The Leapfrog Group announced its list of Top Hospitals at its Annual Meeting today, highlighting the diversity of hospitals represented nationwide. Widely cited as the nation's most competitive hospital quality award, the Top Hospitals designation recognizes hospitals that deliver the highest quality care by preventing medical errors, reducing mortality for high-risk procedures like heart bypass surgery, and reducing readmissions for patients being treated for conditions like pneumonia and heart attack.
For the second consecutive year, rural hospitals stood out, with 22 hospitals making the 2013 Top Hospitals list (a 69-percent increase from last year). Rounding out the list are 55 Urban Hospitals and 13 Children's Hospitals.
"The field of hospitals considered for this year's elite distinction was more competitive than ever, proving that more hospitals across the country are making quality their top priority," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog. "The larger group of rural hospitals represented, including several critical access hospitals, shows us that any hospital in America can achieve the highest standards of quality and safety, and any community, no matter how small, can benefit from top-notch health care."
The 2013 Top Hospitals list was closely culled from a record number of 1,324 hospitals voluntarily participating in the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. While several agencies and organizations collect and publicize hospital quality data, the Leapfrog Hospital Survey sets the highest bar for comparing hospitals' performance on the national standards of safety, quality and efficiency that are most relevant to consumers and purchasers of care. The survey provides the most comprehensive picture of how patients fare, what resources are used to care for patients and how management promotes safety and quality. To qualify for this honor, eligible hospitals must also earn an A from Leapfrog's Hospital Safety Score, which grades hospitals based on expert analysis of infections, injuries and medical errors.
Demonstrating the highest standards in quality of care and resource use, Top Hospitals have lower infection rates, higher survival rates for high-risk procedures, decreased length of stay and fewer readmissions. This year's list includes more than 40 hospitals receiving the award for the first time. Other highlights: The state of Missouri makes its first appearance on the list with Mercy Hospital in St. Louis; Colorado received its second Top Hospitals designation with East Morgan County Hospital; and Maine has the most number of Top Rural Hospitals (nine).
The Top Hospitals winners were recognized at a dinner keynoted by patient safety advocate Vernon Williams, held in conjunction with Leapfrog's Annual Meeting on December 3rd in Washington, DC. Author, performance improvement expert and patient advocate, Williams has channeled his family's experience with hospital errors into a campaign to improve safety in hospitals nationwide.
A complete list of 2013 Leapfrog Top Hospitals and the survey results for all participating hospitals are posted here. The site is open to patients and families, the public, and employers and other purchasers of health care.
2013 Leapfrog Top Hospitals
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center (AZ)
Mayo Clinic Hospital (AZ)
Dignity Health Mercy Hospital of Folsom (CA)
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Orange County-Irvine Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Foundation Hospital, Downey Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Ontario Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center (CA)
Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center (CA)
UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion (CA)
University of California Davis Medical Center (CA)
Florida Hospital Flagler (FL)
Larkin Community Hospital (FL)
Mayo Clinic in Florida (FL)
NorthShore Evanston Hospital (IL)
NorthShore Glenbrook Hospital (IL)
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital (IL)
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center (IL)
Swedish Covenant Hospital (IL)
Harrington Hospital (MA)
Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MA)
Morton Hospital, A Steward Family Hospital (MA)
Saint Anne's Hospital, A Steward Family Hospital (MA)
Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Affiliate (MA)
DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital and University Health Center (MI)
Mercy Health Saint Mary's (MI)
Regions Hospital (MN)
Mercy Hospital St. Louis (MO)
Annie Penn Hospital (NC)
Wesley Long Community (NC)
OhioHealth Doctors Hospital (OH)
Providence Portland Medical Center (OR)
Providence St Vincent Medical Center (OR)
Geisinger Wyoming Valley (PA)
Hahnemann University Hospital (PA)
Westfield Hospital (PA)
Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals & Clinics (TX)
Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital (VA)
Sentara Norfolk General Hospital (VA)
Swedish Health Services – Issaquah (WA)
Virginia Mason Medical Center (WA)
2013 Leapfrog Top Rural Hospitals
East Morgan County Hospital (CO)
Florida Hospital Wauchula (FL)
Mariners Hospital (FL)
Grinnell Regional Medical Center (IA)
OSF Saint James - John W. Albrecht Medical Center (IL)
Wabash General Hospital (IL)
Fairview Hospital (MA)
Blue Hill Memorial Hospital (ME)
Calais Regional Hospital (ME)
Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital (ME)
Down East Community Hospital (ME)
Houlton Regional Hospital (ME)
Inland Hospital (ME)
LincolnHealth (Miles Campus) (ME)
Sebasticook Valley Health (ME)
Stephens Memorial Hospital (ME)
OSF St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group (MI)
Spectrum Health Kelsey Hospital (MI)
Bolivar General Hospital (TN)
Camden General Hospital (TN)
Gibson General Hospital (TN)
Humboldt General Hospital (TN)
2013 Leapfrog Top Children's Hospitals
Phoenix Children's Hospital (AZ)
Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CA)
Children's Hospital of Orange County (CA)
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford (CA)
Children's Mercy Hospitals South Campus (KS)
Boston Children's Hospital (MA)
DMC Children's Hospital Of Michigan (MI)
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota St. Paul (MN)
Nationwide Children's Hospital (OH)
University Hospitals - Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital (OH)
Children's Hospital Of Pittsburgh of UPMC (PA)
East Tennessee Children's Hospital (TN)
Texas Children's Hospital West Campus (TX)