The Leapfrog Group of Washington, D.C. has released its Spring 2018 Hospital Safety Grades. So, how do the hospitals in your state rank? And what’s more…how can hospitals improve their rankings on lists like these?

Nearly a third of the 2,500 general acute care hospitals surveyed earned an “A.” Where many of this year’s “A” recipients have previously had “D” or “F” ratings on prior lists, the results indicate a positive trend toward improvements. According to the the Leapfrog Group, theirs is the only list focused entirely on errors, accidents, injuries and infections. Collectively, these issues represent the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Measuring Healthcare Providers

Of course there are many such lists and rankings available for variety of healthcare providers. Most working in the healthcare industry are familiar with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings. The CMS website allows you to quickly and easily compare overall hospital quality star rating for hospitals near your zip code. And Becker’s Hospital Review publishes an annual list of “100 great hospitals in America.” All of these lists take into account a wide variety of criteria and statistics. Some factors may be reported directly by the hospitals themselves via survey responses. Other are gleaned indirectly via regulatory reporting requirements.

Improve Hospital Ranking with Increased Safety and Better Efficiency

At the end of the day, anything that hospitals can do to reduce errors, improve efficiency, and increase patient satisfaction can only help improve their ranking. Improvements are achieved via many different methods. Hospitals may start the process by focusing on a specific department or unit. Using technology or systems to help manage things is one way to target improvements. For example, installation of a real-time location (RTLS) solution in the emergency department can help staff better manage workflow. RTLS could also significantly reduce or eliminate time wasted searching for critical equipment. The addition of an infant protection system in the labor and delivery unit ensures each and every baby is safe and secure anywhere within the unit. Still other hospitals may choose to enact policy or procedural changes to drive increased safety across the entire hospital system.

No matter how they approach it, hospitals must understand the importance and impact of these rankings. They must also be continuously working to improve their scores. As patients become increasingly involved in their own healthcare decisions, they will seek out the best value care. Improving rankings could increase a hospital’s ability to attract patients and earn referrals.

So….what is your facility doing to help improve its ratings on these various lists and surveys of providers? Contact Secure Care Products today and let us demonstrate how our solutions can help drive improved safety and efficiency at your hospital.