Another Midlands hospital in the Prisma chain \u2014 Prisma Health Tuomey in Sumter \u2014 also got the top mark in the safety grades that were made public Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Since 2012, the Leapfrog Group<\/a> has published Hospital Safety Scores twice a year \u2014 once in the spring and once during the fall \u2014 to create transparency in the U.S. health system. The rating is focused on \u201cerrors, accidents, injuries and infections<\/a>,\u201d the group said on its website.<\/p>\n Based on this criteria, Columbia and Lexington hospitals received three A grades, one B and two Cs for the spring. Those include:<\/p>\n \u25aa Prisma Health Baptist<\/a> repeated its score from the fall ranking of A.<\/p>\n \u25aa Lexington Medical Center<\/a> repeated its score from the fall ranking of A.<\/p>\n \u25aa Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge<\/a> saw its grade improve one letter from B in the fall ranking to A.<\/p>\n \u200b\u25aa Prisma Health Richland<\/a> saw its grade improve one letter from C in the fall ranking to B.<\/p>\n \u25aa MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Northeast<\/a> repeated its score from the fall ranking of C. The facility was formerly Providence Health Northeast.<\/p>\n \u25aa MUSC Health Columbia Medical Center Downtown<\/a> repeated its score from the fall ranking of C. The facility was formerly Providence Health.<\/p>\n \u201cPatient safety and exceptional quality of care are at the foundation of everything we do, and this grade is a direct reflection of our staff\u2019s commitment to that standard,\u201d Lexington Health President and CEO Kirk Jenkins said Wednesday in a news release. \u201cTheir hard work means our patients can trust when they walk through the doors of Lexington Medical Center they are receiving world-class care.\u201d<\/p>\n Two other hospitals in the Midlands received an A, and there were mixed results for three others as one improved its past score, another had its grade drop and one hospital was not given a grade at all. Those include:<\/p>\n \u25aa Prisma Health Tuomey<\/a> in Sumter repeated its score from the fall ranking of A.<\/p>\n \u25aa McCleod Health Clarendon<\/a> in Manning repeated its score from the fall ranking of A.<\/p>\n \u25aa MUSC Health Kershaw Medical Center<\/a> saw its grade improve one letter from C in the fall ranking to B.<\/p>\n \u25aa MUSC Health Orangeburg<\/a> saw its grade drop one letter from C in the fall ranking to D. The hospital was formerly Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties.<\/p>\n \u25aa Newberry County Memorial Hospital<\/a> was not assigned a grade as part of an update to Leapfrog\u2019s methodology, which means it will not list grades for hospitals that did not participate in the 2024 or 2025 survey.<\/p>\n Piedmont Medical Center in Rock Hill was the only other hospital in South Carolina to be affected by this change.<\/p>\n The change was the result of a federal judge ruling<\/a> in March that said Leapfrog\u2019s methodology was \u201cunfair and deceptive,\u201d for non-participating hospitals. This change will affect the grading of 450 hospitals previously included in the ratings. Additionally, Leapfrog isn\u2019t grading any hospitals that don\u2019t participate in the spring ranking.<\/p>\n Leapfrog issue a statement where it did not agree with ruling, saying \u201cthis decision is a threat to patient safety<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Grading South Carolina<\/p>\n Overall in South Carolina, of the 49 hospitals that were graded, 26 received an A. That\u2019s an improvement from the 21 hospitals to get an A grade in the fall rankings. There were 14 hospitals to receive a B, while eight others recorded C grades in the spring rankings.<\/p>\n No hospitals in the Palmetto State received an F in the spring grades. MUSC Health Orangeburg was the only hospital in South Carolina that was issued a D grade.<\/p>\n Nationally, South Carolina enjoyed an improvement, as it was ranked third among all states<\/a>, after garnering the No. 10 ranking in the fall. Of the hospitals in the Palmetto State, 53% scored an A rating. That was a greater percentage than was scored in the fall (41.2%).<\/p>\n The bigger picture<\/p>\n For the first time in the past six grading periods Utah (50%) was not the top-rated state in the U.S. Utah slipped to fourth, behind South Carolina, as Connecticut (64.3%) zoomed to the top-ranked state for hospital safety. There was a four-way tie for lowest grade \u2014 among North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming \u2014 as none had a hospital with an A grade.<\/p>\n \u201cUpwards of 250,000 people die every year from hospital errors<\/a>, injuries, accidents, and infections,\u201d the Leapfrog Group said.<\/p>\n Leapfrog said it graded 2,363 hospitals nationwide<\/a> this spring.<\/p>\n \u201cThe good news is that hospitals across the country are making meaningful strides in patient safety and helping save countless lives,\u201d Leapfrog President and CEO Leah Binder said in a news release. \u201cBut not all hospitals are the same. