Baptist Health Madisonville earns A in patient safety from Leapfrog
Baptist Health Madisonville earned an "A" in patient safety -- one of four Baptist Health hospitals to score the top rating.
Madisonville, KY, DEC. 15, 2020 – Baptist Health Madisonville earned an “A” in patient safety from the independent Leapfrog Group -- one of four Baptist Health hospitals to score the top rating.
Also receiving “A” grades were Baptist Health Lexington (which scored its sixth consecutive A), Baptist Health La Grange and Baptist Health Richmond.
Twice a year, Leapfrog, a national nonprofit, assigns more than 2,600 hospitals a letter grade from “A” to “F,” publicly reporting the level of quality and safety as determined by its national performance metrics. Leapfrog standards and measures evolve over time and are focused on inpatient care in preventing medical errors, injuries, accidents, infections and other harm to patients.
“This rating is a great morale booster for our staff who have been working so hard to provide the high quality, compassionate care for which Baptist Health is known – in the midst of a pandemic,” said Robert Ramey, Baptist Health Madisonville president. “It is especially meaningful for us to receive Leapfrog’s highest rating in patient safety when we are taking extraordinary measures to protect our patients, our staff and our communities.”
“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 Baptist Health Madisonville. Lives depend on it.”
Only 34 percent of hospitals earned an A, with 24 percent getting a B, and 35 percent assigned a C. Only 7 percent of hospitals were given a D, and fewer than 3 percent rated an F.
Six of Baptist Health’s hospitals showed improvement over the spring 2020 rating, with three maintaining their score – including an A for Baptist Health Lexington. For the first time, all Baptist Health hospitals completed Leapfrog’s survey, which provides the group with additional, updated information.
Leapfrog scores are based on data from 27 measures of publicly available data, some of which may be a couple of years old.
“Baptist Health Madisonville aims for constant and consistent improvement in our processes, using best practices to deliver excellent care to our patients,” said Teresa Dillingham, Quality Director. “This grade reflects the dedication of our staff to high standards of patient care.”
To see Baptist Health Madisonville’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.
About The Leapfrog Group Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. 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.