Tuscaloosa, Northport Hospitals Receive 'D' Safety Grades

Tuscaloosa AL

12 November, 2021

8:13 AM

Description

TUSCALOOSA, AL — How safe are hospitals in Tuscaloosa? The answer varies from hospital to hospital, according to new safety grades released by The Leapfrog Group — a prestigious national health care watchdog organization. Click here to subscribe to our free Tuscaloosa Daily newsletter and breaking news alerts The Leapfrog Group on Wednesday released its fall 2021 Hospital Safety Grades, which assigns a letter grade to the nation's general hospitals based on how well they prevent medical errors, accidents, injuries, and infections that kill or harm patients. This year's list reviewed just over 2,900 hospitals, the largest number of hospitals ever graded. It's important to note that not all hospitals participated in the annual survey and some only opted to submit information in certain categories. For the Tuscaloosa area, three facilities were graded — DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, DCH's Northport Medical Center and Fayette Medical Center in neighboring Fayette County. DCH Regional Medical Center Overall Grade: D INFECTIONS MSRA/Staph infections: Below average Clostridium difficile: Below averageInfection in the blood: Above averageUrinary tract infections during hospital stay: Below averageInfections with surgical sites after colon surgery: Above average Sepsis infection after surgery: Not available PROBLEMS WITH SURGERY Dangerous object left in patient's body: Above averageSurgical wounds splitting open: Above averageDeath from serious treatable complications: Below averageBlood leakage during surgery: Above average Kidney injuries after surgery: Not Available Serious problems breathing: Not Available Accidental cuts and tears: Above average SAFETY PROBLEMS Harmful events: Below averageDangerous bed sores: Below averagePatients falls and injuries: Above averageFalls causing broken hips: Below averageCollapsed lungs: Above averageDangerous blood clots: Below averageAir or gas bubble in the blood: Above average PRACTICES TO PREVENT ERRORS Doctors order medication through a computer: Below average Safe medication administration: Below average Hand washing: Declined to reportCommunication about medicines: Below average Communication about discharge: Below average Staff work together to prevent errors: Declined to report DOCTORS, NURSES & HOSPITAL STAFF Effective leadership to prevent errors: Declined to reportEnough qualified nurses: Declined to reportSpecially-trained doctors care for ICU patients: Below average Communication with doctors: AverageCommunication with nurses: Below average Responsiveness of hospital staff: Below average Northport Medical Center Overall Grade: D INFECTIONS MSRA/Staph infections: Below average Clostridium difficile: Below averageInfection in the blood: Above averageUrinary tract infections during hospital stay: Below averageInfections with surgical sites after colon surgery: Above average Sepsis infection after surgery: Not available PROBLEMS WITH SURGERY Dangerous object left in patient's body: Above averageSurgical wounds splitting open: Above averageDeath from serious treatable complications: Below averageBlood leakage during surgery: Above average Kidney injuries after surgery: Not Available Serious problems breathing: Not Available Accidental cuts and tears: Above average SAFETY PROBLEMS Harmful events: Below averageDangerous bed sores: Below averagePatients falls and injuries: Above averageFalls causing broken hips: Below averageCollapsed lungs: Above averageDangerous blood clots: Below averageAir or gas bubble in the blood: Above average PRACTICES TO PREVENT ERRORS Doctors order medication through a computer: Below average Safe medication administration: Below average Hand washing: Declined to reportCommunication about medicines: Below average Communication about discharge: Below average Staff work together to prevent errors: Declined to report DOCTORS, NURSES & HOSPITAL STAFF Effective leadership to prevent errors: Declined to reportEnough qualified nurses: Declined to reportSpecially-trained doctors care for ICU patients: Below average Communication with doctors: AverageCommunication with nurses: Below average Responsiveness of hospital staff: Below average Fayette Medical Center Overall Grade: A INFECTIONS MSRA/Staph infections: Not availableClostridium difficile: Below averageInfection in the blood: Not availableUrinary tract infections during hospital stay: Not availableInfections with surgical sites after colon surgery: Not availableSepsis infection after surgery: Not available PROBLEMS WITH SURGERY Dangerous object left in patient's body: Above averageSurgical wounds splitting open: Not availableDeath from serious treatable complications: Not availableBlood leakage during surgery: Not availableKidney injuries after surgery: Average SAFETY PROBLEMS Harmful events: Above averageDangerous bed sores: Above averagePatients falls and injuries: Above averageFalls causing broken hips: Below averageCollapsed lungs: AverageDangerous blood clots: Not availableAir or gas bubble in the blood: Above average PRACTICES TO PREVENT ERRORS Doctors order medication through a computer: Below average Safe medication administration: Below average Hand washing: Declined to reportCommunication about medicines: Above average Communication about discharge: Above average Staff work together to prevent errors: Declined to report DOCTORS, NURSES & HOSPITAL STAFF Effective leadership to prevent errors: Declined to reportEnough qualified nurses: Declined to reportSpecially-trained doctors care for ICU patients: Declined to reportCommunication with doctors: Above averageCommunication with nurses: Above averageResponsiveness of hospital staff: Above average Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? 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