11 Houston Hospitals Receive a “C” Grade, According to New Study
Although many Houston hospitals are nationally recognized and even world renowned, a recent study shows that not all of these hospitals share the same positive reputation. Leapfrog Hospital Safety Guide’s Spring 2019 report gave 11 hospitals in and around Houston a C grade for safety.
How the Study Determines the Grade
The study uses 28 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, its own hospital survey and supplemental data sources. The performance measures include:
- Computerized physician order entry
- Bar code medication administration
- ICU physician standing
- Leadership structures and systems
- Culture measurement, feedback, and intervention
- Identification and mitigation of risks and hazards
- Nursing workforce
- Hand hygiene
- Nurse communication
- Doctor communication
- Staff responsiveness
- Communication about medicines
- Discharge information
- Statistics regarding foreign-object retention
- Air embolism events
- Number of falls and trauma that occurred in the hospital
- Pressure ulcer rate
- Death rate among surgical inpatients with serious treatable conditions
- Iatrogenic pneumothorax rate
- Postoperative respiratory failure rate
- Perioperative PE/DVT rate
- Postoperative wound dehiscence rate
- Unrecognized abdominopelvic accidental puncture/laceration rate
These performance measures are weighted differently to provide a single letter grade, which represents the hospital’s overall performance in providing patient safety and protection from preventable harms and medical errors.
Houston Hospital Grades
The Houston-area hospitals that received the lowest safety grades from the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Guide with a grade of “C” include:
- Ben Taub General Hospital
- CHI St. Luke’s Health – Sugar Land
- CHI St. Luke’s Hospital at the Vintage
- Cypress Fairbanks Medical Center Hospital
- HCA Houston Healthcare Medical Center
- HCA Houston Healthcare North Cypress
- HCA Houston Healthcare Northwest
- Lyndon Baines Johnson Hospital
- Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center
- Memorial Hermann Northeast
- Luke’s Patients Medical Center
The following Houston-area hospitals received a hospital safety grade of B:
- Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital
- Oakbend Medical Center – Jackson Street Campus
- Oakbend Medical Center – Williams Way Campus
- Joseph Medical Center
Medial Malpractice Statistics
Every year, 440,000 people die each year due to hospital errors, injuries, infections and accidents. A patient on Medicare has a 1 in 4 chance of experiencing injury or death after being admitted to a hospital.
Ways to Reduce the Likelihood of Medical Malpractice
While all healthcare providers should prevent instances of medical malpractices, based on the statistics above, they cannot always be trusted to do so. Patients may have to be more involved in their own care and take steps to prevent the possibility of a medical malpractice incident.
Some ways that patients can guard against hospital errors include:
- Communicate with your healthcare provider. Be sure that you write down any instructions they give you. Ask questions. Be sure you understand the risks and benefits of a particular medical procedure before undergoing it.
- Provide information to all of your healthcare providers regarding your medication. Make sure they know about any medication allergies or any adverse reactions. Bring all of your medications with you to the hospital so that your healthcare providers will be sure to get the right information. Be familiar with your medications, including what the medicine is for, its name, its dosage and the frequency you should take it.
- Use your call button. Do not try to over-exert yourself or get out of bed if you need assistance. Wait for a nurse to come and assist you. Lower the bed height and rails and wear non-slip socks.
- Make sure you can read any prescription your doctor writes for you.
- Ask for information in writing so that you can review it later, such as post-operative care instructions or the possible side effects of a medication.
- Make sure your healthcare providers wash their hands.
- Ensure that your primary care doctor or other person coordinates your care.
- Speak up if you have questions or concerns.
Contact an Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyer
If you were injured in a hospital or by a negligent healthcare provider, it is important that you contact an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who can explain your rights and your legal options. Contact our legal team to schedule a confidential consultation.
