Five suburban hospitals make Leapfrog's list of nation's best

Five suburban-based hospitals were among eight in Illinois recognized Tuesday as Top Hospitals in 2019 by the Leapfrog Group.

The national nonprofit watchdog organization released its annual list, recognizing 120 hospitals nationwide for maintaining the highest quality standards identified through Leapfrog's annual Hospital Safety Grade Survey. The organization conducts two surveys in the spring and fall, which rate hospitals on a letter grade based on practices focusing on patient care and safety. The Top Hospital designation is based on the surveys' results, with less than 6% of eligible facilities receiving the honor, according to Leapfrog.

Amita Health Adventist Medical Center Bolingbrook and Amita Health Adventist Medical Center GlenOaks in Glendale Heights were recognized as top general hospitals. Loyola Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, and Rush Oak Park Hospital in Oak Park were recognized as top teaching hospitals.

Other Illinois hospitals recognized by Leapfrog were HSHS St. Mary's Hospital in Decatur as a top general hospital, and OSF Holy Family Medical Center in Galesburg and Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon were recognized as top rural hospitals.

All of the hospitals received an "A" rating in Leapfrog's Fall 2019 survey, which was released in October.

"Our Top Hospital award ... recognizes hospitals for ensuring their facilities prioritize safety and quality in patient care," said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.

Bruce C. Christian, president and CEO of the two Amita hospitals, said the Leapfrog designation was "a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by our physicians and associates every day."

"The Leapfrog Top Hospital award is widely acknowledged to be one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can achieve," Christian added.

Missing from the 2019 list were some of the region's hospitals known for quality care. Northwestern Memorial Hospital and University of Chicago Medical Center - both of which were on Leapfrog's 2018 list - did not make it this year. Northwestern received a "B" rating in Leapfrog's Fall 2019 survey, while University of Chicago received an "A" rating.

No Illinois facility achieved a Top Childrens Hospital designation from Leapfrog.