This spring, Valley earned an A Grade in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, placing us in the nation’s top third of hospitals for patient safety and quality.
The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization which collects, analyzes, and publishes hospital data on safety, quality and resource use. The grade uses 28 measures including rates of preventable errors, injuries and infections, and whether hospitals have systems in place to prevent them. Measures reported by the federal government via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, measures reported on the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey and data from other supplemental sources are also used. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring. The Safety Grades are based on a peer-reviewed methodology, calculated by top patient safety experts and are 100 percent transparent and free to the public.
“Year to year, this recognition reflects continuous improvement toward closing the gaps in requirements,” says Elaine Thurnhofer, Vice President of Quality Services.
“New Leapfrog safety requirements are released each year in April so the lead time to accomplish new ones is compressed. With incredible attention to detail, we complete an extensive gap analysis, and then Valley’s committed teams work hard to close gaps and provide documentation of our processes and activities. I’m incredibly proud and appreciative of the medical staff leaders, clinical leaders and support staff who contribute to each year’s application. In the end, it takes all of us to earn our Hospital Safety Grade.”
