Spectrum Health hospitals rank among safest in Michigan

Spectrum Health hospitals rank among safest in Michigan
Spectrum Health Big Rapids, Spectrum Health United Hospital in Greenville and Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital were the three hospitals representing West Michigan on the list. <strong>Courtesy Spectrum Health West Michigan</strong>

Three Spectrum Health hospitals were among 18 recipients of patient safety awards.

In observing National Patient Safety Awareness Week, the Economic Alliance for Michigan (EAM) announced the recipients of the 2021 EAM Hospital Patient Safety Awards, recognizing hospitals in Michigan consistently performing high marks and improvements in patient safety and quality of care. This marks the sixth year for the awards.

Spectrum Health Big Rapids, Spectrum Health United Hospital in Greenville and Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital were the three hospitals representing West Michigan on the list.

“Congratulations to all the hospitals who earned an EAM Hospital Patient Safety Award. By making patient safety a top priority, you are saving hundreds of lives,” said Bret Jackson, president of EAM. “There’s no doubt the pandemic has pushed hospitals and health care professionals in Michigan to their breaking points. Thank you to all the frontline workers for your hard work and dedication in helping Michiganders get through this difficult time.”

Hospitals can achieve two different awards, the excellence award and the improvement award. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, changes were adopted for qualifying hospitals for the awards. For 2021, to be considered for an award, hospitals must have participated in the annual Leapfrog Group survey for two years between 2018 and 2020.

Hospitals receiving the Excellence Award participated in the annual Leapfrog Group survey and maintained all A’s with Hospital Safety Grade in four consecutive grading terms (spring 2019, fall 2019, spring 2020, fall 2020).

Hospitals receiving the improvement award participated in the annual Leapfrog Group survey and demonstrated improvement in letter grades for four consecutive grading terms with Hospital Safety Grade — spring 2019, fall 2019, spring 2020, fall 2020. During the four terms, the grades must not trend backward. The last term grade — fall 2020 — must be at least a B to qualify, and hospitals must improve by two letter grades during the four terms.

Excellence award recipients

  • Beaumont Hospital, Troy
  • Covenant Medical Center, Saginaw
  • DMC Huron Valley-Sinai, Commerce Township
  • Henry Ford Allegiance Health, Jackson
  • Henry Ford Macomb Hospital, Clinton Township
  • Lake Huron Medical Center, Port Huron
  • McLaren Central Michigan, Mount Pleasant
  • Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
  • Munson Healthcare of Cadillac
  • Spectrum Health Big Rapids
  • Spectrum Health United Hospital, Greenville
  • Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital
  • St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea
  • UP Health System – Portage, Hancock

Improvement award recipients

  • McLaren Flint
  • McLaren Lapeer
  • MidMichigan Medical Center, Alpena
  • Munson Healthcare of Grayling

“Even during a pandemic, hospitals need to be vigilant and prevent hospital-acquired conditions from occurring,” Jackson said. “When possible, patients should do research before a surgery or hospital stay to determine if the hospital provides a high rate of patient safety, which decreases the chances of an unnecessary infection.”

Founded in 1982, EAM is a nonprofit group comprised of Michigan’s largest employers and unions and is the Michigan regional leader for the Leapfrog Group.