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Credit: Zach Sheldon

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center just received the best possible scores for patient safety, according to a national survey.

Both HUP and Penn Presbyterian received an "A" in the ratings from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit group that advocates for increased transparency in hospitals for potential patients. 

"Errors and infections in hospitals are the third leading cause of death in America, and people deserve to know which of their hospitals are best at preventing them,” President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group Leah Binder told PhillyVoice.

The group scores hospitals around the country in 30 areas, including medical mistakes and infection prevention on a scale from "A" to "F."

Three other Philadelphia hospitals earned top scores, including Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital — Methodist Hospital Campus, and Jeanes Hospital. 

In the spring, Penn Presbyterian received a “B” rating.

The U.S. News and World Report previously ranked HUP and Penn Presbyterian together as the nation’s 10th best hospital for the 2017-2018 year. 

Pennsylvania Hospital, another member of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, received a “C” rating in the recent rankings and a “B” grade in the spring.

Pennsylvania hospitals were ranked the 25th safest in the country, an increase from their 34th place slotting in the spring. 

According to The Leapfrog Group, if all American hospitals operated at an "A" grade, more than 30,000 lives could be saved.