UPMC Altoona recently received an overall grade of C for this fall from the hospital safety rating organization The Leapfrog Group. The grades are based on statistics related to as many as 32 key issues connected with patient safety. Mirror file photo by Patrick Waksmunski

UPMC Altoona recently received an overall grade of C for this fall from the hospital safety rating organization The Leapfrog Group, same as it got in the spring – but down from the Bs it got in the fall and spring of last year, which were in turn down from the As it received in the fall and spring of both 2023 and 2022.

The ratings are a public service, and the organization is an independent nonprofit “committed to driving quality, safety and transparency in the U.S. health system,” according to a note on the Leapfrog website.

“We appreciate this feedback,” stated a UPMC Altoona spokesperson in an email in response to the Mirror’s request for comment. “Our team has already taken concrete steps toward improving the quality and safety of our care,” the email continued. “We remain firm in our commitment to our patients.”

The Leapfrog grades are “focused exclusively on accidents, errors, injuries and infections that harm or kill patients in hospitals,” according to the group’s website.

The grades are based on statistics related to as many as 32 key issues connected with patient safety, with six or seven of those issues grouped under each of five main headings: Infections; Problems with Surgery; Safety Problems; Practices to Prevent Errors; and Doctors, Nurses and Staff.

While the overall hospital grades are modeled on the ABCDF rankings used in schools, the performances connected with the 32 individual issues are rated as worse than average, average or better than average.

They are presented on the Leapfrog website by graphs in the form of a gas gauge: red to the left, indicating below average performance; yellow in the middle, indicating average performance; and green to the right, indicating better than average performance.

Under Infections, UPMC Altoona received one red finding: for C. diff infections.

The site explains: “Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and fever. Most C. diff cases occur in patients taking or having recently taken antibiotics, and fully killing the bacteria in an infected patient can be very difficult. C. diff can spread via contaminated equipment or by providers who fail to properly wash their hands between patients.”

Practices in safer hospitals include doctors and nurses cleaning their hands after caring for every patient, hospital rooms and medical equipment being thoroughly cleaned frequently, keeping C.diff patients separate from other patients and requiring providers and visitors to wear gloves and gowns around C. diff patients, according to the site.

Also under infections, UPMC Altoona’s performance was average for MRSA and urinary tract infections; and above average for infections in the blood; surgical site infections after colon surgery; and sepsis infections after surgery.

Problems with Surgery

Under Problems with Surgery, UPMC Altoona received two red findings: Death from Serious Treatable Complications and Accidental Cuts and Tears.

In connection with the first red finding, the site explains: “Death from treatable serious complications: Sometimes after surgery, patients can develop serious complications while they are in the hospital. They might catch pneumonia, have a heart attack, or lose function in their kidneys or liver. These problems are serious, but can be treated by a good hospital team. If the hospital doesn’t manage the patient’s complications correctly, the patient could die.”

Practices in safer hospitals include staff communication to quickly identify serious post-surgery complications, followed by readiness to take action with aggressive plans in keeping with patient safety guidelines, according to the site.

In connection with the second red finding: the site explains: “Accidental cuts and tears: For procedures of the abdomen and pelvis, there is a chance that the patient will suffer an accidental cut or tear of their skin or other tissue. This problem can happen during surgery or a procedure where doctors use a tube to look into a patient’s body.”

Practices in safer hospitals include taking care when using scalpels, knives and other surgical tools to avoid problematic cuts and tears, according to the site.

Also under Problems with Surgery, UPMC Altoona’s performance was average for serious breathing problems; and above average for dangerous objects left in patients’ bodies; surgical wounds splitting open; blood leakage; and kidney injuries after surgery.

Safety Problems

Under Safety Problems, UPMC Altoona received three red findings: for harmful events; dangerous bed sores; and patient falls and injuries.

In connection with the first red finding, the site explains: “Harmful Events: Patients can experience complications and potentially harmful events following a surgery, a procedure, or childbirth. When all of these errors are examined together, it gives a better picture of a hospital’s ability to keep its patients safe.”

Safer hospitals look upon harmful events as opportunities for improving patient care, according to the site. Staffers document errors, discuss how they occurred and develop plans to prevent recurrences, according to the site.

In connection with the second red finding, the site explains: “Dangerous bed sores: A bed sore is a sore or wound on the skin that forms when a patient lays or sits in one position for too long without being moved. Advanced bedsores (also known as stage 3 or 4 pressure ulcers) can become large and very deep. They can reach a muscle or bone and cause severe pain and serious infection. This can lead to longer hospital stays, amputation, or even death.”

