Blanchfield Army Community Hospital (BACH) Earns Top Safety Grade

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, or as many know it, BACH, at Fort Campbell just earned an "A" Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization that watches over patient safety across the country. This grade is a big deal because it shows the hospital is doing an excellent job keeping patients safe from errors, accidents, injuries, and infections.

 

What the "A" Grade Means

 

The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades—A, B, C, D, or F—to general hospitals based on how well they prevent medical mistakes and keep patients safe. Blanchfield earned the highest grade possible, which puts it among the top hospitals in the nation for patient safety.

 

COL James McWherter, Commander of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, said the grade validates the hospital's commitment to providing safe, high-quality care. He credited the entire team at the hospital for their hard work, resilience, and dedication to taking care of patients.

 

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, congratulated everyone at Blanchfield for putting patient safety first. She said earning an "A" grade shows the hospital made a true commitment to protecting the people they serve.

 

Why Patient Safety Matters

 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital rating program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections, and injuries. These issues kill more than 500 patients a day across the United States, which is why programs like this are so important. The grades are updated twice a year—in the fall and spring—and are free for the public to access.

 

Anyone can visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org to see Blanchfield's full grade details and find tips for staying safe in the hospital. It's a helpful resource for families who want to know more about the care their loved ones are receiving.

 

A Hospital With History

 

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital has been serving Fort Campbell for decades. The first hospital at Fort Campbell opened on August 19, 1942, and was known as the United States Army Hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was built to support Camp Campbell and had 2,100 beds spread across 53 buildings covering 73 acres. For 40 years, that hospital took care of soldiers and their families through World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

 

The current hospital was officially dedicated on September 17, 1982. At the time, its design was considered state-of-the-art, with 10 patient-care units and space for 241 inpatients.

 

The hospital is named after Col. Florence A. Blanchfield, who served as Chief of the Army Nurse Corps from 1943 to 1947. She played a major role in World War II by positioning nursing teams closer to the front lines so they could provide critical care to wounded soldiers. She also helped secure permanent commissioned officer status for military nurses. 

 

Blanchfield Army Community Hospital is the only hospital in the U.S. Army Medical Department named after an Army Nurse Corps officer, and Col. Blanchfield was the first woman to receive a regular Army commission.

 

Who They Serve

 

Today, Blanchfield Army Community Hospital provides comprehensive healthcare to soldiers, their families, and military retirees at Fort Campbell and in the surrounding Clarksville area. The hospital supports the medical readiness and well-being of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), and many other units on the base.

 

Their work extends beyond the post, serving thousands of people in the greater Kentucky-Tennessee region. For families connected to Fort Campbell and the Clarksville community, Blanchfield is a vital part of the healthcare system.

 

If you're interested in hearing more about Fort Campbell and local healthcare news in Clarksville, https://ClarksvilleScoop.com shares updates like this throughout the year.