TAMPA, Fla. — A new report from a national watchdog suggests that some Tampa Bay-area hospitals have become less safe over time, with a heightened risk of medical errors or accidental injuries or infections.
According to the Leapfrog Group, the state of Florida ranked ninth in the nation in terms of hospital safety ratings, with roughly 38 percent of hospitals in the state receiving an "A" rating. The current rankings represent a slight increase from fall 2021 when the state ranked 13th in the country.
Leapfrog assigns report card "grades" to each hospital, based on a series of criteria, including how effective the hospitals are at preventing complications, medical errors and accidental injuries or infections. It uses patient responses to a survey given after a hospital visit to grade each hospital.
And while many hospitals in the Tampa Bay area scored an "A," there were a few notable exceptions in various parts of the region, including two hospitals that got a "D."
AdventHealth Heart of Florida in Davenport was one of the lowest-ranked hospitals in the region, scoring below average in preventing sepsis infections as well as infections in the blood and urinary tract. According to Leapfrog's full report, many of the infections are bacterial and are typically spread by contaminated equipment and doctors who fail to properly wash their hands between patients.
The hospital also scored low on preventing patient injuries, including broken hips from falling, blood clots, and dangerous bed sores. Leapfrog also reported poor communication between doctors, nurses and their patients as well as slow response to patient emergencies, which can often happen when a hospital is understaffed.
The HCA Florida Highlands Hospital in Sebring also scored a "D" overall, with even poorer marks than AdventHealth in preventing patient infections and surgical complications. HCA also struggled in preventing hospital errors as it also reported poor communication between doctors, patients and staff, as well as an inadequate computer system for ordering medications.
While most of the hospitals in the city of Tampa scored high rankings, there was one highly notable exception: Tampa General Hospital. Tampa General scored a "C" rating with below-average performance ratings in preventing sepsis and MSRA infections, preventing blood-related complications after surgery (including clots and leakage), and having specially trained doctors for ICU patients.
The hospital previously earned a "C" grade this spring and a "B" grade last fall.
Amanda Bevis, a spokesperson for Tampa General, said that the hospital was disappointed with the lower rating but confident it was not a reflection of the quality of their care.
"TGH performs groundbreaking surgeries that simply are not available anywhere else in our region or across the state. Leapfrog’s criteria weighs rates of infection heavily that are common among these complex cases, but that Tampa General providers are highly skilled and experienced at managing," Bevis said, in part.
Bevis also pointed to Tampa General's rankings among the U.S. News & World Report's 2022-23 Best Hospitals by specialty treatments, including 18th in the nation for diabetes & endocrinology, 19th for gastroenterology & GI surgery, and 9th for obstetrics & gynecology.
"Earlier this year, we launched a series of initiatives that will help TGH achieve higher scores on Leapfrog’s updated criteria. We are committed to achieving and maintaining an A rating from The Leapfrog Group, one that celebrates the world-class, high-quality care we provide to all patients," Bevis said.
HCA Florida Highlands did not immediately respond to our request for comment.