Safety is a key factor when choosing a healthcare provider. Hospitals across the country strive to take the best care of their patients, but unfortunately, some hospitals let their patients down, sometimes with tragic results.

According to LeapFrog Hospital Safety Grade, these tend to be hospitals with teams that don't work well together or lack good leadership that ensures patient safety is the number one priority.

When environments such as this exist within a hospital, one mistake can steamroll into patients experiencing dangerous complications, slower recovery times, and even unnecessary deaths in some instances.

That is why they rate hospitals nationwide several times each year and provide those safety grades to the public. Their hospital grades have become the gold standard for hospital safety rankings in America. They not only provide consumers with crucial information that allows them to make informed choices on where to receive care, but they also show hospitals the area(s) in which they need to improve.

The Numbers Are Startling

According to the study:

  • Upwards of 200,000 people die every year from hospital errors, injuries, accidents, and infections
  • Every year, 1 out of every 31 patients develops an infection while in the hospital, an infection that didn’t have to happen.
  • A Medicare patient has a 1 in 4 chance of experiencing injury, harm, or death when admitted to a hospital
  • Today alone, more than 500 people will die because of a preventable hospital error
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Because most hospital errors can be prevented, LeapFrog utilizes up to 30 national performance measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to create their Hospital Safety Grade. Factors such as medical errors, problems with surgery, safety problems, practices in place to prevent errors, and hospital staff are taken into consideration.

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Spring 2024 Minnesota Hospital Safety Grades

In the fall 2023 study, Minnesota had two hospitals earn a stunning 'D' grade for patient safety. LeapFrog recently released the results of their spring 2024 study and, unfortunately, that number has doubled.

On a positive note, Minnesota ranked #29 nationally for patient safety, up from the #32 ranking they earned in the fall. Also, the Essentia Health Clinic in Virginia no longer has the 'D' grade earned in the previous study.

In the recent spring study, Minnesota had 10 hospitals earn an 'A' grade, while another 14 hospitals earned a 'B'. This is an increase for each grade level from the previous study.

The hospitals that earned an 'A' include:

  • Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis
  • Buffalo Hospital in Buffalo
  • Cambridge Medical Center in Cambridge
  • Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin
  • Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont
  • Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato
  • Mayo Clinic Health System in Red Wing
  • Mayo Clinic Hospital in Rochester
  • Owatonna Hospital in Owatonna
  • Sanford Worthington Medical Center in Worthington

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Seventeen Minnesota Hospitals earned a mediocre 'C' grade in this study, and 4 hospitals fared even worse.

Minnesota Hospitals Who Earned A 'D' Grade For Hospital Safety In Spring 2024

1. Sanford Bemidji Medical Center

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Unfortunately, this is the second consecutive study where this facility earned a 'D' grade. Located at 1300 Anne Street NW, the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center failed to score 'Better Than Average' in a variety of key indicators.

This included infections in the urinary tract, sepsis infection after surgery, a dangerous object left in the patient's body, patient falls & injuries including broken hips, handwashing, safe medication administration, and more.

it did score well with communication with doctors and responsiveness of hospital staff. You can see the complete Sanford Bemidji Medical Center report card with the link above.

2. M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center - West Bank East

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Located at 2450 Riverside Avenue in Minneapolis, the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center scored poorly with patient infections, a dangerous object left in a patient's body, death from serious treatable complications, patient falls and injuries, safe medication administration, and more.

You can view the full report card through the button above.

3. North Memorial Health Hospital

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Located at 3300 Oakdale Avenue N in Robbinsdale, North Memorial Health Hospital scored worse than average infection in blood, sepsis infection after surgery, death from serious treatable complications, serious breathing problems, dangerous blood sores, and more.

View the complete report card for North Memorial Health Hospital by clicking the button below.

4. St Luke's Hospital

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Located at 915 E 1st Street in Duluth, St. Luke's Hospital scored less than average with sepsis infection after surgery, kidney injury after surgery, accidental cuts and tears, safe medication administration, and more. They did score better than average in several areas, such as communication with doctors and nurses.

Click on the button above St. Luke's Hospital's complete report.

You can see all the grades Minnesota hospitals included in the spring 2024 survey received by clicking the button below.

Just search by state and select “MN" in the drop-down menu.

The good news is that these grades are not etched in stone for eternity. LeapFrog will do another report later this year, and hopefully, Minnesota will have no hospitals that earn a 'D' grade at that time as any issues have been improved.

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