Maryland state senator William C. Smith Jr. (D-20) visited Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center in Silver Spring on December 7 to acknowledge the hospital’s efforts in earning an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group during the Fall 2023 rating cycle. This marks the second consecutive time White Oak Medical Center has received an “A” safety grade.

The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit watchdog that sets standards for excellence in patient care. Leapfrog assigns letter grades to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries, and infections, as well as the systems that hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

Senator Smith represents District 20 (Silver Spring and Takoma Park), home to one of Maryland’s most engaged and diverse constituencies, and chairs the Judicial Proceedings Committee in Annapolis, the capital of the state.

The senator kicked off his visit by joining hospital leaders in prayer. He then presented a State Senate Proclamation honoring White Oak’s Leapfrog achievement. Following his presentation, Senator Smith hosted a question-and-answer session with health-care leaders and toured the hospital, which opened in August 2019, continuing the legacy of its predecessor, Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park.

“It is a privilege to honor White Oak Medical Center on behalf of the State of Maryland,” Smith said. “White Oak Medical Center has long been a cornerstone of our community, serving our patients and their families with unwavering compassion and kindness. The Leapfrog accolade is yet one more testament to the high-quality care their entire team provides.”

“White Oak Medical Center provides high-quality, high-touch care in a patient-centered, state-of-the-art facility designed to advance health care within our community and the region,” Anthony Stahl, president of White Oak Medical Center, said. “We are honored to be recognized by Senator Smith and the State of Maryland for our efforts to make patient safety a top priority. We could not have achieved this recognition without the efforts of our team members and their commitment to extending God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental, and spiritual healing.”

About Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center

Adventist HealthCare White Oak Medical Center is a state-of-the-art acute care hospital, part of the Adventist HealthCare system based in Gaithersburg, Maryland. White Oak Medical Center offers a full range of health services including a comprehensive and nationally recognized heart program, cancer care, maternity care, surgical and emergency care. The institution is a neighbor and research partner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and at the center of the emerging White Oak Science Gateway in Montgomery County.