St. Mary's and Methodist hospitals in Rochester each received an "A" by a nonprofit group that graded patient safety at U-S hospitals.
              
According to the Rochester Post Bulletin, the Leapfrog Group released its report card on Wednesday in an effort to bring attention to what the group calls the nation's silent safety epidemic.  About one third of the 46 hospitals in Minnesota received the "A" grade.  Winona Health received a "B" along with Fairview Red Wing Medical Center.  More the 2600 hospitals were scored under the system.
              
Wendy Burt, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Hospital Association, said there could be little separating A and C grades because some of the measures, such as the hospital's performance outcomes have very low occurences.  The paper said critical access hospitals, long-term care facilities, mental health facilities, federal hospitals, and others were not included in the scoring.