In The News

West Chester Hospital Earns 'A' Grade for Patient Safety for Fall 2016

November 7, 2016  |  West Chester Hospital/UC Health
West Chester Hospital/UC Health

West Chester, OH – For the second time this year, West Chester Hospital has earned top honors with an “A” rating for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, an independent safety analysis organization.

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign letter grades ranging from “A” to “F” to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. West Chester Hospital is one of only a few hospitals locally and one of only 844 hospitals nationally to receive an “A” grade, placing it among the safest hospitals in the United States.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade analysis showed that an estimated 206,021 avoidable deaths occur in U.S. hospitals each year, which is likely an underestimate of the actual figure. The analysis also found that “D” and “F” hospitals carry a nearly 50% greater risk of mortality than “A” rated hospitals, like West Chester Hospital. Over 33,000 lives could be saved if all hospitals performed at the level of “A” graded hospitals.

“The continued focus on – and ongoing improvement of – our established patient safety standards at West Chester Hospital is a true testament to the tremendous efforts of our dedicated physicians and staff,” said Tom Daskalakis, Interim Chief Administrative Officer for West Chester Hospital. “We take patient safety very seriously, and our hospital-wide, systematic approach enables us to maintain a powerful safety program that ensures our patients receive the safe and reliable care they deserve.”     

West Chester Hospital maintains a host of programs designed to ensure the highest level of patient safety, including the engagement of multi-disciplinary teams of experts who work diligently to prevent harmful occurrences such as falls and infections while maintaining a superior level of customer service. These teams establish policies, rules, and guidelines and closely monitor hospital activity to ensure optimal performance and levels of safety.

“Protecting patients from harm is the most important charge for any hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We recognize and appreciate ‘A’ hospitals’ vigilance and continued dedication to keeping their patients safe.”

The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. Leapfrog letter grade assignments are calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

###

About West Chester Hospital

West Chester Hospital is an all-private room hospital located in West Chester, Ohio. The hospital, comprised of 166 adult beds and 33 infant bassinets, is a member of the University of Cincinnati (UC) Health system. Utilizing the very latest in medical technology, and drawing upon the university’s nearly 200 years of research and medical expertise, West Chester Hospital provides discovery-driven care in a pleasant, healing environment. The hospital is conveniently located and easily accessible from Interstate 75 at Tylersville Road. Services available include an emergency department, inpatient, and outpatient surgical procedures, as well as a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient diagnostic testing and treatment amenities.  The hospital also serves as a designated Level III Trauma Center. West Chester Hospital has been the recipient of the Healthgrades® Outstanding Patient Experience AwardTM for five consecutive years (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016) – placing the facility’s performance within the top five percent of the nation for patient satisfaction. For more information about West Chester Hospital, please visit UCHealth.com/WestChesterHospital.

 

About UC Health

UC Health, the University of Cincinnati’s affiliated health system and the region’s only academic health system, includes University of Cincinnati Medical Center, ranked among the top 25 percent of institutions according to UHC’s 2015 Quality and Accountability Study; West Chester Hospital, recipient of the 2016 Healthgrades® Outstanding Patient Experience Award™, placing the facility’s performance above 90 percent of similar hospitals nationally for patient satisfaction; Daniel Drake Center for Post-Acute Care, Cincinnati’s premier provider of long-term acute care; University of Cincinnati Physicians, Cincinnati’s largest multi-specialty practice group with more than 700 board-certified clinicians and surgeons; Lindner Center of HOPE, the region’s premier mental health center; and several institutes focusing on the areas of cancer, the neurosciences, cardiovascular and diabetes. To learn more, visit UCHealth.com.

  

  Kristy Davis

  Media Relations Manager

  UC Health

  3200 Burnet Avenue

  Cincinnati, OH 45229

  Office: (513)-585-5348

  Kristy.Davis@UCHealth.com