100 Patient Safety Benchmarks

For hospitals, benchmarking data can be incredibly valuable. It allows individual institutions to identify areas of excellence and assess opportunities for improvement, ultimately resulting in more efficient operations and better care. Becker's Hospital Review has compiled a list of 100 patient safety benchmarks from various sources for hospital comparison.

Readmissions, Mortality and Complications

Entries 1 through 20 are based on data from Medicare.gov's Hospital Compare, last updated July 18, 2013.

30-Day average readmissions rates

1. Heart attack: 19.7%                       

2. Heart Failure: 24.7%

3. Pneumonia: 18.5%

30-Day average death rates

4. Heart attack: 15.5%

5. Heart Failure 11.6%

6. Pneumonia: 12.0%

Rates of serious complications

Figures reflect the national average rates per 1,000 patient discharges.

7. Collapsed lung due to medical treatment: .35

8. Serious blood clots after surgery: 4.71

9. A wound that splits open after surgery, abdomen or pelvis: .95

10. Accidental cuts and tears from medical treatment: 2.05

11. Deaths among patients with serious treatable complications after surgery: 113.43

Hospital acquired conditions

Figures reflect the national average rates per 1,000 patient discharges.

12. Objects left in body accidently after surgery: 0.028

13. Air bubble in the bloodstream: 0.003

14. Mismatched blood types: 0.001

15. Severe pressure sores: 0.136

16. Falls or other injuries: 0.527

17. Blood infection from large-vein catheter: 0.372

18. Urinary catheter infection: 0.358

19. Uncontrolled blood sugar signs: 0.058

Entries 20 through 34 are based on data from AHRQ's Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture 2012, where data was collected from individual respondents at 1,128 hospitals.

20. Respondents reporting no events in the past 12 months:

10th percentile: 42%

25th percentile: 48%

Median: 55%

75th percentile: 62%

90th percentile: 68%

Average: 55%

21. Respondents reporting 1-2 events in the past 12 months:

10th percentile: 19%

25th percentile: 23%

Median: 27%

75th percentile: 31%

90th percentile: 35%

Average: 27%

22. Respondents reporting 3-5 events in the past 12 months:

25th percentile: 19%

Median: 11%

75th percentile: 14%

90th percentile: 17%

Average: 12%

23. Respondents reporting 6-10 events in the past 12 months:

10th percentile: 2%

25th percentile: 3%

Median: 4%

75th percentile: 5%

90th percentile: 7%

Average: 4%

24. Respondents reporting 11-20 events in the past 12 months:

10th percentile: 05

25th percentile: 1%

Median: 1%

75th percentile: 2%

90th percentile: 3%

Average: 2%

25. Respondents reporting 21 or more events in the last 12 months:

10th percentile: 0%

25th percentile: 0%

Median: 1%

75th percentile: 1%

90th percentile: 2%

Average: 1%

Percentage of units reporting patient safety events in the last 12 months:

26. Anesthesiology

No Events: 56%

1-2 Events: 31%

3-5 Events: 10%

6-10 Events: 3%

11+ Events: 0%

 

27. Emergency

No Events: 48%

1-2 Events: 31%

3-5 Events: 13%

6-10 Events: 5%

11+ Events: 1%

 

28. Intensive Care Unit (any type)

No Events: 36%

1-2 Events: 39%

3-5 Events: 17%

6-10 Events: 5%

11+ Events: 1%

 

29. Obstetrics

No Events: 46%

1-2 Events: 35%

3-5 Events: 13%

6-10 Events: 4%

11+ Events: 0%

 

30. Pediatrics

No Events: 45%

1-2 Events: 35%

3-5 Events: 14%

6-10 Events: 4%

11+ Events: 0%

 

31. Pharmacy

No Events: 46%

1-2 Events: 20%

3-5 Events: 15%

6-10 Events: 9%

11+ Events: 1%

 

32. Radiology

No Events: 56%

1-2 Events: 32%

3-5 Events: 9%

6-10 Events: 3%

11+ Events:  0%

 

33. Rehabilitation

No Events: 60%

1-2 Events: 30%

3-5 Events: 7%

6-10 Events: 2%

11+ Events: 0%

 

34. Surgery

No Events: 47%

1-2 Events: 32%

3-5 Events: 14%

6-10 Events: 5%

11+ Events: 1%

Process of Care Measures

Entries 35 through 79 are based on data from Medicare.gov's Hospital Compare, last updated July 18, 2013. Percentages below reflect the national average.

