Saint Michael’s Medical Center announced today that it has been recognized as a 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, placing in the top 10% of all hospitals nationwide for patient safety.
This achievement, along with Saint Michael’s four-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), reflect the hospital’s commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care.
“Saint Michael’s has cultivated an outstanding safety culture that prioritizes the well-being of both patients and staff, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide,” said Brad Bowman, MD, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades, the leading resource consumers use to find a hospital or doctor. “We’re proud to recognize Saint Michael’s for providing top-quality care while preventing serious injuries to patients during their hospital stay.”
Saint Michael’s, a member of Prime Healthcare, has received the Healthgrades Patient Excellence Award for six years in a row and is the only hospital in Newark or Essex County to receive the recognition. Saint Michael’s has also been recognized by Healthgrades in several clinical areas, including the 2024 Excellence Award for coronary intervention and pulmonary care. The hospital has received five stars from Healthgrades for gallbladder surgery, pacemaker procedures, treatment of pneumonia and treatment of diabetic emergencies.
Saint Michael’s has also been recognized by the Lown Institute for outstanding social responsibility, receiving an “A” grade on the 2023-24 Lown Institute Hospitals Index.
“Our foremost commitment at Saint Michael’s is to the safety and well-being of our patients,” said Saint Michael’s CEO Alan Sickles, MD. “Through steadfast dedication, strategic investments, and the relentless pursuit of excellence, we ensure that every individual who walks through our doors receives the highest standard of care.”
Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to determine this year’s top-performing hospitals for patient safety. During the 2020-2022 study period, nearly 170,000 potentially preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for close to 75% of these incidents.*
Healthgrades’ analysis revealed that patients treated in hospitals receiving the 2024 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:
- In-hospital fall resulting in fracture (approximately 52% less likely)
- Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (approximately 56% less likely)
- Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (approximately 67% less likely)
- Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (approximately 71% less likely)
Where you’re treated matters, which is why Healthgrades is committed to providing the most scientifically accurate information about doctors and hospitals–with data insights not available anywhere else. To learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality, visit healthgrades.com.
*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2023.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2020 through 2022 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only.