Area hospitals receive “A” and “C” grades for patient safety, service quality | Local

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WFFT) — The Leapfrog Group has released their fall 2024 hospital safety grades for hospitals nationwide.

Centered around patient safety and service quality, the nonprofit assigns grades to facilities based on criteria in five categories.

The areas include infections, problems with surgery, safety problems, practices to prevent errors and doctors, nurses & hospital staff.

Once hospitals are scored based on the items in each category, those numbers are then compared to the best and worst ranking hospitals as well as the average.

Ten hospitals in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio were graded by the nonprofit. Of the hospitals, seven received an “A” and three received a “C.”

The hospitals are operated by either Lutheran Health Network, Parkview Health or OhioHealth.

Grades for Parkview hospitals included Parkview Regional Medical Center, Parkview DeKalb Hospital, Parkview Whitley Hospital, Parkview Noble Hospital, Parkview Huntington Hospital and Parkview Bryan Hospital.

Lutheran hospitals graded were Dupont Hospital, Lutheran Hospital of Indiana and Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital.

The single OhioHealth hospital that received a grade was OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital.

OhioHealth Van Wert Hospital was a “C” graded hospital. The facility held four of the best scores in three categories.

OhioHealth ranked below average in sepsis infection after surgery and collapsed lungs as well as average in falls causing broken hips.

The hospital declined to report their performance for nearly every category in practices to prevent errors and doctors, nurses & hospital staff.

An OhioHealth spokesperson provided the following statement to FOX 55:

“Leapfrog changed its methodology several years ago in a way that made it cost prohibitive for OhioHealth to continue to submit data to the survey. At OhioHealth, we will continue to focus our attention and resources on measurable actions that ensure we continue to provide the highest level of care and patient safety in all the communities we serve.”

Lutheran Hospital of Indiana earned a “C” grade overall. Seven criteria ranked in the best scores for hospitals.

The facility had 13 below average scores in all five categories. Lutheran Hospital also was in the worst scoring hospitals for nursing and bedside care for patients.

Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital received a “C” for their fall 2024 score. The hospital had eight items where it scored in the top hospitals.

Seven scores were considered below average and Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital was average for falls causing broken hips.

The hospital scored with the worst hospitals in nursing and bedside care for patients and specially trained doctors care for ICU patients.

Dupont Hospital received an “A,” ranking within the best scores for hospitals in 10 criteria areas throughout all five categories.

The hospital also earned three below average scores for harmful events, dangerous bed sores and specially trained doctors care for ICU patients.

Dupont was also among the hospitals receiving the worst score for nursing and bedside care for patients.

Lutheran Health Network provided FOX 55 with the following statement:

“Lutheran Health Network is committed to providing safe, quality care for every patient. Leaders at every hospital monitor outcomes and review opportunities for additional actions to strengthen safety. Providers across the network utilize evidence-based best practices.

Through the focused attention of the provider team, Lutheran Hospital has reduced all hospital acquired infections, pressure injuries and complications. Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital has had zero incidents of central line infections and urinary catheter associated infections since 2022, and zero methicillin resistant staph aureus infections since 2021.

Quality and patient safety requires ongoing effort and attention. We credit our dedicated teams of nurse leaders, bedside nurses, infection preventionists, and leadership for these safety achievements and also remain focused on continual improvement.”

Parkview Regional Medical Center was another “A” facility, ranking as the best in nine criteria throughout four of the five categories.

Twelve scores were below average in all five categories.

Parview Regional Medical Center and Parkview Randallia are considered the same facility for the purposes of Leapfrog Group’s grading system.

Parkview DeKalb Hospital was graded an “A,” ranking with the best facilities in nine criteria. The hospital was considered average in blood leakage and falls causing broken hips.

The facility was scored as below average in clostridium difficile infection and accidental cuts and tears. It was the worst scoring hospital for specially trained doctors care for ICU patients.

Parkview Whitley Hospital earned an “A” grade, scoring the best in 10 item areas and average for falls causing broken hips.

The facility was below average for blood leakage, accidental cuts and tears and communication with doctors.

Parkview Noble Hospital brought in another “A” grade for Parkview scoring a best in 10 criteria and an average in blood leakage as well as falls causing broken hips.

An “A” was presented to Parkview Huntington Hospital. The facility scored among the best in 10 items throughout all five categories.

The hospital was considered average in falls causing broken hips and below average in blood leakage as well as communication with doctors.

Parkview Bryan Hospital rounded out the list with another “A” grade, achieving the best status in seven criteria.

The facility was below average in six items and average in falls causing broken hips. It scored as the worst for specially trained doctors care for ICU patients.

FOX 55 has also reached out to Parkview Health and is currently awaiting a response.

A full list of rankings and scoring criteria for the Leapfrog Group grading list is available here.