Glendale Adventist receives an ‘A’ while other area hospitals don’t fare as well in national safety survey
For a fifth consecutive year, a nonprofit dedicated to driving quality and transparency in the American healthcare system has given its highest rating to Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
The 112-year-old community hospital received the Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Grade A rating for spring 2017, one of 823 hospitals nationwide to receive the distinction from the Washington, D.C.-based organization, according to a statement from the nonprofit.
Glendale Adventist, which is rebranding itself as Adventist Health Glendale in July, was credited for its low rates of surgery problems and its practices to prevent errors.
“I am proud of our physicians and nurses who have worked together to consistently improve patient safety and provide high-quality, compassionate care,” said Dr. Despina Kayichian, vice president of medical affairs and quality, said in the statement. “By earning our fifth consecutive A grade, it is evident that everyone at GAMC is keeping patient safety top of mind while maintaining good communication and transparency in all processes.”
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Glendale’s other hospitals didn’t fare as well in Leapfrog’s peer-reviewed survey, which used 30 measurements to judge a facility’s record of patient safety and how consumers can protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.
Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital each received C ratings.
The survey noted Glendale Memorial’s low rates of surgery-related complications but expressed concern about its communication and staff-safety training practices.
Verdugo Hills was lauded for its overall safety but, like Glendale Memorial, it received low marks for its communications.
Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank received a D rating. While the survey praised St. Joseph’s safety training and number of qualified nurses, it was critical of its patient falls and infection rates.
In a statement, Glendale Memorial said it has received many certifications and accolades over the years, and that patient care and safety — delivered with “humankindness” — remain top priorities every day.
“While the measures identified by the Leapfrog Group for improving quality and patient safety may help improve patient-safety outcomes, they are neither the best nor the only indicators of an institution’s quality” according to the statement.
A USC Verdugo Hills Hospital spokeswoman said the facility is “continuously analyzing and enhancing our processes to maximize the quality of care we provide. As a result, we have improved our scores across multiple patient safety indicators, which are not reflected in the most recent hospital safety grade. We believe future scores will present a more accurate picture of our hospital’s quality and performance, particularly as we implement new safety measures in near future.”
A St. Joseph representative did not return a request for comment.
For a complete list of hospital results, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.
Twitter: @BradleyZint
