News Summary
In a recent assessment by The Leapfrog Group, Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge, Prisma Health Baptist, and Lexington Medical Center in Columbia received ‘A’ grades for safety. This reflects an ongoing commitment to patient safety, with notable improvements seen at Lexington Medical Center, which advanced from a ‘B’ to an ‘A.’ Overall, South Carolina hospitals are showing progress, with 24 earning ‘A’ grades out of 51 evaluated, indicating a positive trend in healthcare quality across the state.
Columbia – Three hospitals in Columbia achieved an impressive ‘A’ grade for safety in the latest spring rankings released by The Leapfrog Group, a non-profit organization focused on healthcare safety and transparency. Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge, Prisma Health Baptist, and Lexington Medical Center each received the top score, showcasing their commitment to patient safety and quality care.
Prisma Health Baptist and Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge successfully retained their ‘A’ grades from the fall 2024 rankings, while Lexington Medical Center made an impressive leap from a ‘B’ grade to an ‘A’ this spring. Additionally, Prisma Health Tuomey in nearby Sumter also maintained its ‘A’ grade from the previous grading period.
In contrast, Prisma Health Richland earned a ‘B’ grade, reflecting consistency as this was the same score it received in the previous ranking. Meanwhile, MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast and MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown both received ‘C’ grades, echoing their fall scores and indicating areas for improvement.
Looking at the broader Midlands region, several other hospitals were graded. McCloud Health Clarendon retained its ‘A,’ while MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center slipped from an ‘A’ to a ‘B.’ Newberry County Memorial Hospital and MUSC Health Orangeburg both dropped from ‘B’ to ‘C,’ reflecting safety challenges that require attention. Notably, Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill received a troubling ‘D’ grade for the second consecutive grading cycle, while Cherokee Medical Center in Gaffney was not graded.
In total, 51 hospitals across South Carolina were evaluated in this grading cycle. The results indicated a positive trend: 24 hospitals earned ‘A’ grades, a modest increase from 21 in the previous fall rankings. Overall, the rankings revealed 11 hospitals received ‘B’ grades, and 15 were rated ‘C’; no hospitals fell into the failing ‘F’ category. This is a promising picture for healthcare quality in the state.
On a national level, South Carolina tied with Virginia for 5th place among states, with 47.1% of the hospitals in the state achieving ‘A’ ratings. Utah maintains its position as the leader, boasting 60.7% of its hospitals with ‘A’ grades.
The Leapfrog Group, which has been disseminating Hospital Safety Scores since 2012, aims to provide critical information about hospital safety to help patients make informed healthcare decisions. The focus on errors, accidents, injuries, and infections is essential given that hospital errors are linked to nearly 200,000 deaths each year. The organization emphasizes that patients at hospitals rated ‘D’ and ‘F’ face higher risks compared to those treated in hospitals with ‘A’ ratings.
As part of its efforts, The Leapfrog Group encourages patients and families to use these safety grades when selecting healthcare facilities and advocates for reporting any safety concerns experienced during a hospital stay. These actions are vital for fostering an environment of safe care in hospitals across the country.
Overall, the latest rankings from The Leapfrog Group illustrate significant progress in hospital safety in the Columbia area, reflecting a broader commitment to quality care and patient safety across South Carolina.
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Additional Resources
- The State
- Wikipedia: Hospital Safety
- SW Lex Ledger
- Google Search: Hospital Safety Grades
- Daily Gazette
- Google Scholar: Hospital Safety Grades
- Patch
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Hospital Safety
- Hudson Valley Post
- Google News: Hospital Safety
Author: STAFF HERE LEXINGTON WRITER
The LEXINGTON STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERELexington.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Lexington, Fayette County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Woodland Art Fair, Crave Food and Music Festival, and Railbird Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like Commerce Lexington and Blue Grass Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in education, manufacturing, and technology that power the local economy such as University of Kentucky, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, and Lexmark. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBowlingGreen.com and HERELouisville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Kentucky's dynamic landscape.
