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Category: The Leapfrog Group

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Memphis Has a Top Hospital! Le Bonheur Named a Leapfrog Top Children's Hospital

On December 7, 2017, The Leapfrog Group announced Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital has been named to its 2017 national list of Top Children’s Hospitals. The elite award is one of the most competitive honors American hospitals can receive in safety and quality. The winning facilities were officially recognized at Leapfrog’s Annual Top Hospitals Ceremony in Arlington, VA.  Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO of the Memphis Business Group on Health, the Regional Leader for the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Le Bonheur The Leapfrog Group Methodist Quality

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Memphis Hospitals React To Their Hospital Safety Grades

On October 31, 2017, the Leapfrog Group released their latest Hospital Safety Grade for over 2,600 hospitals in the US, including 10 hospitals within a 50-mile radius of Memphis. Memphis Business Group on Health is the Regional Leader for The Leapfrog Group in western Tennessee, northern Mississippi and eastern Arkansas. Each hospital is assigned a grade of A,B,C,D, or F reflecting their overall performance in keeping patients safe from preventable harm and medical errors. The grades are... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, November 28, 2017
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality Commentary Baptist St. Francis Medical errors Hospital Safety Score

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

MBGH Hospital Safety Grade Facebook Ad Reaches 8,000 Memphians!

To reach more Memphis-area residents to help them learn about the Hospitals Safety Grade and see results for local hospitals, MBGH ran an ad on Facebook for a week last fall. Click here to read about Memphis hospital grades. The results were impressive with 7,920 people reached and 696 engaging with the post by clicking on the map or going to the Hospital Safety Grade website for more information. Although it makes sense, it was interesting to note that as people aged they were... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, January 3, 2017
The Leapfrog Group Report Cards Quality Employee Engagement Hospital Safety Score

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Lots of Movement in Memphis Fall 2016 Hospital Safety Grades

We saw quite a bit of movement in the fall 2016 Hospital Safety Grades (formerly Hospital Safety Score) for Memphis-area hospitals: Several hospitals raised their scores: Baptist Collierville moved from a C to a B Baptist Desoto moved from a C to a B Methodist Germantown moved from a C to a B Regional One Health moved from a D to a C Unfortuantely, Saint Francis Memphis moved down from an A to a B and Methodist University moved down from a B to a C. Methodist... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, January 3, 2017
The Leapfrog Group Report Cards Quality Hospital Safety Score

Thursday, October 29, 2015

New Hospital Safety Scores Released for Memphis Hospitals

The latest Hospital Safety Scores for Memphis-area hospitals are out!  Results of interest include:   The Regional One Health Center continued on it's improvement path with its grade moving up to a C. The Methodist hospitals realized downgrades in their scores. Methodist University moved down to a B. Methodist Germantown, North and South moved down to a C.  Congratulations to Saint Francis-Memphis for achieving Straight A's in all of the releases of the Hospital Safety... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, October 29, 2015
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality Baptist St. Francis The MED Hospital Safety Score

Monday, October 12, 2015

C-Sections Too Common in Memphis

Methodist-Olive Branch and Saint Francis-Bartlett are the only Memphis-area hospitals to fully meet the Leapfrog Group's C-section standard of no more than 23.9% of births. Other reported rates for Memphis-area hospitals ranged from 27.0% at the Regional Medical Center to 37.5% at Methodist-Germantown.  Hospital C-Section Rate  Methodist-Olive Branch Saint Francis-Bartlett Regional Medical Center Saint Francis-Memphis Methodist-South Methodist-Germantown 21.8% 22.7% 27.0%... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, October 12, 2015
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality Baptist St. Francis The MED Womens Health

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

67% of Memphis-Area Hospitals Receive an "A" on National Hospital Safety Score

Memphis, Tennessee October 29, 2014 – Updated Hospital Safety Scores– the “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grades assigned to more than 2,500 U.S. adult general hospitals (pediatric and specialty hospitals do not receive a score)– were released today by patient safety advocate The Leapfrog Group , an independent nonprofit organization representing employer purchasers of health care. The Scores are based on preventable infections, injuries and errors, and grades were assigned to nine adult, general... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, October 29, 2014
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality St. Francis Getting Quality Care Campaign Medical errors Hospital Safety Score

