### Local Hospitals See Decline in Safety Grades in Fall 2024 Report

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A recent report by the Leapfrog Group highlighted a decline in safety grades for two local hospitals this fall. Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center witnessed downgrades, while Columbus Regional Healthcare System maintained its previous rating.

The Leapfrog Group, an organization that evaluates healthcare facilities nationwide, assessed the hospitals on criteria such as infection rates, surgical issues, safety problems, practices to prevent errors, and the performance of doctors, nurses, and staff.

Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center received a "C" this fall, marking its lowest grade since Novant took control of the hospital. This reflects a dip from its "B" rating in the previous spring report. Specific concerns included urinary tract infections, surgical site infections after colon surgery, issues with surgery such as leaving dangerous objects in patients' bodies, harmful events, and insufficient handwashing practices. Additionally, hospital staff responsiveness was rated below average.

Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center's safety grade dropped from an "A" to a "B," which it had maintained since 2021. Areas of concern for this hospital were safety problems like patient falls, injuries, collapsed lungs, and dangerous blood clots. The report also highlighted deficiencies in nursing and bedside care as well as ICU patient care.

Columbus Regional Healthcare System retained its "C" grade for the fourth consecutive year, highlighting an ongoing challenge in improving its safety standards. Notable issues pointed out in the report included blood and urinary tract infections, surgical site infections after colon surgeries, harmful events, severe bed sores, and patient falls. The hospital did receive acknowledgment for the care provided by specially trained doctors for ICU patients.

The Leapfrog Group's detailed report stressed both areas needing improvement and those where hospitals performed well, such as medication administration practices, teamwork to prevent errors, and effective leadership. However, the downgrades suggest an urgent need for the hospitals to address the highlighted issues to ensure better patient safety and care in the future.