Twin Cities Hospital earns “A” for patient safety

Hospital Corporation of America facilities Fort Walton Beach Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital have both been recognized for their dedication to patient safety by being awarded “A” grades in the Spring 2015 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from preventable medical errors, injuries, and infections within the hospital.

This A grade is one of the most meaningful honors a hospital can achieve, and one of the most valuable indicators for patients looking for a safe place to receive care. The Hospital Safety Score is the gold standard rating for patient safety, compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading patient safety experts and administered by The Leapfrog Group, a national, nonprofit hospital safety watchdog. The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the Score is free to the public and designed to give consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when facing a hospital stay.

“We have had a stellar year for accomplishments related to quality and patient safety. These accomplishments are not possible without the hard work and dedication of our employees, physicians, and volunteers each and every day,” said David Whalen, CEO of Twin Cities Hospital.

The report card analyzes 28 areas of patient safety, including infection rates, staff efficiency, and safety issues during surgery, such as blood clots, and standard safety procedures, such as hand washing.  Leapfrog has been scoring hospitals since 2012, primarily based on data collected and publicly reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and through its own Leapfrog Hospital Survey.

“Fort Walton Beach Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital’s A grades validate their achievement in preventing harm within the hospital, and we are proud to recognize the efforts of the care providers and staff,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, which administers the Hospital Safety Score. “Patient safety requires constant vigilance, and we encourage Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, Twin Cities Hospital, and all other A hospitals to continue demonstrating unrelenting commitment to patients by consistently providing a safe environment for care.”

Nationwide, 782 hospitals earned an A, 719 earned a B, 859 earned a C, 143 earned a D, and 20 earned an F.  About 47 percent of hospitals in Florida scored an A, making it the fourth best in patient safety among the 47 states surveyed.

“We take exceptional patient care and safety very seriously; it’s what we strive to accomplish every day. We have steadily improved our quality scores over the past five years, thanks in large part to our outstanding team of physicians, employees, and volunteers, as well as our supportive community,” said Mitch Mongell, CEO of Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. “I am happy to say we have reached our goal; however, even when we score A’s, we continue our quest to grow and improve.”

To see Fort Walton Beach Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital’s scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org, the Hospital Safety Score^SM website, which also provides information on how the public can protect themselves and loved ones during a hospital stay.