HPCI News: Leapfrog Hospital Safety Scores Gets Attention

To: Members and selected others

From: Paul

Much attention has and continues to be given to the Hospital Safety Scores released in June by The Leapfrog Group. These scores were widely distributed in Iowa and through out the nation. Hospital Safety Scores were assigned for more than 2600 U.S. hospitals. The long-awaited scores – the A, B, C, D or F – assigned to hospitals were based on infections, injuries, and medical and medications errors. Leapfrog plans to release updated scores in November 2012 and on an annual basis thereafter.

Scores were assigned to 39 greater Iowa hospitals (27 in Iowa) with nine (9) receiving an "A", the highest score. Of these nine (9), six (6) were in Iowa. See attached list.

According to The Leapfrog Group, the Hospital Safety Scores have and continue to receive a lot of attention. Amoung others, these include ABC World News, CNN, FOX, Kaiser Health News, Los Angeles Times and Miami Herald. In Iowa the Des Moines Register published an article on June 6th. Leapfrog says there has been a steady stream of news media interest and the website (www.hospitalsafetyscore.org) has had "a ton of traffic".

At the same time representatives of the hospital industry have raised concerns. These include some representatives of Iowa hospitals as well as the American Hospital Association (AHA). The AHA recently wrote Leapfrog regarding concerns. Attached is The Leapfrog Group is sharing these comments and others with the Blue Ribbon Expert Panel for their further deliberations and guidance prior to releasing the new Hospital Safety Scores in November. The expert panel required at least 14 of the 26 measures for a hospital in order to calculate a Hospital Safety Score. Hospitals that are concerned about the data are advised to review their data and make improvements.

According to Becky Dunk of Cedar Rapids, Chair of the HPCI and IHBA Greater Iowa Leapfrog Regional Rollout, "We believe the people of Iowa and surrounding communities will find this information very valuable. Health care consumers and purchasers need this information to make informed decisions about the health care options available to them."

Iowa is known for high quality. It is hoped that all greater Iowa hospitals will improve their patient safety on an onging basis.


HPCI - IHBA Office
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