May 4, 2016 - Nacogdoches, Texas April 25, 2016 – Nacogdoches Medical Center was again recognized as a top performer by The Leapfrog Group for patient safety. This is the most recent accolade received by Medical Center, other awards and accomplishments received include Center of Distinction Honors for The Nacogdoches Wound Care Center and a 4-star rating by CMS HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems).
The Hospital Safety Score was compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and 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 of the data compiled by The Leapfrog Group, 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 analysis showed an estimated 206,021 avoidable deaths occur in U.S. hospitals each year. Of those deaths, 79% occur in B, C, D, and F hospitals. The analysis concluded an estimated 33,439 lives could be saved each year if all hospitals had the same performance as those, like Nacogdoches Medical Center, who received an A.
“We consistently review the patient care process and compare our hospital to nationally recognized benchmarks and best practices,” remarked Chief Nursing Officer, Mario Estrella. “Nothing is more important to us than offering our patients trusted care in a safe environment.”
Not only does Nacogdoches Medical Center 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. Nacogdoches Medical Center received a 4-star rating overall and a 5-star rating for how well physicians communicate with their patients.
“Both HCAHPS and the Leap Frog Safety Score empower patients to make an informed choice,” stated Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Charles Thompson. ”The standardization of these surveys, enables patients to compare NMC’s results to any hospital in East Texas and what they will find is that our network stands above the rest.”
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 153-bed medical center located at 4920 NE Stallings Drive in Nacogdoches, TX. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of the East Texas area for over 40 years. Nacogdoches Medical Center specializes in emergency services, women’s health, cardiovascular medicine and surgery, open heart surgery, cancer, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery. Other affiliated facilities include the Imaging Center of Nacogdoches, the Breast Health Center, the Ambulatory Surgery Center of Nacogdoches, the Wound Care Center, the Loma Laird Cancer Center including a standalone infusion clinic, and the Center Emergency Room in Shelby County. Nacogdoches Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. Please visit www.nacmedcenter.com.
