Review: Georgia hospitals rank 23rd nationally

(The Center Square) — Georgia’s hospitals ranked 23rd nationally, according to a new review.

According to the spring 2024 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, which graded 80 Georgia hospitals, 21 received an “A,” 22 achieved a “B,” 31 attained a “C,” and 6 earned a “D.” The grades are based on preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections that together kill more than 500 people a day in the United States.

“With a slight decrease in ‘A’ hospitals since fall 2023, facilities in Georgia have immense opportunity to enhance patient safety,” Natasha Taylor, deputy director of Georgia Watch, said in an announcement. “We hope through transparent reporting, hospitals will continue prioritizing patient safety. Ultimately, this will make a difference in individual lives and also empower informed patient decisions.”

While about a quarter (26.3%) of hospitals received an A, the number is down from 30.4% that earned a top grade in fall 2023 and up from spring 2023 (24.4%) and fall 2022 (25.9%).

“Hospitals even in the same city can differ greatly in patient safety,” Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said in a release. “A patient’s choice of hospital could be a life-or-death decision, and the Hospital Safety Grade arms patients with data to help them make more informed decisions on where they seek care.”

Separately, this week, U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Georgia, announced $543,000 in federal taxpayer money for the Atlanta Regional Commission to conduct an Emergency Health Care Transportation Access Study. The money was included in this year’s federal government funding.

“We know that health care access in the Atlanta region varies greatly by your ZIP code. It’s time for action to address these disparities,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who serves as chair of the ARC Board, said in a release. “This study is a critical first step that will provide the hard data we need to make informed decisions that can save lives.”