South San Francisco, CA December 6, 2018 Submitted by Matt Skryja, Kaiser Permanete
Hospital records examined by The Leapfrog Group show Kaiser Permanente hospitals rank high in limiting patient injuries, reducing medical errors, preventing infections
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center South San Francisco has received the top score of “A” by the Leapfrog Group in its annual safety report, which examined and graded more than 2,600 hospitals throughout the United States. Fifteen other Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California also received A grades.
The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, released its Hospital Safety Grades after examining publicly available data on patient injuries, medical and medication errors and infections at U.S. hospitals, which were then assigned A, B, C, D, or F grades for their safety records.
This top score is further proof that at Kaiser Permanente we put our patients and their care first,” said John Skerry, MD, physician in chief, Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco. “We are pleased to be recognized for the high-quality health care provided by our physicians, nurses and staff who passionately work to keep our patients safe.”
Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California with “A” scores were: South San Francisco, Antioch, Fremont, Fresno, Roseville, Redwood City, Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Leandro, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, South Sacramento, Vacaville, Vallejo, and Walnut Creek. Additionally, Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Manteca, Modesto, Oakland, and San Jose received a “B” score.
The Leapfrog Group is a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage founded in 2000 to work for improvements in health care safety, quality and affordability. It is an independent advocacy group working with a broad range of partners, including hospitals and insurers. The Hospital Safety Grade, considered the gold standard for rating patient safety in the U.S., is an analysis based on 28 variables, including rates of infections, medication mix-ups and health care-acquired injuries. It uses data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Hospital Association, and its own Leapfrog survey.
To see all hospital scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org, the Hospital Safety Score website, which also provides information on how the public can protect themselves and loved ones during a hospital stay.