UT Health East Texas Tyler Hospital is pictured. (Tyler Morning Telegraph File)

1. View more details about each hospital’s grade

East Texas hospitals received positive results in ratings published recently by The Leapfrog Group.

The twice-a-year ratings program is based on the prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. Five of nine local hospitals received an A rating, and four received a B rating in the Fall 2021 grading period.

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns grades based on over 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, injuries, accidents and infections, as well as systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm. Grades are published each fall and spring.

Hospitals are graded on five major categories: Infections; Problems with Surgery; Safety Problems; Practices to Prevent Errors; and Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff.

Donald Baker, president of UT Health East Texas, said the hospital system has been on a journey toward high reliability since the Mission Zero program in 2018 with the goal of zero patient harm.

“The fall Leapfrog grades that UT Health achieved emphasize the commitment and sustainability of the work we are doing to drive outcomes and safety for the communities we serve. I am extremely proud of our teams for leading this commitment to excellence and performing so well year after year,” Baker said.

Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, said UT Health’s “A” safety grade is a tremendous achievement.

“I thank the leadership and workforce of UT Health East Texas for its commitment to prioritizing patients and their safety, especially during these trying times,” she said.

Todd Hancock, Christus Good Shepherd Health System CEO, said the hospital was proud to receive the ratings it did in patient safety, and added the rating is a testament to the continued dedication of excellence of healthcare professionals and the safety of every patient.

“This honor is great news for our hospitals and every member of our teams, but it is even more important as a testament to their continued dedication to excellence and to the safety of every patient who depends on us for their care,” Hancock said.

Binder said an “A” safety grade is an elite designation the community should be proud of.

“The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for hospitals, Christus Good Shepherd Medical Centers — Longview and Marshall show us it is possible to keep a laser focus on patients and their safety, no matter what it takes,” Binder said.

Longview Regional Hospital’s CEO Steve Gordon, said the quality metrics underlying the hospital’s most recent fall 2021 Leapfrog Safety grade show improvement as the result of several quality initiatives supporting the care and experience of their patients.

“Longview Regional Medical Center (LRMC) is committed to providing safe, quality care for every patient. We aim for excellence and are committed to a path of continuous improvement… These improvements include the reduction of catheter-associated infections (CAUTIs), surgical site infections and medication administration safety,” Gordon said.

He added quality improvement is a continuous journey. “We constantly assess opportunities to enhance the care we provide. Initiatives we are using to strengthen safety and quality include bedside shift reporting, nurse leader and administrative team rounding, and educational programs to improve communication with patients and processes surrounding central line utilization and management.”

Christus Mother Frances Hospital — Tyler

Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler retained the B grade it received in the previous three grading periods.

Christus Mother Frances scored highest in the Problems with Surgery category, scoring above average in six of the seven other subcategories. The hospital also saw some of the best scores possible in error prevention and staff subcategories.

The hospital lost points in the Infections category, scoring above average in only three of the six subcategories.

UT Health — Tyler

UT Health Tyler retained the A grade it received this spring and last fall.

The hospital scored highest in the Infections category, rating above average in fix of six measured categories.

UT Health North Campus Tyler

The UT Health North Campus in Tyler received an A, as it has every time since it began being graded in 2018.

The UT Health North Campus received the best possible score for four of six error prevention practices while still being above average in the remaining two categories. It also saw top scores in the Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff categories.

UT Health — Jacksonville

UT Health — Jacksonville received a B grade, which was down from the A it received in the spring grading period.

The hospital scored highest in the Problems with Surgery category, rating above average in five of six measured categories.

UT Health — Henderson

UT Health — Henderson received an A rating in its first grading by The Leapfrog Group.

The hospital scored highest in the Doctors, Nurses and Hospital Staff category, rating above average in all five measured categories, scoring as high as possible in effective leadership and enough qualified nurses.

UT Health — Athens

UT Health — Athens received a B grade, matching the B it received in the spring grading period.

The Athens facility scored highest in the Practices to Prevent Errors category, being rated above average in all six subcategories, matching the best possible score for four of those.

Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center — Longview

Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview improved its grade to an A, after receiving a C during the spring grading period.

Christus Good Shepherd scored highest in the Safety Problems category, being rated above average in six of seven subcategories and matching the best hospital’s score in at least one subcategory.

Longview Regional Medical Center

Longview Regional Medical Center maintained the B rating it received in the spring grading period.

Longview Regional scored highest in the Safety Problems category, being rated above average in six of seven subcategories.

The hospital lost points in the Doctors, Nurses and Staff category, scoring above average in only three of the subcategories.

Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center — Marshall

Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center in Marshall improved to an A grade, after receiving a B during the spring grading period.

Christus Good Shepherd scored highest in the Safety Problems category, being rated above average in six of seven subcategories.

For more information about each hospital’s grade, visit hospitalsafetygrade.org .