Hartford HealthCare Hospitals Make Top 20% Nationwide for Safety, Price Transparency

Hartford HealthCare is among the top 20% of hospitals nationwide recognized for outstanding patient safety ratings and the highest level of adherence to federal price transparency rules.

The recognition came from the Health Transformation Alliance (HTA), a cooperative of more than 60 of the nation’s largest employers; The Leapfrog Group, which recognizes patient safety efforts by healthcare institutions and awarded all seven Hartford HealthCare hospitals “A’s” in 2023; and Turquoise Health, a firm that evaluates price transparency practices.

“Delivering high-quality, safe care while ensuring price transparency is paramount. It is the driving force behind what we do ― putting patients first,” says Hartford HealthCare President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey A. Flaks. “We continuously strive to achieve excellence in patient safety and outcomes for all.”

More than 470 hospitals in 42 states were honored, and Hartford HealthCare’s seven hospitals were among eight recognized in Connecticut: Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Hartford Hospital, MidState Medical Center, St. Vincent's Medical Center, Inc, The Hospital of Central Connecticut, William W. Backus Hospital, and Windham Community Memorial Hospital.

In addition to patient safety scores, the announcement by the three organizations highlights hospital adherence to the Hospital Price Transparency Rule. Starting in 2021, this federal mandate directed all medical facilities to provide clear, accessible pricing information about items and services they offer so patients can compare prices and estimate the cost of care before going to the hospital.

Health Transformation Alliance (HTA), a cooperative of more than 60 of America’s largest employers, The Leapfrog Group, an HTA member, and Turquoise Health today announced the recognition of 472 hospitals for their efforts in demonstrating excellence in patient safety through The Leapfrog Group and the highest level of adherence to the Federal (HSS) Hospital Price Transparency Rule evaluated by Turquoise Health.

“We are able to achieve such national recognition because we strive to be the best at getting better,” Flaks says. “Earning top scores from both Leapfrog and Turquoise Health underscores the success we’ve realized in committing to safety and transparency.”

“HTA’s member companies are united in the belief that all Americans should have access to affordable, high-quality health care,” said Robert E. Andrews, HTA Chief Executive Officer. “We are deeply invested in improving health outcomes for the more than 4 million lives we are collectively responsible for. Their exemplary achievements in patient safety and price transparency are a notable example of what we can achieve when we put patients first. Our goal is for all hospitals in America’s health care system to meet the standards these hospitals have met – it should be the norm, not the exception.”

Of the 2730 total hospitals that received a Leapfrog Safety Grade rating, the honored institutions received the highest grade on patient safety, a Leapfrog Safety Grade A, and the highest score on price transparency which is 5 stars based on Turquoise Health’s evaluation of the machine-readable files posted  by hospitals. These hospitals represent less than 20% of all hospitals, pointing out the strong need for improvement in the health care system more broadly.

“We encourage all hospitals to look to these industry leaders in both patient safety and price transparency as a model for how to provide patient-centered, high-quality care. In following their example and commitment to safety and price transparency, we believe the health care industry can collectively strive towards better health outcomes for all,” said Andrews.

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit organization founded by employers. It is the nation’s premier advocate of transparency and patient safety in health care. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a letter grade rating of how safe hospitals are for patients, offers consumers critical information about how likely they are to experience accidents, injuries, errors or harm while in the hospital.

“At Leapfrog, it is our mission to serve as a voice for health care purchasers, using their collective influence to foster radical, positive change in U.S. health care,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO, The Leapfrog Group. “We are grateful to be working alongside HTA and Turquoise Health to champion transparency in all aspects of health care, including patient safety.”

Updated twice per year, the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade provides visibility into patient safety records of hospitals across the country. The score is also commonly used by national and regional health plans and vendors to educate their users on the importance of choosing a safer hospital. Hospitals recognized with a Safety Grade A demonstrate the highest quality of care. In addition to receiving the highest grade possible for patient safety, the hospitals being recognized also have the highest level of adherence to the Federal Price Transparency Rule, which makes it easier for consumers to shop and compare prices and estimate the cost of care before going to the hospital.

Achieving this level of adherence earned the hospitals’ top scores from Turquoise Health for price transparency. Turquoise Health fills a unique role in the health care ecosystem by advocating for price transparency and supporting providers, payers and employers in facilitating transparent relationships. As the industry’s most comprehensive pricing platform, Turquoise Health is dedicated to eliminating the financial complexity of health care, helping to lower costs and empower patients to make informed decisions. Only 57% of hospital systems currently earn top scores from Turquoise Health.

“At Turquoise, it is our mission to enable the adoption of price transparency. From empowering patients to make informed choices about their care, to encouraging competition that improves affordability, we believe that having access to usable data is a powerful tool in creating positive change in our health care system,” said Chris Severn, CEO and Co-founder of Turquoise Health. “Together with HTA and the Leapfrog Group, we’re proud to call attention to the hospitals that have a proven track record of embracing transparency as a means to improve the patient’s experience and quality of care.”

A total of 472 hospitals have been recognized by the HTA, The Leapfrog Group and Turquoise Health for their exemplary scores in patient safety and price transparency, including the hospitals of Hartford Healthcare.