April 17, 2017
Which hospitals in the Philadelphia area are the best at providing health care? A national report released recently has the answer.
Last week, the Leapfrog Group published its Hospital Safety Grades for spring 2017, assigning more than 2,600 medical institutions nationwide a letter grade for patient safety. The nonprofit watchdog organization, which is based in Washington D.C., updates the rankings every six months.
The score, graded on an 'A' through 'F' scale, is based on 30 performance measures, including responsiveness of medical staff, medical errors, staffing levels and infection control. To contextualize the grading system, researchers claim 33,000 lives would be saved annually if all U.S. hospitals performed at an 'A' level.
Although Pennsylvania dropped a spot from last year's list to No. 34 in the nation, Philly hospitals as a whole fared better. Meanwhile, New Jersey earned the 15th spot on the list. Only health care providers with enough safety data available were included in Leapfrog's rankings, with none graded worse than 'C.'
In Philly, six local hospitals earned top marks in the latest rankings, four more than last year: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Methodist Campus, Mercy Philadelphia Hospital and Roxborough Memorial Hospital. Roxborough and Jefferson have now received 'A' grades for four consecutive grading cycles.
'B' hospitals include Hahnemann University Hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Jeanes Hospital.
Temple University Hospital, Einstein Medical Center, Aria Health - Frankford Campus, Mercy Health System - Nazareth Campus and Aria Health - Torresdale Division got 'C' grades. Of note, both Aria Health hospitals dropped a full letter grade – the only facilities in Philly to do so – from last year's list.
Outside Philly, the following hospitals secured 'A's:
Pennsylvania
• Bucks County: Doylestown Hospital and Grand View Health
• Chester County: Paoli Hospital and Chester County Hospital
• Delaware County: Delaware County Memorial Hospital
• Montgomery County: Bryn Mawr Hospital and Abington Health Lansdale Hospital
New Jersey
• Gloucester County: Inspira Medical Center Woodbury and Kennedy University Hospital - Washington Township Campus
• Camden County: Kennedy University Hospital - Cherry Hill Campus, Virtua Voorhees Hospital and Kennedy University Hospital - Stratford
• Burlington County: Virtua Marlton Hospital and Virtua Memorial Hospital
