MDH Receives an “A” Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

MACOMB, Ill. – McDonough District Hospital received an “A” hospital safety grade from The Leapfrog Group for Fall 2021, as announced on Wednesday (Nov. 10). This national distinction recognizes MDH’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and error in the hospital.

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Group assigned grades to nearly 3,000 facilities across the country, MDH was part of the 32 percent nationally earning an “A” grade.

“This was sort of the ultimate team sport. Everybody contributed… nursing, lab, rehab, as well as the people in safety and quality at the hospital,” said MDH Chief Medical Officer Edwin Card, MD. “The Leapfrog is divided into two sections. One section is the information we normally report to CMS as part of our quality measures. And then there is a questionnaire that looks at what our safety practices are on top of that. So it is a combination of what we are doing to maintain patient safety and looking at the outcomes we are achieving with that.

“Trisha Getz is the one who abstracts our charts and is in charge of safety. She put in a mountain of work on this. Not only collecting the data but also then sifting through it and showing us statistically where we need to improve,” said Dr. Card. “Everybody who is on the Director level also did a huge amount of work, collecting statistics and information.”

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harms to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I thank the leadership and workforce of McDonough District Hospital for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”

To see MDH’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org and follow The Leapfrog Group on Twitter and Facebook.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news at www.MDH.org or follow MDH on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey and new Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey collect and transparently report hospital and ASC performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.