Saint Peter’s University Hospital, a member of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, received an “A” for the Fall 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.
A national distinction, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade looks at publicly available measures of safety such as the hospital’s performance in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other issues related to patients in their care. Developed under the guidance of a national panel of experts, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades to more than 2,600 U.S. acute-care hospitals twice per year. The Hospital Safety Grade’s methodology is peer-reviewed and fully transparent with results free and available to the public. The Safety Grade assigns an A, B, C, D or F grade to all general hospitals across the country and is updated every six months.
The Hospital Safety Grade is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and is administered by The Leapfrog Group, which for nearly 20 years has collected, analyzed, and published hospital data on safety, quality, and resource use. The Hospital Safety Grade is available free to the public with the goal of empowering people with the information they need to make better, informed healthcare decisions.
“Safety is always a number one priority at Saint Peter’s, but receiving this recognition amidst a pandemic is even more meaningful,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System. “Receiving Leapfrog’s highest safety grade reinforces patient confidence in the ability to receive quality medical care without compromise. At Saint Peter’s, we are proud of our ongoing ability to safely deliver the highest quality, evidence-based clinical practices along with the compassionate care that is the hallmark of our Catholic mission.”
The expert panel selected 28 measures of patient safety, analyzed the data and determined the weight of each measure based on evidence, opportunity for improvement and impact. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade places each measure into one of two domains: Process/Structural Measures or Outcome Measures, each accounting for 50% of the overall score.
Process Measures represent how often a hospital gives patients recommended treatment for a given medical condition or procedure. For example, “Responsiveness of hospital staff” looks at patients’ feedback on how long it takes for a staff member to respond when they request help. Structural Measures represent the environment in which patients receive care. For example, “Doctors order medications through a computer” represents whether a hospital uses a special computerized system to prevent errors when prescribing medications.
Outcome Measures represent what happens to a patient while receiving care.
“We are extremely grateful to hospital leadership and healthcare workers who have remained steadfast in prioritizing patient safety as our nation battles COVID-19,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “This ‘A’ is a testament to the care and commitment of those who work for Saint Peter’s University Hospital. With the current pandemic exposing existing flaws within the U.S. healthcare system, we appreciate you putting patient safety first. Lives depend on it.”
The Leapfrog Group’s letter grade scoring system allows consumers to quickly assess the safety of their local hospital and choose the safest hospital to seek care. To see Saint Peter’s University Hospital’s scores as they compare nationally and locally, and to find safety tips for patients and families, visit the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade website at www.hospitalsafetygrade.org
- This article was submitted by Saint Peter’s University Hospital