St. Luke’s University Health Network has been recognized as one of the safest health systems in the United States, according to a recent report from the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The report identifies St. Luke’s, along with Texas-based Houston Methodist and the Mayo Clinic, as the top three health systems for safety and quality nationwide.
This assessment represents the inaugural AHRQ-funded review aimed at identifying leading health care systems based on safety performance. The evaluation focused on a comprehensive analysis of publicly available data, including insights from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, survey data from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, and ratings from the Leapfrog Group.
Top Performers in Safety Metrics
From a total of 4,791 hospitals and 135 health care systems with at least six hospitals, St. Luke’s stood out as one of only three systems where multiple hospitals demonstrated safety and patient experience performance that was more than 75 percent above the national average. Notably, out of nine hospitals evaluated within the St. Luke’s network, five were ranked among the top 65 performing hospitals in the country, showcasing the system’s overall high performance.
The hospitals selected for in-depth visits by AHRQ and its contractors included St. Luke’s University Hospital, Fountain Hill, and St. Luke’s Hospital–Miners. Similar evaluations were conducted at the Mayo Clinic and Houston Methodist hospitals, allowing AHRQ to gather insights on operational practices that contribute to superior safety outcomes.
According to Donna Sabol, Chief Quality Officer at St. Luke’s, the evaluators noted common characteristics across the top-performing health systems. She emphasized that strong governance structures and strategic planning are fundamental to fostering a culture that prioritizes patient safety and quality.
Commitment to Patient Safety
Sabol highlighted that these organizations invest significant effort into identifying and nurturing emerging leaders, instilling a sense of excellence and care throughout their ranks. The cultures within these health systems uphold safety as a core value, with a consistent focus on reviewing objective data to enhance existing practices and implement new ones.
“A No. 1 priority in our organization is our patients, and providing the highest quality, safest, most cost-effective care to our patients,” Sabol stated. She also elaborated on St. Luke’s historical commitment to safety and quality, which dates back nearly two decades. The organization made a concerted effort to revise its vision statement to reflect its objective of achieving top-rated performance in national quality assessments.
“It has been longstanding. It’s been developed over years, but critical to it is making sure that we have strong leadership. You know that that is just critical to lead the organization and continue leading the organization with this vision to provide our patients with the highest level quality and patient safety,” Sabol remarked.
St. Luke’s recognition by the AHRQ underscores its dedication to maintaining high standards in health care, offering reassurance to patients about the quality of care they can expect within its facilities.
