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

Becker's Healthcare November 27, 2024
Kristin Kuchno

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...

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