Both Piedmont Macon hospitals receive ‘A’ ratings in patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, Atrium Health Navicent in Macon gets ‘D’
The Leapfrog Group measures how effectively hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections using more than 30 performance-based measures.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Piedmont Macon Medical Center and Piedmont Macon North Hospital have both received “A” ratings from The Leapfrog Group, an independent nonprofit watchdog organization that focuses on patient safety.
“I’m really pleased with the physicians and staff here that work so hard to keep our patients safe everyday,” said Stephen Daugherty, the CEO of Piedmont Macon. “I’m really pleased with the physicians and staff here that work so hard to keep our patients safe everyday. It’s an honor. Thirteen times in a row for Piedmont Macon Medical Center, and nine in a row for Piedmont Macon North. It just shows the consistency at which they go about their jobs and take great care of our patients.”
The Leapfrog Group measures how effectively hospitals protect patients from preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections using more than 30 performance-based measures. According to the organization, serious patient safety events result in 200,000 deaths in the United States annually.
Daugherty applauded his staff on the areas in which the organization scored the hospitals highest.
“I think we do very well on hospital acquired infections and certainly keeping people safe during surgery,” Daugherty said.
Daugherty believes the biggest challenge Piedmont Macon has faced in the last couple of years is the aftermath of the pandemic, which has meant the return of large groups of family members and other visitors to waiting rooms. He says staff staying trying to stay focused while keeping visitors informed on the status of their loved ones is no easy task. Despite their high ratings, Daugherty says both Piedmont Macon hospitals have room for growth.
“I think the patient’s overall experience is always something we can work on and making sure that they feel comfortable when they are in our hospitals,” Daugherty said.
Daugherty says Piedmont Macon does this by having safety coaches on every floor of the hospital, looking for any shortcomings in the treatment of patients, and how to change them.
“And then we make sure they report them to us so that we can review those and see if there’s an opportunity to improve,” Daugherty said.
Both Piedmont hospitals in Macon received “A” grades in the fall of 2024, the spring and fall of 2023, the spring and fall of 2022 and the spring and fall of 2021.
Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center in Macon receives “D” grade
Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center in Macon received a “D” grade in the latest Leapfrog hospital safety grades.
The Macon hospital’s results show worse than average results in the following categories:
- Surgical site infection after colon surgery
- Sepsis infection after surgery
- Dangerous object left in patient’s body
- Surgical wound splits open
- Death from treatable serious complications
- Blood Leakage
- Kidney injury after surgery
- Accidental cuts and tears
- Harmful Events
- Patient falls and injuries
- Collapsed lung
- Dangerous blood clot
- Communication about medicines
- Communication about discharge
- Nursing and Bedside Care for Patients
- Communication with doctors
- Communication with nurses
- Responsiveness of hospital staff
Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center received a “C” in the spring of 2024, the spring and fall of 2023, the spring and fall of 2022 and the spring and fall of 2021.
More Fall 2024 area hospital grades
Fairview Park Hospital in Dublin – “A”
Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin in Milledgeville – “B”
Houston Healthcare in Warner Robins – “B”
Houston Healthcare in Perry – “C”
