Sarasota County’s Trio of Hospitals Shine in Fall 2023 Safety Ratings
The latest safety report cards for fall 2023, released by The Leapfrog Group on Monday, have bestowed “A” grades upon all three hospitals in Sarasota County, Florida.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital, HCA Florida Englewood Hospital, and HCA Florida Doctors Hospital have each extended their streaks of consecutive A grades, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to safety and quality healthcare.
These hospitals have also garnered commendable results in the recent Healthgrades specialty hospital rankings, further solidifying their positions in the healthcare landscape.
Notably, the Sarasota Memorial Hospital Venice campus, inaugurated in late 2021, has yet to accumulate sufficient operational data to be included in the latest rankings.
A remarkable achievement, HCA Florida Englewood Hospital is one of only two medical facilities in Florida to have received an impressive 23 consecutive A grades for hospital safety from The Leapfrog Group. Alongside Advent Health Daytona Beach, Englewood Hospital has achieved this distinction by participating in the national nonprofit’s voluntary survey since the inception of these grades in 2012.
Sarasota Memorial, which joined the Leapfrog survey in 2016, maintains its own impressive streak of 16 straight A grades, underscoring its consistent dedication to patient safety.
Leapfrog’s grading system assesses nearly 3,000 general hospitals based on their ability to prevent medical errors, infections, and injuries. The newly assigned grades also reflect how effectively these hospitals have minimized healthcare-acquired infections following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically, here are the key safety ratings for Sarasota County hospitals:
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital has earned recognition as one of the nation’s top hospitals for addressing safety issues, excelling in various aspects, including preventing harmful events after surgery, implementing error-prevention practices, and providing comprehensive training for doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. It surpasses the national average in infection prevention and stands among the leaders in preventing MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infections. However, it ranks closer to the national average in preventing blood and urinary tract infections, as well as surgical site infections following colon surgery and C. difficile infections, which cause diarrhea and colitis. Sarasota Memorial is the only hospital in Sarasota County participating in Leapfrog’s patient survey, with detailed results available at [link].
- HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital excels in preventing MRSA, blood and urinary tract infections, preventing foreign objects from being left in patients’ bodies, monitoring air or gas in the bloodstream, ensuring doctors’ safe medication ordering through computer systems, administering medications safely, and promoting effective handwashing practices. However, it falls short of the national average in preventing sepsis after surgery and communicating with patients regarding their medication.
These exemplary safety ratings underscore the dedication and commitment of Sarasota County’s hospitals to providing top-tier healthcare services while prioritizing the safety and well-being of their patients.