Safer hospitals regularly move patients who can’t move much on their own, while also checking regularly for bed sores, according to the site. They also use cushioning to protect bony areas and take immediate steps to treat existing sores, according to the site.

In connection with the third red finding, the site explains: “Patient falls and injuries: One common problem that patients face in the hospital is a serious injury or death resulting from a fall or other kind of trauma. Falls can happen when patients who really can’t walk on their own try getting out of bed, often to go to the restroom. Patient falls increase time in the hospital, require additional care, and can result in permanent disability.”

Staffers in safer hospitals help patients when those patients want to get up to use the restroom or just move about, while employees at all levels ensure that the hospital is clear of hazards that could cause a fall, according to the site. There may also be alarm systems that alert staffers when at-risk patients try to get out of bed on their own, with staffers responding to those alarms quickly, according to the site.

Average rating for error prevention

Under Practices to Prevent Errors, UPMC Altoona received no red findings.

Under this heading, the hospital’s performance was average for communication about medicines and communications about discharge; and above average for doctors ordering medications through a computer; safe medication administration; handwashing; and staffers working together to prevent errors.

Communication, responsiveness

Under Doctors, Nurses & Hospital Staff, UPMC Altoona received two red findings: communication with doctors and responsiveness of hospital staff.

In connection with the first red finding, the site explains: “The Communication with Doctors measure summarizes how well patients feel their doctors explained things clearly, listened carefully to them and treated them with courtesy and respect. Effective communication between doctors and patients can be reassuring to patients and can help prevent errors like medication mix-ups or misdiagnoses.”

Safer hospitals encourage doctors to take enough time to listen well to every patient, answering questions, showing courtesy and respect and explaining diagnoses and treatment plans in understandable ways, according to the site.

In connection with the second red finding, the site explains: “Responsiveness of hospital staff: Patients’ perspectives (on) care are an important part of patient safety. The Responsiveness of Hospital Staff measure looks at patients’ feedback on how long it takes for a staff member to respond when they request help. If a patient is in pain, experiencing new symptoms, or cannot reach the bathroom himself, it is important that hospital staff respond quickly to address the situation.”

Safer hospitals are well-staffed and have systems in place to ensure that all patients receive the needed care quickly, according to the site.

UPMC Bedford gets A grade

UPMC Bedford, which is administered in tandem with UPMC Altoona, received an overall A grade for the fall.

Its overall grades have been As every time since spring 2022, except for a B in spring 2023.

“We are thrilled once again,” to get an A for Bedford, a hospital spokesperson wrote in an email. “This recognition is a direct reflection of the high quality of care that our teams of caregivers provide.”

Under the Infections heading, only one of six issues was applicable, C. diff infection – for which the hospital’s performance was average.

Under Problems with Surgery, two of six categories were applicable: dangerous objects left in patients’ bodies, for which the hospital’s performance was above average; and accidental cuts and tears, for which its performance was average.

Under Safety Problems, five of six categories were applicable: for harmful events, the hospital’s performance was above average; for dangerous bed sores, average; for patient falls and injuries, above average; for falls causing broken hips, average; for collapsed lung, average; and for air or gas bubbles in the blood, above average.

Under Practices to Prevent Errors: for the category of doctors ordering medications through a computer, the hospital’s performance was above average; safe medication administration, above average; handwashing, above average; communication about medicines, above average; communication about discharge, above average; staff working together to prevent errors, above average.

Under Doctors, Nurses & Hospital Staff: five of six categories were applicable: for effective leadership to prevent errors, the performance was above average; for nursing and bedside care for patients, above average; for communication with doctors, average; for communication with nurses, above average; and for responsiveness of hospital staff, above average.

Mount Nittany gets an A

Mount Nittany Medical Center received an overall A grade for the fall.

Its previous seven grades, starting with last spring, were A, A, C, C, B, B, C.

The A grade “reaffirms Mount Nittany Health’s unwavering commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care,” stated Chief Medical Officer Dr. Upendra Thaker. “This recognition is a testament to the culture of safety we’ve built.”

The effort is “not just about meeting benchmarks, it’s about doing what’s right for every patient, every time,” the doctor stated.

Under the Infections heading: for MRSA infections, the hospital’s performance was average; for C. diff infection, below average; for infections in the blood, above average; for urinary tract infections, below average; for surgical site infections after colon surgery, average; for sepsis infection after surgery, above average.

Under Problems with Surgery: for dangerous objects left in patients’ bodies, above average; for surgical wound splits open, average; for death from serious treatable complications, below average; for blood leakage, below average; for kidney injury after surgery, average; for serious breathing problems, average; for accidental cuts and tears, above average.

