Greer Memorial earned a 1.35 score, the lowest in the Upstate, as part of Medicare’s Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program. Hospitals were rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the best on three types of HACs – central-line associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and rate of serious complications for eight types of injuries ranging from bedsores and falls to blood clots and hip fractures.
Hospitals receiving a score higher than 7, there were 3 in the Upstate – Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, Oconee Medical Center and Palmetto Health Baptist Easley – will be penalized by Medicare for making too many avoidable mistakes that harm patients. Their Medicare payments will be reduced by one percent over the October 2014 – September 2015 fiscal year.
Pelham Medical Center had a score of 4.
The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) issued the report.