Beth Israel Deaconess Hospitals Earn “A’s” for Patient Safety from Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Score

BOSTON – For the second time, all four hospitals in the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) system have been recognized for their commitments to patient safety with “A” grades in The Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2016 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Milton, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Needham and Beth Israel Hospital–Plymouth are among only 31 percent of general hospitals in the United States to receive the honor.

An “A” grade is one of the most significant honors a hospital can achieve and one of the most important indicators of patient safety. The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading patient safety experts and administered by The Leapfrog Group, a national, nonprofit hospital safety watchdog. The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the Score is designed to give consumers information they can use to ensure the highest level of safety during a hospital visit.

“Hospital quality is vital for patients and their families when making decisions about their care, and accurate, data-driven information helps them make those important decisions,” said Kenneth Sands, MD, MPH, Chief Quality Officer and Senior Vice President of Health Care Quality at BIDMC. “We are proud of our staff across the Beth Israel Deaconess network for their commitment to excellent patient care and safety.”

BIDMC has also been named a “Straight A’s” hospital, among only 5.9 percent of hospitals surveyed nationwide that consistently received an A grade for safety in the last three years of Hospital Safety Scores.

“Avoidable deaths in hospitals should be the number one concern of our health care leaders,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Hospitals that earn an ‘A’ from Leapfrog are leaders in saving lives, and we commend them and urge their continued vigilance.”

Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety Score uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,500 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. For the first time, the Hospital Safety Score includes five measures of patient-reported experience with the hospital as well as two of the most common infections, C.diff and MRSA.

To see the full scores and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.