Background/Challenge

A 99-bed hospital in the Midwest sought to improve its Leapfrog Safety Grade by better understanding and utilizing the tools provided by Leapfrog. Like many others in the post-Covid era, this hospital faced elevated infection rates and diminished patient experience scores, which adversely impacted its Leapfrog Safety Grade. Since Leapfrog’s Safety Grade is publicly reported and comparison can easily be view by patients, employees, and providers alike, a higher Leapfrog Safety Grade is crucial for enhancing the hospital’s reputation as well as patient safety practices.

Solution

The hospital partnered with Ovation’s Cadence Clinical Services to support their team’s understanding of Leapfrog’s timelines and survey processes, as well as to interpret the Leapfrog Safety Grade.

Cadence experts coached the hospital through the Leapfrog process, starting with prioritizing resources to improve patient safety. Partnering with Cadence through the process allowed the hospital access to time-sensitive answers and the ability to build consistent processes.

It is important to note that while Cadence provided the framework and guidance to improve the Leapfrog Safety Grade, the hospital’s senior team was very engaged in the process and fully supported the initiative. By doing this, it inspired all hospital leaders and employees to be engaged with the processes put in place, driving significant patient safety improvements and therefore, their Leapfrog Safety Grade.

Results

While there are still some long-term improvements to be seen, the hospital achieved a remarkable jump from an F to a C in its Leapfrog Safety Grade in one year. This two-grade improvement is a tremendous accomplishment and couldn’t have been achieved without the expert guidance of Cadence and the unwavering support from the hospital’s senior leadership.

Client Quote

“Cadence Clinical Services walked side-by-side with us, coaching our team and providing guidance and interpretation of Leapfrog processes for success. Now, our hospital is better focused on patient safety and will continue to work with Ovation Healthcare for future success.”

Special Note:

Cadence Clinical Services is a voice to Leapfrog about what the needs of hospitals are by being on the Partners Advisory Committee. This committee allows Leapfrog to hear from a larger contingency of people and provide input on Leapfrog’s policy directions to promote a sense of urgency and build momentum in improving health care quality and safety.

In addition, Cadence Clinical Services has three Certified Leapfrog Coaches that are available to help hospitals of all sizes, supporting their journey to improved patient safety, Leapfrog Survey completion, and Leapfrog Safety Grades.