RWJ University Hospital Somerset Gets 'A' Safety Grade

SOMERVILLE, NJ — For the fourth time in a row, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset received another A grade in hospital safety, according to the new 2020 ratings released recently by the Leapfrog Group.

A total of 25 New Jersey hospitals received an "A" grade for patient safety. In that same analysis, two New Jersey hospitals received a "D" grade. Twenty-four hospitals received a "B," while 16 got a "C." See the full list of NJ hospitals.

The hospital at 110 Rehill Ave. in Somerville also had received an A rating in the Fall and Spring of 2019, and Fall of 2018.

Here is a look at how RWJ Somerset performed in the following five categories:

Infections

• MRSA Infection - Above Average
• C. diff Infection - Average
• Infection in the blood - Above Average
• Infection in the urinary tract - Below Average
• Surgical site infection after colon surgery - Above Average

Problems with Surgery

• Dangerous object left in patient's body - Above Average
• Surgical wound splits open - Above Average
• Death from serious treatable complications - Below Average
• Collapsed lung - Above Average
• Serious breathing problem - Above Average
• Dangerous blood clot - Above Average
• Accidental cuts and tears - Above Average

Practices to Prevent Errors

• Doctors order medications through a computer - Above Average
• Safe medication administration - Above Average
• Handwashing - Above Average
• Communication about medicines - Below Average
• Communication about discharge - Above Average
• Staff work together to prevent errors - Above Average

Safety problems

• Dangerous bed sores - Above Average
• Patient falls and injuries - Below Average
• Air or gas bubble in the blood - Above Average

Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff

• Effective leadership to prevent errors - Above Average
• Enough qualified nurses - Above Average
• Specially trained doctors care for ICU patients - Above Average
• Communication with doctors - Below Average
• Communication with nurses - Average
• Responsiveness of hospital staff- Below Average

Leapfrog's safety grades are released by the nonprofit organization twice per year, in the spring and the fall. The ratings of more than 2,600 hospitals nationwide focus on accidents, injuries and infections, and help to assess how well a facility prevents medical errors and other harm to patients.

The group determines the hospital grades by looking through safety data reported in 2018 and 2019. The safety grade is the only rating focused entirely on how well hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

The report does not take into account the strain the coronavirus outbreak is placing on some hospitals, with shortages of drugs and protection equipment.

View the list of New Jersey hospital ratings, and see how your local hospital fared.

— Additional reporting by Josh Bakan, Patch Staff

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