South San Francisco Hospital Receives 'A' in Hospital Safety Grade

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Of the seven hospitals in San Mateo County recently graded on patient safety, three were listed as "average" when it comes to overall patient safety, according to a report released this week by a nonprofit founded by employers and health care providers. However, a South San Francisco facility received top honors.

The Leapfrog Group has announced its fall 2016 hospital safety rankings, a measure of how safe a hospital is for patients. At the state level, California was ranked 26th in the nation in the latest Hospital Safety Grade report. Hawaii was ranked number one.

More than 2,600 hospitals were graded across the United States, 266 of which are in California. A total of nine hospitals in the state received an "F" grade in the report — fortunately, for us, none of them are in the Peninsula region.

In California, there are 81 "A" hospitals up and down the state. There are another 63 "B" hospitals and 88 "C." The remaining 25 hospitals that were ranked in California received a "D."

To compile its rankings, the Leapfrog Group uses "30 evidence-based measures of patient safety," including things like patient injuries, accidents and infections. Numerical scores are converted into letter grades. Of the 2,633 hospitals evaluated nationwide, 844 earned an “A,” 658 earned a “B,” 954 earned a “C,” 157 earned a “D” and 20 earned an “F."

Here in South San Francisco, the local Kaiser Foundation Hospital received an "A" grade, according to the Leapfrog report. The facility scored high in things like:

• handwashing
• communication about medicines
• staff working together to prevent errors
• staff accurately recording patient medicines
• tracking and reducing risks to patients
• specially trained doctors for the ICU

"We are proud that Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center received Leapfrog’s highest grade for safety," said the hospital's physician-in-chief, Dr. John Skerry, of the results.

"For Kaiser Permanente, patient safety is an integral part of the care experience," he said. "Through our integrated and coordinated care model, use of electronic medical records, patient education and communication, emphasis on infection control and adherence to the safest surgical standards, we are committed to providing safe and compassionate care delivery."

Some of the areas where the hospital scored lower included things like urinary tract infections and accidental cuts and tears after surgery.

Elsewhere in the county, the below hospitals were graded as follows:

• Mills-Peninsula Health Services, Burlingame: A
• Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City: A
• Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Redwood City: B
• San Mateo Medical Center, San Mateo: C
• Seton Medical Center Coastside, Moss Beach: C
• Seton Medical Center: Daly City: C

Hospitals given a B rating by Leapfrog had a 9 percent higher risk of avoidable death than A hospitals. That number jumps to 35 percent in C hospitals and 50 percent higher in D and F hospitals.

Leapfrog says that if you experience a medical emergency, patients should always go to the nearest hospital, no matter the grade.

• SEE ALSO: California's Safest, And Least Safe, Hospitals As Found in Health Report Card: Full List

Image courtesy: Kaiser Permanente.