20 Louisiana Hospitals Get Low Safety Grades—How Does Yours Rank?

Advocating for oneself as a patient can occasionally be challenging. Additionally, you are typically required to choose the hospital that is recommended by your primary care physician or insurer.

You can and should defend yourself in certain situations, though. Being responsible is part of it; before undergoing a major procedure or other severe medical treatment, you may and should conduct research.

How Can You Research Louisiana Hospitals?

It seems hard to perform research on a hospital, doesn't it? That information doesn't seem to be easily accessible. Nonetheless, a patient advocacy group has made it simpler to learn more about a hospital's performance in many treatment areas.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Guide is a great resource for determining whether the hospital you are considering "makes the grade." Leapfrog classifies hospitals as "A" for excellent to "D," which I would classify as dreary if not dangerous. This is really literal.

It goes without saying that certain hospitals are superior to others in particular regions. While another hospital has a poor rating due to significant surgical errors, one institution may lose significant points for billing transparency, which is crucial. I'm quite sure I would choose the first one if I had to choose between the two.

Leapfrog offers a solution for that as well; you may examine specific metrics and categories to determine precisely where a hospital is successful and where it requires development.

Leapfrog examines a number of metrics, such as infections, surgical complications, safety issues, error-prevention techniques, and physicians, nurses, and hospital employees. You can delve further if you want to (and you should want to), as each category is further subdivided into other areas.

Even though a large number of Louisiana hospitals received an A+, others still need to improve. Twenty hospitals in Louisiana were given a "C" or "D" Rating by Leapfrog, which means that there are either significant issues inside the facility or a substantially faulty data collection. In any case, you should find out before you leave.

At the end of the day, your health is in your hands. Taking the time to research hospitals using tools like the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Guide can help you make better choices about your care. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, push for answers, and choose what’s best for you and your family. Knowing what kind of facility you’re walking into could make all the difference when it matters most. If you would like to see the full reports of all the Louisiana hospitals, you can visit the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade website.