All three Rush University System for Health hospitals have received ‘A’ grades, the highest possible, in the latest grades awarded by The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog organization.
Rush Copley Medical Center has received A’s in 18 of the 19 rounds of grades issued since Leapfrog began rating hospitals on safety in 2012. Rush University Medical Center now has received 15 A grades from Leapfrog, which also named the Medical Center a Top Teaching Hospital in December. Rush Oak Park Hospital received its 10th consecutive A — earning it Leapfrog's designation as a "Straight A" hospital — and 12th in all.
Leapfrog announced the latest of its twice-yearly safety grades today, rating more than 2,600 hospitals in the United States for their success at avoiding errors, infections, and accidents that can harm patients.
“Now more than ever, patients want assurance that the hospital where they receive their care is making sure that care is provided safely, and that they’re being protected from infections and medical errors while they’re in the hospital. Rush University Medical Center, and the entire Rush system, takes our responsibility for patient safety very seriously, and we’re proud that the Leapfrog Group again has affirmed that the care we provide our patients is at the highest level of safety,” said Dr. Omar Lateef, president and CEO of Rush University Medical Center.
"Rush Copley staff and providers work to deliver the highest quality and safest care possible for every patient, every day," said John Diederich, MA, MBA, FACHE, president and CEO of Rush Copley Medical Center. "We continually strive to raise the bar to provide the highest level of care for our community, and this recognition from Leapfrog affirms the extraordinary work being done by all of our teams."
“To receive our 10th straight top grade shows that Rush Oak Park Hospital takes patient safety very seriously and our staff is dedicated to deliver upon this commitment,” said Bruce Elegant MPH, FACHE, president and CEO of Rush Oak Park Hospital. “That all three of our hospitals receiving a top grade in safety from Leapfrog recognizes the level of importance we place on our system procedures. It recognizes that no matter what Rush hospital you may find yourself at, we’re committed to the well-being of all our patients and visitors.”
Measure of hospital safety
Leapfrog uses up to 27 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign grades of A, B, C, D or F every six months. The grade represents each hospital's overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries, infections and other kinds of harm while they are in the hospital.
The Leapfrog Group compiles the Hospital Safety Grade under the guidance of the nation's leading experts on patient safety in order to provide the public with information they can use to protect themselves and their families. A full analysis of the data and methodology used is available on the Hospital Safety Grade website.
“An ‘A’ safety grade is an elite designation that your community should be proud of,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for hospitals, but the Rush hospitals show us it is possible to keep a laser focus on patients and their safety, no matter what it takes.”