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Beginning to See the Change We Want

An insightful article by Mark Hepler, CFO of Munson Healthcare, an 8-hospital system based in Traverse City, MI, on HealthLeadersMedia.com, reveals that health care providers, well, at least his, are beginning to make the changes that we want to see and that have, to a large extent, been spurred by the Affordable Health Care Act (see recent blog post on whether the ACA is working). What changes are happening in how health care is delivered? Investing in becoming clinically... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, October 28, 2014
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Health Reform eValue8 Cost Value-Based Benefits Payment Reform Hospital Safety Score

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Four Greater-Memphis Hospitals Score an "A" on Latest Release of Hospital Safety Score

Memphis Business Group on Health is pleased to recognize those greater-Memphis, west Tennessee, and north Mississippi hospitals that have made a commitment to putting safety first, earning an ‘A’ in the April 29, 2014 release of the Hospital Safety Score, including:  Greater Memphis  West Tennessee  North Mississippi 1. Methodist LeBonheur Germantown Hospital 2. Methodist University... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, April 29, 2014
The Leapfrog Group Methodist St. Francis Hospital Safety Score

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Three Memphis-area Hospitals Score an "A" Again on Latest Hospital Safety Score

When it comes to patient safety, all hospitals and U.S. states aren’t created equal, according to the newly updated Hospital Safety Score. The Spring 2013 update to the Hospital Safety Score that assigns “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grades to more than 2,500 general hospitals in the United States showed hospitals have made only incremental progress in addressing errors, accidents, injuries and infections that kill or hurt their patients. The Hospital Safety Score methodology is fully... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality St. Francis Hospital Safety Score

Thursday, November 29, 2012

New Hospital Safety Scores Released for Memphis Hospitals

Get the Hospital Safety Score App          Hospitals across the U.S. are showing improvement when it comes to patient safety, but according to the latest release of the standard public score regarding patient safety, more work needs to be done. The updated Hospital Safety Scores – the A, B, C, D or F score assigned to U.S. general hospitals based on infections, injuries, and medical and medication errors – were released today by The Leapfrog Group, an... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, November 29, 2012
The Leapfrog Group Report Cards Quality Baptist St. Francis The MED Medical errors Hospital Safety Score

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Memphis Hospitals Graded on Patient Safety

National hospital performance reporting organization, Leapfrog Group, released hospital safety scores for over 2700 hospitals across the nation today, several of which are in the Memphis metropolitan market. Most hospitals in the area fared well with six earning an “A” score. See results for Metro-Memphis area hospitals. Cristie Upshaw Travis, CEO of Memphis-based nonprofit Memphis Business Group on Health( MBGH), sits on Leapfrog’s national Board of Directors as its Vice Chair. ... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Leapfrog Group Report Cards Quality Value-Based Benefits Medical errors Hospital Safety Score

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Consumer Directed Health Plans Becoming Mainstream

MBGH attended the recent Memphis meeting presenting the results of the Annual Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans 2011. Although I had read the results when they were released in November 2011, at this meeting, I was particularly struck by the news about how employers are using Consumer Directed Health Plans (CDHPs) as shown by these survey results: 2011 saw the biggest year-over-year increase in CDHP offerings AND enrollment since 2007 for large... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, March 15, 2012
The Leapfrog Group Quality Benefit Design Health Insurance Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost Health Policy Health Plans Cost Payment Reform Health Benefits Consumer Directed Health Plans

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Memphis-Area Hospitals Make Progress in Eliminating Early Elective Deliveries

Memphis Business Group on Health (MBGH) and the employer-driven hospital quality watchdog, The Leapfrog Group , announce that the 2011 results from the annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey indicate that hospitals in the greater-Memphis area, which includes West Tennessee, Eastern Arkansas, and North Mississippi, are making progress in eliminating early elective newborn deliveries. In 2011 57 % of reporting hospitals in this region kept their early elective delivery rate to 5% or less,... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality Cost-Quality Connection Baptist St. Francis The MED

