Cartersville Medical Center scored a “B” in the latest Hospital Safety Score for the Spring of 2015. In the Spring of 2014, they scored an A and in the Fall of 2014, their last inspection, they scored a B. Here is how the hospital stacked up compared to other hospitals:
In the Collapsed Lung category, which is when air leaks out of the lung and goes into the area between the lungs and the chest wall. It can happen when a doctor or nurse is inserting a catheter, a feeding tube, or even a pacemaker. This kind of lung injury can be serious and can cause severe chest pain and other complications. Cartersville Medical Center scored above average with a score of .38. The average score was .41.
After surgery some patients can develop a serious breathing problem. Their lungs either cannot take in enough oxygen or cannot get rid of carbon dioxide. Without immediate care, the patient can lose consciousness, fall into a coma, or even die. In the Serious Breathing Problem Category, Cartersville Medical Center scored below average with a score of 15.03. The average hospital scored 11.7.
A Dangerous Blood Clot is a gathering of blood cells in a vein, which can be caused by damage to tissue during surgery. Most blood clots form in the leg, but the clot can break away and travel through the bloodstream to other areas of the body. If the clot travels to the lungs and gets stuck, it can prevent oxygen from getting into the blood. This can lead to chest pain, unconsciousness, and even death. Cartersville Medical Center received a score of 5.74, which is below average. The average hospital scored a 4.5.
After a major surgery on the stomach or abdomen area, the healthcare team must be careful to make sure that the surgical stitches don’t break open. This could leave the wound exposed. A surgical wound splitting open is very painful and puts the patient at risk for infection. In this Wounds Split Open category, Cartersville Medical Center received an above average score of 1.75. The average hospital received a 1.91.
For many different kinds of hospital care, there is a chance that the patient will suffer an accidental cut or tear of their skin or other tissue. This problem can happen during surgery or a procedure where doctors use a tube to look into a patient’s body. In this accidental cuts and tears category, Cartersville Medical Center scored below average with a score of 2.21. The average hospital scored a 1.94.
Sometimes after surgery, patients can develop serious complications while they are in the hospital. They might catch pneumonia, have a heart attack, or lose function in their kidneys or liver. These problems are serious, but can be treated by a good hospital team. If the hospital doesn’t manage the patient’s complications correctly, the patient could die. In the Death from treatable serious complications department, Cartersville Medical Center scored an above average grade of 110.9. The average hospital scored a 119.16.
Here is a look at how other hospitals near the region performed. Redmond Regional Medical Center, WellStar Paulding Hospital and Floyd Medical Center earned “A’s,” while Northside Hospital in Canton earned a “C.”