Overlook Medical Center Gets Second 'A' Grade In 2018

SUMMIT, NJ — For the second time this year, Overlook Medical Center in Summit received the highest ranking letter for preventing medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections, which collectively are the third leading cause of death in America, according to The Leapfrog Group.

The nonprofit organization, which each year ranks hospital safety using a letter grade from "A" through "F," has given Overlook Medical Center a Grade A rating.

This is the second time Overlook has received an "A" grade. In 2017, the medical center received "B" grades in both the spring and fall. In 2016 they had a "B" in the fall and a "C" in the spring.

The Leapfrog Group released it's bi-yearly hospital safety grades on Thursday, finding that hospitals overall have improved in reducing the number of avoidable deaths. The group assessed roughly 2,500 hospitals. Of those, 30 percent earned an "A," 28 percent earned a "B," 35 percent a "C," 6 percent a "D" and 1 percent an "F."

The assessment system assigns school-style letter grades to general acute-care hospitals. The hope is to determine a patient's risk of further injury or infection if they visit a certain hospital.

The grades are based on several factors, including medical errors, the quality of staffing, surgical complications and infections. You can see specific details about Overlook's grade by clicking here.

Here is a look at a few nearby frequented by Union County locals:

Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston and Morristown Medical Center in Morristown both also received an "A" grade. JFK Medical Center in Edison received an "A" grade, up from a "B" while Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth both received "C" grades.

For a full list of New Jersey hospitals and how they ranked CLICK HERE.

(Image via Google Maps: Overlook Medical Center in Summit)

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