Source: NJ Spotlight
The Leapfrog Group, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit dedicated to improving healthcare quality, surveyed 59 New Jersey hospitals in eight areas it described as “steps to avoid harm.” Those scores were then combined into an overall rating of 1 (the lowest) to 4 (the highest). In New Jersey, 47 hospitals that participated in the survey received the highest rating of 4. Nine hospitals received a rating of 3, no hospitals had a rating of 2, and three hospitals received the lowest rating of 1. Eleven hospitals declined to take part in the survey.
Five of the eight factors that were used were related to what the Leapfrog Group described as a hospital’s “safety culture.” They include: effective leadership to prevent errors, staff working together to prevent errors, training to improve safety, tracking and reducing risks to patients, and having enough qualified nurses. The final three factors were: hand washing, taking steps to prevent ventilator problems, and ensuring that correct medication information is communicated. Each of these factors is based on a series of questions submitted to hospitals.
The advantage for hospitals is that if they make changes based on the report, they can dramatically improve their scores next year.
Hospitals with a No. 1 rating
Inspira Medical Center, Woodbury
Areas were this hospital could improve the most are in ensuring that correct medication information is communicated and in the staff working together to prevent errors.
Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center, Secaucus
The worst scores for Meadowlands were in tracking and reducing risks to patients and in the staff working together to prevent errors.
University Medical Center of Princeton, Plainsboro
The hospital also did poorly in tracking and reducing risks to patients and in the staff working together to prevent errors.
Hospitals with No. 3 rating
Cape Regional Medical Center, Cape May Court House
Cape Regional, like all of the hospitals in this group, has many fewer problems than the hospitals that received a No. 1. Its worst area was hand washing.
CarePoint Health, Bayonne
Its worst area was effective leadership to prevent errors.
HackensackUMC Mountainside, Montclair
It can improve slightly in tracking and reducing risks to patients.
Inspira Medical Center, Vineland
Its biggest area in need of improvement is training to improve safety.
Raritan Bay Medical Center, Old Bridge
It can increase training to improve safety and hand washing.
Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy
Its lowest score was in training to improve safety.
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton
Its biggest area for improvement is in effective leadership to prevent errors.
University Hospital, Newark
University’s worst area was in having enough qualified nurses.
Hospitals declining to respond: Atlanticare Regional Medical Center-Mainland Campus, Pomona; CentraState Healthcare System, Freehold; Deborah Heart and Lung Center, Browns Mills; East Orange General Hospital; Memorial Hospital of Salem County, Salem; Saint Michael’s Medical Center, Newark; St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Paterson; St. Joseph’s Wayne Hospital; St. Luke’s Warren Campus, Phillipsburg; St. Mary’s Hospital of Passaic.