Connecticut hospitals rank 30th nationwide when it comes to avoiding medical errors, injuries and infections, a new report released Tuesday finds.
Some 2,630 hospitals across 50 states were assigned letter grades based on a range of patient safety measures and ranked based on their percentage of “A” hospitals, according to Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization.
The report graded twenty-five hospitals in Connecticut. Seven received an "A" grade, four received "B" grades, 13 received "C" grades, and one received a "D" grade. You can see the specific grades here for Connecticut.
Bridgeport Hospital was the only location in Connecticut to receive below a "C" grade.
In the Leapfrog study, Bridgeport Hospital ranked below average in 18 out of categories.
In response to the study, the hospital released the following statement: "Safety and quality are a major priority for Bridgeport Hospital and as a result we have realized an 80 percent reduction in safety events over the last four years. In addition, our quality initiatives have helped to significantly reduce infections. Like many others, we take issue with the validity of the Leapfrog methodology. However, we work hard every day to ensure that exceptional care is delivered to our patients."
Though Bridgeport received a "D' grade in the fall 2017 report, it did receive a "C" in spring 2017 and throughout 2016. The hospital received a "B" grade back in 2014.
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The biannual 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades report shows the safety grades of hospitals in five states — Oregon, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Wisconsin and Idaho — have improved significantly since Leapfrog first issued grades in 2012. Rhode Island had the most dramatic improvement, jumping from 50th in 2012 to No. 1 in the fall of 2017.
"What we've learned is that transparency has a real impact on patient safety. By making the Hospital Safety Grades public, we've galvanized major changes in these states and many communities," Leapfrog President and CEO Leah Binder said in a press release.
Leapfrog gave 159 hospitals "D" grades and 15 hospitals received failing marks. Hospitals with "F" grades are located in California, Washington, D.C, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Mississippi, New York and Tennessee.
Over 800 hospitals earned an “A” grade, with the highest percentages found in Rhode Island, Maine, Hawaii, Idaho and Virginia. The five states with the lowest percentage of A-grade hospitals are North Dakota, Washington D.C., Delaware, Maryland and New York.
The evaluation system factors in medical errors, infections and injuries, data provided to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American Hospital Association, and surveys compiled by Leapfrog. It is calculated by top patient safety experts and peer-reviewed, the group said.