Under Safety Problems: for harmful events, above average; for dangerous bed sores, above average; for patient falls and injuries, average; for falls causing broken hips, above average; for collapsed lungs, above average; for dangerous blood clots, average; and for air or gas bubbles in the blood, above average.

Under Practices to Prevent Errors: for doctors ordering medications through a computer, above average; for safe medication administration, above average; for handwashing, above average; for communication about meds, above average; for communications about discharge, average; for staff working together to prevent errors, above average.

Under Doctors, Nurses & Staff: for effective leadership to prevent errors, above average; for nursing and bedside care, average; for specially trained doctors caring for ICU patients, above average; for communication with doctors, above average; for communication with nurses, above average; for responsiveness of hospital staff, above average.

Conemaugh Nason rated at A

Conemaugh Nason Medical Center received an overall A grade for the fall.

Its previous seven grades, starting with last spring, were all As, except for a B in spring 2023 and a B the autumn before that.

“The staff and physicians at Conemaugh Nason have demonstrated unwavering dedication to achieving excellence in quality care and patient safety,” stated the hospital’s Chief Operations Officer Michelle Buttry in a news release. “Improving outcomes and ensuring safety is at the heart of what we do every day.”

Under the Infections heading, three of six issues were applicable: for C. diff infection, the hospital’s performance was above average; for surgical site infections after colon surgery, above average; and for sepsis infection after surgery, average.

Under Problems with Surgery, six of seven categories were applicable: for dangerous objects left in patients’ bodies, above average; for surgical wounds splitting open, average; for blood leakage, average; for kidney injury after surgery, average; for serious breathing problems, average; for accidental cuts and tears, average.

Under safety problems: for harmful events, above average; for dangerous bed sores, average; for patient falls and injuries, above average; for falls causing broken hips, average; for collapsed lungs, average; for dangerous blood clots, average; and for air or gas bubbles in the blood, above average.

Under Practices to Prevent Errors: for doctors ordering meds through computers, above average; for safe meds administration, above average; for handwashing, above average; for communications about meds, above average; for communications about discharge, above average; for staffers working together to prevent errors, above average.

Under Doctors, Nurses & Hospital Staff: for effective leadership to prevent errors, above average; for nursing and bedside care for patients, below average; for specially trained doctors caring for ICU patients, below average; for communication with doctors, above average; for communication with nurses, above average; for responsiveness of hospital staff, above average.

Penn Highlands Huntingdon rated D

Penn Highlands Huntingdon received an overall D for the fall.

Its most recent two overall grades were also Ds, preceded by five Cs in a row, back to spring 2022.

The data used by Leapfrog isn’t “comprehensive,” despite being drawn from both public and hospital-submitted sources, stated Penn Highlands spokesman Dave Trudell in an emailed response to the Mirror’s request for comment. Moreover, Penn Highlands Huntingdon has received recognition from other sources that indicates it’s a safe hospital, according to Trudell: a Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award in 2024 (a year from which some statistics that figure into the current Leapfrog ratings are drawn); and four consecutive years as one of the top 100 rural and community hospitals according to Chartis Center for Rural Health.

Penn Highlands Huntingdon has now withdrawn from participation in Leapfrog, according to Trudell.

“In order to submit data, it is estimated that 180 hours of hospital leadership and staff time are needed,” he wrote, citing a 317-page survey form to be filled out.

There are also significant licensing fees, he wrote.

“We maintain that the time needed to complete the survey and the expense for the licensing fees would (be better spent) on patient care,” he stated.

Under Infections, two issues were applicable for Penn Highlands Huntingdon: for C. diff infection, the hospital’s performance was below average; for sepsis infection after surgery, average.

Under Problems with Surgery, five issues were applicable: for dangerous objects left in patients’ bodies, above average; for blood leakage, average; for kidney injury after surgery, average; for serious breathing problems, average; for accidental cuts and tears, average.

Under Safety Problems: for harmful events, above average; for dangerous bed sores, average; for patient falls and injuries, below average; for falls causing broken hips, average; for collapsed lungs, average; for dangerous blood clots, average; for air or gas bubbles in the blood, above average.

Under Practices to Prevent Errors, five issues were applicable: for doctors ordering meds through a computer, below average; for safe meds administration, below average; for handwashing, below average; for communications about meds, average; for communication about discharges, below average.

Under Doctors, Nurses & Hospital Staff, one of six categories was applicable: for specially trained doctors caring for ICU patients, below average.