Guthrie Cortland Medical Center Earns Award for Excellence in Patient Safety

Guthrie Cortland Medical Center announced today it received a 2026 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, a premiere site to find a doctor or hospital. This award reflects Guthrie Cortland Medical Center’s commitment to safe, patient-centered care and puts the organization in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for patient safety. 

“This award from Healthgrades speaks to the heart of how we approach patient care,” said Jennifer Yartym, President, Guthrie Cortland Medical Center. “Every person who comes to us is someone’s family member, friend or neighbor. Their care and safety are our highest priority.” 

Guthrie Cortland Medical Center’s achievement is based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. To determine the national leaders in patient safety, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates from approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide across 13 patient safety indicators (PSIs), with each PSI representing a serious, preventable complication.  

Patients treated at Guthrie Cortland Medical Center and other facilities awarded by Healthgrade had a profoundly lower risk of experiencing these leading complications:  

• In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (52.4% less likely) 
• Collapsed lung due to a procedure in or around the chest (57.5% less likely) 
• Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (67.8% less likely) 
• Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (71.9% less likely) 

"The data behind this year’s Patient Safety Excellence Award highlights how measurable improvements in safety can prevent thousands of complications,” said Dr. Alana Biggers, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “By prioritizing evidence-based safety practices, Guthrie Cortland Medical Center is achieving better clinical outcomes and cultivating a culture where patients come first.”   

Where you’re treated matters, which is why Healthgrades is committed to providing the most scientifically accurate information about doctors and hospitals–with data insights not available anywhere else. For additional guidance on finding safe, high-quality care in 2026, visit healthgrades.com.   

*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades’ Patient Safety Excellence Award Methodology, which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2025.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2022 through 2024 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.