MemorialCare Health System's Long Beach Memorial & Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center Recognized by Leapfrog Group for Never Receiving Grade Lower than "A" for Preventing Patient Errors, Injuries, Accidents and Infections

Two of Just 182 Hospitals Nationwide to Continually Receive "Straight A" for Safety

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Jun 04, 2015, 03:29 ET

LONG BEACH, Calif. and FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Long Beach Memorial and Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center are two of an elite number of U.S. hospitals recognized for their continuous, outstanding dedication to patient safety by being awarded an "A" grade in the Hospital Safety Score. The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit of employers and purchasers of health benefits, grades hospitals twice annually for their ability to prevent errors, injuries, accidents and infections. MemorialCare Health System's Long Beach Memorial and Orange Coast Memorial are lauded as "Straight A's" hospitals for never receiving a grade lower than an A from since the Hospital Safety Score launched three years ago.

The A grade is among the most significant achievements for a hospital and one of the most important indicators for patients seeking a safe place to receive care. The Hospital Safety Score—considered the gold standard rating for patient safety—was created to offer consumers critical information on the safest places for a hospital stay.

"At a time when more than 1,000 people die daily from preventable accidents in hospitals, Leapfrog believes patient safety is Job One. To reinforce that goal of consistent vigilance, we've made it easier for patients and others to evaluate a hospital's previous safety record," said Leah Binder, Leapfrog president & CEO. "Those earning an 'A' demonstrate their commitment to their patients and community. We congratulate MemorialCare Health System's hospitals for safety excellence and look forward to when all hospitals match this standard."

Other MemorialCare hospitals in Long Beach achieved high grades and accolades from Leapfrog Group surveys. Community Hospital Long Beach received an "A" rating in recent Hospital Safety Score grading. Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach is one of only nine children's hospitals nationally appearing on Leapfrog Group's Top Hospitals which combines adult and children's facilities on one list.

"This is a testament to the more than 6,000 employees and affiliated physicians that serve the community at our three Long Beach hospitals and numerous outpatient facilities. Our highly consistent commitment to patient safety is a hallmark of MemorialCare's more than 200 care sites in Los Angeles and Orange counties," says Tamra Kaplan, Chief Operating Officer of Long Beach Memorial.

"We are extremely proud to receive another top grade in patient safety, which validates our tireless commitment to the well-being of our patients and communities we serve. Providing the highest quality care and patient safety remains among our top priorities. It is our responsibility to continue to enhance our efforts," says Marcia Manker, CEO of Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center.

Hospital Safety Scores—calculated by a Blue Ribbon panel of patient safety experts—are peer-reviewed, transparent and free to the public. The scoring uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce an A, B, C, D or F score, representing a hospital's overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm.

Long Beach Memorial, along with sister hospital, Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach comprise one of the West's two largest hospital campuses. Long Beach Memorial—a renowned teaching hospital that appears on the U.S. News & World Report list of America's Best Hospitals—is the region's first choice for comprehensive care in virtually every medical and surgical specialty. Its Centers of Excellence and prominent physicians continue to receive national accolades for diagnostic, treatment and technological advances. These include MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute, MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute, MemorialCare Rehabilitation Institute, MemorialCare Orthopedic Institute, MemorialCare Neuroscience Institute, MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center, Stroke Program and the Emergency Department and Trauma Center.

Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach is listed among the nation's 10 largest children's hospitals by Modern Healthcare and Becker's Hospital Review. It is one of only nine children's hospitals nationally to appear on Leapfrog Group's Top U.S. Hospitals. Miller Children's treats 100,000 children annually through its hospital, outpatient specialty and satellite centers for both complex and common conditions and provides maternity care for expectant mothers. Only five percent of all hospitals are children's hospitals, making them unique to health care across the region. Miller Children's is renowned for advances in treating fragile newborns with one of the largest and most respected neonatal intensive care units; Jonathan Jaques Children's Cancer Center; pediatric heart, orthopedics and emergency centers; and rated among the best for treating cystic fibrosis, red blood disorders and sickle cell anemia.

Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley offers comprehensive care in a beautiful health care campus with a state-of-the-art hospital, outpatient Pavilion, medical offices, imaging center, ambulatory surgery and other highly regarded services. Regional leader in innovation, including advanced, minimally invasive procedures, together with its expert physicians, compassionate nurses, technicians and support staff, Orange Coast Memorial has earned recognition as one of the best regional hospitals. Accolades include Best Companies to Work For, Best Workplace and Best Hospital in Orange County. Centers of Excellence include MemorialCare Cancer Institute, MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center, MemorialCare Center for Obesity, Institute for Parkinson's Movement Disorders, Center for Childbirth & NICU and Digestive Care Center.

Community Hospital Long Beach serves the greater Long Beach area with a number of top quality medical services, including 24-hour emergency services and intensive care, state-of-the-art imaging, cardiovascular diagnostics, occupational medicine, diabetes services and more. MemorialCare Center for Mental Health & Wellness at Community Hospital Long Beach offers a full spectrum of mental health programs to maximize the continuum of care for each patient, including a psychiatric inpatient program, outpatient psychiatric clinic and partial hospitalization/intensive outpatient programs. To address the overwhelming, continuous medical needs of expectant and new mothers who suffer devastating depression and/or anxiety, the Center offers one of the nation's only perinatal mood and anxiety disorder programs with inpatient and outpatient care and leading treatments for depression and other issues.

SOURCE MemorialCare Health System