Proximity is often the deciding factor when people need medical care. They choose the hospital that is closest to where they live or where they experience some kind of adverse medical event. However, the hospital that is closest isn’t necessarily the best option.
There are hundreds of hospitals around New York, with more than a hundred in New York City alone. Each one offers a slightly different standard of care, which can make it quite difficult for people to pick the right medical destination. One of the ways to evaluate the quality of treatment people might receive at a hospital is to look at the facility’s record of medical malpractice claims.
Some hospitals are the subjects of more reported mistakes than others
Every year, there are thousands of complaints about unprofessional medical services submitted in New York, and some of those complaints may lead to disciplinary action. Other times, facilities and the professionals they employ will end up facing medical malpractice lawsuits brought by injured patients or those who lost a loved one.
According to a reputable review of hospital practices and patient complaints, certain hospitals may need to rework their approach to patient care to improve the standard at the facility. The hospitals that are most likely to see frequent malpractice claims are those with the worst staffing and patient practices. When looking at the Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Grades for New York City, for example, 29 hospitals received an “A,” 25 received a “B” and 44 received a “C.” There was one hospital not graded in the spring of 2023, and another 12 hospitals received a “D,” which makes them likely at greater risk of a malpractice lawsuit.
The lowest-ranking hospitals with a “D” score in 2023 included:
- BronxCare Health System
- Brookdale Hospital Medical Center
- Flushing Hospital Medical Center
- Interfaith Medical Center
- Montefiore Einstein Campus
- Montefiore Moses Campus
- Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital
- Nassau University Medical Center
- NYC Health and Hospitals-South Brooklyn Health
- St. Barnabas Hospital
- St. John’s Riverside Hospital-Dobbs Ferry Pavilion
- Westchester Medical Center
Those who seek care at these low-ranked facilities may have a higher risk of receiving substandard medical care. Despite what trends may show, medical malpractice can happen anywhere. Hospitals with near-perfect backgrounds can end up in broiled in one of the most shocking malpractice claims of the decade when something comes to light.
Choosing the right facility can help reduce the risk of malpractice, but only actively fighting back after substandard medical care can truly help resolve issues with medical malpractice in New York.