Several Texas hospitals are under scrutiny after the latest hospital safety ratings have emerged, leaving some healthcare facilities with less than stellar marks. In the Austin area, notably, four hospitals, including Dell Seton Medical Center and three Baylor Scott and White facilities, dipped to a 'C' rating, per findings by the Leapfrog Group, a prominent hospital watchdog entity.
In response to the downgraded assessments, Baylor Scott & White rebuffed the data Leapfrog used, stating that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded its Round Rock campus a perfect score on their Hospital Compare website. They argue, "CMS has rated Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Round Rock five out of five stars on performance across quality categories including safety of care, mortality, patient experience, readmission rates, and timely and effective care," as reported by KVUE.
The sentiment echoes across different institutions with Lindsay Spinney, a neonatal ICU nurse and member of the National Nurses United Union, emphasizing to KVUE, "I think if there were more eyes on the patients and working with the patients regularly, we wouldn't have these issues with falls, with bedsores, with infections, with any of these things." Spinney's union advocates for better hospital staffing and safety, pressing for increased vigilance in patient care.
Not all Texas hospitals, however, are facing criticism. In East Texas, the majority of hospitals appraised by Leapfrog scored either an 'A' or 'B'. The exception lies with Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital, which stands out after receiving a worrying 'D' rating, placing it among the only five out of 228 hospitals in the state to land such a low score, as highlighted by a report from KETK News.
While hospital ratings can influence public perception, healthcare facilities emphasize their commitment to improving standards and patient care. Ascension's response to Dell Seton's 'C' rating suggests a proactive stance, "We are committed to continuously improving our quality programs and safety protocols, including ongoing robust monitoring of patient quality and safety indicators, reducing hospital-acquired conditions and employing enhanced technology solutions," officials stated through a KVUE inquiry. The institutions insist they’re making patient safety and high-quality care their top priority, issues raised by current assessments notwithstanding.
