Six HCA Virginia facilities earn Healthgrades 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award
Ranking puts hospitals in top five-10 percent of all U.S. hospitals for patient safety
Richmond, VA – In the midst of national Patient Safety Awareness Week, six HCA Virginia hospitals were named top recipients of the 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award by Healthgrades, the leading resource that connects consumers, physicians, and health systems. The distinction places Chippenham Hospital, Reston Hospital Center, and LewisGale Medical Center in the top 5 percent of nearly 4,500 hospitals assessed nationwide. Lewisgale Hospital Alleghany, Lewisgale Hospital Montgomery, and Lewisgale Hospital Pulaski were ranked in the top 10 percent.
The Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award evaluates the safety and quality of care at a hospital by measuring the rate at which serious, potentially preventable complications and adverse events occurred in the hospital.
“Ensuring safety measures are monitored throughout our hospitals and achieving the best outcomes for our patients are our top priorities,” said Elizabeth Mikula, vice president of quality for HCA Healthcare Capital Division. “We’re proud to receive this latest recognition from Healthgrades, which demonstrates our commitment to patient safety across the Commonwealth.”
During the 2020-2022 study period, nearly 170,000 potentially preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for close to 75 percent of these incidents.* Healthgrades’ analysis revealed that patients treated in hospitals receiving the 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:
- In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (approximately 52 percent less likely)
- Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 56 percent less likely)
- Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 67 percent less likely)
- Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (approximately 71 percent less likely)
“HCA Virginia has cultivated an outstanding safety culture that prioritizes the wellbeing of both patients and staff, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to recognize these hospitals for providing top-quality care while preventing serious injuries to patients during their hospital stay.”
Visit the Healthgrades website to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality.
*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2023.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2020 through 2022 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.