Plano Named One of the Safest Hospitals in the US
July 18, 2012
National non-profit organization awards its highest grade
The Medical Center of Plano has earned a Hospital Safety ScoreSM of "A" from The Leapfrog Group, signifying that the hospital is judged to be among the safest in the nation.
The Leapfrog Group is an independent non-profit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits. It calculated scores for hospitals across the nation, factoring in the Hospital Safety ScoreSM, along with the findings of its Blue Ribbon Expert Panel. The scores are derived from publicly available data on patient injuries, infections, and medical and medication errors.
Hospitals were then assigned letter grades, from "A" through "F." Among the 216 hospitals in Texas given grades, only 22 percent received A's.
"We are very proud to be recognized for our commitment to safety," said Troy A. Villarreal, FACHE, chief executive officer of The Medical Center of Plano. "We strive daily to provide care that is both 'perfect' and safe. Putting patients and their safety first is what we focus on each day."
Calculated with guidance from The Leapfrog Group's nine-member Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the Hospital Safety ScoreSM uses 26 publicly available measurements of hospital safety to produce a single score that represents a hospital's overall ability to protect patients against infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors.
The panel is made up of representatives of some of the nation's leading medical research institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt.
"The goal of The Leapfrog Group is to give patients the information they need and deserve before even entering a hospital," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "We congratulate The Medical Center of Plano for earning an 'A' and look forward to the day when all hospitals in the U.S. will earn the highest scores for putting patient safety first."
More safety-score information can be found at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.
The Medical Center of Plano's primary campus is located in the heart of Plano and includes the main hospital, medical offices, an outpatient surgery center, and the county's only designated Level II trauma center.
It is home to programs that provide advanced, comprehensive treatment for cancer, heart disease, and stroke; to a women's services department that features a high-risk obstetrical center and Level III B neonatal intensive care unit; and to a fully equipped radiology/imaging center. Other busy hubs of activity include the Wound Care Center, the Bariatric Institute, and the Center for Lifestyle Enhancement.