When you go to a hospital, you expect to receive the best care possible. However, depending on the exact hospital you go to, you could face a greater risk of suffering from medical malpractice.
The Leapfrog Group recently released its finding of potentially dangerous hospitals in the Chicago area. The study found that five hospitals in Chicago that received a “D” rating. This rating means that patients at these hospitals face a 92% greater risk of avoidable death than hospitals with an “A” rating. Over 100,000 people lose their lives each year due to negligence at hospitals, so it is paramount for people local to Illinois to know what hospitals near them have an insufficient rating.
The hospitals
A hospital is not prone to advertising the fact it got a “D” rating. It is up to patients to know what kind of care they can expect and to watch out for the dangers present at these hospitals. The hospitals The Leapfrog Group gave a poor rating to include:
- Weiss Memorial Hospital
- Sinai Hospital
- Loretto Hospital
- John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital
- Jackson Park Hospital
It is vital to recognize that not all hospitals in Illinois participated in the study. There could be many other institutions nearby that would have received a “D” or “F” rating had they participated. All consumers need to research their hospitals to see what kind of reputations they have in their communities.
The criteria
The Leapfrog Group took many factors into consideration when determining grades to give hospitals. A hospital can receive a lower grade if it reduces staffing or limits employee hours. The hospital may not follow certain medical guidelines or actively practice neglectful procedures. Such preventable errors result in thousands of deaths and billions of dollars’ worth of damages. All patients need to take active roles in their health, so they get the best care possible from their doctors.