When you or a family member require surgical or emergency medical care, it’s common to seek services at the closest hospital in your community. However, not all hospitals are created equal. In fact, some medical centers provide better care than others. That’s why it’s important to know which hospitals in your area offer the best quality of care.
In this article, we’ve compiled ratings for Long Island hospitals from The Leapfrog Group and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help you choose the best Long Island medical facility for your needs.
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade
The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization, rates hospitals on their safety and quality of care. On their Hospital Safety Grade site, the organization assigns each hospital a letter grade from A-F based on medical errors, injuries, accidents, and infections. Hospitals that receive an A grade are considered the safest in the country.
Of the 22 hospitals that were graded on Long Island, there are four hospitals that have been awarded an A rating by Leapfrog and zero that were given an F. Only 3 were given a D. Here is the breakdown of the grades for Long Island Hospitals as of October 2022.
A Rated
- Mather Hospital, Port Jefferson
- North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset
- NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, Mineola
- St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center, Roslyn
B Rated
- Huntington Hospital, Huntington
- St. Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson
- St. Joseph Hospital, Bethpage
- South Shore University Hospital, Bay Shore
- Syosset Hospital, Syosset
C Rated
- BMHMC, LI Community Hospital, Patchogue
- Glen Cove Hospital, Glen Cove
- Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park
- Long Island Jewish Valley Stream, Valley Stream
- Mt. Sinai South Nassau, Oceanside
- Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead
- Plainview Hospital, Plainview
- Southampton Hospital, Southampton
- St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, Smithtown
- Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook
D Rated
- Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip
- Mercy Hospital, Rockville Centre
- Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow
How does Leapfrog differentiate between patient safety and quality of care?
Patient safety is described as a lack of harm, avoiding bad events, and making it less likely that mistakes happen. This includes everything from falls and infections to medication errors and surgical mistakes. Quality of care, on the other hand, is described as efficient, effective, and purposeful care, it focuses on doing things well, and making the overall experience a better one. This includes factors such as the hospital’s ability to provide timely and effective care, communication with patients and their families, and the overall patient experience.
Both patient safety and quality of care are important factors to consider when choosing a hospital. However, Leapfrog places a greater emphasis on patient safety when assigning these grades. This is because errors and accidents can cause serious harm or even death, while quality of care issues are often more manageable and less likely to lead to negative outcomes.
CMS Care Compare
In addition to Leapfrog, there is another organization that rates hospitals on their performance – the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS is a government agency that administers healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
CMS produces a tool called the CMS Care Compare that allows patients to compare hospitals on a variety of quality measures. These measures include things like mortality rates, infection rates, and patient satisfaction scores. They rank hospitals on a 5 star quality system where 5 stars are considered to have above average quality of care and hospitals with 1 star are considered to perform below average. The CMS rankings also include a star rating for patient satisfaction, which is based on surveys of patients who have recently been discharged from the hospital.
Of the 22 Long Island Hospitals rated by Leapfrog, only 18 were given star ratings by the CMS. Of these, two got the highest 5 star rating and three were rated 1 star. Here is how CMS ranked the hospitals on Long Island as of October 2022.
5 Star Overall Rating
- St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center, Roslyn (4 star patient satisfaction)
- Huntington Hospital, Huntington (4 star patient satisfaction)
4 Star Overall Rating
- Mather Hospital, Port Jefferson (4 star patient satisfaction)
- North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset (3 star patient satisfaction)
- Glen Cove Hospital, Glen Cove (3 star patient satisfaction)
- St. Charles Hospital, Port Jefferson (3 star patient satisfaction)
- St. Catherine of Siena Hospital, Smithtown (2 star patient satisfaction)
- Peconic Bay Medical Center, Riverhead (3 star patient satisfaction)
- Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook (3 star patient satisfaction)
3 Star Overall Rating
- Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park (2 star patient satisfaction)
- South Shore University Hospital, Bay Shore (3 star patient satisfaction)
2 Star Overall Rating
- Mercy Hospital, Rockville Centre (3 star patient satisfaction)
- Mt. Sinai South Nassau, Oceanside (2 star patient satisfaction)
- Plainview Hospital, Plainview (3 star patient satisfaction)
- St. Joseph Hospital, Bethpage (3 star patient satisfaction)
1 Star Overall Rating
- Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow (1 star patient satisfaction)
- Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center, West Islip (2 star patient satisfaction)
- BMHMC, LI Community Hospital, Patchogue (1 star patient satisfaction)
Not Rated
- NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, Mineola
- Syosset Hospital, Syosset
- Long Island Jewish Valley Stream, Valley Stream
- Southampton Hospital, Southampton
How Hospital Ratings Help Patients
Hospital grades can be a helpful tool for patients who are trying to choose a safe and reputable hospital or medical center. However, it’s important to keep in mind that these ratings should not be the only factor considered when making a decision. Other factors such as location, insurance coverage, and personal preferences should also be taken into account.
That being said, hospital grades can be a useful starting point for patients who are trying to narrow down their options. For example, if two hospitals in your area have similar ratings, you may want to choose the one that is closer to home or offers the services that you need.
If you’re not sure which hospital is right for you, you can always ask your doctor for a recommendation. They will be familiar with the quality of care and safety record of various hospitals in the area and can help you make an informed decision.
What to Do If You Suspect Medical Negligence
After you have received hospital care, even the best rating system may not reflect what you actually experienced. If you suspect that you or a loved one was the victim of medical negligence, it’s important to get legal help. The experienced Long Island medical malpractice lawyers at Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P., can investigate your case and help you get the compensation you deserve.
What Is Considered Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice is any action or lack of action by a healthcare provider that deviates from the accepted standard of care and harms a patient. Standard of care is defined as the level of care that a reasonably competent healthcare provider would have provided under similar circumstances.
To win a medical malpractice case, you will need to prove that the defendant’s actions (or inaction) fell below the standard of care and that this deviation was the cause of your injuries. You will also need to show that you suffered damages as a result of the defendant’s negligence.
Common Examples of Medical Malpractice
Some common examples of medical malpractice include:
- Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
- Failure to order necessary tests
- Incorrect interpretation of test results
- Medication errors
- Anesthesia errors
- Mistakes in surgery
- Birth injuries
These are just a few examples of medical negligence. If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, it’s important to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
What is Not Considered to be Medical Malpractice?
Unfortunately, not every outcome of the medical procedures you may undergo at a hospital are guaranteed to be favorable. Many procedures and treatments come with a certain amount of risk, no matter how experienced the medical team may be. This means that not every bad outcome can be classified as medical malpractice.
Examples of What Is Not Medical Malpractice
Some examples of unfavorable outcomes that are not usually considered medical malpractice include:
- A known complication of a procedure or treatment that was properly disclosed to the patient before consenting to the procedure
- A poor outcome that is due to a patient’s pre-existing condition
- An unsuccessful treatment that was properly explained to the patient before consenting to the treatment
Proving Medical Malpractice Can Be Difficult
If you believe that you or a loved one is the victim of medical malpractice, it’s important to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible. Proving medical malpractice can be difficult, and you will need to gather evidence to support your claim. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer will know how to investigate your case and build a strong argument on your behalf.
Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P.: Long Island Medical Malpractice Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been the victim of medical negligence, the experienced Long Island medical malpractice lawyers at Rosenberg & Gluck, L.L.P., can help. We have extensive experience handling all types of medical malpractice cases and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We have offices conveniently located in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and we serve clients throughout Long Island.
