The grades are out: Here are the safest hospitals in Tampa Bay

The nonprofit Leapfrog Group analyzes thousands of hospitals across the U.S. and grades them based on patient safety measures. It has released its latest round of grades. 

The Leapfrog Group also announced Top Hospitals across the country in patient safety, and St. Petersburg-based Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and AdventHealth were recognized.

Altamonte Springs-based AdventHealth has several campuses throughout Tampa Bay. Its Carrollwood, Dade City and Zephyrhills campuses received the Top General Hospital designation. The AdventHealth Tampa and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel campuses received the Top Teaching Hospital designation. 

AdventHealth has historically been recognized for its top patient safety outcomes multiple times by Leapfrog, consistently earning a letter A grade. 

This is the first year Johns Hopkins All Children’s has made the list, and it’s the only pediatric hospital named to the list from the Tampa Bay area.

“Even with the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, our amazing team remained laser-focused on our mission and our commitment to providing top quality and safe care to children in our community and beyond,” Angela Green, hospital vice president and chief patient safety and quality officer, said in a statement. 

The Report Card 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital rating focused exclusively on hospital safety. It issues A, B, C, D or F letter grades to show how safe hospitals are. 

The grades are determined based on multiple measures ranging from objects being left in patients to preventable staph infections and deaths. 

The only Florida hospital to receive an F letter grade was Halifax Health Medical Center in Port Orange. 

The full list of the grades for Florida hospitals can be found here. 

Here’s a highlight of how some of Tampa Bay’s hospitals performed, according to the Leapfrog Group: 

Tampa General Hospital 

Grade: B for fall 2021; previously graded a B in spring 2021 

Factors: Overall, the hospital performed above average in preventing infections such as infections in the blood, but it did score below average in preventing staph infections and sepsis infections after surgery. TGH did perform below average in leaving objects in patients; however, it performed well in preventing deaths from serious treatable complications. The hospital performed below average in preventing blood clots, but it performed well in preventing air or gas bubbles in the blood. The hospital received a perfect score in having effective leadership.

Mease Countryside Hospital

Grade: A for fall 2021; previously graded an A in spring 2021

Factors: The hospital prevented staph bacteria infections, which can be controlled by doctors and nurses thoroughly cleaning their hands as well as cleaning hospital rooms and medical equipment. The hospital performed below average on accidentally leaving an object inside a patient’s body during surgery. It also scored below average on deaths from serious treatable complications. The hospital performed above average on preventing dangerous blood clots. It received perfect scores on preventing air and gas bubbles in the blood, effective leadership in preventing errors, having enough qualified nurses and specially trained doctors care for intensive care unit patients. 

Mease Dunedin Hospital

Grade: A for fall 2021; previously graded an A in spring 2021

Factors: The hospital performed well above average in preventing surgical problems, which includes measures such as leaving objects in patients, having accidental cuts and tears and causing serious breathing problems. The hospital received an average score in the patient safety category, which lists potential complications and harmful events that can follow a procedure or surgery. The hospital performed well-above average in the practices to prevent errors category, which includes ordering medication, handwashing and communicating with patients. It received perfect scores on having effective leadership to prevent errors, having enough qualified nurses, and having specifically-trained doctors care for the intensive care unit.

St. Anthony’s Hospital

Grade: A for fall 2021; previously graded an A in spring 2021

Factors: It received a nearly perfect score on preventing infections with the exception of preventing dangerous infections in the blood. The hospital received a perfect score on not leaving objects in patients, preventing serious breathing problems and accidental cuts and tears. The hospital did perform below average on preventing deaths from treatable complications, kidney injury after surgery, blood leakage and other measures. The hospital had a mix of scoring in the category of safety problems, which lists problems such as dangerous blood clots, air or gas bubbles in the blood and falls. It did receive nearly the best possible scores on practices to prevent errors such as handwashing and communication among staff.  

Bayfront Health St. Petersburg

Grade: C for fall 2021; previously received a D in spring 2021

Factors: The hospital performed well in preventing sepsis infections after surgery and infections in the blood; however, it performed below average in preventing staph infections and infections in the surgical site after colon surgery. The hospital received a perfect score on not leaving objects in patients. It did perform below average on deaths for treatable serious complications. In the category of safety problems, the hospital scored below average on preventing dangerous blood clots, patient falls and other measures. It did perform above average in preventing air or gas bubbles in the blood. Overall, the hospital scored above average in the practices to prevent errors category, which includes measures such as handwashing and ordering medication. 

Largo Medical Center 

Grade: B for fall 2021; previously graded an A in spring 2021 

Factors: The hospital performed above average in preventing infections except for preventing infections in the blood and sepsis infections after surgery. The hospital received mixed evaluations in the problems with surgery, safety problems, practices to prevent errors, and communication and leadership among staff. The hospital received a perfect score in not leaving objects in patients, and a perfect score in not leaving air bubbles or gas in the blood. 

St. Petersburg General Hospital

Grade: C for fall 2021; previously graded a B in spring 2021

Factors: In the preventing infections category, the hospital overall performed below average. The preventable infections include staph infections, infections in the blood, sepsis infections after surgery and others. The hospital overall performed below average on communication among staff and effective leadership. The hospital performed well in preventing other safety problems such as preventing patient falls, dangerous bedsores and collapsed lungs. 

Northside Hospital

Grade: B for fall 2021; previously graded an A in spring 2021 

Factors: The hospital performed below average in preventing staph infections and sepsis infections after surgery; however, it did perform above average in preventing infections in the blood and other possible infections. The hospital received a perfect score in not leaving objects in patients. It also performed above average in preventing accidental cuts and tears, preventing blood leakage. It did, however, earn a below-average score for causing kidney injury after surgery and patients having serious breathing problems that can happen after surgery.