News: Leapfrog Group releases 2017 hospital grades

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The Leapfrog Group released its 2017 hospital safety grades recently for 2,639 hospitals participating in the group’s annual survey, according to HealthLeaders Media. Of those participating hospitals, 31% earned an “A” and 27% earned a “B,” according to Leapfrog Group.

Each participating hospital receives a numerical score (which then translates to a letter-grade) based on a review of 30 patient safety measures. The data comes from a variety of sources including Leapfrog’s own surveys, CMS, and the American Hospital.

The grades are based on two different types of measures: process and outcome. The process measures include items such as hand hygiene and ICU staffing. The outcome measures include infections and patient falls.

Although the Leapfrog Group’s ratings were recently called into question, potential patients do still review the data when choosing a facility. Facilities should review the data for themselves and see where they fall in relation to those around them.

To review the report, click here. To read an article in the CDI Journal about publically reported quality data, see p. 14 in the March/April edition.