Infections are Down Nationally After a Spike During the Pandemic
Atlanta, GA, November 6, 2023 – The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit representing hundreds of the nation’s most influential employers and purchasers of health care, driven in Georgia by Georgia Watch announced the fall 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades. The grade reflects preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections that together kill more than 500 people a day in the U.S. Georgia ranked 21st in the country overall for percentage of “A” hospitals, 10 places higher than the Spring 2023 ranking of 31st in the nation.
The latest grades are the first to reflect post-pandemic hospital performance. Notably, Leapfrog found significant decreases in three dangerous healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), but patient experience reports continue to decline.
“Nobody wants patients to suffer or even die from a preventable medical error, but sadly it happens all too often in hospitals across the country,” said Liz Coyle, executive director of Georgia Watch. “We are very glad to see five additional Georgia hospitals earned an “A” in the latest state rankings and appreciate their commitment to improve patient safety. Employers and purchasers in our coalition believe everyone benefits when we know how hospitals are doing, and Georgia consumers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.”
In Georgia, 79 hospitals were graded, and 24 earned an “A,” 17 earned a “B,” 34 earned a “C,” 4 earned a “D,” and none earned an “F.”
“We know the pandemic caused tremendous strain on hospitals, but we are encouraged by the significant reduction in infections and applaud the hospitals in Georgia that worked to achieve that. It is clear, however, that many hospitals have not fully rebounded, as shown by the declining patient experience measures,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Despite the challenges, we commend the hospitals in Georgia that are clearly putting patients first.”
The Leapfrog Group has a more than 10-year history of assigning letter grades to general hospitals throughout the U.S., based on a hospital’s ability to prevent medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent, and free to the public. Hospital Safety Grade results are based on more than 30 national performance measures and are updated each fall and spring.
For more information about the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, as well as individual hospital grades and state rankings, please visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter, Facebook, and via its newsletter.
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About Georgia Watch
Founded in 2002, Georgia Watch is a statewide, non-profit consumer advocacy organization working to inform and protect Georgia consumers on matters that significantly impact their quality of life, including the effects of predatory business practices, the high cost of utilities and healthcare, and restricted access to the civil justice system.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is an independent national nonprofit driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC 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. For more, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for our newsletter.