EIRMC receives 'A' grade in annual safety review

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center  received an “A” in the fall 2022 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a national distinction which celebrates achievements in protecting patients from preventable harm and errors.

EIRMC is the only hospital in southeast Idaho to earn an “A”.

“At EIRMC, patient safety is a top priority,” EIRMC Chief Medical Officer Patty Howell said. “This rating affirms our efforts to prevent infections and medical errors, and reinforces our overall commitment to patient safety and quality. We welcome evaluations from outside entities as they help us constantly grow and improve.  At EIRMC, we don’t settle for “good” or “better.” Our Hospital safety “A” grade shows our commitment to providing the highest-quality care.”

The Leapfrog Group assigned an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” Safety Grade to over 3,000 U.S. hospitals, based on how well they protect patients from preventable medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections. As the gold standard measure of patient safety, The Leapfrog Group uses more than 30 national patient safety measures from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Leapfrog Hospital Survey to make their assessment.

EIRMC combines the benefits of deep connection to the communities it serves with the strength, data and best practices from the HCA Healthcare network. For example, HCA Healthcare and EIRMC have developed evidence-based perinatal protocols through the company’s longstanding partnership with March of Dimes, such as prohibiting elective delivery prior to 39 weeks to help babies have a heathy start to life. This best practice has now been adopted worldwide as a standard of care. HCA Healthcare has also worked to identify and develop solutions for top perinatal safety risks including preeclampsia, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in C-section deliveries, and post-partum hemorrhage.

EIRMC is part of HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers. Across the nation, 81 percent of HCA Healthcare facilities earned an “A” or “B” grade. This is 24 percentage points higher than the national average of 57 percent.

To see EIRMC’s scores as they compare nationally and locally, visit the Hospital Safety Score website.