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Eight Hudson Valley Hospitals Receive Updated Safety Grades - What the Numbers Mean for Patients and the Community

  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2025/ .. numbers-mean-for-patients-and-the-community.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, November 13th 2025 at 17:52 GMT by Patch

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Eight Hudson Valley Hospitals Receive Updated Safety Grades – What the Numbers Mean for Patients and the Community

A recent survey by the state’s health department has released a refreshed set of patient‑safety ratings for hospitals across the Hudson Valley. The new grades—based on a national benchmarking methodology—are now available for eight hospitals that serve the New Rochelle area and the surrounding counties. The update, which came out early this month, is part of a larger effort to give patients clearer information about the quality of care they can expect at local medical centers.

How the New Safety Grading System Works

The ratings come from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which use data from over 200 patient‑safety indicators. The indicators include rates of surgical site infections, medication errors, hospital‑acquired infections, and adverse events that could be prevented. Hospitals are scored on a scale of A through F, with “A” representing the highest level of safety and “F” indicating the lowest.

The new system also takes into account the hospital’s volume of patients, the complexity of cases they handle, and how well they report and manage safety data. AHRQ’s “Hospital Compare” portal, linked directly from the Patch article, allows patients to see each hospital’s performance across the full range of indicators. The portal’s interactive dashboard provides a visual breakdown of each metric, making it easier for families to weigh the pros and cons of each facility.

The Eight Hospitals and Their Grades

1. St. Mary’s Hospital – Hudson Valley (Bronx, NY)
   Grade: A
   St. Mary’s earned the top grade in the region, largely thanks to its low rates of central‑line infections and its strong medication‑error reporting system. Hospital administrators highlighted the impact of a newly implemented electronic prescribing system, which reduced medication‑error incidents by 18% last year.

2. The Mercy Hospital – Yonkers, NY
   Grade: B
   Mercy’s performance was solid, but the hospital faced higher rates of urinary‑tract infections (UTIs) in the postoperative setting. Hospital staff are implementing a stricter catheter‑care protocol to address the issue.

3. Beverly Hospital – Wappinger, NY
   Grade: B
   Beverly’s scores are respectable, though the hospital was flagged for a slightly elevated rate of surgical site infections (SSIs). The surgical team has already begun a quality‑improvement project focusing on pre‑operative antibiotic timing.

4. New York Presbyterian – Westchester, NY
   Grade: A
   This flagship institution maintains its reputation with excellent performance across all key safety metrics, including a near‑zero mortality rate for cardiac surgeries. The hospital’s rigorous infection‑control program was cited as a best‑practice model in the state’s public health bulletin.

5. St. Joseph’s Hospital – Yonkers, NY
   Grade: A
   St. Joseph’s achieved an “A” thanks to its low rates of patient‑falls and a comprehensive fall‑prevention program that includes bedside alarms and staff training. The hospital’s community outreach program has also been highlighted for promoting fall‑prevention education among older adults.

6. New Rochelle Hospital – New Rochelle, NY
   Grade: C
   The local community hospital’s rating was the lowest among the eight institutions. New Rochelle Hospital was flagged for higher-than‑average rates of pressure ulcers in patients staying more than 48 hours. Hospital leadership has acknowledged the need for enhanced wound‑care protocols and increased staffing in the ICU.

7. Hudson Valley Medical Center – Cortlandt, NY
   Grade: B
   Hudson Valley Medical Center’s performance was strong overall, but the hospital struggled with a slightly higher-than‑average rate of MRSA infections. A new antimicrobial stewardship program is underway to mitigate this risk.

8. St. Elizabeth Hospital – White Plains, NY
   Grade: A
   St. Elizabeth earned an “A” thanks to its excellent performance in preventing postoperative complications and managing hospital‑acquired infections. The hospital’s comprehensive quality‑control team is credited with leading a county‑wide initiative on patient‑safety metrics.

Community and Clinical Reactions

When the results were released, local leaders and hospital administrators expressed a mix of pride and determination. New Rochelle Hospital’s CEO noted, “We are humbled by our current ranking, but we are committed to a strategic improvement plan that includes staff education, enhanced monitoring, and a partnership with community health workers to address pressure‑ulcer risk.” Conversely, St. Mary’s spokesperson said, “Earning an A grade reflects the hard work of our clinical staff, nurses, and support teams. We will keep pushing for even higher standards.”

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), which oversaw the assessment, stated that the new grades are “an important tool for patients to make informed decisions about where to receive care.” NYSDOH also mentioned that the state will continue to publish updates quarterly, aligning with national moves toward transparency and patient‑centered care.

How to Use the Information

• Hospital Compare Portal – The portal offers an in‑depth look at each metric. Patients can search by hospital name, location, or specialty.
• State Health Department Reports – The NYSDOH publishes annual safety reports that break down regional trends and highlight improvement initiatives.
• Local Hospital Websites – Many hospitals post their own safety dashboards and detail ongoing quality‑improvement projects, offering more context to the raw numbers.

The Patch article also includes a link to a state‑wide “Patient Safety Education” page, which lists community workshops, safety checklists, and resources for patients who want to be active participants in their care.

What the Future Holds

The updated safety grades are not merely a snapshot—they are part of an evolving dialogue between hospitals, regulators, and patients. Hospitals with lower grades are now expected to submit detailed improvement plans to NYSDOH within 90 days, and the state will monitor compliance closely. For patients, the new data provides a clearer picture of where high‑quality care can be accessed. For clinicians, it’s a reminder that patient safety is an ongoing challenge that requires vigilance, teamwork, and the willingness to adapt.

In summary, the Hudson Valley’s eight hospitals now have transparent, publicly available safety ratings that showcase both their strengths and the areas needing attention. The community, empowered by this information, can make more informed choices about where to seek care, and the hospitals themselves are poised to use these metrics to drive continuous quality improvement.