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Urban Hospitals Don’t Make the Grade for Safety, Says New Report
Most urban hospitals fall down on the job when it comes to patient safety measures, according to the latest Hospital Safety Grade report from the Leapfrog Group.
Only one hospital out of 11 in New York City included in the report received an A grade—NYC Health & Hospitals/Metropolitan. In Los Angeles, just three of the city’s 12 hospitals got an A, and only six of Chicago’s 18 urban hospitals did.
The firm graded 2,479 hospitals across the United States using 27 measures, including hand hygiene, patient falls, and pressure ulcers. The findings are based on data from the CMS, Leapfrog’s own hospital survey, and secondary data sources such as the American Hospital Association.
While hospitals in large cities treat patients with risk factors that are more prevalent in urban areas, location is no excuse for poor safety performance, says Leah Binder, CEO of the Leapfrog Group. “Patient safety doesn’t depend on the patient population.”
Binder contends that all hospitals can provide safe care, but some haven’t made the strategic commitment and investment it requires. She says the entire organization, from executive leadership to front-line staff, must be focused on patient safety to improve performance.
“It’s an overhaul of the way you function as an organization,” Binder notes.
Leapfrog’s recent report shows change is possible. For example, five hospitals received A grades for the first time after previously scoring an F.
There’s a wide variation in patient safety performance across hospitals, according to Leapfrog’s latest analysis. Of the 2,479 hospitals it graded:
• A grade—750 hospitals (including The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu pictured above)
• B grade—683 hospitals
• C grade—879 hospitals
• D grade—145 hospitals
• F grade—22 hospitals.
For questions, comments or concerns, please contact Jennifer Duell Popovec
