Nacogdoches Medical Center Again Earns “A” Grade For Patient Safety

November 29, 2016 – For the third consecutive time, Nacogdoches Medical Center, the hospital anchor of NMC Health Network, has been recognized as a top performer by The Leapfrog Group. This national award for patient safety is the most recent accolade received by the organization.

Other recent accomplishments include Center of Distinction Honors for The Nacogdoches Wound Care Center, a 4-star rating by CMS HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems), and The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for both Chest Pain Certification and Hip and Knee Replacement.

The Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Score is designed to give the public information they can use to protect themselves and their families. It is calculated by top patient safety experts, peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. “Avoidable deaths in hospitals should be the number one concern of our health care leaders. Hospitals, like NMC, that earn an ‘A’ from Leapfrog are leaders in saving lives, and we commend them and urge their continued vigilance,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.

According to an analysis by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, a hospital’s safety score has life-or death consequences for patients. Patients at a D hospital have a 50 percent higher risk of avoidable death than patients at an A hospital. The study concluded that more than 33,000 lives could be saved each year if all hospitals had the same performance as those, like NMC, who received an A.

“Every day, and at every level in our organization, we remain highly-focused on creating an environment that embraces safety and quality,” remarked Philip Koovakada, NMC Chief Operating Officer. “Our staff has worked diligently to implement nationally recognized benchmarks and best practices that have dramatically improved the environment of care.”

Not only does NMC deliver safe, high-quality care, they are consistently recognized for their patient satisfaction as reflected by their Medicare HCAHPS Star Rating. The intent of the HCAHPS initiative is to provide a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring patients’ perspectives on hospital care. While many hospitals have collected information on patient satisfaction, prior to HCAHPS, there was no national standard for collecting or publicly reporting patients’ perspectives of care that would enable valid comparisons to be made across all hospitals. NMC received a 4-star rating overall and a 5-star rating for how well physicians communicate with their patients.

“The standardization of both HCAHPS and the Leap Frog Hospital Safety Score allows East Texans to make an informed choice about where they receive medical care,” stated NMC Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Charles Thompson. “Earning this top grade once again demonstrates the commitment of our staff and physicians to ensure safe, quality care that improves outcomes for our patients.”

To see Nacogdoches Medical Center’s full scores and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

About The Leapfrog Group - Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. Hospital Safety Score, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

About Nacogdoches Medical Center - Nacogdoches Medical Center is a 161-bed acute care facility located at 4920 NE Stallings Drive in Nacogdoches, TX. The hospital serves as the anchor of NMC Health Network and has provided for the medical and health care needs of East Texans for more than 40 years. Designed to improve access to healthcare services in Nacogdoches and Shelby counties and the surrounding communities, NMC specializes in emergency services, women’s health, cardiovascular medicine and surgery, open heart surgery, cancer care, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery. Extensions of the network include NMC Imaging Services, the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Nacogdoches, NMC Wound Care Services, NMC Loma Laird Cancer Center and NMC Shelby Emergency Services. NMC is recognized by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. To learn more about the facilities that comprise NMC Health Network, please visit www.NMCHealthNetwork.com