Leapfrog update shows small safety improvements

Hospitals have made only incremental progress on errors, accidents, injuries and infections impacting patients, according to the spring 2013 update to the Leapfrog Group's Hospital Safety Score.

The national nonprofit organization that administers the score confirms this has contributed to a shift in how U.S. states are ranked for hospital safety. With 80 percent of its hospitals receiving an “A,” Maine edged out Massachusetts as the number one state for safety. Joining Maine and Massachusetts in the top five ranking for number of “A” scores are Minnesota, Virginia and Illinois.

“Safety is a 24/7, 365-day effort. This update of grades and accompanying change in state rankings should serve as a reminder that we are on an ongoing journey,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog. “Patient safety shouldn’t be merely a concern; it should be a priority. Everyone-–including consumers, hospitals, patients, families of patients, unions and employers-–has a role in improving safety in American hospitals.”

Among the key findings of the spring 2013 update are the following:

• Of the 2,514 general hospitals issued a Hospital Safety Score, 780 earned an “A,” 638 earned a “B,” 932 earned a “C,” 148 earned a “D” and 16 earned an “F.”
• A total of 1.9 percent of hospitals showed dramatic change in their Hospital Safety Score, moving two or more grade levels up or down. Approximately 73.9 percent of hospitals maintained the same score from November 2012.
• The states with the smallest percentage of “A” hospitals include Nevada, Kansas, Oregon, West Virginia and New Mexico, which holds the lowest percentage at 6.7 percent.
• The largest change in an individual safety measure was the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) measure, which rose from 29 to 34.
• A range of hospitals earned “A's,” with no one class of hospitals (i.e., teaching hospitals, public hospitals, etc.) dominating among those showing the highest safety scores.
• Hospitals with myriad national accolades earned an “A.”
• “A” scores were also earned by hospitals serving highly vulnerable, impoverished and/or health-challenged populations.