NYC’s Best and Worst Hospitals 2022

NYC’s Best and Worst Hospitals 2022

Posted on July 25, 2022 in Firm News

In the 2022 edition of the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, New York State hospitals have shown a slight rise in the ranks, rated 44th in the nation compared to 47th in Fall 2021. Among the facilities evaluated, 12.7% received an A-grade compared to only 8% six months before. Still– these results are far from what we’re looking for.

Despite NY’s slight rise, the state remains in the bottom ten and has a lot of work to do when it comes to improving health and safety practices. Medical errors remain one of the leading causes of death every year, contributing to an estimated 400,000 fatalities annually according to a study by John Hopkins University. 

To help improve the effectiveness of our healthcare systems, hospitals must be held accountable for unsafe protocols and preventable medical errors. With the Leapfrog Safety Grades, patients are provided transparency into the inner workings of their local medical facilities to help them make educated decisions about their medical care. 

Below is a comprehensive list of hospitals and medical facilities in New York City that participated in the Spring 2022 evaluations. But first, let’s take a look at how Leapfrog determines each grade and what they are looking for in a safe facility. 

How to Read Leapfrog Grades 

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are released twice a year (fall and spring) by The Leapfrog Group– a nonprofit providing transparency in the medical field for the benefit of patient safety for over 20 years. These ratings have become the ‘golden standard’ in the medical industry, providing hospitals a high standard of care to strive for and action steps to help improve.

Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades are determined by evaluating 28 patient safety performance measures proven to lead to severe and fatal injuries in medical facilities. These measures are then categorized into two groups: 

  • Process and Structural Measures: These measures refer to the communications between hospital staff and systems (process measures), and how a facility’s environment can aid or harm how the systems serve patients (structural measures). 
  • Outcome Measures: Outcome measures cover the actions and outcomes that result from patient care during treatment. 

Under the guidance of an expert panel, Leapfrog then divides these measures into five main categories of basic patient care to achieve a final score:

  • Infections
  • Problems with surgery 
  • Practices to prevent errors 
  • Safety problems 
  • Doctor, nurse, and hospital staff 

Each facility that is evaluated is given an overall letter grade (A-F) that includes an in-depth look at each of the 28 safety measures and how the facility scores on each. For more information on how to use the grade, Leapfrog provides an informational video for patients on their website. 

New York City Hospital Rankings

There were 43 medical facilities evaluated throughout the five boroughs. Below are the facilities listed under grades A-F: 

NYC Hospitals Scoring an A Grade:

  • NYU Langone Hospitals (A)
  • Lenox Hill Hospital (A)
  • NYC Health Hospitals – Metropolitan (A)
  • The Mount Sinai Hospital (A)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals Queens (A)

NYC Hospitals Scoring a B Grade:

  • The Brooklyn Hospital Center (B) 
  • Mount Sinai West (B)

NYC Hospitals Scoring a C Grade:

  • NYC Health and Hospitals Kings County (C)
  • New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (C)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals Woodhull (C)
  • Wyckoff Heights Medical Center (C)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals – Lincoln (C)
  • St. Barnabas Hospital (C)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals North Central Bronx (C)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals – Jacobi (C)
  • New York-Presbyterian, Lower Manhattan Hospital (C)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals Bellevue (C)
  • New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center (C)
  • Mount Sinai Morningside (C)
  • New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (C)
  • New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital (C)
  • NYC Health and Hospitals Elmhurst (C)
  • Mount Sinai Queens (C)
  • Long Island Jewish Forest Hills (C)
  • New York-Presbyterian Queens (C)
  • Jamaica Hospital Medical Center (C)
  • St. John’s Episcopal Hospital (C)
  • Richmond University Medical Center (C)

NYC Hospitals Scoring a D Grade:

  • Coney Island Hospital (D)
  • New York Community Hospital (D)
  • Mount Sinai Brooklyn (D)
  • Maimonides Medical Center (D)
  • SUNY Downstate Medical Center University Hospital of Brooklyn (D)
  • Brookdale Hospital Medical Center (D)
  • Interfaith Medical Center (D)
  • BronxCare Health System (D)
  • Montefiore Moses Campus (D)
  • Montefiore Wakefield Campus (D)
  • Montefiore Einstein Campus (D)
  • Mount Sinai Beth Israel (D)
  • NYC Health & Hospitals – Harlem (D)
  • Flushing Hospital Medical Center (D)
  • Staten Island University Hospital – North Campus (D)

For more information on each facility, find a full list of New York hospitals here. 

How to Stay Safe 

While hospitals and medical facilities are responsible for keeping patients safe, patients can also take their own preventative steps to spot medical errors before they arise. Consumer Reports listed the following as the most common causes of injury to patients in the medical industry and how patients can learn to become their own health advocates by staying aware: 

  • Falls: Ensure sure that hospital staff is assessing your fall risk frequently, not just at admission. Let them know if you have fallen recently and where you need assistance.
  • Too Much Bed Rest: Staying in bed too long can cause patients to develop sores or secondary health conditions. Ask your nurse to help you move whenever it is possible and safe. If you feel too weak, request physical therapy sessions to increase your strength.
  • Chaotic Discharge: One in five patients discharged from the hospital will return within 30 days due to miscommunication upon discharge. Meet with your discharge planner at least one day before a scheduled discharge to review the written plan for aftercare. Ask plenty of questions prior to leaving. 
  • Antibiotic Misuse: Antibiotics are overprescribed and can lead to “superbug” infections. Ask your doctor if antibiotics are necessary for your treatment or if there is another medication that can yield the same results.
  • Medication Mistakes: Drug errors and medication mix-ups can be fatal. Learn about the medications your provider prescribes before you take them and ensure you are aware of the following: dose, frequency, side effects, how it’s administered, and what it’s treating.

Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein Personal Injury Attorney 

The attorneys at Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein have been fighting for the rights of accident victims for over 60 years. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in an accident caused by the negligence of another, it is important to work with a law firm that has experienced trial attorneys with proven results.

To speak to one of our attorneys for a free case evaluation, please call 212-227-1212.