C's For Northwestern, B's For NorthShore In New Hospital Safety Grades

CHICAGO — Hospitals on Chicago's North Shore received mixed marks on the latest hospital safety grades from The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit that grades nearly 3,000 hospitals twice a year.

The grades, based on more than 30 measures of patient safety, focused only on hospitals' ability to protect patients from preventable errors, injuries, accidents or infections. The latest ratings reflect declines in patient safety measurements amid strains on the health care system during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Leapfrog Group representatives.

“The health care workforce has faced unprecedented levels of pressure during the pandemic, and as a result, patients' experience with their care appears to have suffered,” Leapfrog Group President and CEO Leah Binder said in a statement. “We commend the workforce for their heroic efforts these past few years and now strongly urge hospital leadership to recommit to improved care — from communication to responsiveness — and get back on track with patient safety outcomes.”

Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital received its second C grade in a row, marking a decline from a pair of consecutive A grades in fall 2019 and spring 2020.

According to its latest Leapfrog report card, Lake Forest Hospital received top scores in the "practices to prevent errors" and "doctors, nurses and hospital staff" categories, and an above average score when it comes to preventing infections. But it was graded below average for "safety problems."

Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago also received its second consecutive C grade. It had received B's for the past two and a half years. It received top or above average scores in all categories except "safety problems" on its latest report card.

"We are committed to providing high quality, safe, patient-centered care. Our physicians, nurses and staff are driven by their dedication and passion for delivering outstanding care while always striving to do what is better for our patients," said a Northwestern Medicine spokesperson in a statement in response to the new ratings.

"We believe that quality and safety data should be meaningful, informative and transparent to the public," the statement said. "We appreciate the ongoing efforts by Leapfrog to improve the usefulness and accessibility of information for consumers."

The Leapfrog safety ratings contrast with the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, which placed Northwestern Memorial as the No. 1 hospital in the state and the No. 10 in the country. Lake Forest Hospital was ranked No. 15 in Illinois.

All three NorthShore University HealthSystem hospitals on the North Shore received B grades, as did Swedish Hospital in Chicago, which is also part of the same hospital group.

Evanston and Glenbrook hospitals got their second B's in a row after more than two years of A's, while Highland Park Hospital was upgraded to B from a C grade last fall.

Northwest Community Hospital, which is part of the recently merged North Shore – Edwards-Elmhurts Health hospital conglomerate, received an A, as did Northwestern Medicine's other suburban facilities: Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor Hospital, Huntley Hospital, Kishwaukee Hospital, McHenry Hospital and Palos Hospital.

The only F grade in Illinois was given to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, which had received D's in each of its previous two ratings. It scored below average on four of the safety rating categories and "declined to report" on the other.

A Vista Health System spokesperson said in a statement that some of the data used to compile the report card is more than two years old.

"Leapfrog’s assessment does not reflect the dedication of our physicians, nurses and staff. We continuously focus on safety, quality and our patients’ experience as part of our overall efforts to enhance clinical performance," the statement said.

The statement noted that performance scores and methodologies vary widely among various ratings organizations, and said consumers should be informed by all available tools when making decisions.

"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," the statement continued. "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."

The grades were determined by a panel of medical experts who selected and weighted 30 evidence-based patient safety measurements, including postoperative sepsis, blood leakage and kidney injury, using date from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Responses to the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which is available to all hospitals but only completed by some of them, also has an effect on grades.

"Despite a general decrease in patient experience ratings, spring Grades continue to show significant variation in safety performance across U.S. hospitals,” said Binder, the Leapfrog CEO. “This variability is a constant reminder that the public must have access to information on which hospitals are safer so patients can make the best decision for themselves and their loved ones.”