For the First Time, The Leapfrog Group Opens Its 2019 Survey Cycle to Ambulatory and Outpatient Surgical Services

WASHINGTON, April 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit representing the nation's largest and most influential employers and purchasers, announces today the opening of the 2019 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, for the first-time including questions about outpatient surgery in addition to its traditional content on the quality and safety of inpatient care. Leapfrog also launches today the new Leapfrog ASC Survey, open for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).

Leapfrog has collected and publicly reported safety and quality information about inpatient care for 19 years. In 2018 a record-breaking 2021 hospitals, representing almost 70 percent of U.S. hospital beds, participated in the Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Leapfrog is now expanding its data gathering and reporting enterprise beyond inpatient care in recognition of the fact that more than 60 percent of surgeries in the United States are being performed in outpatient units or ASCs. The content of the new Survey questions on outpatient and ambulatory surgery quality and safety were developed by national experts and extensively pilot tested and published today for the first time.

"Health plans and purchasers rely on The Leapfrog Group for value-based purchasing and reporting to their enrollees and employees, and we are proud to be able to expand our ratings to cover outpatient surgery and ASCs," said Leah Binder, Leapfrog president & CEO. "By participating in the Leapfrog Hospital or ASC Surveys, hospitals, and ASCs alike can be recognized for their quality and safety." Leapfrog publicly reports Survey results by hospital. However, the new outpatient and ambulatory surgery center results will not be publicly reported until the 2020 cycle of Surveys. An aggregate report on performance will be issued this year and individual facilities that participate will be given a customized benchmarking report.

The Outpatient Procedures Section of the Leapfrog Hospital Survey will closely align with the Leapfrog ASC Survey. This joint effort will provide purchasers and consumers with information to compare the same procedure, whether offered at a hospital or an ASC, across a range of topics important to purchasers, employers and patients, including:  

• Basic facility resources such as number of procedure rooms, accreditation, and transfer policies and agreements.
• Medical, surgical and clinical staff training, certifications, and education; as well as the   credentialing of clinicians.
• Volume and safety of procedures including questions on adult and pediatric outpatient procedures, patient follow-up and after-hours communication, patient selection and consent, and use of a safe surgery checklist.
• Patient safety practices covering medication safety, antimicrobial stewardship, hand hygiene, 'Never Events' policy, and compliance with the National Quality Forum Safe Practices.
• Patient experience stemming from communication from medical personnel about procedures beforehand and thorough instructions for follow on care upon departure.

Questions are based on the latest evidence-based measures, selected with guidance from Leapfrog's national Expert Panel and the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality at John Hopkins Medicine. The two inaugural surveys for 2019 are now available for viewing. Participation in Leapfrog Surveys is always free and voluntary.

In the fall of 2019, data collected by Leapfrog from ASCs, and similar information collected from hospital outpatient departments, will be aggregated in a national report for the public. Individual facilities that complete the Surveys will receive benchmarking reports. Beginning with the 2020 Survey, HOPD and ASC results will be publicly reported by facility on The Leapfrog Group's website.  

The Submission Deadline for Survey completion is June 30, 2019; late submissions will be accepted until the Late Submissions Deadline of November 30, 2019. ASCs or ASC networks interested in reporting data should contact Leapfrog's Help Desk to obtain a Security Code to access the Survey. In addition, Leapfrog will be hosting a free town hall call on Tuesday, April 23 from 2-3 pm Eastern to provide ASC leaders and administrators with more information about the content of the Survey. For more information, visit www.leapfroggroup.org/ASC.

About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog's other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents, and infections.

SOURCE The Leapfrog Group