 Heart attack/chest pain patient data

35. Average number of minutes before chest pain/heart attack patient was transferred to another hospital if he or she needed specialized care: 58 minutes

36. Average number of minutes before chest pain/heart attack patient got an ECG: 7 minutes

37. Percentage of chest pain/heart attack patients who got drugs to break up clots within 30 minutes of arrival: 58%

38. Percentage of chest pain/heart attack patients who got aspirin within 24 hours of arrival: 97%

39. Percentage of chest pain/heart attack patients who were given fibrinolytic medication within 30 minutes of arrival: 61%

40. Percentage of chest pain/heart attack patients who were given percutaneous coronary intervention within 90 minutes of arrival: 95%

41. Percentage of Heart Attack Patients given Asprin at discharge: 99%

42. Percentage of Heart Attack Patients given a prescription for Statin at discharge: 98%

43. Percentage of Heart failure patients given discharge instructions: 95%

44. Percentage of heart failure patients given an evaluation of left ventricular systolic function: 99%

45. Percentage of heart failure patients given ACE inhibitor or ARB for left ventricular systolic dysfunction: 97%

Pneumonia patient data

46. Percentage of pneumonia patients whose initial emergency room blood culture was performed before antibiotic administration: 98%

47. Percentage of pneumonia patients given most appropriate initial antibiotics: 94%

Surgery patient data

48. Percentage of outpatients who got an antibiotic within one hour of surgery: 97%

49. Percentage of patients given an antibiotic to help prevent infection within an hour of surgery: 98%

50. Percentage of patients whose preventive antibiotics were stopped within 24 hours of surgery: 97%

51. Percentage of patients who got treatment within 24 hours before or after surgery to help prevent blood clots after certain types of surgery: 98%

52. Percentage of outpatients who got the right kind of antibiotic: 97%

53. Percentage of patients taking beta blockers kept on the beta blockers just before and after surgery: 97%

54. Percentage of patients given the right kind of antibiotic to prevent infection: 99%

55. Percentage of heart surgery patients whose blood glucose was well controlled in days immediately after surgery: 96%

56. Percentage of patients whose urinary catheters were removed on the first or second post-surgical day: 96%

57. Percentage of patients actively warmed in operating room or whose body temperature was near normal by the end of surgery: 100%

58. Percentage of patients whose physician ordered treatments to prevent blood clots after certain types of surgeries: 98%

Emergency department patient data

59. Average time spent in the emergency department before being admitted as an inpatient: 274 minutes

60. Average time spent in the emergency department after doctor decided to admit them as an inpatient before moving from emergency department to inpatient room: 96 minutes

61. Average time spent in the emergency department before being sent home: 138 minutes

62. Average time spent in the emergency department before being seen by a healthcare professional: 28 minutes

63. Average time spent with broken bones waited before receiving pain medication: 60 minutes

64. Percentage of patients who came to the emergency room with stroke symptoms and received brain scan results within 45 minutes of arrival: 46%

65. Percentage of patients assessed and given influenza vaccination: 86%

66. Percentage of patients assessed and given pneumonia vaccination 88%

Pediatric asthma data

67. Percentage of children who received reliever medication while hospitalized for asthma: 100%

68. Percentage of children who received systemic corticosteroid medication while hospitalized for asthma: 100%

69. Percentage of children and caregivers who received a home management plan of care document while hospitalized for asthma: 86%

Patient Experience

Percentage of patients reporting that something was "always" done during their hospital stays:

