Hospital Quality Guide Methodology 2007 - 2008 10
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ICU Specialist Staffing
The Leapfrog Group determined that the presence of an intensivist (a physician who focuses on the care of
critically ill and injured patients) is directly related to the quality of care a patient receives in an intensive
care unit (ICU). The Leapfrog Group and John Birkmeyer, MD, a surgeon and health services researcher,
estimated that 50,000 lives could be saved each year if intensivist model ICUs were in place across the
United States.
This intensivist model established by The Leapfrog Group is based on the following:
·
A board certified (or board eligible) emergency medicine physician was present in the ICU during
the daytime for at least eight hours.
·
At other times, the physician:
·
Returned 95 percent of ICU pages within five minutes.
·
Arranged for a certified physician or physician extender to reach the ICU within five minutes
(95 percent of the time).
Based on these standards, a hospital was placed into one of five categories:
·
Fully implemented
·
Good progress toward Leapfrog's high standard
·
Good early stage effort toward Leapfrog's high standard
·
Does not meet Leapfrog's high standard
·
Not applicable
HealthGrades applies a methodology to produce the one-, three-, and five-star ratings based on the
hospital's progress in implementing the ICU physician staffing (IPS) standards.
The Leapfrog Group Standard
HealthGrades' Star Rating for
ICU Specialist Staffing
Fully implemented
Good progress toward Leapfrog's high standard
Good early stage effort toward Leapfrog's high
standard
Does not meet Leapfrog's high standard
Other Comments
HealthGrades' Symbols
Not applicable
--
Did not respond
Not surveyed
What is The Leapfrog Group?
The Leapfrog Group's goal is to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety and overall value of health
care to consumers. It is a voluntary program aimed at enhancing patient safety. Hospitals in several regions
nationwide are invited to complete the Hospital Patient Safety Survey on the Web and share their
performance with their communities.
The Leapfrog Group is sponsored by the Business Roundtable, a national association of Fortune 500 CEOs.
Employers are encouraged to join the effort by committing to Leapfrog's healthcare purchasing principles.
