When you go to the hospital for surgery or illness, trust that the medical staff will treat your condition well. But if your nurses and doctors don’t wash their hands or give you the wrong medicine, your health could get worse instead of better.
But some hospitals in the Kansas City area are better at taking these patient safety steps than others.
According to The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit healthcare organization, more than 200,000 people die each year from falls, post-surgery infections, miscommunication with staff and other preventable safety issues.
The organization, which has been rating hospitals for patient safety for more than 20 years, announced on November 13. announced its 2025 Fall Leapfrog Hospital Safety Ratings.
Twice a year, hospitals are rated in 32 areas grouped into five categories: infections; problems with surgery; safety issues; error prevention practices; number of employees and education. The nonprofit receives data from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, along with the Leapfrog survey.
Although grades range from A to F, there were no D or F facilities in the Kansas City area.
in 2022 Nurses at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City care for a patient with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit. A health care group has given Kansas City hospitals top marks for patient safety.
When it comes to the statewide distribution of grades, 23% of Kansas hospitals received A grades. Missouri scored worse; only 17% of hospitals received A grades, which is 40th in the country.
The nonprofit does not release ratings for VA hospitals, mental health facilities, independent children’s hospitals and some specialty facilities, such as surgery centers and cancer hospitals.
To get more information about your hospital’s performance in other dimensions, such as patient satisfaction and treatment efficiency, look up the name of the facility in the Care Tool on the Medicare website and compare. In addition, US News and World Report publishes annual rankings based on hospital performance in various medical specialties and routine procedures.
Here are the Kansas City hospitals with the best and worst ratings for patient safety in 2025, according to the Leapfrog Group. in autumn
Most Unsafe Hospitals in the Kansas City Area (Class C)
University Health Truman Medical Center, Kansas
University Health Truman Medical Center scored below average in 10 of 32 categories, including the worst possible score for patient care and bedside care. From 2022 The Hospital Hill facility scored a C in seven of eight ratings.
Saint Luke’s North Hospital – Barry Road, Kansas
Saint Luke’s North scored below average in seven of 28 categories, including the worst possible score for urinary tract infections using a urinary catheter. The hospital declined to report figures for the four categories. In seven of the last eight evaluations, the Northland institution received a B grade.
Research Medical Center Main Campus, Kansas City
The research medical center scored below average in seven of 32 categories, including the worst possible score for patient care and bedside care. South Kansas City Hospital has received a mix of B and C grades for the past three years.
University Health Lakewood Medical Center, Kansas
University Health Lakewood scored below average in five of 26 categories, with the worst possible score for patient care and bedside care. Data were not available in six categories, meaning the facility did not have sufficient patient data or did not perform these procedures. The hospital, located west of Lee’s Summit, will open in 2022. earned a combination of B and C grades.
University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas, Kansas
KU Medical Center scored below average in four of the 25 categories. The hospital declined to provide information in seven categories. The hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, received only C grades in the last five evaluations.
Overland Park Regional Medical Center
Overland Park Regional Medical Center scored below average in five of 32 categories, including the worst possible score for patient care and bedside care. 2022 and 2023 Johnson County Hospital received A grades, and 2024 and 2025. dropped to B and C.
Safest Hospitals in the Kansas City Area (Class A)
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AdventHealth South Overland Park Hospital
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Menorah Medical Center, Overland Park
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Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas
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Saint Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit
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Saint Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City
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Joseph Medical Center, Kansas
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St. Mary’s Medical Center, Blue Springs
B class
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AdventHealth Shawnee Mission
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Belton Regional Medical Center
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Centrepoint Medical Center, Independence
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Lee’s Summit Medical Center
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North Kansas City Hospital
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Saint Luke’s South Hospital, Overland Park