Monday, December 12, 2011

Take Steps to Reduce Your Labor & Delivery Costs

Labor and delivery account for nearly 25% of all hospitalizations for many employers, and costs associated with pregnancy and its complications are a driving factor in the rising costs of health care. The growing use of medically unnecessary interventions is increasing costs and complications among mothers and babies, with no evidence of improved outcomes. The Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR), an independent, non-profit corporation working on behalf of large employers to catalyze... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, December 12, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Benefit Design Healthcare Cost Health Plans Cost Payment Reform Womens Health Health Benefits

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Following a Blog on a Blog

Well, not quite a blog in the truest sense, but a Facebook version of a blog. Here is a recent conversation on Facebook about public reporting of hospital infection rates! Bottom line, whose burden is it? The hospital's burden of data collection, measurement and reporting? Or the patient's burden of dieing or going through the pain of treatment to survive? At some point we have to get to the bottom line. We all deserve to know the basics about the quality of the hospitals that serve us. Thank... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, October 26, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Aligning Forces for Quality Medical errors

Friday, September 23, 2011

If I were King....

If I were King, and could wave my magic wand, my three wishes would be (ooops, I think I am mixing metaphors, oh well): Engage my employees as partners with me in the quality and cost of their health benefits. I would Implement a benefit design similar to the State of Tennessee , offering lower payroll deduction for premium co-shares, lower deductibles, lower co-pays, and lower co-insurance in exchange for employees and their families taking an HRA, getting their biometrics, and agreeing... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, September 23, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Report Cards Quality Commentary Benefit Design eValue8 Health Plans Worksite Wellness Value-Based Benefits Worksite clinics Medical errors

Thursday, September 22, 2011

NBCH Hospital Patient Safety Action Brief Details Actions for Employers

The National Business Coalition on Health's (NBCH) Action Brief on Hospital Patient Safety, lays out the issues, details how health plans across the country are or are not working to improve safety, and details actions employers can take to have an impact on patient safety for their employees. 2011 eValue8 results were used to track how health plans are or are not working to improve safety. MBGH is an active participant in the eValue8 process and this year both BlueCross BlueShield of... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Benefit Design Health Insurance Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost eValue8 Health Plans Getting Quality Care Campaign MBGH Member Benefits Payment Reform Medical errors

Friday, June 17, 2011

Ever Wonder What A Never-Event Looks Like?

Every year 1,300 to 2,700 Americans are harmed by wrong-site errors. Even after all the attention to this issue since 1999, brought to light by To Err is Human , and an understanding that it is possible NOT to have these injuries, highlighted in 2001 in Crossing the Quality Chasm , these numbers are not going down and people are still harmed. It is critical to put a face on this problem. It is not just numbers, it is people that are harmed -- it can be you, your family, your co-worker,... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, June 17, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary

Monday, May 16, 2011

MBGH Now Offers Vendor Due Diligence

Few tasks in benefits management are more time-consuming and expensive than performing due diligence on vendors or potential vendors. Starting now MBGH members can supplement or replace vendor due diligence with information from The Leapfrog Due Diligence Cooperative. This vendor due diligence information can save MBGH members tremendous time, resources and money. Plus, you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re making the right decisions. This information is... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, May 16, 2011
The Leapfrog Group MBGH Member Benefits Vendor Selection/Management

Friday, April 29, 2011

MBGH Recognizes Two Health Plans & Five Hospitals For Improving Cost & Quality

The Memphis Business Group on Health (MBGH), Memphis’s only non-profit organization focused on employee health and wellness issues from the employers’ perspective, recognized two health insurance companies and five regional hospitals for their progress toward improving health care quality in the region in 2010. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and UnitedHealthcare of Tennessee were recognized for scoring in the top 15% on several aspects of eValue8, the leading evidence-based... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Friday, April 29, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Quality eValue8 Health Plans Baptist St. Francis The MED BlueCross BlueShield UnitedHealthcare

