Editor's Note: The 2023 Spring Leapfrog ratings can be found here. Our original story continues below.
A newly released list graded over 3,000 hospitals across the U.S., including 116 in Illinois, based on safety, with one northern medical center receiving an "F" and several Chicago hospitals listed as a "C."
The Leapfrog Group graded hospitals on a scale of "A," "B," "C," "D," and "F," according to the list, which examines infections, problems with surgery, safety problems and practices to prevent errors, as well as doctors, nurses and hospital staff.
In Waukegan, Vista Medical Center East received an "F" grade. The hospital was docked for having several infections present and problems with surgery, such as a dangerous object left inside a patient's body.
The northern Illinois hospital was also noted for having several problems with safe medication administration, communication and the medical center staff.
Northwestern Medical Center in Chicago received a "C" grade, notably having issues with infections and problems with surgery, including a wound splitting open post-operation. The hospital was also docked for some safety problems.
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Holy Cross Hospital, John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, Loyola University Medical Center, Mt. Sinai Hospital, University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System and West Suburban Medical Center also received a "C" grade, based on the list.
Here were the grades of several Chicago-area hospitals:
- AdventHealth GlenOaks: A
- AdventHealth Hinsdale: A
- AdventHealth La Grange: A
- Ascension Resurrection: A
- Elmhurst Memorial Hospital: A
- Insight Hospital and Medical Center Chicago: A
- MacNeal Hospital: A
- Northwest Community Hospital: A
- Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital: A
- Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital: A
- Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital: A
- Rush Copley Medical Center: A
- Rush Oak Park Hospital: A
- Rush University Medical Center: A
- University of Chicago Medical Center: A
- AdventHealth Bolingbrook: B
- Ascension Alexian Brothers: B
- Ascension Mercy: B
- Ascension Saint Francis: B
- Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet: B
- Ascension Saint Joseph-Chicago: B
- Ascension Saint Joseph-Elgin: B
- Ascension Saint Mary-Chicago: B
- Edward Hospital: B
- Humboldt Park Health: B
- Loretto Hospital: B
- NorthShore University HealthSystem -Evanston Hospital: B
- NorthShore University HealthSystem -Glenbrook Hospital: B
- NorthShore University HealthSystem-Highland Park Hospital: B
- Swedish Hospital: B
- Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital: C
- Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital: C
- Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center: C
- Advocate Lutheran General Hospital: C
- Advocate Sherman Hospital: C
- Holy Cross Hospital: C
- Jackson Park Hospital: C
- John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital: C
- Loyola University Medical Center: C
- Mt. Sinai Hospital: C
- Northwestern Medicine, Lake Forest Hospital: C
- Northwestern Memorial Hospital: C
- Saint Anthony Hospital: C
- St. Bernard Hospital: C
- Thorek Memorial Hospital: C
- University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System: C
- Weiss Memorial Hospital: C
- West Suburban Medical Center: C
- Advocate Christ Medical Center: D
- Advocate Trinity Hospital: D
- Community First Medical Center: D
- Roseland Community Hospital: D
For a full list, click here.
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According to the group, 33% of hospitals nationwide received an "A" grade, while 24% got a "B," 36% got a "C," 7% received a "D" and less than 1% were listed as an "F."
For a full explanation of the methodology, click here.
NBC 5 Chicago reached out to several area hospitals requesting for comment, but have not yet received a response from all health care centers.
Hospitals noted that some data from Leapfrog that was used to assess the grades dated back 1-2 years ago and that changes have been made since the initial reporting.
"We embrace any opportunity to continue our journey toward excellence. Like all hospitals, various organizations evaluate patient care, quality, safety and satisfaction, and each rating system differs in its methodology. We do not participate in Leapfrog’s survey and instead focus our efforts on meeting federal public reporting requirements with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services," a spokesperson for Vista Health Systems said in a statement.
The spokesperson added that the hospital has earned both national and state recognitions, including The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval as a Primary Stroke Center, the American Association of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery’s Bariatric Surgery Center Accreditation and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s Sleep Center Accreditation.
"While maintaining our current letter grades, we continue to make progress in our efforts to improve overall quality, safety and experience of care performance across the system, and this has resulted in a significant turnaround in our Leapfrog grades over time," a spokesperson for Mt. Sinai Hospital said in a statement.
"Our ultimate goal is to achieve “A” level performance across the entire care continuum as part of our vision to be the Provider of Choice for our communities. There is still much more work to be done. But we are proud of the efforts of our caregivers across the system to making a personal commitment to providing the highest quality care to our patients," the statement continued.
