Northern Dutchess Hospital Earns ‘A’ in Safety Grades
Overview of Hospital Safety and Quality in the Region
Recent data has revealed a wide range of safety and quality levels among hospitals in the region. From top-tier care to troubling performance, the results highlight the varying degrees of excellence and areas needing improvement across different healthcare facilities.
Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck received the highest rating, an “A” from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that evaluates and reports on the quality and safety of healthcare facilities nationwide. This is the third consecutive year the hospital has ranked among the best in the country. The organization released its fall 2025 hospital safety grades in November.
Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie earned a “B” rating, while HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston and Mid-Hudson Regional Medical Center in Poughkeepsie both received “C” grades. Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson was given a “D” rating, barely meeting the passing threshold.
HealthAlliance Hospital, located at 105 Marys Ave. in Kingston, N.Y., can be seen Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (Connor Greco/Daily Freeman)
HealthAlliance Hospital and Mid-Hudson Regional Medical Center are part of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network. Northern Dutchess Hospital and Vassar Brothers Medical Center are affiliated with Nuvance Health, while Columbia Memorial Hospital is connected to the Albany Med Health System.
The Leapfrog Group uses data collected through its own hospital surveys and information reported to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop its rankings.
Performance Highlights
Northern Dutchess Hospital stood out for its low incidence of infections and surgical problems, as well as strong practices to prevent errors and high-quality care from doctors, nurses, and staff. It received an “better than average” rating for safety issues, though it had a higher rate of patient falls and injuries, including broken hips. The hospital also performed worse than average for urinary tract infections during hospitalization.
In a press release, hospital President Andy Wilson highlighted the dedication of the staff to preventing medical errors and maintaining strong infection control measures. “Safety is at the heart of everything we do here,” he said. “This ‘A’ grade confirms the dedication of each employee that walks through these doors to serve our patients.”
HealthAlliance Hospital’s Mary’s Avenue Campus ranked among the best for surgical problems, receiving average or above-average ratings in all six categories measured. It also ranked highly for error prevention practices, scoring above average in four of the six categories. However, the hospital received below-average grades for communication with patients about medications and for discharge planning.
The group noted that HealthAlliance Hospital performed better than average for infection rates, but had higher-than-average cases of C. difficile and blood infections. It also ranked slightly worse than average for falls resulting in broken hips and for communication among doctors and nurses, as well as for staff responsiveness.
WMC Health stated that the rankings focus on specific areas but don’t fully capture the quality of care provided daily. “While these scores do not capture the full picture of the care our teams provide every day, they help guide our efforts to elevate performance and outcomes,” the spokesperson said. The hospital emphasized its long-term commitment to improving quality and building a culture of continuous improvement.
Challenges and Improvements
Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson ranked among the best for surgical issues and staff performance, though it fell below the national average in several areas. It received a below-average rating for safety problems, including dangerous bedsores, falls leading to broken hips, and dangerous blood clots. The hospital also scored lower than average for error prevention practices.
Although the Leapfrog Group could not rank the hospital for infections, it found higher-than-average rates of C. difficile, urinary tract infections, and sepsis after surgery.
Matt Markham, vice president of communications and marketing for the Albany Med Health System, acknowledged that the assessments don’t fully reflect the hospital’s quality of care. He mentioned proactive measures taken over the past year, such as improving emergency department throughput, recruiting and retaining staff, and developing a virtual Provider-in-Triage program. The hospital has also participated in creating a system-wide logistics center to enhance coordination and improve patient care.
- Legenda basket Universitas Idaho Don Monson meninggal dunia pada usia 92 tahun - January 31, 2026
- 50 Kata-Kata Semangat Masuk Sekolah Hari Pertama Setelah Libur Panjang untuk Siswa - January 31, 2026
- Vitamin A’s Hidden Threat: Sabotaging the Body’s Cancer Defense - January 31, 2026
Leave a Reply