ST. ALBANS — Northwestern Medical Center recently received quality ratings which show hospital initiatives supporting the provision of high-quality care are paying off. NMC received a 4-Star Overall Hospital Quality rating through Medicare.gov’s Care Compare program and a Grade B Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade.
“The dedication of NMC’s care teams in caring for our patients is remarkable,” interim CEO Jonathan Billings said. “Our organization often finds itself stretched to capacity or beyond in a healthcare system that can make it challenging to meet patients’ needs. And still, our staff is willing to focus on going above and beyond, providing exceptional care, and working to improve how we do what we do. I am very proud of their efforts.”
NMC has prioritized work on reducing hospital-acquired conditions like falls and pressure injuries, reducing hospital-acquired infections like surgical site infections, reducing patient readmissions, improving staff responsiveness to patients and providing the cleanest possible healing environment.
The CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating summarizes performance across multiple areas of care quality, including safety, mortality, readmissions, patient experience and timely and effective care. The ratings are designed to help patients and families compare hospitals and make informed decisions about where to receive their healthcare. The Leapfrog Safety Grade is another rating system designed to help patients choose a hospital for surgery other procedures and examines areas like infections, falls, and error prevention.
CMS updates the star ratings quarterly using nationally standardized measures reported by hospitals across the country. The highest possible rating is 5-Stars. According to recent CMS data, only a limited number of hospitals nationwide receive the highest 5-star overall rating.
To learn more about the CMS Hospital Quality Star Ratings, click here: Find Healthcare Providers: Compare Care Near You | Medicare. To learn more about the Leapfrog rating system, click here: Northwestern Medical Center – VT – Hospital Safety Grade
