Each year, Leapfrog updates the Leapfrog Hospital Survey to reflect the latest science and evidence, as well as to include new measures of interest to purchasers and consumers that are unavailable elsewhere. The 2016 Survey launched on April 1st, and results will be reported by hospital in late July. Two new measures are being added to the 2016 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, and one measure is being removed.
Bar Code Medication Administration
Medication errors are the most common error that occur in the hospital. Computerized prescriber order entry is one proven way to significantly reduce medication errors when a medication is prescribed, and this standard has been included on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey since its inception. Beginning this year, Leapfrog will also evaluate hospitals on their ability to reduce medication errors at the point of medication administration. Hospitals can include a bar code on each patient’s ID bracelet. Every time a nurse or other provider gives that patient a medication, they should scan both the patient’s bracelet and the bar code on the medication itself. If the bar codes don’t match, this signals that the wrong medication could be given to the patient. Hospitals are evaluated on the percentage of inpatient units in which bar codes are used, the percentage of patient and medication scans that are done using a bar code, the indicators a bar code system may give if the wrong medication is scanned for the wrong patient, and hospitals' structures in place to reduce workarounds that decrease the effectiveness of bar code medication administration systems
Fact sheet on bar code medication administration
Bar code medication administration bibliography
Antibiotic Stewardship
In order to support national efforts around the responsible use of antibiotics in hospitals, Leapfrog will be publicly reporting hospital compliance with the Center for Disease Control's (CDC's) standards for Antibiotic Stewardship Programs. Hospitals are asked to report if they've put into place the seven Core Elements of Antibiotic Stewardship Programs: leadership commitment, accountability, drug expertise, action, tracking, reporting, education.
Other Changes
Additionally, the Resource Use section of the survey is being updated to demonstrate a hospital’s performance on readmission for six conditions: heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery bypass graft, and total hip/total knee replacement. A readmission occurs when a patient who has been discharged from the hospital returns for another hospital stay within 30 days. Hospitals should work to ensure that patients get the best care during their initial hospital stay so that they don’t have to come back for more inpatient care. Length of stay will no longer be included on the Survey.