Judge Orders Removal of Hospital Safety Grades in Florida

Leapfrog Group must take down scores for five Palm Beach hospitals after judge rules the ratings were unfairly calculated.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 12:04am

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A U.S. District Court judge has ordered the Leapfrog Group, a prominent hospital rating organization, to remove safety grades for five hospitals in Palm Beach, Florida. The judge ruled that Leapfrog unfairly penalized the hospitals for not participating in the group's voluntary safety surveys, with no scientific basis for the scoring changes. The five hospitals, owned by Tenet Healthcare, argued the poor ratings had damaged their reputations and led to drops in patient volume.

Why it matters

This ruling highlights the challenges health officials face in holding hospitals accountable for patient safety and the potential impact of hospital rating systems on consumer trust and healthcare decision-making. It raises questions about the transparency and methodology used by rating organizations and the need for multiple, reliable sources of information for patients evaluating local healthcare options.

The details

In 2024, Leapfrog changed how it scored hospitals that did not complete its biannual patient safety surveys, assigning 'limited achievement' grades to those facilities. This effectively lowered the overall safety scores for the five Palm Beach hospitals, which had stopped participating in the surveys during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospitals sued, arguing the new scoring methodology was unfair and not based on scientific evidence. The judge agreed, ruling that Leapfrog's changes 'had no scientific basis, unfairly penalized non-participating hospitals and misrepresented hospital safety.'

  • In Spring 2024, Leapfrog began using averages from similar hospitals to calculate scores for facilities that did not provide survey data.
  • By Fall 2024, Leapfrog changed to assigning 'limited achievement' scores to hospitals that did not complete the surveys.
  • On March 6, 2026, the U.S. District Court judge ruled in favor of the five Palm Beach hospitals and ordered Leapfrog to remove their safety grades.
  • Leapfrog complied with the judge's order by March 13, 2026.

The players

Leapfrog Group

A prominent hospital rating organization that evaluates patient safety and publishes biannual report cards on thousands of U.S. hospitals.

Palm Beach Health Network

A group of five hospitals in Palm Beach, Florida owned by Tenet Healthcare that sued Leapfrog over its unfair scoring methodology.

U.S. District Court Judge Donald Middlebrooks

The judge who ruled in favor of the Palm Beach hospitals, agreeing that Leapfrog's scoring changes were not scientifically based.

Heather Havericak

CEO of Delray Medical Center, one of the five Palm Beach hospitals, who testified that Leapfrog's poor grades had damaged the hospital's reputation and led to a drop in patient volume.

Leah Binder

CEO of the Leapfrog Group, who called the judge's order "outrageous" and said the organization plans to appeal.

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What they’re saying

“Those grades have been very damaging to our hospital and our Palm Beach Health Network.”

— Heather Havericak, CEO, Delray Medical Center (USA TODAY)

“This is just terrible for consumers. Consumers deserve to know what we know, based on expert opinion, about the safety of the hospitals they entrust their lives to.”

— Leah Binder, CEO, Leapfrog Group (N/A)

What’s next

Leapfrog Group plans to appeal the judge's order, while the five Palm Beach hospitals await a new methodology for scoring non-participating facilities in Leapfrog's Fall 2026 report card.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in hospital rating systems, as well as the importance of consumers using multiple sources of information when evaluating local healthcare options. It underscores the potential unintended consequences of rating methodologies and the impact they can have on patient trust and hospital reputations.