Washington State Hospitals Get Good Grades

There’s been some good news about Washington state health care of late. A report released by the Washington State Hospital Association found that Washington state hospitals, on average, had less than half the infection rates following surgery than was the average for hospitals nationwide. Check out the Seattle Times’ coverage of the report.

In separate news, Virginia Mason Medical Center and Swedish’s Cherry Hill and First Hill hospitals were among 65 hospitals identified as the nation’s Top Hospitals by The Leapfrog Group, a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage that includes Boeing and the Washiington State Healthcare Authority.

Virginia Mason received the additional honor of being named Top Hospital of the Decade, one of just two hospitals in the nation to receive that designation.

Virginia Mason was cited for reducing medical errors and for innovation in patient safety and quality over the course of the decade. Swedish and Virginia Mason were chosen from among a field of 1200 hospitals nationwide.

Seattle Business Magazine will continue to take nominations for its Leaders in Health Care awards through December 3rd. The program recognize outstanding members of the Washington state health care community. Nominate here.