Healthy Living: Local News
How Safe Are Local Hospitals?
Tools
Story Updated: Jul 10, 2012
(WKBW/Consumer Reports) Is your hospital safe? Government figures show hospital mistakes kill almost 200,000 people a year, and so for the first time, Consumer Reports, known for ranking cars, appliances and lawnmowers, has now ranked hospitals for safety.
Researchers used information from government and independent sources on just over a thousand hospitals in 44 states. They also interviewed patients, physicians, hospital administrators and safety experts. The rankings are based on six categories: infections, readmissions, communication, CT scanning, complications and mortality.
Here's how some Western New York hospitals scored (out of 100 pts.): Mount Saint Mary's Hospital in Lewiston ranked the highest with a score of 56. Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo scored a 52. Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo scored a 49. Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo scored a 45. Kenmore Mercy Hospital scored a 42. Brooks Memorial Hospital in Dunkirk scored a 41. Kaleida Health in Buffalo scored a 30 and Olean General Hospital, a 27.
Some of the best hospitals are in small towns. Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca ranked best in New York State with a score of 61 out of 100.
The number one hospital in the report: Billings Clinic in Billings, Montana with a score of 72.
The worst? Sacred Heart Hospital in Chicago with a 16.
For more information on the Consumer Reports hospital rankings, click on News Links.