#United States #Leapfrog Group #Hartford #Hartford HealthCare #ASC Award

Five Hartford HealthCare Ambulatory Surgery Centers Shine with Leapfrog Recognition

Hartford HealthCare has achieved an impressive milestone by having all five eligible ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) recognized by Leapfrog Group as part of their prestigious nationwide 'Top Ambulatory Surgery Center' list. This recognition underscores their exceptional performance in clinical outcomes, patient safety, and processes dedicated to protecting patients in care settings across Connecticut.

The Leapfrog Group, a well-respected independent organization that champions patient safety and healthcare transparency, awarded this distinction to only 37 ASCs nationwide in 2025. The Top ASC award celebrates rigorous efforts in various critical areas, such as staffing quality, hand hygiene compliance, enhancing patient experience, effectively preventing infections, and implementing practices that enable safer surgeries while minimizing errors in clinical settings.

Karen Goyette, the executive vice president and chief strategy and transformation officer at Hartford HealthCare, stated, "This achievement reflects the dedication and expertise of Hartford HealthCare, Constitution Surgery Alliance (CSA), which manages our ASCs, along with our outstanding ASC physician partners. This award further validates our joint commitment to ensuring patients have access to affordable and world-class quality care."

Since the program's launch in 2022, Hartford HealthCare's ASCs have been awarded nine Leapfrog Top ASC designations, showcasing their consistent adherence to high standards of care. The centers recognized this year include:
1. HHC Cheshire Surgery Center - second consecutive year
2. HHC Southwest Connecticut Surgery Center in Wilton - second consecutive year
3. HHC Hartford Surgery Center - second recognition
4. HHC Rocky Hill Surgery Center - second recognition
5. HHC Surgery Center East in Waterford - inaugural recognition

Dr. Ajay Kumar, HHC's executive vice president and chief clinical officer, emphasized, "Quality is the foundation of everything we do. This recognition, which is one of the most challenging in the industry to earn, assures our patients that they receive care that meets the highest national standards."

The ASCs being recognized are part of a comprehensive network dedicated to providing outpatient surgical care in various specialties, including orthopedics, total joint replacement, spine surgery, pain management, and ophthalmology. CSA has established itself as a leading developer and operator of outpatient surgery centers and currently operates over 90,000 surgical cases annually through its partnered centers.

Kris Mineau, CSA founder and CEO, stated, "Achievements like this inspire us to continuously raise the bar, as every improvement directly correlates to better outcomes and experiences for those we serve."

The Leapfrog ASC awards add to a series of notable national accolades received by Hartford HealthCare. Other achievements include:

• - Winning the American Hospital Association Quest for Quality Prize in 2025, uniquely positioning them as the only health system in the nation to receive this top honor.
• - Receiving 'A' grades from The Leapfrog Group for all seven Hartford HealthCare hospitals in both 2023 and 2024.
• - Achieving a remarkable 76% reduction in hospital-acquired infections over the last decade and a 67% reduction in serious safety events since 2019.

The announcement of the Top ASC awards took place during Leapfrog's annual meeting and awards dinner, where Hartford HealthCare's President and CEO, Jeffrey Flaks, was honored with the Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO. This award recognizes exemplary leadership tackling the complex dual challenges of quality patient care and healthcare affordability.

About Hartford HealthCare

With a workforce of 45,000, Hartford HealthCare is committed to transforming healthcare across Connecticut and beyond by improving access, affordability, health equity, and quality. Their vast care delivery system spans over 500 locations in more than 185 locales, aiming to serve diverse communities daily.

The organization is equipped with world-class hospitals, including two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, an acute-care community teaching hospital, and a comprehensive array of services such as behavioral health, urgent and virtual care, rehabilitation, and mobile health programs. Their mission is to provide unparalleled healthcare, delivering personalized service to an estimated 28,000 individuals each day through an integrated Institute Model focusing on various health specialties.

Recognized nationally for their exceptional performance in patient safety and clinical excellence, Hartford HealthCare has been awarded the prestigious Quest for Quality Prize from the American Hospital Association and has earned A-ratings from The Leapfrog Group across all its hospitals, solidifying its position as one of the nation's safest healthcare systems.

About Constitution Surgery Alliance

CSA is a prominent operator of outpatient surgery centers with extensive expertise in the field. Over the past 26 years, CSA has developed 27 surgery centers and has partnered with over 500 surgeons, completing more than 90,000 surgical cases every year. They have received the Top ASC designation from Leapfrog Group an impressive seventeen times, reinforcing their reputation for patient safety and clinical quality.

About The Leapfrog Group

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other healthcare purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit that advocates for significant advancements in healthcare quality and safety, empowering consumers to make well-informed choices and access high-value care. For more details, please visit leapfroggroup.org.