Monitoring Hospital Quality, Safety
By Scott Culver
Communications Specialist
WEA Trust
October 2004
Each day, thousands of patients visit hospitals across the state for
surgeries, childbirth, and emergencies. While most receive proper treatment,
far too many suffer the effects of poor quality care.
In 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) produced a landmark study
that concluded that up to 98,000 Americans die each year because of
preventable hospital errors. A recent follow-up study by HealthGrades
found that the death toll from preventable medical errors has, if anything,
worsened over the five years since the IOM’s report.
The IOM report alarmed many individuals and spawned organizations such
as the Leapfrog Group, a nationwide coalition of health plan sponsors
dedicated to improving the quality and safety of hospital care. Leapfrog
surveys hospitals across the country on their efforts to implement standards
that improve patient safety and care, and publicly reports their progress.
Where you can find information
The WEA Trust believes strongly in the importance of patient safety
and quality, and has been part of the Leapfrog movement for two years.
To see Leapfrog’s results for hospitals in your area, visit www.leapfroggroup.org
or www.qualitycounts.org.
The Leapfrog Group’s survey is voluntary, but more hospitals are
completing it each day.
How to use the Leapfrog results
Leapfrog previously geared its survey to urban hospitals but included
rural hospitals this year after adopting a quality index measure that
is appropriate for all hospitals. Rural hospitals can also report their
progress on the other patient safety practices, though those measures
are more applicable to urban hospitals.
To get the most from the Leapfrog survey results:
- Consider them when choosing a hospital – If your hospital
doesn’t meet the Leapfrog standards, call the hospital administrator
or medical director and ask what they are doing to make progress in
this area.
- Use them to ask questions – Hospitals and doctors need to
hear directly from their patients that improving safety and quality
is important to them. Bring the Leapfrog results to a doctor appointment
or call your hospital’s administrator to talk about their progress
in meeting Leapfrog’s standards.
For more information on what questions to ask and what you can do to
get safe care, use these resources:
- The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): www.ahrq.gov
- The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations:
www.jcaho.org
- National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF): www.npsf.org
Posted September 30, 2004