Top grade for patient safety at Kaiser Permanente San Rafael

The Leapfrog Group recognized Kaiser Permanente San Rafael hospital with a top score of “A” in its biannual Hospital Safety Grades report. After reviewing hospital clinical performance, The Leapfrog Group assigned letter grades to nearly 3,000 hospitals throughout the United States.

Hospitals received grades based on approximately two dozen measures that analyze patient injuries, medical and medication errors, and infections. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

This spring, 17 Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Northern California received “A” scores including: Antioch, Fremont, Fresno, Manteca, Modesto, Oakland, Richmond, Roseville, San Francisco, San Leandro, San Rafael, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, South San Francisco, Vacaville, Vallejo, and Walnut Creek. Additionally, Kaiser Permanente hospitals in Redwood City, Sacramento, and San Jose received “B” scores.

More than 80% of Kaiser Permanente Northern California (17 of 21) hospitals received an “A” grade. In California overall, only 34% of the state’s hospitals earned the top grade.

“The Leapfrog hospital safety score represents one of the highest national honors for recognition of patient safety and quality. Receiving an ‘A Grade’ reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence in addressing the health and well-being of our patients and the communities we serve,” said Tarek Salaway, senior vice president and area manager, Kaiser Permanente Golden Gate Service Area. “It’s a testament to the dedication and partnership of our physicians and staff making up our Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center team, whose focus is serving our community and patients with dignity and compassion.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits, released its Hospital Safety Grades after examining publicly available data on patient injuries, medical and medication errors and infections at U.S. hospitals. The report includes data collected by national health care organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Scores are calculated based on more than two dozen publicly available measures, and hospitals are then assigned A, B, C, D or F grades for their safety records. The grades are released as a free resource to help patients and their families make informed health care decisions.

“Our physicians and staff use advanced technology — with the highest safety standards — while delivering exceptional care with warmth and compassion,” said Naveen Kumar, MD, physician in chief of the Kaiser Permanente San Rafael Medical Center. “Receiving high marks from The Leapfrog Group is a testament to Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to quality health care and patient safety.”

Kaiser Permanente is one of America’s leading integrated health care providers and serves more than 12.6 million members. Nationally, 29 of 39 Kaiser Permanente hospitals, nearly 75% percent, received a Leapfrog Safety “A” grade. In contrast, less than 30% of the nation’s hospitals received an “A” rating.

For more information and a complete list of the hospital safety grades, visit Leapfrog.