Quality and Safety

While the two databases use a different mix of data to crown facilities as the best when it comes to patient safety, it's interesting that so few ended up topping both lists.

Eskenazi Health, NorthBay Healthcare adds pools, fitness centers, even gardens, to new centers.

Nurses strike over pay and safety issues, despite recent high marks for safety among those hospitals.

Scores suggest patients are far more likely to suffer infections, medical errors or other potentially life-threatening issues at the facilities.

More than 700 earn top marks in the Spring 2015 updates to the rankings, while more than 180 are highlighted for consecutive 'A' grades, Leapfrog says.

Highest scores go to hospitals for ability to prevent errors, accidents and injuries during hospital stays.

Doctors have called the programs confusing and time-consuming and say they offer little clinical benefit while detracting from their ability to care for patients.

Good communication between hospitalists and primary care physicians at the time of discharge is critical to patient safety and to the reduction of risk. Unfortunately, this communication has historically been “one way” in the form of a discharge summary.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services plans to keep program in place that penalizes hospitals that showed too many medical errors.

Hospital does not charge for any additional care within 30 days of a hip or knee replacement, covering readmissions, infections, rehab and postoperative care — everything except deficiencies in the joint devices.