Four Baptist Health hospitals rate an A in patient safety
Receiving "A" grades were Baptist Health Lexington, Baptist Health La Grange, Baptist Health Madisonville and Baptist Health Richmond.
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, DEC. 14, 2020 – Four Baptist Health hospitals earned an “A” in patient safety from the independent Leapfrog Group for the fall 2020 rating period.
Receiving “A” grades were Baptist Health Lexington (which scored its sixth consecutive A), Baptist Health La Grange, Baptist Health Madisonville 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 Gerard Colman, Baptist Health CEO. “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 teams 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. 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 aims for constant and consistent improvement in our processes, using best practices to deliver excellent care to our patients,” said Jackie Gisch, Baptist Health’s vice president of Safety, Quality and Patient Experience. “This grade reflects the dedication of our staff to high standards of patient care.”
To see full grade details for Baptist Health hospitals and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.