National hospital safety grades released—see which Birmingham hospitals received an “A”
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Birmingham is home to some of the most outstanding healthcare facilities and institutions in the state, if not the entire Southeast. The latest national Hospital Safety Grades have been released, and we’ve got the scoop. See how Birmingham hospitals stacked up!
About the Grades
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades assigns grades to over 2,600 general acute-care hospitals across the nation twice a year. This evaluation is considered the gold standard for measuring patient safety.
The methodology for determining the grades is detailed. We’re talking 28+ points detailed. They look at factors such as:
- How hospitals manage risks
- The responsiveness of the staff
- Success rates on various procedures and surgeries
- Culture, structures and systems surrounding patient safety
- Plus a whole lot more. Curious about the specifics? Read the full scoring methodology here.
Quick disclaimer: this grading system ranks any given category from 0-100. A 100 score means “Fully Meets the Standard.” A 0-25 score means “Declined to Respond” or “Pending Verification.” All this to say that if a hospital doesn’t actively share reports, results could be skewed or incomplete.
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades evaluated 10 Birmingham-area hospitals this year.
Who Got an A
Princeton Baptist Medical Center
- Affiliated with: Brookwood Baptist Health
- Address: 701 Princeton Avenue SW, Birmingham
- Phone: (833) 251-9897
- Website
Walker Baptist Medical
- Affiliated with: Brookwood Baptist Health
- Address: 3400 Highway 78 E. Jasper
- Phone: (833) 245-0194
- Website
Who Got a B
UAB Hospital
- Affiliated with: UAB Health System
- Address: 1802 6th Ave South, Birmingham
- Phone: (205) 934-3411
- Website
UAB Highlands
- Affiliated with: UAB Health System
- Address: 1201 11th Avenue S. Birmingham
- Phone: (205) 939-4939
- Website
Brookwood Baptist Medical Center
- Affiliated with: Brookwood Baptist Health
- Address: 2010 Brookwood Medical Center Drive, Birmingham
- Phone: (833) 251-9895
- Website
Shelby Baptist Medical Center
- Affiliated with: Brookwood Baptist Health
- Address: 1000 First Street N. Alabaster
- Phone: (833) 251-9898
- Website
Who Got a C
Grandview Medical Center
- Affiliated with: Grandview Health
- Address: 3690 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham
- Phone: (205) 971-1000
- Website
Medical West Hospital Authority
- Affiliated with: UAB Health System
- Address: 995 9th Avenue SW, Bessemer
- Phone: (205) 481-7000
- Website
Note
Several institutions within the Ascension St. Vincent’s system were included in these rankings. According to this article by the BBJ, “Representatives of Ascension St. Vincent’s said the hospital system did not actively report metrics to the Leapfrog Group, which resulted in an incomplete picture of its safety data.”
This Just In: Congratulations, UAB!
In the realm of recognition for Birmingham hospitals, the good news keeps pouring in. UAB Hospital recently made Becker’s Hospital Review’s 100 Great Hospitals in America, 2020. They were the only hospital in the state to earn this recognition.