Spectrum Health Hospitals Recognized for Patient Safety

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., November 1, 2016 – New Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provide the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S., were announced this week by The Leapfrog Group, a national patient safety watchdog.

Spectrum Health Blodgett, Butterworth, Big Rapids, Ludington, United and Zeeland hospitals were among 844 hospitals to receive an “A”, ranking among the safest hospitals in the United States. Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital received a “B” ranking, improving from last year’s results.

“These top scores are an outstanding reflection of Spectrum Health’s commitment to quality and patient safety,” said Christina Freese Decker, president, Spectrum Health Hospital Group. “Our focus on safety has resulted in exceptional care experiences for our patients.”

Developed under the guidance of an expert panel, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade uses 30 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to assign A, B, C, D and F grades to more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals twice per year. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public.

“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.”

“Spectrum Health exceeds the Leapfrog standards because we work hard to assure a system wide safety culture,” said J. Michael Kramer, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer, Spectrum Health. “We consider Leapfrog’s safety practices as standards that are expected throughout Spectrum Health.”

The public can see all of the Leapfrog grades and access consumer-friendly patient tips for staying safe in the hospital at www.hospitalsafetygrade.org .

About Leapfrog

Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, 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.

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

Contact:
Sarina Gleason
Media Relations
Phone: 517.256.5618
Email: sarina.gleason@corewellhealth.org