Vista earns 'A' rating for patient safety
For the second consecutive year, Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan has been recognized with an "A" rating for patient safety and quality by The Leapfrog Group, an independent organization that rates hospitals nationwide.
The "A" rating is The Leapfrog Group's highest grade and was awarded for Vista's performance in 2014. Vista received the same top rating in 2013.
"Since this is our second consecutive 'A' rating from The Leapfrog Group, it's a continuing validation of our success in implementing the best practices available to safely care for our patients," said Barbara Martin, president and CEO of Vista Health System.
"Receiving the 'A' rating from The Leapfrog Group again for 2014 affirms the important work being done by our medical staff, nurses and other employees as they care for patients each day."
The Hospital Safety Score grades general acute care hospitals on how safe they are for patients. The score includes data that patient safety experts use to compare hospitals.
Publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, and secondary data sources are weighted and then combined to produce a single, consumer-friendly composite score that is published as an "A," "B," "C," "D" or "F" letter grade.
The survey is a trusted, transparent, and evidence-based national tool that more than 1,500 hospitals voluntarily participate in for free.
To continually improve safety, Vista applies practices that are demonstrated to improve patient safety, including improved communications, timeouts before procedures and hourly rounding.
"Maintaining high quality, safe service for all patients is our primary focus at Vista," said Kevin Liebovich, M.D., president-elect of the Medical Staff of Vista Health System.
"This is a point of great pride for our physicians, nurses, technicians and the entire clinical and nonclinical staff."
Dr. Liebovich practices gastroenterology with offices in Gurnee, Highland Park and Lindenhurst.
In late 2014, Vista Medical Center East was recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the nation's leading accreditor of health care organizations. The honor recognizes hospitals that excel at meeting the commission's stringent measurements for exemplary patient care.
Vista East earned this same designation from The Joint Commission for the previous year.
Vista Health System is a network that includes two hospitals in Waukegan: Vista Medical Center East and Vista Medical Center West; the Vista Lindenhurst campus that includes the Vista Ambulatory Care Center, Lindenhurst Surgery Center, LLC, the Vista Freestanding Emergency Center, and the new Vista Medical Office Building; and several locations for imaging, patient therapy and physician practices.
Vista is a Center of Excellence in a number of key service areas and is accredited in bariatric surgery, breast cancer, cancer, chest pain, congestive heart failure, diabetes, orthopedics, rehabilitation, sleep medicine and stroke.
To learn more about Vista Health System, visit VistaHealth.com.