RWJ University Hospital Somerset Gets 'A' Safety Grade: 7th Time In A Row

NEW JERSEY — For the seventh time in a row, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset was among received an "A" grade in hospital safety, according to new Fall 2021 ratings released by The Leapfrog Group on Wednesday.

The score marks RWJUH Somerset’s 13th "A" rating overall.

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"Achieving an 'A' from the Leapfrog Group is a wonderful accomplishment and a great testament to our team's dedication to excellence but to sustain that high level of care and maintain straight As in Leapfrog ratings since 2018 is truly remarkable," said Tony Cava, president and chief executive officer, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset. "Safety comes first in every patient interaction throughout every area of our organization and that is reflected in our four-year streak of 'A' grades."

The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit health care watchdog group, grades hospitals twice a year, assigning letter grades from "A" to "F" based on each hospital's ability to protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections.

The fall 2021 Hospital Safety Grade represents the largest set of hospitals ever graded with grades assigned to 2,901 facilities.

In New Jersey, 30 hospitals received an "A" grade, 16 hospitals received a "B" grade, 22 hospitals received a "C" grade and two hospitals received a "D" grade. No New Jersey hospitals received an "F" grade.

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

Infections

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

Problems with Surgery

• Dangerous object left in patient's body - Above Average
• Surgical wound splits open - Above Average
• Death from serious treatable complications - Above Average
• Blood Leakage - Below Average
• Kidney injury after surgery - Above Average
• Serious breathing problem - Above Average
• Accidental cuts and tears - Above Average

Safety problems

• Harmful events - Above Average
• Dangerous bed sores - Below Average
• Patient falls and injuries - Below Average
• Falls causing broken hips - Above Average
• Collapsed lung - Above Average
• Dangerous blood clot - Above Average
• Air or gas bubble in the blood - 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 - Above Average
• Communication about discharge - Above Average
• Staff work together to prevent errors - 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

It's worth noting the hospitals were graded during a time of pressure on the health care system due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"As the pandemic continues, we all have heightened awareness of the importance of hospitals in our communities and in our lives," said Leah Binder, president & CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "It is critical that all hospitals put patient safety first. Now we have more information on more hospitals than ever before, so people can protect themselves and their families."

Across all states, highlights of findings from the fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade include:

• Thirty-two percent of hospitals received an "A," 26 percent received a "B," 35 percent received a "C," 7 percent received a "D," and less than 1 percent received an "F.”
• The five states with the highest percentages of "A" hospitals are Virginia, North Carolina, Idaho, Massachusetts, and Colorado.
• There were no "A" hospitals in Delaware, Washington, DC, and North Dakota.

The Safety Grades reflect performance on more than 30 evidence-based measures of patient safety, including for the first time, post-operative sepsis, blood leakage, and kidney injury.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is advised by an expert panel of leading patient safety authorities from across the country and receives guidance from the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. Grades are updated biannually in the fall and in the spring.

For more information about the Hospital Safety Grade, including details on individual hospital grades and state rankings, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.

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