HHC Queens Hospital Center Earns ‘A’ Grade for Patient Safety

News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2015

Recognized for low rates of preventable errors, injuries and infections

(Jamaica, New York – May 26, 2015) - Julius Wool, Executive Director of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC)’s Queens Hospital Center (QHC), announced today that the hospital has received a “Hospital Safety Score” of “A” from The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit that rates thousands of U.S. hospitals annually for patient safety factors such as preventable error and hospital-acquired infections.

“HHC Queens Hospital Center’s ‘A’ grade from Leapfrog is a valuable tool for patients looking for a safe place to receive their care,” said Mr. Wool. “Our ‘A’ grade is a reflection of the patient-centered approach we take to caring for our community, and we continually strive to improve on our efforts.”

“Hospitals like Queens that earn an ‘A’ have demonstrated their commitment to their patients and their community,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “I congratulate QHC for its safety excellence, and look forward to the day when all hospitals will match this standard.”

More than 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores in April 2015, with about 31 percent receiving an ‘A’ grade. Grades are calculated under the guidance of The Leapfrog Group’s nine-member Blue Ribbon Expert Panel using 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce scores representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors.

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Contact:

Cleon Edwards, (646) 772-5725, edwardcl@nychhc.org
Jane Petrik, (718) 883-2129, petrikj@nychhc.org

About Queens Hospital Center

A member of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and the Queens Health Network, Queens Hospital Center is a major healthcare provider in the borough of Queens. Its foremost mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public regardless of their ability to pay. In 2015 Queens Hospital Center marked its 80th anniversary of serving the communities of central and southeastern Queens, having first opened its doors as Queens General Hospital in 1935. Newly modernized – the result of a four-year, $149 million capital project – the hospital officially reopened its doors to the community in January 2002 with a sprawling state-of-the-art facility. Encompassing 360,000 square feet, it is now comprised of 301 licensed beds, spacious ambulatory care suites featuring both primary and specialty services, and cutting-edge equipment. It also houses four Centers of Excellence in Cancer Care, Diabetes Management, Women’s Health and Behavioral Health. To learn more about Queens Hospital Center, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc.

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system, the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country, and one of the New York area's largest providers of government-sponsored health insurance, MetroPlus Health Plan, the plan of choice for nearly half a million New Yorkers. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, five skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc or find us on facebook.com/nycHHC or twitter.com/HHCnyc.