West Alabama’s DCH Hospitals Leap Ahead in Hospital Safety Grades
The hospitals of the DCH Health System continued a trend of marked improvement and ranked among the very best in Alabama, according to new Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades.
The scores are issued twice annually to more than 3,000 U.S. hospitals whose administrators voluntarily answer surveys about conditions in their facilities, particularly those concerning patient safety and positive outcomes.
Opinions differ on how much stock should be placed in a Leapfrog grade that tries to condense so much into a simple letter grade, but for nearly a decade, scores at DCH Regional Medical Center were mired in the Cs and then Ds - the B rating it received in Spring 2024 was its highest in 8 years.
The Fall 2024 scores were released on Friday, and DCH Regional Medical Center retained its B score, as did the System's Northport Medical Center. For context, 60 hospitals were scored and just four received As. DCH accounted for two of only 12 B scores, outperforming juggernauts including UAB Hospital, Huntsville Hospital and more.
"Just three years ago, DCH’s facilities received a 'D' grade," a DCH spokesperson said in a press release. "DCH’s latest grade of 'B' reflects a continuous focus on improvements in quality and patient safety measures over the past few years."
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