Long Island Hospital Safety Grades: National Rankings Released By RYAN BONNER (Patch National Staff) - April 25, 2016 5:01 pm ET

The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit founded by employers and health-care providers, announced its spring 2016 hospital safety rankings Monday, a measure of how safe a hospital is for patients.

Hospitals were given a letter grade from A through F based on several factors. Of the 2,571 hospitals studied nationwide, 798 earned an A, 639 earned a B, 957 earned a C, 162 earned a D and 15 earned an F.

At the state level, New York was ranked 44th in the nation. Vermont was ranked No. 1; six hospitals in the state were ranked, and five were given an A grade. Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Minnesota rounded out the top five.

State rankings were based on a percentage of state hospitals receiving an A grade.

Leapfrog looked at medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections to determine the grades. The goal was to determine a patient's risk of further injury or infection if they visited a certain hospital.

Hospitals given a B rating by Leapfrog had a 9 percent higher risk of avoidable death than A hospitals. That number jumps to 35 percent in C hospitals and 50 percent higher in D and F hospitals.

Leapfrog ranked 143 New York hospitals. Here are the grades Long Island hospitals received. (Visit the full list to learn more about individual rankings.)

A

• John T. Mather Memorial Hospital, Port Jefferson
• Huntington Hospital, Huntington
• St. Francis Hospital of Roslyn, Roslyn

B

• Eastern Long Island Hospital, Greenport
• Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre
• South Nassau Communities Hospital, Oceanside
• Southampton Hospital, Southampton
• St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center, Smithtown
• St. Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson
• Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola

C

• Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip
• Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow
• North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset
• Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park
• Franklin Hospital, Valley Stream
• Glen Cove Hospital, Glen Cove
• Plainview Hospital, Plainview
• Syosset Hospital, Syosset
• St. Joseph Hospital, Bethpage

D

• Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center, Patchogue
• Southside Hospital, Bay Shore
• Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead

F

• Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook

A Comment From Sanders Firm Attorney 

Theodore F. Goralski

"Patch reports on Long Island Hospital safety rankings. Many Long Islanders with the means and the ability to choose travel to Manhattan hospitals for quality care. This national ranking of hospitals shows that there may be good reason for that. Only three of 23 area hospitals received an A grade for patient safety. There are more facilities with D's and F's than A's and C was the most common grade. This means that there is significant risk of further injury or infection when admitted to a Long Island hospital. At The Sanders Firm, we have decades of experience protecting patients. The Sanders Firm Supports patient safety. If you or a loved one have been injured due to substandard hospital care call 516-741-5252 or email us at tgoralski@thesandersfirm.com for a free consultation."

5 Warning signs of nursing home neglect - By Ted Goralski

As our population ages, more and more of us are faced with the difficult decision of placing our elderly loved ones in long term care facilities. It is never easy for families to hand of the care of their elderly to nursing homes but it is even more gut wrenching when the nursing home doesn’t uphold the promise to take care of our loved ones.  Often, nursing home residents can not communicate due to neurological impairment or dementia. It can be hard to know whether the care is adequate based on relatively short visits even if you can stop in daily.  How can we be sure that the staff is caring for our parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents? Here are a five signs you should look for in order to protect them.

1.     Sudden weight loss

Nursing homes are responsible for maintaining acceptable nutritional levels.  Weight loss may be a sign of Dehydration and Malnutrition due to the failure of the staff to  monitor food intake.  Weight loss can also be a sign of an un-diagnosed illness such as cancer, kidney disease or gastrointestinal disease.

 

2.     Bedsores, or pressure ulcers

Many nursing home residents have mobility limitations.  If they are left in bed without being moved they can develop skin breakdowns that can rapidly deteriorate.  These wounds develop most commonly on the pressure points such as heels, buttocks and shoulders. If not properly treated these wounds can become infected and even cause death. 

3.     Injuries from nursing home falls

Nursing home residents should be assessed for risk of falling.  Many elderly patients, have trouble with balance or are simply too weak.  If proper safety measures such as bed rails, skid free footwear, and seat belts are not in place, serious injury can result. Minor bruises, lacerations, or limited motion can be a sign of a fall and a warning sign that the resident is at risk for future falls.

4.     Behavioral Changes

Withdrawn elder behavior or unusual changes in behavior can be a sign of an unhealthy environment.  Changes in personal hygiene or appearance efforts or a growing lack of friendly interaction with the nursing home staff or residents may be the first signs that a nursing home resident is not receiving proper care

5.     Environmental hazards

When visiting loved ones it pays to look around and observe the environment. Poor lighting, slippery floors, unsafe mobility equipment, or unsafe furniture in the nursing home patient’s room can all be signs that the nursing home isn’t providing the proper level of care.  Cleanliness is also important and dirt, debris, and clutter are all indications that the nursing home staff are not keeping up with their duties.

Keeping a watchful eye can help to prevent injury but if injuries from bed sores, falls, abuse or neglect do occur there is legal recourse.  At the Sanders Firm we fight to protect and recover compensation for nursing home residents, and their families, when nursing homes fail to provide proper care.