Nation’s hospitals show signs of improved patient safety

New scores in the Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Grades report show hospitals are making are reducing avoidable deaths from errors and infections.

The biannual report, which assigns A-F letter grades to approximately 2,500 general acute-care hospitals, showed that 46 hospitals have achieved an “A” for the first time. Additionally, five hospitals that received an “A” grade for the very first time had scored an “F” grade some time in the past. The grades are calculated every six months by patient safety experts and are peer-reviewed.

Overall, 30% of hospitals earned an “A,” 28% earned a “B,” 35% earned a “C,” 6% earned a “D” and 1% earned an “F.” The states with the highest percentage of “A” hospitals were Hawaii, Idaho, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Virginia.

Source: The Leapfrog Group