70. Nurses communicated well: 78%

71. Physicians communicated well: 81%

72. Patients received help as soon as they wanted: 67%

73. Pain was well controlled: 71%

74. Staff explained medicines before administration: 63%

75. Room and bathroom were clean: 73%

76. Area around patient room was quiet at night: 60%

77. Information was given to patients about what to do at home during recovery: 84%

78. Patients rated their hospital a 9 or 10 (10 being the highest): 70%

79. Patients reported they would recommend their hospital: 71%

Patient Volumes

Entries 80 through 83 are from the Kaiser Family Foundation's State Health Facts

80. Number of hospital admissions

Average per 1,000 population

State/locally owned: 15

Non-Profit: 83

For-Profit: 16

81. Number of hospital inpatient days

Average per 1,000 population

State/locally owned: 95

Non-Profit: 434

For-Profit: 84

82. Hospital emergency room visits

Average per 1,000 population

State/locally owned: 65

Non-profit: 291

For-profit: 55

83. Hospital outpatient visits

Average per 1,000 population

State-locally owned: 352

Non-profit: 1,597*

For-profit: 156

*This statistic reflects multiple visits per individual

Patient Safety Culture

Entries 69 through 100 are based on data from AHRQ's Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture 2012.

84. Percentage of hospital staff reporting teamwork within units:

10th percentile: 73%

25th percentile: 76%

Median: 80%

75th percentile: 84%

90th percentile: 87%

Average: 80%

85. Percentage of hospital staff reporting supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting patient safety:

10th percentile: 67%

25th percentile: 71%

Median: 75%

75th percentile: 79%

90th percentile: 83%

Average: 75%

86. Percentage of hospital staff reporting organizational learning and continuous improvement from mistakes:

10th percentile: 63%

25th percentile: 68%

Median: 72%

75th percentile: 77%

90th percentile: 81%

Average: 72%

87. Percentage of hospital staff reporting management support for patient safety:

10th percentile: 61%

25th percentile: 67%

Median: 72%

75th percentile: 77%

90th percentile: 81%

Average: 72%

88. Percentage of hospital staff reporting overall perceptions of patient safety:

10th percentile: 56%

25th percentile: 60%

Median: 66%

75th percentile: 71%

90th percentile: 76%

Average: 66%

89. Percentage of hospital staff reporting feedback and communications about errors:

10th percentile: 55%

25th percentile: 59%

Median: 64%

75th percentile: 70%

90th percentile: 74%

Average:  64%

90. Percentage of hospital staff reporting frequency of events that had potential to cause harm but did not cause harm and were reported:

10th percentile: 54%

25th percentile: 58%

Median: 62%

75th percentile: 66%

90th percentile: 68%

Average: 63%

91. Percentage of hospital staff reporting communication and openness:

10th percentile: 54%

25th percentile: 58%

Median: 62%

75th percentile: 66%

90th percentile: 69%

Average: 62%

92. Percentage of hospital staff reporting teamwork across units:

10th percentile: 47%

25th percentile: 52%

Median: 58%

75th percentile: 64%

90th percentile: 72%

Average: 58%

93. Percentage of hospital staff reporting adequate unit staffing to provide quality  care:

10th percentile: 45%

25th percentile: 50%

Median: 56%

75th percentile: 62%

90th percentile: 68%

Average: 56%

94. Percentage of hospital staff reporting smooth informational handoffs & care transitions:

10th percentile: 33%

25th percentile: 38%

Median: 44%

75th percentile: 52%

90th percentile: 60%

Average: 45%

95: Percentage of hospital staff reporting nonpunitive response to error:

10th percentile: 34%

25th percentile: 38%

Median: 43%

75th percentile: 48%

90th percentile: 54%

Average: 44%

96. Percentage of hospital staff giving their hospital an "excellent" patient safety grade:

10th percentile: 19%

25th percentile: 23%

Median: 29%

75th percentile: 35%

90th percentile: 42%

Average: 30%

97. Percentage of hospital staff giving their hospital a "very good" patient safety grade:

10th percentile: 19%

25th percentile: 23%

Median: 29%

75th percentile: 49%

90th percentile: 54%

Average: 45%

98: Percentage of hospital staff giving their hospital an "acceptable" patient safety grade:

10th percentile: 12%

25th percentile: 15%

Median: 20%

75th percentile: 24%

90th percentile: 29%

Average: 20%

99: Percentage of hospital staff giving their hospital a "poor" patient safety grade:

10th percentile: 2%

25th percentile: 3%

Median: 5%

75th percentile: 5%

90th percentile: 7%

Average: 4%

100: Percentage of hospital staff giving their hospital a "failing" patient safety grade:

10th percentile: 0%

25th percentile: 0%

Median: 0%

75th percentile: 1%

90th percentile: 2%

Average: 1%

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