Salinas Valley Health Receives “A” Rating for Patient Safety

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
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The latest “A” Patient Safety rating for Salinas Valley Health comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Once again, Salinas Valley Health has achieved an “A” rating for its evidence based clinical demonstration to patient safety. The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit organization announced today it awarded Salinas Valley Health an “A” grade in the Spring 2020 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries and infections.

“Patient Safety is always our top priority,” says Pete Delgado, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Health. “Now, more than ever, it’s important for our community to know we are committed to the highest standards, policies and protocols. To receive this “A” grade as we conquer the coronavirus together should bring even more reassurance to our patients and their families.”

The Hospital Safety Score uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single letter grade ranging from “F” being the worst and “A” being the best. The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and is administered by The Leapfrog Group to represent a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm.

“Our goal is to inform patients about local hospitals with the best safety measures in place and the strongest records,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Every hospital can earn an “A” grade, and we’re proud of the hospitals that are committed to making and effort to protect patients from harm.”

Salinas Valley Health earned the Spring 2020 “A” letter grade from the independent, national non-profit organization as the country is gripped in the COVID-19 crisis. The grade reflects everyday safety practices at the hospital, and is an indicator of the emphasis the hospital places on best practices to deliver safe and quality care to the community at all times.

The independent evaluation of safety data provides additional information to patients at a time when healthcare providers are concerned patients are staying away from emergency rooms because they are afraid of being exposed to the coronavirus.

“Our ER team is performing at an impeccable level,” says Delgado. “Patients need to know they are in good hands coming to our emergency room.”

ER visits to the hospital have dropped 50% from their peak in January and people coming into the hospital are sicker and needing more medical treatment because they delayed seeking care. It’s important to note a screening process redirects potential COVID-19 patients from the ER and any patient testing positive for the virus is cared in isolation on a separate unit. For more information about the A score received at Salinas Valley Health or to view the list of state rankings, visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.