Leapfrog awards 7 Long Island hospitals straight A’s for safety, one gets a D

Seven Long Island hospitals received the coveted “Straight A” rating in Leapfrog’s Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Grades.

The latest report card from the national watchdog group highlights a significant gap in care across Nassau and Suffolk counties, with 12 local facilities earning at least an “A,” while Nassau University Medical Center landed a “D” and several reputable facilities earned more mediocre “B” and “C” grades.

Leapfrog‘s biannual rankings, released today, evaluate hospitals on more than 30 measures of preventable harm, including medical errors, accidents and infections.

The ‘Straight A’ elite

To earn a “Straight A” designation, a hospital must maintain the top safety grade for several consecutive cycles.

On Long Island, the select group includes Glen Cove Hospital, Huntington Hospital, Mather and St. Charles hospitals in Port Jefferson, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island in Mineola, Plainview Hospital, and St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center in Roslyn.

Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead is one of five Suffolk County hospitals that earned an “A” or better.

“This continued recognition speaks to the consistency and dedication of our team in delivering safe, high-quality care every day,” said Amy Loeb, president of PBMC. “Patient safety is an ongoing commitment, and earning an ‘A’ grade again reflects the strong systems we have in place and the accountability our staff brings to every patient interaction.”

Mid-range and the drop-off

Stony Brook University Hospital, the region’s largest academic medical center, received a “C” this cycle. While the facility remains a hub for complex specialized care, the Leapfrog metrics indicate room for improvement in standard safety protocols.

At the bottom of the regional list, Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) received a “D.” The score signals significant risks regarding preventable medical errors and infections compared to other local and national peers.

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Spring 2026 Long Island hospital safety grades

Grade	Hospital Name	Location
A	St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center (Straight A)	Roslyn
A	Mather Hospital (Straight A)	Port Jefferson
A	NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island (Straight A)	Mineola
A	Glen Cove Hospital (Straight A)	Glen Cove
A	Huntington Hospital (Straight A)	Huntington
A	Plainview Hospital (Straight A)	Plainview
A	St. Charles Hospital (Straight A)	Port Jefferson
A	Mercy Hospital	Rockville Centre
A	Mount Sinai South Nassau	Oceanside
A	Peconic Bay Medical Center	Riverhead
A	St. Catherine of Siena Hospital	Smithtown
A	Syosset Hospital	Syosset
B	South Shore University Hospital	Bay Shore
B	St. Joseph Hospital	Bethpage
B	NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk	Patchogue
B	Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center	New Hyde Park
B	Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Valley Stream	Valley Stream
B	North Shore University Hospital	Manhasset
C	Stony Brook University Hospital	Stony Brook
C	Stony Brook Southampton Hospital	Southampton
C	Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center	West Islip
D	Nassau University Medical Center	East Meadow

“Achieving and sustaining excellence in patient safety requires constant vigilance, collaboration and a deep commitment to continuous improvement,” said Patrick O’Shaughnessy, DO, MBA, president and CEO of Catholic Health.

Northwell Health saw 15 of its hospital fleet — including seven on Long Island — earn an “A” grade or better.

“Northwell is mission focused on delivering the best possible clinical outcomes and the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade ratings show those results in a tangible way,” said Peter Silver, senior vice president and chief quality officer at Northwell.

“We are constantly looking for ways to incrementally improve our already high standard of care,” he added.

_{Top: Northwell Health physicians Julissa Jurado (left) and Manish Vira discuss a patient case (Northwell Health)}