“Explore Your Treatment Options”

HealthScores

Patient Safety

Leapfrog Group

MNSure

healthfinder.gov

Health Care Consumer Resources

The Leapfrog Group

Engagement > Consumer Tools and Resources > The Leapfrog Group

The Leapfrog Group is an employer-driven initiative that aims to “trigger giant leaps in the safety, quality and affordability of health care.” The Action Group served as the Regional Roll-out Leader in Minnesota when the Leapfrog Group was launched.

Measuring Hospital Performance and Patient Safety

Approximately 400 people die every day because of a preventable hospital error – the equivalent of a jet crashing every day and killing all aboard. Information on the quality of the care that a hospital provides is critically important when people are deciding where they should receive non-emergency hospital care. Very few people, however, know what information they should be looking for and where to find it.

The Leapfrog Group is an employer-driven initiative that aims to “trigger giant leaps in the safety, quality and affordability of health care.” The 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine provided Leapfrog with its initial focus – reducing preventable medical mistakes. The report recommended that employers, as purchasers of health care, provide more market reinforcement for the quality and safety of health care.

The Minnesota Health Action Group was a founding member of The Leapfrog Group when it was established in November, 2000. Minnesota was one of six regions to roll out the Leapfrog Hospital Survey with the Minnesota Health Action Group serving as the Regional Rollout Leader.

The Leapfrog Group hosted its first Hospital Survey in 2001. It now surveys over 1200 hospitals in 40 regions covering 43 states. The survey measures a hospital’s progress on “leaps” that improve the quality and efficiency of care, and, if fully implemented, would save lives and reduce serious harm to patients. The survey asks hospitals to report data on measures that are important to both consumers and purchasers. These measures meet four important criteria:

  • There is scientific evidence that their implementation would significantly reduce preventable mistakes.
  • Implementation by health care providers is feasible in a short period of time.
  • Consumers can appreciate their value.
  • Health plans, purchasers and/or consumers can easily ascertain their presence or absence when assessing health care providers.

Access the results of the Leapfrog Hospital Survey for Minnesota hospitals here.