Hospitals must provide survey data

Congratulations to Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids for achieving a score of “A” in the recent Leapfrog Hospital Safety Score. This is a grand acknowledgment for a job well done in protecting the safety and lives of their patients.

I read with interest the May 14 story “Eastern Iowa hospitals graded on safety.” Of particular interest is the claim that the Leapfrog safety scores use “outdated” and “incomplete” data.

While it is true some of the data is older than I would wish to see, it also is true that hospitals have not provided updated information nor have they publicly reported the same.

The Leapfrog Group has asked the hospitals numerous times since 2006 to voluntarily fill out their survey. To date, few have responded. Among those who have are the Grinnell Regional Medical Center and St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Yes, St. Luke's did report to Leapfrog in 2008 when they received a “Top 100 Hospital” award. Ted Townsend, chief executive officer, made the trip to Washington to accept this honor.

It is important to have the kind of information the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Scores publish. Even more so, with the turn the health care industry is taking by aligning physician groups with particular hospitals, such as Cardiologists, L.C. has done with St. Luke's. With choice of hospital taken away, more information about the facilities and the physicians need to be forthcoming. And I agree, it should be current and publicly available.

Garth Bowen

Cedar Rapids