The Leapfrog Group Invites Comment on Proposed New C-Section Measure for Hospital Survey

WASHINGTON, Nov. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Leapfrog Group (Leapfrog), a nonprofit advocate for purchasers of health care, is asking hospitals to comment on a proposed addition to the Maternity Care section of the 2014 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. Continually evolving to reflect the most current standards of performance, the Leapfrog Hospital Survey assesses hospitals based on national performance measures. The proposed addition, the nulliparous term singleton vertex (NTSV) cesarean section measure, focuses attention on low-risk, first-time births and provides concrete quality improvement suggestions to hospitals.

Leapfrog is announcing this proposed change in advance of its regularly scheduled Public Comment Period for Proposed Changes to the 2014 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. This notice will allow hospitals the opportunity to offer feedback and to implement and refine their data collection and reporting protocols in preparation for the 2015 public release of NTSV cesarean section delivery rates. A document of the proposed changes can be accessed here.

"Employers and other purchasers have been asking Leapfrog to report on C-sections since our inception over a decade ago. That's because the risks to women and babies associated with cesarean delivery are numerous and well documented, including infections and other serious complications, and the costs are very high," says Leah Binder, Leapfrog president and CEO. "We now have a reliable measure we can use on the survey, which means we can support women and families who want to compare the C-section rates of hospitals in their community."

The NTSV cesarean section measure is endorsed by the National Quality Forum and has been a part of The Joint Commission's Perinatal Care Measure Set since 2010. Beginning in January 2014, The Joint Commission will require all hospitals with 1,100 or more births per year to report on this measure. Leapfrog offers a short guide to assist hospitals with data collection and accurate reporting of their NTSV cesarean section delivery rates.

If added to the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, all participating hospitals reporting at least 50 births annually would be required to collect the NTSV cesarean section delivery data. Though the data would be collected as the part of the 2014 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, individual hospital rates would not be publicly reported on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey Results website (www.leapfroggroup.org/cp) until 2015. Leapfrog will use a direct standardization method to calculate an NTSV cesarean section delivery rate, which takes into account the mother's age. Hospital rates of NTSV cesarean section delivery will be measured against a national target of 15 percent. This target aligns with a goal set by the National Priorities Partnership Maternity Action Team, a group focused on reducing elective deliveries prior to 39 weeks and reducing cesarean section in low-risk women.

Comments and feedback on the addition of the NTSV Cesarean Section measure to the 2014 Leapfrog Hospital Survey should be submitted to the Leapfrog Hospital Survey Help Desk (https://leapfroghospitalsurvey.zendesk.com) by December 11, 2013 with the subject line: "Public Comment." 

About The Leapfrog Hospital Survey and The Leapfrog Group

The Leapfrog Hospital Survey assesses hospital performance based on national performance measures, including hospital services, processes and structures. The measures also provide hospitals with the opportunity to benchmark the progress they are making in improving the safety, quality, and efficiency of the care they deliver, and the Survey is publicly reported and free to all hospitals.

The Leapfrog Group (www.leapfroggroup.org) is a national nonprofit organization using the collective leverage of large purchasers of health care to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality and affordability of health care for Americans. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey allows purchasers to structure their contracts and purchasing to reward the highest performing hospitals. The Leapfrog Group was founded in November 2000 with support from the Business Roundtable and national funders and is now independently operated with support from its purchaser and other members.

SOURCE The Leapfrog Group