Leapfrog Names Children’s Hospital Among Top 10 in U.S.

Newswise — Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is one of only 10 children’s hospitals in the nation to be named a Leapfrog Top Hospital for 2017.

Among all hospital categories rated — general, children’s, rural and teaching — only about 6 percent of eligible hospitals from across the U.S. earned the Top Hospital award from The Leapfrog Group this year.

Founded in 2000, The Leapfrog Group is a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage that works to encourage healthcare safety, quality and affordability. Leapfrog members provide health benefits to more than 37 million Americans who live in all 50 states.

This is the second year in a row, and the fifth time overall, that Children’s Hospital has made the Top Children’s Hospitals list. Leapfrog has published these unranked lists since 2006.

“It is a tremendous honor for our hospital to once again receive the distinction as a Leapfrog Top Hospital,” said Luke Gregory, Chief Executive Officer for Children’s Hospital. “This incredible achievement recognizes the passion and commitment of our physicians and staff to provide safe and quality care to the more than 1,700 children and families that we serve each day. Congratulations to everyone for this well-deserved recognition.”

The selection of Leapfrog’s Top Hospitals is based on the results of the 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, completed by nearly 1,900 hospitals annually. Performance measures across many areas of hospital care that impact quality, safety and value are considered in establishing the qualifications for the award, including infection rates, maternity care and a hospital’s ability to prevent medication errors. The rigorous standards are defined in each year’s Top Hospital Methodology.

The breakdown of this year’s list of 109 Top Hospitals is 10 Top Children’s Hospitals; 45 Top General Hospitals; 18 Top Rural Hospitals; and 36 Top Teaching Hospitals.

Children’s hospitals, as well as general, rural and teaching hospitals, selected as a 2017 Leapfrog Top Hospital:

Meet standards for computer physician order entry systems that help prevent medication errors;
Meet intensive care unit staffing standards that ensure ICU patients are cared for by specially trained physicians;
Must fully meet Leapfrog’s standards on at least 50 percent of the applicable performance measures;
Must rank in the top of their peer group based on the Value Score;
Must follow a five-element policy if a serious reportable events, occurs;
Have earned the top grade of “A” for safety;
Must satisfy the Top Hospital Selection Committee that in general the hospital embodies the highest standards of excellence worthy of the Leapfrog Top Hospital designation.

This recognition for Children’s Hospital is yet another major performance-based distinction the facility has earned this year. In June, Children’s Hospital achieved 10 out of 10 nationally ranked pediatric specialties in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Children’s Hospitals survey.