Hospital Safety Grades, Consumer Reports Safety Scores and Medicare Hospital Ratings compared with Hospital Outcomes Scores.

A 2014 University of Michigan study concluded that Hospital Safety Grades did not help consumers find hospitals with superior outcomes. This article compares the hospital ratings of three organizations – the Leapfrog Group, Consumer Reports and Medicare – with the most recent outcomes data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). These three hospital rating services were chosen because they are respected industry sources that use CMS outcomes as a significant component of their ratings. 

Comparing the hospitals with the 20 lowest average death rates (HOS Death Scores) in the country we found:

• A distinct lack of consensus among the three services .
• More of the 20 hospitals received a Hospital Safety Grade of C (8) than A (6).
• A majority of the 20 hospitals did NOT receive a 5-star rating from Medicare.
• The highest CR Safety Score received by one of the 20 hospitals was 74; more than half were rated less than 60.

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