Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit watchdog, places Illinois hospitals at 28th in the United States, based on protection from factors such as infections, medical errors, and injuries.
The group was founded in 1998 and partnered with Business Roundtable, researchers and patient safety experts to reverse what they saw as “troubling trends” when it came to thousands of Americans dying every year from preventable medical errors in hospitals.
Leapfrog rankings are based on standards of public safety from the federal government.
Leapfrog Group grades hospitals across the country twice a year. According to the new ratings, about 26.5 percent of Illinois hospitals earned A grades in Illinois. In Spring 2021, Illinois ranked 17 in the nation with 35 percent A grades.
In the grades released on Wednesday, 113 hospitals in Illinois were rated. Thirty hospitals received an A safety grade. Twenty-five hospitals received a B, 50 received a C, seven received a D, while Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan earned an F ranking—a grade which the hospital vehemently rejects.
“Vista did not participate in Leapfrog’s reporting program and do not feel it reflects our commitment to quality and safety,” Vista Health System Marketing Manager Stephanie Vera told Patch in a statement. “Like all hospitals, we are rated by various organizations for patient care quality, safety and satisfaction, and each rating system differs in its methodology.”
Grades are considered important to hospitals, where high rankings are often touted in advertising to attract patients.
In this latest Leapfrog Group report, Northwestern Memorial Hospital improved its safety grade to a B from a C during its last two grading periods. However U.S News & World Report, which ranks hospitals each year with a different methodology, ranked Northwestern as the best hospital in Illinois.
On the upside, Leapfrog Group granted three Illinois hospitals A rankings for the 22nd consecutive time in a row. Those hospitals are: Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, University of Chicago Medical Center, and Elmurst Hospital. This represents a feat accomplished by just 22 hospitals across the United States.
Illinois’ overall downgrade comes amidst a period of rising strain in the state’s health care system. According to Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) records, hospitals treated an average of 1,100 COVID-19 patients each day over the week prior to Nov. 16. Hospitals in Illinois are also struggling to keep up with Respiratory Syncytial Virus cases, with 96 percent of pediatric ICU beds reported full according to IDPH. With the expected winter season coming up, an increase in hospital visits is expected in the coming months.
