NYC Hospital Safety Grades

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NYC Hospital Safety Grades

NYC Hospitals Are Part of the 3rd Leading Cause of Death

Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States next to heart disease and cancer, contributing to an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 fatalities every year. Patient health and safety should always be a top priority for hospitals. When it comes to seeking medical care, especially in emergency situations, the last thing you should have to worry about is the quality of care you will receive. Unfortunately, not all hospitals are safe in New York City. There are hundreds of active facilities around the country with alarmingly high rates of medical errors, putting patients at an elevated risk for serious injuries, illnesses, or even death.

How Safe Are NYC Hospitals?

When comparing New York State hospitals to the rest of the country, the results are less than impressive. In the Spring 2018 State Rankings, New York ranked 48th out of 49 states reviewed in regards to the total number of ‘A’ rated hospitals per state.

Specifically, New York City hospital ratings were equally as disappointing. Out of the 43 hospitals rated in the five boroughs, only two hospital scored above a ‘C’ grade:

  • ‘A’ rating= 1 hospital
  • ‘B’ rating= 1 hospital
  • ‘C’ rating= 26 hospitals
  • ‘D’ rating= 11 hospitals
  • ‘F’ rating= 4 hospitals

Putting into perceptive the fact that New York City has an estimated population of over 8.5-million residents, at least 600,000 commuters, and an unmeasurable number of tourists visiting on a daily basis, this report indicates that only two hospitals would be able to serve above average care, leaving the rest to provide average or below level services.

New York City Hospital Ratings

A Rating:

NYC Health + Hospitals – Metropolitan (Manhattan)

B Rating:

The Brooklyn Hospital Center (Brooklyn)

C Rating:

NYU Langone Medical Center (Manhattan)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Bellevue (Manhattan)

Mount Sinai West (Manhattan)

New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center (Manhattan)

Northwell Health System – Lenox Hill Hospital (Manhattan)

New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan

The Mount Sinai Hospital (Manhattan)

Mount Sinai (Queens)

Mount Sinai St. Luke’s (Manhattan)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Woodhull (Brooklyn)

Wyckoff Heights Medical Center (Brooklyn)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Harlem (Manhattan)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Lincoln (Bronx)

New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Medical Center (Manhattan)

Lutheran Medical Center

Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital (Queens)

Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center Concourse Campus (Bronx)

New York-Presbyterian (Queens)

St. Barnabas Hospital (Bronx)

Flushing Hospital Medical Center (Queens)

New York-Presbyterian The Allen Hospital (Manhattan)

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center (Queens)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Queens (Queens)

Montefiore Einstein Campus (Bronx)

Montefiore Moses Campus (Bronx)

Montefiore Wakefield Campus (Bronx)

D Rating:

Mount Sinai Beth Israel (Manhattan)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Elmhurst (Queens)

New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (Brooklyn)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Kings County (Brooklyn)

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center (Brooklyn)

SUNY Downstate Medical Center University Hospital of Brooklyn

Mount Sinai (Brooklyn)

NYC Health + Hospitals – Jacobi (Bronx)

Coney Island Hospital (Brooklyn)

Northwell Health System – Staten Island University Hospital (Staten Island)

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital (Queens)

F Rating:

Interfaith Medical Center (Brooklyn)

Maimonides Medical Center (Brooklyn)

Richmond University Medical Center (Staten Island)

Brookdale Hospital Medical Center (Brooklyn)


Medical Errors Can Be Deadly

Some of the most common medical errors resulting in hospital fatalities are generally preventable and can easily occur when proper safety procedures are neglected:

  • Misdiagnosis
  • Unnecessary treatment
  • Unnecessary tests and risky procedures
  • Medication errors
  • Medical mix-ups
  • Disorganized care
  • Infection acquired in the hospital
  • Malfunctioning of medical equipment
  • Missed symptoms
  • Going home too soon or not soon enough

Healthcare is a massive business and susceptible to human error, but that is no excuse for accepting or hiding medical errors. Patients deserve transparency when it comes to their medical care and the right to make decisions on where to seek services based on accurate and accessible information.

Providing Transparent Health Care

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 that has succeeded in improving the quality of hospital care for almost 20 years. Creating what is known as the gold-standard in hospital grading systems, The Leapfrog Group releases a bi-annual Hospital Safety Grade Report evaluating nearly 2,500 hospitals across the country. The grades range from ‘A’ to ‘F’ and focus on five critical areas of health and safety:

  1. Infections
  2. Problems with Surgery
  3. Practices to Prevent Error
  4. Safety Problems
  5. Doctors, Nurses & Hospital Staff

By publicly holding hospitals accountable for their level of care, The Leapfrog Group has significantly impacted how facilities improve their services by providing a clear picture of their overall strengths and weaknesses.

Optimal Healthcare Is Your Right

Every resident of New York City has a right to safe and quality healthcare, regardless of your location or affordability. If you or a loved one has sustained a serious injury or illness due to negligent medical errors, our attorneys at Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein are here to fight for you. 

Contact us using our convenient online form or feel free to phone us in New York at 212-227-1212, or in Huntington/Long Island at 631-864-2429.