Laurens County Hospital among Six Prisma Health hospitals earn “A” grades in Leapfrog Safety Grades report, with five earning “Straight A” honor
December 15, 2021
Six Prisma Health hospitals have earned “A” grades in the Fall 2021 Hospital Safety Grades released by The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization committed to healthcare quality and safety. Five of these hospitals earned Leapfrog’s “Straight A” honor, receiving five or more “A” ratings in a row.
Kristin Vondrak, Prisma Health’s chief quality executive, said, “In a year of unprecedented challenges in healthcare, I am especially grateful for everyone’s ongoing commitment to quality, safety and being the difference.”
Vondrak gave special acknowledgment to Baptist Hospital, which demonstrated the greatest improvement in overall safety scoring across Prisma Health as compared to the spring 2021 ratings release and congratulated Baptist Parkridge, Greer Memorial, Hillcrest and Oconee Memorial hospitals for earning Leapfrog’s “Straight A” honor, receiving five or more “A” ratings in a row.
Leapfrog’s Fall 2021 Hospital Safety Grades for Prisma Health:
- Baptist Hospital, B (spring 2021 = B)
- Baptist Easley Hospital A (spring 2021 = A)
- Baptist Parkridge Hospital A (spring 2021 = A)
- Greenville Memorial Hospital B (spring 2021 = A)
- Greer Memorial Hospital A (spring 2021 = A)
- Hillcrest Hospital A (spring 2021 = A)
- Laurens County Hospital A (spring 2021 = A)
- Oconee Memorial Hospital A (spring 2021 = A)
- Richland Hospital C (spring 2021 = C)
- Tuomey Hospital C (spring 2021 = C)
Vondrak added, “In the midst of a pandemic, I am happy to report that many of our campuses saw an improvement in their overall performance as compared to the prior reporting period. Due to Leapfrog’s wide scoring ranges, these improvements may not have been enough to move to the next letter grade.”
Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group said, “I thank the leadership and workforce of Prisma Health hospitals for their commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade launched in June 2012 and is issued two times per year: spring and fall. This is the 20th release. The Leapfrog Group assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country based on their performance in process/structure and outcome measures, representing a hospital’s overall performance in keeping patients safe from accidents, injuries, errors or harm while in the hospital.
Not all Prisma Health hospitals are included in the report. The Leapfrog Group excludes locations that do not meet certain data thresholds surrounding patient volumes and services offered. It also excludes critical access and specialty hospitals, such as the Children’s Hospitals in Columbia and Greenville and the Heart Hospital in Columbia. These ratings were compiled using national performance data ranging from 2017–2020.
About Prisma Health
Prisma Health is a not-for-profit health company and the largest healthcare system in South Carolina. With nearly 30,000 team members, 18 acute care and specialty hospitals, 2,947 beds, approximately 300 outpatient sites, and nearly 5,000 employed and clinically integrated network physicians and providers, Prisma Health serves more than 1.2 million unique patients annually in its 21-county market area that covers 50% of South Carolina. Prisma Health’s goal is to improve the health of all South Carolinians by enhancing clinical quality, the patient experience and access to affordable care, as well as conducting clinical research and training the next generation of medical professionals. For more information, visit PrismaHealth.org.
