26 straight 'A' safety grades: Inside 1 Northwestern hospital's approach

Ken Hedley and his team at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital are guided by a patient-first mission.

"We simply make sure that we do the right thing for our patient, their families and the community, and then everything else follows," Mr. Hedley, the hospital's president, told Becker's.

What has followed includes 26 consecutive "A" safety grades from The Leapfrog Group, making the Winfield, Ill.-based hospital one of only 12 in the nation to achieve this distinction.

Contributing to this accomplishment is the hospital's culture, which emphasizes the consistent use of safety tools, psychological safety among team members and a strong collaboration between medical and hospital staff, Mr. Hedley said.

"There's an emphasis on team success over personal success, as it's really only through team success that we're able to leverage everybody's talents, backgrounds, ideas and experiences to create solutions that work for the patients and the community," he said.

Mr. Hedley also highlighted the support of Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine and the work of local hospital staff, who he said are "truly dedicated to ensuring that we achieve our quality and safety goals with every encounter."

Key 2025 initiatives

One of the organization's top three priorities for 2025 is leveraging the strength and expertise of its academic medical center to provide advanced care closer to patients' homes. For example, Central DuPage Hospital is building an advanced GI endoscopy center.

"Our capability to provide a higher level of endoscopy care in the western suburbs will create a destination for patients," Mr. Hedley said. "That's one of our priorities regarding expanding clinically integrated programs close to where patients live."

Meeting access needs is another focus for 2025, which will involve expanding programs, the workforce, diagnostic testing and bed capacity. Plans include adding a new CT scanner to accommodate demand and improving transitions of care for patients awaiting admission.

Safety is the hospital's final top priority for 2025, targeting physical safety improvements, and workplace violence prevention and psychological safety. Leadership will continue encouraging team members to ask clarifying questions and "stop the line" when concerns arise. 

"It really is about empowering every staff member and physician to feel comfortable and confident bringing issues forward," Mr. Hedley said.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Articles We Think You'll Like

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars