A recent Consumer Reports Investigation concluded that a number of New York City area hospitals do a less than optimal job in four key areas of patient safety, with Jacobi Hospital in the Bronx ranking last for all hospitals in the nation. The four areas of patient safety concern were: hospital acquired infections, readmissions, how well staff communicate with patients about medications and how well staff communicate with patients about discharge planning.

The hospital infection measure looked at data from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization hat collects data on central line bloodstream infections and surgical site infections. 

The readmissions measure looked at the likelihood that a patient hospitalized because of a heart attack, heart failure of pneumonia will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, thus suggesting the patient was sent home too early or was not given appropriate discharge instructions. 

The discharge instructions measure looked at the percentage of patients who indicated they were given clear instructions upon discharge.

Medication instruction measures looked at patients who had inadequate understanding of medication instructions, again leading to higher readmission rates.

The article focused on how hospitals can improve in these key areas and how patients can protect themselves from harm.

With respect to the hospitals, programs such as Partnership for Patient Safety and Project RED aim to lower readmission rates and infections.  Hospitals must also be committed to actually improving safety for their patients. For many hospitals, patient safety is a top priority and many are seeking innovative, creative ways to protect indivuduals they serve.

With respect to what patients can do to safeguard themselves upon admission, the article suggested the following:

1. Make sure hospital staff wash their hands before examining you.
2. Stop smoking prior to hospital admission.
3. Ask your physician why you are taking the medication that is being prescribed.
4. Confirm how to take medications at discharge and how often to take such medications.
5. Confirm possible medication side effects.
6. Confirm what to do if you experience medication side effects.
7. Confirm what food to avoid upon discharge.

The article suggests that while hospitals are attempting to do a better job to ensure safety of all patients, patients themselves must also be proactive in making sure that they don't leave the hospital sicker than when they came in. For more information and to read the report, click here.