Latest honors accorded by Leapfrog Group
Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) not only has earned another 5-star rating for overall quality from the federal government but also another A for patient safety in The Leapfrog Group’s hospital report cards released the last week of April.
The 5-star rating makes Sarasota Memorial the only hospital in Florida to consistently earn the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ highest quality award since the rating system launched in 2016, an SMH news release notes. Less than 10% of 5,000-plus hospitals across the nation received 5 stars in the latest Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ ratings, the release added.
“Sarasota Memorial also retained its straight-A streak for patient safety, earning consecutive A’s in every grading cycle since it began participating in Leapfrog’s safety survey in 2016,” the release pointed out. “The only hospital rating program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care, Leapfrog releases hospital report cards in the spring and fall of each year” to help patients choose the safest hospitals in which to seek care, the release explained.
Of more than 2,700 hospitals graded this spring, 906 (33%) received an A; 24% received a B; 35% received a C; 7% received a D; and less than 1% received an F, the release noted.
“Hospitals with a consistent pattern of protecting patients from errors, accidents and injuries, like these straight ‘A’ hospitals, seem to have been more prepared when the pandemic hit,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, in the release. “For many, safety and quality are embedded in their daily work at all levels of the organization, which prepared them in turn to respond to the rapidly evolving pandemic,” she added in the release.
Lorrie Liang, president of the SMH-Sarasota campus, applauded the efforts of the entire healthcare team for achieving the twin awards, crediting staff’s sustained focus on patient safety and dedication to delivering quality care.
“The commitment of our hospital staff, physicians and volunteers to this community has never been more evident than during this pandemic,” Liang said in the release. “No matter the challenge, they continue to pull together to provide the best care on the Suncoast.”
David Verinder, president and CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, also credited the publicly elected Sarasota County Public Hospital Board and its longstanding public mission.
“Sarasota Memorial’s culture has been built on decades of quality and safety,” Verinder said in the release. “The dedication, leadership and support of our Hospital Board has helped make SMH what it is today and continues to shape the future of our health system.”
To access The Leapfrog Group’s full results, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org.
To access the CMS Star Ratings, visit medicare.gov/care-compare.