Hospital Ratings

Medication errors are the most common mistakes in hospitals, contributing to an estimated 7,000 deaths annually. Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and bar code medication administration (BCMA) are proven ways of significantly reducing medication errors when a medication is prescribed and given to patients.

Healthcare-associated infections are complications that were not present when a patient was admitted, but develop as a result of errors or accidents in the hospital. These conditions are entirely preventable, and some hospitals have made huge strides in getting to zero infections. 

Research has consistently demonstrated that patients that have their high-risk surgery at a hospital and by a surgeon that have more experience with the procedure have better outcomes. The better outcomes include fewer deaths, fewer complications, and a shorter stay in the hospital. Lives can be saved and potential harms can be avoided if patients needing one of these high-risk surgeries choose a hospital that meets or exceeds Leapfrog’s minimum volume standards. 

Research has consistently demonstrated that patients that have their cancer surgery at a hospital and by a surgeon that have more experience with the procedure have better outcomes. The better outcomes include fewer deaths, fewer complications, and a shorter stay in the hospital. Lives can be saved and potential harms can be avoided if patients needing one of these cancer surgeries choose a hospital that meets or exceeds Leapfrog’s minimum volume standards. 

Having a baby is one of life’s most exciting experiences, and with nine months to plan, families can take the time they need to choose the best hospital for delivery. It's important to pay attention to a hospital's rate of C-sections, early elective deliveries, and episiotomy, as well as performance on standard processes of care and delivery outcomes in high-risk situations. 

When children need care in a hospital, it can be a stressful experience for both the patient and their loved ones. Two indicators of the quality of a hospital’s care for their pediatric patients are the radiation doses used with pediatric patients and survey results about the experience of pediatric patients and their parents.