beds.
The hospital was renamed in 2025 following a donation from Citadel CEO Ken Griffin to honor his mother.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
