Hospitals are making strides in reducing healthcare-associated infections after a major spike during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new data from The Leapfrog Group.
Leapfrog released its fall Hospital Safety Grades Nov. 6, the first such to reflect hospital performance post-pandemic.
Leapfrog data shows a majority of hospitals have reduced rates for at least one of three commonly tracked HAIs — Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, central line-associated bloodstream infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections — which hit a five-year high during the pandemic.
Nineteen percent of hospitals reported a lower standardized infection ratio for all three HAIs and 66% improved at least one. Sixteen percent of hospitals saw the same or worse rates.
"Now that we have pre- and post-pandemic data for patient safety measures, we are encouraged by the improvement in infections and applaud hospitals for reversing the disturbing infection spike we saw during the pandemic," Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said in a news release. "However, there's still more work to be done. It's deeply concerning that patient reports about their health care experience continues to decline."
Overall, 30% of hospitals received an "A" safety grade in the fall update, 24% received a "B," 39% received a "C," 7% received a "D" and less than 1% received an "F."
See the list of straight-"A" and "F" hospitals.