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

MBGH is First TN Employer Group to Sign Pledge for Partnership for Patients

Memphis Business Group on Health is the first employer/employer group in Tennessee to sign the pledge to support the " Partnership for Patients ' Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs was launched today, April 12, 2011, by HHS Secretary Sebelius and CMS Administrator Berwick along with consumer groups, industry representatives, and other key stakeholders, including the Leapfrog Group and the National Business Coalition on Health. MBGH was the first Tennessee employer group... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Health Reform Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost Cost

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The Leapfrog Group Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary & Names Top Hospitals of the Decade

On November 30, 2010 at a gala celebration in Washington, DC attended by more than 350 of the most influential health, healthcare and policy experts in the country, The Leapfrog Group celebrated 10 years of triggering giant leaps forward in the safety, quality and affordability of health care. U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke , represented the Obama Administration, and CMS Administrator, Don Berwick, MD , unable to attend due to a prior commitment, sent greetings... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The Leapfrog Group Report Cards Quality

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Healthy People 2020 Sets Agressive Goals for Health Improvement

On December 2, 2010, HHS released "Healthy People 2020", updating goals and objectives for improving the health of our nation over the next decade (replaces Healthy People 2010). Visit the Healthy People 2020 website for details. Overarching goals include: Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups. Create social and physical... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Saturday, December 4, 2010
The Leapfrog Group Quality Benefit Design Worksite Wellness

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Double Whammy: We Still Have Unsafe, Expensive Healthcare

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to draw the conclusion that we still have unsafe, expensive healthcare in the US, and right here in Memphis, when you read the headlines of recent reports: AHRQ: Rate of Adverse Events in Medicare Cases "Disturbing" Case 34-2010: A 65-Year Old Woman with an Incorrect Operation on the Left Hand Surgery on Wrong Patients, Surgical Sites Persists, Study Finds   Top 10 Most Costly, Frequent Medical Errors These articles not only focus on the... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Leapfrog Group Quality Commentary Benefit Design Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost Cost Value-Based Benefits

Monday, November 1, 2010

Methodist Healthcare Posts Leapfrog Survey Results on Website

Methodist Healthcare is the first Midsouth hospital system to post their complete results from the Leapfrog Group Annual Hospital Survey on their website. MBGH has been working with Methodist since July to add critical outcome, process, and structure measures that are important to employers and their employees to their quality report card on their website. Methodist embraced this request and decided to post complete Leapfrog Group survey results. Read more about this initiative and see... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, November 1, 2010
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Stunning Medical Mistakes Still Happen 6 Years After Introducing Universal Protocol

According to a report published in the October issue of the Archives of Surgery, introducing the universal protocol endorsed by the Joint Commission in 2004 has NOT reduced the frequency of such medical errors as wrong site surgery or wrong patient surgery, Read a summary of the report. The protocol requires 3 steps: Pre-procedure verification Marking the correct surgical site Taking a "time-out" for the surgical team just before surgery. Diagnostic... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Leapfrog Group Methodist Quality Commentary Baptist St. Francis Delta The MED St. Jude

Monday, August 16, 2010

Preventable Medical Errors Add More Than $19.5 Billion to US Healthcare Costs

Yet another study reveals the direct connection between poor quality of care and increased cost. Milliman's recent study for the Society of Actuaries found that, in 2008, avoidable medical errors added $19.5 billion to the US healthcare bill. This cost is not the full cost, because it only captures those errors that can be identified based on an analysis of health care claims. Major findings include: $13,000 in additional cost were incurred per error 2,500 people died from these injuries... Read More
Posted by Cristie Travis at Monday, August 16, 2010
The Leapfrog Group Quality Cost-Quality Connection Healthcare Cost eValue8 Aligning Forces for Quality

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

MBGH Update: Methodist Healthcare Quality Report Cards Now On-line

Memphis Business Group on Health (MBGH) applauds Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (Methodist) for making their quality of care report card public on their websites. Specifically, MBGH is pleased with this initiative for the following reasons: • MBGH has been working with Memphis-area hospitals since 1997 to improve transparency. As advocates for our member employers, we’ve consistently pressured hospitals to measure and publicly report their performance and to use this information to... Read More
Posted by Candace Joseph at Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Le Bonheur The Leapfrog Group Methodist Report Cards Quality Commentary

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Cristie Upshaw Travis
Chief Executive Officer, MBGH
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