St. Joseph's In Wayne Gets A 'D,' Tied For Leapfrog's Worst Hospital-Safety Grade In NJ

WAYNE, NJ — Some hospitals hang giant banners outside to show off the safety grades they received from The Leapfrog Group. It's unlikely that St. Joseph's Wayne Medical Center will do that.

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The Wayne hospital received a "D" grade from The Leapfrog Group. St. Joseph's Wayne tied for the worst grade in New Jersey with another hospital under its umbrella — St. Joseph's University Medical Center in Paterson.

St. Joseph's Health sent Patch the following statement:

"A safe and positive outcome for every patient is the ultimate measure of every clinician at St. Joseph’s Health. Our most recent Leapfrog scores are certainly disappointing, but do not fully reflect the efforts we have made to improve quality and patient safety throughout our entire organization.

Which metrics accurately define quality outcomes are the subject of continuous debate among providers, payers, patients, and consumer advocates. While making healthcare decisions, it’s critically important for patients to use all available tools at their disposal, such as speaking with trusted family and consulting with doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers."

The Leapfrog Group is a national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers, focusing on health-care safety. Its biannual safety grades reflect performance on more than 30 measures of patient safety.

“As the pandemic continues, we all have heightened awareness of the importance of hospitals in our communities and in our lives,” said Leah Binder, 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.”

Going back to spring 2018, St. Joseph's Wayne has received a "C" from Leapfrog in all but two grading cycles — fall 2021 and fall 2020, when it also received a "D."

The hospital scored below average on infection prevention and safety problems. Overall, the hospital's total score in the "problems with surgery" category was in line with the best hospitals' scores. But the facility ranked below average in several of its sub-categories, including kidney injuries after surgery, accidental cuts and tears, and death from serious, treatable complications. See the full ratings here.

In New Jersey, 30 hospitals received an "A" grade, 16 hospitals received a "B" grade and 22 hospitals received a "C" grade. No New Jersey hospitals received an "F" grade. Read more: New NJ Hospital Safety Ratings: 30 Get 'A' Grade, 2 Get 'D'

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