Leapfrog Group issues fall 2012 Hospital Safety Score

Many hospitals are making strides toward safer environments for their patients, but errors and infections persist as top safety concerns, according to an update to the Hospital Safety Score published by the Leapfrog Group.

The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit in June issued its first Hospital Safety Score, which grades hospital safety according to a set of 26 measures of publicly available data. While the first published Hospital Safety Score only used grades of A, B or C, the most recent update also issued grades of D and F to identify hospitals that represent the most hazardous environments for patients, accord to a Nov. 28 statement.

Out of a total 2,618 hospitals graded, 790 earned an A; 678 earned a B; 1,004 earned a C; 121 earned a D; and 25 earned an F. Approximately 60 percent of hospitals maintained the same grade issued in June, 34 percent shifted a grade above or below their original scores and fewer than 10 percent shifted two or more grades in either direction from their original scores.

Massachusetts and Maine, where more than 80 percent of hospitals scored A grades, were recognized for placing a priority on patient safety, according to the statement.