West Valley nationally recognized with 18th 'A' Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade

West Valley Medical Center received an ‘A’ grade in the fall 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. This national distinction recognizes West Valley's achievements in protecting patients from harm and error in the hospital. West Valley is celebrating 15 consecutive 'A' ratings and 18 overall.

"Our quality numbers are almost unbelievable and unheard of in the midst of a pandemic. Despite the challenges that are seen in healthcare across the country, we continue to provide the highest quality, infection-free care that we can. I'm beyond proud of the care we provide to our community and our colleagues' dedication to safety," said Dr. Richard Augustus, Chief Medical Officer, West Valley Medical Center.

“We have celebrated many safety milestones this year. Our colleagues are exceptional and place safety as a top priority in everything we do," said Betsy Hunsicker, West Valley Medical Center Chief Executive Officer. "Once again this continuous 'A' Safety Grade is a reflection of the hard work of our entire team and their dedication to clinical excellence."

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

“An ‘A’ Safety Grade is a tremendous achievement, of which this community should be extremely proud,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I thank the leadership and workforce of West Valley Medical Center for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”

Several initiatives contribute to the high level of patient safety at West Valley, including a multidisciplinary safety committee and a multitude of safety programs aimed at improving patient outcomes as well as enhancing each patient’s personal experience. Additionally, West Valley and HCA Healthcare’s Sepsis Predication and Optimization of Therapy (SPOT) is helping clinicians detect sepsis up to 18 hours sooner. The algorithm-driven, real-time sepsis alert system has been called a “smoke detector for sepsis”.

Another initiative at West Valley, called enhanced surgical recovery, is helping patients achieve a more successful pre and post-surgical process. The program is aimed at utilizing effective pain management without opioids and reducing length of stay in the hospital for patients as well as potential complications.

Leapfrog announced West Valley's ‘A’ grade today as part of the fall 2021 grades. To see West Valley’s full grade details and access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit HospitalSafetyGrade.org.