Recent Survey Finds West Georgia Hospitals are Among the Safest in the State

Recent Survey Finds West Georgia Hospitals are Among the Safest in the State

Hospitals provide life-saving medical care for millions of people in Georgia, and while a significant number of patients receive quality medical care, some patients do not. In fact, some patients suffer injuries or illnesses because of hospital errors that go undetected. As such, it is always nice to see that some Georgia hospitals have received "A" ratings. The national hospital safety advocacy organization, The Leapfrog Group, rated 72 Georgia hospitals, giving 16 of these hospitals an "A" safety grade. WellStar Paulding Hospital and WellStar Douglas Hospital of Hiram and Douglasville were rated the safest in Georgia, both receiving an "A."

The grading system used by The Leapfrog Group assigns grades of A, B, C, D and F, rating the hospitals in various ways including the number of medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections that have occurred, among other factors. Hospitals with good safety grades have implemented systems to reduce the incidence of medical errors, injuries, and infections.

For example, one Georgia hospital has implemented a system where hospital staff members wear badges that track handwashing upon entry into a patient's room. Hospital administrators at the medical center have traveled the world to see a variety of facilities with the goal of becoming one of the safest hospitals on the planet.

What Earns a Hospital an "A" Grade?

In addition to having a thorough handwashing tracking system, some hospitals take significant measures to ensure patients are staying in a healthy and safe environment. These measures include, but are not limited to, the following:

Open communication among different hospital departments to ensure all hospital staff members are adhering to the same guidelines;

• Medication reconciliation – checking each patient's medication charts upon admission, during the patient's stay, and discharge to help eliminate the risk that a patient is receiving either the wrong medication or the wrong dose of the correct medication;
• Enhanced patient identification protocols to confirm the identity of each patient in a variety of ways;
• Documentation and tracking of medical errors, patient injuries, patient illnesses, and any other complaints related to a patient's stay or a hospital staff member's working environment; and
• Collaboration between the hospitals and patients so that patients have a better understanding of what to expect and that hospitals make every effort to meet each patient's expectations.

Taking these safety measures will go a long way in reducing the chances that patients will suffer injuries or illnesses in a hospital setting. While it is not always possible to prevent medical errors from taking place, an open and honest discussion about why medical errors occur and how to prevent them benefits both the hospitals and their patients in the long run.

Contact Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law Today to Schedule Your Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has suffered injuries at the hand of alleged medical negligence, it is important to act quickly by speaking with a Georgia Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorneys right away. With more than 39 years of experience, Montlick & Associates, is a firm that dedicates its practice to helping injured victims from all across Georgia, providing them with the representation they need to move forward. We also represent individuals who have lost loved ones as a result of fatal injuries associated with alleged medical negligence.

If you would like to discuss your or a loved one's situation with one of our Georgia Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Attorneys, contact Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law today by calling (800) LAW-NEED (529-6333) to schedule your free consultation. You may also visit us online at www.montlick.com to complete a Free Case Evaluation Form, and you may also participate in a 24-hour Live Online Chat.

Source: http://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/west_georgia/survey-says-west-georgia-hospitals-among-safest-in-state/article_95489220-aab4-11e6-9453-4764307e58d8.html