BAKERSFIELD, CA July 5, 2012-  Bakersfield Heart Hospital is proud to announce that they were rated number one in hospital safety in California by Consumer Reports, a national magazine. 

“ How safe is your hospital? “ is the question asked in the August Consumer Reports article addressing the safety issues in hospitals nationwide.  Hospitals across the country were rated on Safety, Infections, Readmissions, Communication and Scanning.  “ Our safety ratings provide a unique way to compare hospitals in your community.  And they yield important insights into the state of hospitals safety nationwide – and what you need to do to protect yourself, or someone you care for, when entering a hospital. “

The microscope is on the healthcare industry to promote a safe environment for patient care.  Medical mistakes and other related errors have heightened the awareness of the problem.  For the article Consumer Reports interviewed patients, physicians, hospital administrators, and safety experts,; reviewed medical literature; and looked at hospital inspections and investigations.

“ We are extremely pleased for this national recognition” , says Randy Rolfe, President of the Bakersfield Heart Hospital.

Bakersfield Heart Hospital has developed integrated activities to improve patient safety that proactively address and work to effectively reduce medical / health care errors and other factors that contribute to unintended and/or unanticipated adverse patient outcomes. 

According to Judy Littrell, Bakersfield Heart Hospital, VP Quality & Organizational Support, “ Our efforts focus on regulatory compliance and The Joint Commission (TJC) who have established National Patient Safety Goals for accredited hospitals to adhere to. The TJC have oversight responsibility for compliance to respective standards to ensure that there is a safe environment for patients. ”

Furthermore Ms. Littrell states, “ We are dedicated to creating an environment in which patients, their families, organization staff and leaders can identify actual and potential risks regarding patient safety and to create mechanisms to measure, analyze, and manage variation in performance of defined processes that affect patient safety.”,

 “ We recognize the importance of creating and maintaining a safe environment for all patients, visitors, employees, and others within our organization.” , said Randy Rolfe.

A national list of all hospitals with a safety score is available on the Consumer Reports iPad edition and to website subscribers at ConsumerReports.org/hospitalratings.