A handful of Illinois hospitals have moved up and earned higher marks on a biannual safety ranking list, according to a recently released report by health care watchdog group and nonprofit Leapfrog. .
However, one Chicago hospital received an “F” grade and several others received a “D” grade, the report said.
The Spring Safety Grades 2023 report, which rates nearly 3,000 hospitals across the country, uses 30 performance metrics along with five core metrics that “directly impact patient safety outcomes” to generate the report on hospital safety ratings, Leapfrog said. These include nurse communication, physician communication, staff responsiveness, medication communication and discharge information.
The group then assigns letter grades to hospitals on a scale of “A”, “B”, “C”, D” and “F”, the report says, which are updated semi-annually in the fall and spring.
In Illinois, 112 hospitals have been ranked.
Overall, the state ranked 28th nationally, with 26.1% of Illinois hospitals receiving an “A” grade. New Jersey earned the top spot on the list, with 51.5% of hospitals earning top marks.
The report also shows that in 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare-associated infections in hospitals across the country hit a five-year high.
“Our pre-pandemic data showed improved HAI metrics, but Spring 2023 Safety Grade data sheds light on how hospital responses to the pandemic have led to declines in patient safety and HAI management,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of Leapfrog Group, in the report.
Of the 112 Illinois hospitals ranked, 29 earned “A” grades, including Ascension Saint Mary-Chicago Hospitals and NorthShore University Evanston, both of which had previously earned “B” grades, as well as Northwestern Hospitals. Medicine Lake Forest and St. Bernard, both of which had previously earned “C” grades.
“The Leapfrog score is another step in the right direction and demonstrates St. Bernard’s Hospital’s continued dedication to serving its community,” St. Bernard’s Hospital President Charles Holland said in a statement. “Everyone should expect safe, quality and equitable care at our hospital, and we strive to exceed that expectation every day.
Holland’s statement added that the hospital will continue to “promote comprehensive community wellness in the Chicago South Side community.”
While 30 hospitals in Illinois earned a “B” grade, the number of hospitals with a “C” grade was the largest, at 44. Among this group was Vista Medical Center East, in Waukegan, which had improved two places after receiving an “F” in the spring of 2022.
“Vista is proud to have improved even further during this evaluation period,” a Vista spokesperson told NBC 5. “We are continuously focused on the security, quality and experience of our patients as part of our overall efforts to improve clinical performance and excellence. The dedication of our doctors, nurses and staff makes a difference and we look forward to advancing our work together.”
Seven hospitals in the state — including four in the Chicago area — earned “D” ratings, according to the report.
According to Leapfrog, St. Margaret’s Health in Peru was docked for a number of safety reasons, including a high number of healthcare-associated infections and an above-average number of complications or “potentially dangerous events.” “following surgeries, interventions or childbirth. than other hospitals.
An alert on the hospital’s website, however, indicates that the hospital is closed.
“Effective Saturday, January 28, 2023 at 7 a.m., St. Margaret’s Health – Peru has temporarily suspended all inpatient hospital services, including the emergency room and obstetrics.
Calls to the hospital were greeted with a similar recorded message.
Other Chicago-area hospitals with a “D” grade include Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Community First Medical Center in Chicago, and Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.
The only hospital in Illinois to receive an “F” grade was Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago. By 2022, the hospital had earned a “D”.
According to the report, Roseland was docked for higher than average cases of urinary tract infections, dangerous pressure sores, poor handwashing practices and other “harmful events”.
A Chicago Tribune report noted that Roseland President and CEO Tim Egan, in response to the memo, said, “We are terribly disappointed with Leapfrog’s valuation, but we also know that Leapfrog does not calculate not the social determinants of health, nor does it assess the struggling community we serve.
NBC Chicago has contacted several area hospitals for comment, but has not yet received a response from all health care centers.
The full Leapfrog Security Ratings report for Spring 2023 is available here.
Here is the full list of ratings for Chicago area hospitals:
Class A
- Climb Alexian Brothers, Elk Grove Village
- Ascension Mercy, Aurora
- Ascension Saint Alexis, Hoffman Estates
- Ascension Saint Mary-Chicago, Chicago
- Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, Elmhurst
- MacNeil Hospital, Berwyn
- NorthShore University HealthSystem Hospital Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park
- Northwestern Central DuPage Medical Hospital, Huntley, Kishwaukee, McHenry, Lake Forest
- OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center, Evergreen Park
- Rush Copley Medical Center, Aurora
- Oak Park Rush Hospital, Oak Park
- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago
- Silver Cross Hospital, New Lenox
- St. Bernard Hospital, Chicago
- Chicago Medicine AdventHealth, Bolingbrook, Glendale Heights, Hinsdale, LaGrange
- University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago
Category B
- Ascension Resurrection, Chicago
- St. Francis Ascension, Evanston
- Ascension Saint Mary-Kankakee
- Edward Hospital, Naperville
- Humboldt Park Health, Chicago
- Jackson Park Hospital, Chicago
- John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, Chicago
- Lorette Hospital, Chicago
- Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, Melrose Park
- Northwestern Community Hospital, Arlington Heights
- Chicago Northwestern Memorial Hospital
- Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee
Class C
- Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn
- Attorney Condell Medical Center, Libertyville
- Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington
- Lawyer Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago
- Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge
- Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin
- South Suburban Advocate Hospital, Hazel Crest
- Advocate Trinity Hospital, Chicago
- Ascent St. Joseph Joliet, Chicago, Elgin
- Holy Cross Hospital, Chicago
- Ingalls Memorial Hospital, Harvey
- Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood
- Morris Hospital, Morris
- Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago
- Northwest Palos Medicine Hospital, Palos Heights
- Ottawa Regional Hospital and Health Care Centre, Ottawa
- Saint Anthony’s Hospital, Chicago
- Swedish Hospital, Chicago
- Thorek Memorial Hospital, Chicago
- University of Illinois Health Sciences Hospital and System, Chicago
- East Vista Medical Center, Waukegan
- Weiss Memorial Hospital, Chicago
- West Suburban Medical Center, Oak Park
Class D
- Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, Downers Grove
- First Community Medical Center, Chicago
- Franciscan Health Olympia Fields
- St. Margaret’s Health, Peru
Class F
- Roseland Community Hospital, Chicago
This story will be updated.