For the 10th time in a row, Rush University Medical Center has received the highest possible rating from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit health care watchdog organization that grades hospitals on the quality and safety of care they provide.
"Objective, rigorous and transparent hospital ratings help the public navigate the health care system and drive hospital performance improvement efforts," said Omar Lateef, president and CEO at Rush University System for Health. "Our sustained success is a testament to the promise that motivates and unites us: to provide our patients the safest, highest quality care possible."
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program focused solely on preventable medical errors, infections and injuries that the organization suggests kill more than 500 patients each day in the United States. For more than 20 years, the Leapfrog Group has collected, analyzed and published data on hospital safety and quality to help consumers make more informed decisions and accelerate performance improvement.
“Achieving an A Hospital Safety Grade reflects enormous dedication to patient safety,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group. “I extend my congratulations to Rush University Medical Center, its leadership, clinicians, staff and volunteers for creating a culture where patients come first.”
'Hard work and dedication'
Twice per year, Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades to nearly 3,000 hospitals across the United States based on 30 measures that gauge rates of preventable errors, injuries and infections, and the degree to which hospitals have systems in place to prevent them. The grade represents each hospital's overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable medical errors and other kinds of harm while they are in the hospital.
"Earning a 10th straight A grade from the Leapfrog Group assures our patients that we consistently deliver on our promise to provide the safest and highest quality care possible,” said Dr. Brian Stein, vice president and chief quality officer for Rush University System for Health.
The data for these measures comes from information hospitals publicly report to the federal government’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an extensive hospital survey and other supplemental data sources. A full analysis of the data and methodology used is available on the Hospital Safety Grade website.
While Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital received B grades this spring, each has a long track record of excellence in safety. Rush Copley previously earned A's in 20 consecutive Leapfrog grading cycles, while Rush Oak Park maintained 15 consecutive A's and 17 overall.
