New Hospital Safety Ratings: AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center

GALLOWAY, NJ — AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center was graded on its safety in The Leapfrog Group's annual fall safety grades.

The nonprofit health care watchdog group grades hospitals twice a year, assigning letter grades from "A" to "F" based on each hospital's ability to protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

The Atlanticare Regional Medical Center-Mainland Campus in Galloway earned a B for the fall and the hospital’s City Campus in Atlantic City received a C.

Both campuses previously received C’s in the ratings from fall 2020.

Here is a look at how the Mainland Campus performed in the following five categories:

Infections

MRSA Infection - Below Average
C. diff Infection - Below Average
Infection in the blood - Above Average
Infection in the urinary tract - Above Average
Surgical site infection after colon surgery - Above Average
Sepsis infection after surgery - Above Average

Problems with Surgery

Dangerous object left in patient's body - Below Average
Surgical wound splits open - Above Average
Death from serious treatable complications - Below Average
Blood Leakage - Above Average
Kidney injury after surgery - Above Average
Serious breathing problem - Above Average
Accidental cuts and tears - Below Average

Safety problems

Harmful events - Below Average
Dangerous bed sores - Below Average
Patient falls and injuries - Above Average
Falls causing broken hips - Above Average
Collapsed lung - Below Average
Dangerous blood clot - Above Average
Air or gas bubble in the blood - Above Average

Practices to Prevent Errors

Doctors order medications through a computer - Above Average
Safe medication administration - Above Average
Handwashing - Above Average
Communication about medicines - Below Average
Communication about discharge - Below Average
Staff work together to prevent errors - Above Average

Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff

Effective leadership to prevent errors - Above Average
Enough qualified nurses - Above Average
Specially trained doctors care for ICU patients - Above Average
Communication with doctors - Below Average
Communication with nurses - Above Average
Responsiveness of hospital staff- Below Average

Here is a look at how the City Campus performed in the following five categories:

Infections

MRSA Infection - Above Average
C. diff Infection - Below Average
Infection in the blood - Above Average
Infection in the urinary tract - Below Average
Surgical site infection after colon surgery - Above Average
Sepsis infection after surgery - Above Average

Problems with Surgery

Dangerous object left in patient's body - Below Average
Surgical wound splits open - Above Average
Death from serious treatable complications - Below Average
Blood Leakage - Above Average
Kidney injury after surgery - Above Average
Serious breathing problem - Above Average
Accidental cuts and tears - Below Average

Safety problems

Harmful events - Below Average
Dangerous bed sores - Below Average
Patient falls and injuries - Above Average
Falls causing broken hips - Above Average
Collapsed lung - Below Average
Dangerous blood clot - Above Average
Air or gas bubble in the blood - Above Average

Practices to Prevent Errors

Doctors order medications through a computer - Above Average
Safe medication administration - Above Average
Handwashing - Above Average
Communication about medicines - Below Average
Communication about discharge - Below Average
Staff work together to prevent errors - Above Average

Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff

Effective leadership to prevent errors - Above Average
Enough qualified nurses - Above Average
Specially trained doctors care for ICU patients - Above Average
Communication with doctors - Below Average
Communication with nurses - Above Average
Responsiveness of hospital staff- Below Average

It's worth noting the hospitals were graded during a time of pressure on the health care system due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As the pandemic continues, we all have heightened awareness of the importance of hospitals in our communities and in our lives," said Leah Binder, president & CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "It is critical that all hospitals put patient safety first. Now we have more information on more hospitals than ever before, so people can protect themselves and their families."

The fall 2021 Hospital Safety Grade graded 2,901 facilities across the country, the most the group has graded. In New Jersey, 30 hospitals received an "A" grade, 16 hospitals received a "B" grade, 22 hospitals received a "C" grade and two hospitals received a "D" grade. No New Jersey hospitals received an "F" grade. Read more: New NJ Hospital Safety Ratings: 30 Get 'A' Grade, 2 Get 'D'

The Safety Grades reflect performance on more than 30 evidence-based measures of patient safety, including for the first time, post-operative sepsis, blood leakage, and kidney injury.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is advised by an expert panel of leading patient safety authorities from across the country and receives guidance from the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. Grades are updated biannually in the fall and in the spring.

For more information about the Hospital Safety Grade, including details on individual hospital grades and state rankings, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here.