Infections are Down Nationally After a Spike During the Pandemic
The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit representing hundreds of the nation’s most influential employers and purchasers of health care, driven in Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon by Health Action Council, announced the fall 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. The grade reflects preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections that together kill more than 500 people a day in the U.S.
The latest grades are the first to reflect post-pandemic hospital performance. Notably, Leapfrog found significant decreases in three dangerous health care-associated infections (HAIs), but patient experience reports continue to decline.
Summary grades earned in Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon are:
- In Minnesota, nine hospitals earned an “A,” 13 earned a “B,” 20 earned a “C,” two earned a “D,” and zero earned an “F.”
- In Ohio, 29 hospitals earned an “A,” 26 earned a “B,” 53 earned a “C,” six earned a “D,” and zero earned an “F.”
- In Oregon, eight hospitals earned an “A,” nine earned a “B,” 15 earned a “C,” one earned a “D,” and zero earned an “F.”
“We know the pandemic caused tremendous strain on hospitals, but we are encouraged by the significant reduction in infections and applaud the hospitals that worked to achieve that. It is clear, however, that many hospitals have not fully rebounded, as shown by the declining patient experience measures,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Despite the challenges, we commend the hospitals in Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon that are clearly putting patients first.”
Throughout the country, Utah is the state with the highest percentage of “A” hospitals. After Utah, the top ten states for “A” hospitals are: Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Connecticut, Montana, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas. States with the least favorable performance are Vermont, Wyoming, Delaware, Washington, DC, and North Dakota, where no hospitals earned an “A.”
The Leapfrog Group has a more than 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the U.S., based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.
For more information about the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, as well as individual hospital grades and state rankings, please visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook and via its newsletter.
About Health Action Council
Health Action Council is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization representing mid and large-size employers that enhances human and economic health through thought leadership, innovative services, and collaboration. It provides value to its members by facilitating projects that improve the quality and moderate the cost of healthcare purchased by its members for their employees, dependents, and retirees. Health Action Council also collaborates with key stakeholders - health plans, physicians, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry - to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare in the community.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.