These WI Hospitals Named Among Best For Patient Safety, Experience

WISCONSIN — Dozens of hospitals in Wisconsin are among hundreds nationwide recognized for safety and patient experience by Healthgrades, a comprehensive database of ratings and comparisons for physicians, hospitals, and healthcare providers.

Awards announced Tuesday include the 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award, which recognizes hospitals nationwide for high-quality care and prevention of serious safety events during hospital stays, and the 2024 Outstanding Patient Experience Award.

Only 79 of 444 hospitals nationwide received both awards, including five in Wisconsin, plus one "triple crown" winner:

2024 Patient Safety List

• Bellin Memorial Hospital — Green Bay
• Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital — Milwaukee
• Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital — Menomonee Falls
• Oakleaf Surgical Hospital — Altoona
• Orthopaedic Hospital Of Wisconsin — Glendale
• Watertown Regional Medical Center

2024 Patient Experience List

• Ascension Northeast Wisconsin Saint Elizabeth — Appleton
• Aurora Baycare Medical Center — Green Bay
• Bellin Memorial Hospital — Green Bay
• Crossing Rivers Health Medical Center — Prairie Du Chien
• Door County Medical Center — Sturgeon Bay
• Edgerton Hospital And Health Services
• Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital — Milwaukee
• Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center — La Crosse
• Mayo Clinic Health System — Franciscan Healthcare La Crosse
• Mayo Clinic Health System In Eau Claire
• Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital — Franklin
• Oakleaf Surgical Hospital — Altoona
• Orthopaedic Hospital Of Wisconsin — Glendale
• Prairie Ridge Health — Columbus
• Saint Croix Regional Medical Center — Saint Croix Falls
• Sauk Prairie Hospital — Prairie Du Sac
• Southwest Health Center — Platteville
• Ssm Health Monroe Hospital — Monroe
• Ssm Health Saint Agnes Hospital — Fond Du Lac
• Ssm Health Saint Clare Hospital Baraboo — Baraboo
• Ssm Health Saint Mary's Hospital — Madison
• Unitypoint Health Meriter — Madison
• UW Health University Hospital — Madison
• Watertown Regional Medical Center
• Waupun Memorial Hospital
• Westfields Hospital & Clinic — New Richmond
• Boone Memorial Hospital — Madison
• Welch Community Hospital
• Campbell County Memorial Hospital — Gillette
• Summit Medical Center — Casper
• Westfields Hospital & Clinic — New Richmond

Dual winners (Patient Safety Excellence Award and Outstanding Patient Experience Award 2024)

• Bellin Memorial Hospital — Green Bay
• Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital — Milwaukee
• Oakleaf Surgical Hospital — Altoona
• Orthopaedic Hospital Of Wisconsin — Glendale
• Watertown Regional Medical Center

Triple Crown (Recipients of America's 250 Best Overall, Patient Safety Excellence Award, and Outstanding Patient Experience Award 2024)

• Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital — Milwaukee

The Patient Safety Excellence Award was presented to the top 10 percent of hospitals, based on an analysis of required data reporting in 13 patient safety measures. Read more about the methodology.

Healthgrades said that if all hospitals observed the same protocols as those in this category, they could have avoided more than 97,000 patient safety events between 2020 and 2022, the report said. The analysis revealed that patients treated at recipient hospitals are less likely to experience the following safety events compared to patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:

• In-hospital falls resulting in fracture (approximately 52 percent less likely)
• Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 56 percent less likely)
• Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 67 percent less likely)
• Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (approximately 71 percent less likely).

For the patient experience awards, Healthgrades reviewed Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems patient survey data. Read more about the methodology. The 388 award recipients in this category represent the top 15 percent of eligible U.S. hospitals that provided best-in-class patient experiences during the January 2022 to December 2022 study period.

Experiences that made a difference to patients included communication with both doctors and nurses, as well as clear communication about follow-up care upon discharge.