Baystate Franklin Earns ‘A’ in Hospital Safety Score

GREENFIELD — Baystate Franklin Medical Center (BFMC) was honored with an ‘A’ grade in the fall 2013 update to the Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from accidents, errors, injuries, and infections.

The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety, and is administered by the Leapfrog Group, an independent industry watchdog. The first and only hospital safety rating to be analyzed in the peer-reviewed Journal of Patient Safety, the score is designed to give the public information people can use to protect themselves and their families.

“The A grade from Leapfrog is a testament to the consistent commitment of the entire Baystate Franklin staff to ensure the safety of our patients,” said Gina Campbell, chief operating officer at Baystate Franklin Medical Center. “As an A-graded hospital, we have also met the mark for making critical safety information available to consumers through our participation in national performance measurement and public reporting programs.”

Dr. Gerda Maissel, BFMC’s chief medical officer, noted that “the Leapfrog Group is an important  national organization that helps ensure that the public is informed about hospital quality and safety. We have excellent clinical teams at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, and I am proud of everyone involved in our consistently obtaining an A grade. Our doctors, nurses, techs, and many others work hard every day to ensure that we provide excellent safe, high-quality care.”

According to Leah Binder, president and CEO of Leapfrog, “as patients begin to take a more active role in selecting where to receive healthcare, it has never been more important to focus on hospital safety and transparency. The ‘A’ hospitals, including Baystate Franklin Medical Center, are helping us raise the standards of healthcare nationwide. We offer our congratulations and hope Baystate Franklin will continue to strive for an ever-increasing level of excellence in patient safety.”

To see BFMC’s scores as they compare nationally and locally, and to find safety tips for patients and their loved ones, visit the Hospital Safety Score website at www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.