{"id":395851,"date":"2025-11-22T01:23:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T01:23:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/395851\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T01:23:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T01:23:24","slug":"mass-hospital-where-missing-man-escaped-receives-d-grade-in-patient-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/395851\/","title":{"rendered":"Mass. hospital where missing man escaped receives \u2018D\u2019 grade in patient safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Massachusetts hospital where a missing man escaped in October<\/a> while under an emergency medical hold for mental health treatment has been rated among the worst in the state for patient safety.<\/p>\n

Heywood Hospital, located in the city of Gardner in Worcester County, received a \u201cD\u201d rating from the independent health care watchdog group Leapfrog. <\/p>\n

Of the 54 hospitals ranked in Massachusetts in the group\u2019s fall 2025 hospital rankings<\/a> published last week, four received the lowest grade \u2014 though none earned an \u201cF.\u201d The other hospitals rated \u201cD\u201d were Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester and MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham.<\/p>\n

Heywood Hospital is where Leonard J. Mercury, a 57-year-old Westminster man, escaped from on Oct. 31. He is still missing as of Nov. 21.<\/p>\n

\"LeonardLeonard John Mercury.(Courtesy Nicole La Guerre)<\/p>\n

Mercury had been at the hospital for about two days prior to his disappearance after his wife, Nicole La Guerre, called emergency medical services for help with his diagnosed mental health condition, which flared that week. <\/p>\n

But two days after her call, police officers again arrived at La Guerre\u2019s home \u2014 this time, at 3 a.m. on Oct. 31. They told her Mercury broke through a window at Heywood Hospital, managed to get onto the roof and jumped off. <\/p>\n