Monday, December 2, 2024
Nassau University Medical Center announced a significant milestone last week, achieving its first marked improvement in the Leapfrog Safety Grade in six years.
“This is a significant milestone for NUMC and a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff, physicians, and leadership in implementing effective management, financial, and operational reforms,” said Megan Ryan, interim president and chief executive of NUMC. “Over the past eleven months we’ve worked diligently to enhance the care and services we provide to our patients, and this improvement, while not our end goal, is a testament to those efforts.”
The Leapfrog Hospital Survey assesses hospitals on various safety and quality metrics, including infection rates, surgical safety practices, intensive care unit staffing, and policies to prevent errors such as medication mistakes. It also evaluates cesarean-section rates, early elective deliveries, and high-risk delivery capabilities, along with leadership and teamwork training focused on fostering a culture of safety.
Ryan credited the hospital’s restructured Quality and Risk Department and newly established 2024 quality initiatives for driving the improvement. “While this grade represents progress, we remain committed to further elevating the standard of care and continuing our efforts to strengthen hospital operations for the benefit of our community,” Ryan said.
NUMC’s C rating places it ahead of New York’s other public benefit hospitals, Erie County Medical Center and Westchester Medical Center, both of which received D ratings.
The Leapfrog Safety Grade is one of many improvements NUMC has demonstrated this year. The hospital is Nassau County’s only public hospital, which serves all patients — regardless of their ability to pay for medical care.
The Nassau Health Care Corporation, which oversees the operations of NUMC and the A. Holly Paterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale, has made significant strides in its financial health over the last year, according to an audit conducted by Grant Thornton in June, a leading national public accounting firm.
The audit and related financial reports highlighted several positive trends for the health care corporation including: cash on hand increased from $23 million in January 2024 to $67 million in June; net patient service revenue rose by $76 million in 2023, from $460 million in 2022 to $536 million in 2023; operating loss was reduced by $30 million in 2023; and overtime costs were reduced by $4 million from 2022 levels.
“This is just further confirmation of the great work being done under new management at NUMC,” Matthew Bruderman, chairman of the NHCC said of the Leapfrog Safety grade. “Meg and her team are not only on top of the finances, they are extending and improving care.”
For more on the hospital and the services offered, visit NUMC.edu.
