Advocate Condell Medical Center given top designation for patient safety

Advocate Condell Medical Center was recently granted top distinction in patient safety from The Leapfrog Group—an independent, national non-profit health care organization that measures and promotes patient safety. Advocate Condell received an “A” grade based on 26 publicly reported patient safety measures.

The Leapfrog Group uses the Hospital Safety Score to evaluate acute care hospitals' levels of infections, injuries and medical and medication errors. Hospitals are then given a grade of A, B, C, D or F based on their outcomes on the 26 measures.

Only 45% of the hospitals in the Chicagoland region earned an “A” designation for patient safety.

“We're extremely proud of Condell's commitment to patient safety,” said Dr. Debra Susie Lattner, Advocate Condell's Vice President of Medical Management. “This top designation is a testament to our dedicated teams of care givers.”

It's estimated that every day in the U.S., more than 400 people die due to hospital injury, infection, or error. According to its web site, the Hospital Safety Score seeks to “reduce the more than 180,000 yearly deaths from hospital errors and injuries by publicly recognizing safety and exposing harm.”

“It's our goal to hold hospitals accountable for how safe they are and give patients the information they need and deserve before even entering a hospital,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of the Leapfrog Group.

Consumers can view the grades and profiles of hospitals online at www.HospitalSafetyScore.org.