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important for people to consult safety grades and do their research when choosing a hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n Leapfrog said more than 500 people will die today<\/a> because of a preventable hospital error, and every year 1 of 31 patients will develop a preventable infection while in the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cYou should speak up immediately if you see something that is not right or safe,\u201d Leapfrog said.<\/p>\n Receiving care<\/p>\n \u201cYou should never refuse care in an emergency<\/a> because of a hospital\u2019s safety grade,\u201d Leapfrog said. But talk with a doctor about the best hospital for planned, elective procedures.<\/p>\n However, Leapfrog\u2019s study shows that patients at \u201cD\u201d and \u201cF\u201d hospitals face a greater risk of dying than those at hospitals graded A.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know \u2018A\u2019 hospitals do a better job<\/a> at preventing errors,\u201d Leapfrog previously said. \u201cIf your local hospital rates below an \u2018A,\u2019 talk with your doctor at that hospital and urge them to improve their safety.\u201d<\/p>\n Hospitals vary on things like \u201cinfection rates, surgical errors, and patient injuries \u2014 not to mention ER wait times,\u201d so using the safety grades and researching options is important, according to the group.<\/p>\n \u201cYour choice of hospital could be a life or death decision<\/a>,\u201d Leapfrog said.<\/p>\n What to do about an error made in the hospital?<\/p>\n Leapfrog said that \u201di\u200bf you are concerned, feel like something might go wrong, or if you actually see an error made in a hospital,\u201d there are steps to take which include:<\/p>\n \u25aa Talk to someone immediately.<\/p>\n \u25aa Do not wait to report the incident if no one you know is around. All health care staff members \u2014 from physicians to the custodial crew \u2013 are there to make your care as safe as possible.<\/p>\n \u25aa Discuss the issue in a respectful, yet assertive manner.<\/p>\n \u25aa If the error happens to you, talk to a hospital employee who can investigate and resolve the problem. Be clear that you expect to hear back about the issue, and that you would like to see something done to address the error. You or a family member should follow up after reporting.<\/p>\n \u25aa If you do not receive an answer during your stay or shortly after being discharged from the hospital, contact the hospital\u2019s customer service, patient advocacy or patient and family relations department.<\/p>\n \u25aa Many hospitals have an established system for reporting errors, such as a suggestion box or a hot line. Use these systems. The problem will not be addressed if it is not reported.<\/p>\n SOURCE: Leapfrog Medical Group<\/p>\n Making the grade<\/p>\n The Leapfrog Group said 22 measures are used to generate hospital safety grades<\/a>, which is divided into two domains: Process\/Structural Measures and Outcome Measures.<\/p>\n Process Measures represent how often a hospital gives patients recommended treatment for a given medical condition or procedure. For example, \u201cResponsiveness of hospital staff\u201d looks at patients\u2019 feedback on how long it takes for a staff member to respond when they request help.<\/p>\n Structural Measures represent the environment in which patients receive care. For example, \u201cDoctors order medications through a computer\u201d represents whether a hospital uses a special computerized system to prevent errors when prescribing medications.<\/p>\n Outcome Measures represent what happens to a patient while receiving care. For example, \u201cDangerous object left in patient\u2019s body\u201d measures how many times a patient undergoing surgery had a dangerous foreign object, such as a sponge or tool, left in their body.<\/p>\n The Process Measures include:<\/p>\n \u25aa Computerized Physician Order Entry<\/p>\n \u25aa Bar Code Medication Administration<\/p>\n \u25aa ICU Physician Staffing<\/p>\n \u200b\u25aa Leadership Structures and Systems<\/p>\n \u25aa Culture Measurement, Feedback & Intervention<\/p>\n \u25aa Nursing care hours per patient<\/p>\n \u25aa Hand Hygiene<\/p>\n \u25aa Nurse Communication<\/p>\n \u25aa Doctor Communication<\/p>\n \u200b\u25aa Staff Responsiveness<\/p>\n \u25aa Communication about Medicines<\/p>\n \u200b\u25aa Discharge Information<\/p>\n The Outcome Measures include:<\/p>\n \u25aa Foreign Object Retained<\/p>\n \u200b\u25aa Air Embolism<\/p>\n \u25aa Falls and Trauma<\/p>\n \u200b\u25aa CLABSI<\/p>\n \u25aa CAUTI<\/p>\n \u25aa SSI: Colon<\/p>\n \u25aa MRSA<\/p>\n \u25aa C. Diff.<\/p>\n \u25aa Death Rate among Surgical Inpatients with Serious Treatable Conditions<\/p>\n \u25aa Patient safety and adverse events composite<\/p>\n SOURCE: Leapfrog Medical Group<\/p>\n BEHIND THE STORY MORE <\/a> This is a breaking news story <\/p>\n In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.<\/p>\n Related Stories from The State in Columbia SC<\/p>\n Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Lexington Medical Center\u2019s north tower Submitted Lexington Health <\/p>\n
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