How Safe Is Ahuja Hospital In Beachwood?

BEACHWOOD, OH — The Ahuja Medical Center is one of the state's safer hospitals, according to a new study from the Leapfrog Group. The University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center got a 'B' grade for patient safety for the third straight time.

To come up with the grades, Leapfrog looks at medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections. The goal is to determine what a patient's risk of further injury or infection is if they visit a certain hospital. Leapfrog is a nonprofit composed of healthcare employers and staffers.

The streak of 'B' grades is a continued step up from the hospital's 2016. The hospital received 'C' grades twice in 2016, after receiving straight 'B's in 2015. The hospital has not received an 'A' grade since 2014.

The hospital had no safety problems to speak of, meaning there were few signs of dangerous bed sores, or recorded patient falls, or signs of air or gas bubbles in the blood. The hospital was also lauded for its communication between doctors and communication between nurses.

Ahuja's grade is a strong showing for the hospital, but there are areas where the hospital could improve, including:

• C. diff infection rates. "Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and fever," according to Leap Frog. Ahuja had a score of 1.444, but the average hospital had a score of 0.848. The worst hospital had a score of 1.975.
• Collapsed lungs and blood clots during or after surgery. Leapfrog said the hospital needed to improve in both areas.

You can see all of Ahuja's scores by clicking here.

Leapfrog says you shouldn’t refuse emergency care because of a bad safety grade. They’re meant to be used as a guide for planned events and a research tool for potential emergencies.

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