Virginia is a Top Four State in the Nation in a New National Patient Safety Ranking

May 5, 2021

Spring 2021 Leapfrog Group Hospital Safety Grades Show 50 Percent of Virginia Hospitals Earned “A” Ratings for Hospital Safety Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

RICHMOND, VA – Virginia hospitals are again being recognized as top performers in a national ranking that focuses on health care quality and patient safety performance. The Spring 2021 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades show that Virginia is ranked fourth overall in the nation, which is a reflection of Virginia hospitals’ shared commitment to keeping patients safe and providing exceptional patient care and experience. VHHA is proud to support this collaborative work through its Center for Healthcare Excellence that has focused on patient safety and quality improvement work since its formation in 2015. The latest rankings by the Leapfrog Group continue a trend of strong patient safety scores by Virginia hospitals in recent years when the Commonwealth has consistently been ranked as a top state for hospital safety. Virginia was ranked sixth among states in the Fall 2020 rankings, third overall in the Fall 2019 ranking, second overall in the Spring 2019 rankings, third overall in the Fall 2018 scores, and fifth overall in the Spring 2018 grading period.

“For more than a year, Virginia hospitals and their teams of dedicated caregivers have taken extraordinary steps to protect community healthy while working on the COVID-19 frontlines, caring for patients made seriously ill by the virus, and tending to an array of other patient medical needs,” said VHHA President and CEO Sean T. Connaughton. “Through it all, Virginia hospitals have maintained their vigilant focus on achieving excellence in health care quality and safety. The latest Hospital Safety Grade rankings from the Leapfrog Group are a welcome affirmation of the emphasis Virginia hospitals and the health care professionals who staff them place on patient care and safety.”

The Spring 2021 Leapfrog Group scores arrive about 14 months after Virginia’s first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in March 2020. During that time, Virginia hospitals have treated and discharged about 55,000 patients who contracted COVID-19 and required hospital care; added nearly 3,700 beds to increase patient treatment capacity; administered more than 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses; pursued effective strategies to boost testing and address shortages; supported efforts to increase overall ventilator capacity in Virginia; been a national leader in the use of new treatments and therapeutics such as remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies; and adapted staffing models and developed innovative solutions to expand the health care workforce to serve patients, all while enduring pandemic-associated revenue losses collectively exceeding $1.8 billion.

In addition to the latest Leapfrog scores, Virginia was recently recognized as a top state for emergency readiness in Trust for America’s Health – 2021 Ready or Not Annual Report on Emergency Preparedness. The report recognizes Virginia in the highest performing tier based on an assessment of key emergency preparedness indicators. The Commonwealth was likewise ranked in the top tier of states in the Ready or Not 2020 report, and was ranked among the top states in overall emergency preparedness rating in the 2020 National Health Security Preparedness Index report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Colorado School of Public Health.

In the latest Leapfrog Group rankings, 33 of 66 Virginia general acute care hospitals evaluated earned “A” grades, placing the Commonwealth fourth among states in the nation. The list of current “A” rated Virginia hospitals include these hospitals (an asterisk “*” denotes hospitals that have earned straight “A” grades since 2012):

• Augusta Health
• Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Hospital
• Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center
• Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center
• Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital
• Carilion New River Valley Medical Center
• CJW Medical Center – Chippenham Campus (HCA Virginia)
• CJW Medical Center – Johnston-Willis Campus (HCA Virginia)
• Henrico Doctors’ Hospital (HCA Virginia)
• Inova Alexandria Hospital
• Inova Fair Oaks Hospital
• Inova Fairfax Hospital
• Inova Loudoun Hospital*
• Inova Mount Vernon Hospital
• LewisGale Hospital Alleghany (HCA Virginia)
• LewisGale Hospital Pulaski (HCA Virginia)
• LewisGale Medical Center (HCA Virginia)
• Novant Health UVA Health System Culpeper Medical Center
• Novant Health UVA Health System Haymarket Medical Center
• Novant Health UVA Health System Prince William Medical Center
• Parham Doctors’ Hospital (HCA Virginia)
• Reston Hospital Center (HCA Virginia)
• Retreat Doctors’ Hospital (HCA Virginia)
• Riverside Walter Reed Hospital
• Sentara CarePlex Hospital*
• Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital
• Sentara Leigh Hospital*
• Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
• Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital
• Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center*
• VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital
• Virginia Hospital Center
• Winchester Medical Center (Valley Health)

About VHHA: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is an alliance of 110 hospitals and 26 health delivery systems that develops and advocates for sound health care policy in the Commonwealth. Its mission is to achieve excellence in both health care and health. Its vision is through the power of collaboration to be recognized as a driving force behind making Virginia the healthiest state in the nation. Connect with VHHA through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Julian Walker
Vice President of Communications
(804) 297-3193 office
(804) 304-7402 mobile
jtwalker@vhha.com