AARP The Magazine Highlights America's Safest Hospitals

Investigative Report Reveals How Hospitals Fight Errors and How Patients Can Protect Themselves

WASHINGTON, April 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Each year, more than 180,000 people die in U.S. hospitals from preventable accidents and errors. What's more, an estimated one-third of hospital admissions result in harm to a patient. To call attention to these tragic realities, AARP The Magazine teamed up with the nonprofit organization The Leapfrog Group to highlight the innovative steps some hospitals are taking to protect the health of their patients.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20070209/NYF043LOGO)

"We want to bring light to a serious issue affecting thousands of people in this country each year that for some reason doesn't get reported in the news as often as it should," said Nancy Graham, Vice President and Editor of AARP The Magazine. "As important as it is for us to tackle this issue that so many older Americans and patients nationwide are facing, we also want to understand what hospitals are doing to improve and innovate institutional safety. We hope by spotlighting some of the hospitals that are excelling in safety, we will encourage all healthcare providers to revisit their current procedures and strive to deliver the best care possible."

The April/May issue, in-homes and online now, showcases these "safety superstars" in the magazine's first ever "Health" issue. From creating patient alerts to implementing electronic medical recordkeeping, AARP The Magazine reveals what these groundbreaking hospitals are doing to prevent mistakes and how patients can properly arm themselves against preventable errors.

"Contrary to what most people think, Americans do have a choice when it comes to hospitals," said Leah Binder, CEO of The Leapfrog Group. "Hospitals that have an 'A' Hospital Safety Score are the safest in America and the sample listed in AARP The Magazine highlight the great things being done at some hospitals to keep patients safe. We hope this will encourage people to check the scores of their local hospital and speak up in their community if it is below an 'A' when it comes to safety."

The following are some of the hospitals featured in the April/May issue of AARP The Magazine:

• Allegheny General Hospital (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, MA)
• Billings Clinic (Billings, MT)
• Dublin Methodist Hospital (Dublin, OH)
• Grinnell Regional Medical Center (Grinnell, IA)
• JFK Medical Center Of Atlantis (Atlantis, FL)
• Mayo Clinic Hospital (Phoenix, AZ)
• The Methodist Hospital (Houston, TX)
• MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital (Puyallup, WA)
• Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL)
• St. David's Georgetown Hospital (Georgetown, TX)
• St. Mary's Hospital of Rochester (Rochester, MN)
• Takoma Regional Hospital (Greeneville, TN)
• Wyoming Medical Center (Casper, WY)

The complete list of hospital safety standouts can be found online at www.aarp.org/safehospitals. Additionally, AARP The Magazine has created a "Safe Patient Room Of The Future" infographic detailing 16 technological but still realistic improvements to hospital rooms that would enhance patient safety and drastically lower hospital mistakes. For access to the online interactive tool, check out www.aarp.org/patientroom. 

About AARP The Magazine
With nearly 33 million readers, AARP The Magazine is the world's largest circulation magazine and the definitive lifestyle publication for Americans 50+. AARP The Magazine delivers comprehensive content through health and fitness features, financial guidance, consumer interest information and tips, celebrity interviews, and book and movie reviews. AARP The Magazine was founded in 1958 and is published bimonthly in print and continually online. Learn more at www.aarpmagazine.org.

About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of more than 37 million, that helps people turn their goals and dreams into real possibilities, strengthens communities and fights for the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare, employment security and retirement planning. We advocate for consumers in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name as well as help our members obtain discounts on a wide range of products, travel, and services.  A trusted source for lifestyle tips, news and educational information, AARP produces AARP The Magazine, the world's largest circulation magazine; AARP Bulletin; www.aarp.org; AARP TV & Radio; AARP Books; and AARP en Espanol, a bilingual news source.  AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates.  The AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. AARP has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Learn more at www.aarp.org.

SOURCE AARP