Children's Hospitals win quality and efficiency award

by Lorna Benson, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota has won national recognition for its quality and efficiency at its Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses.

The top hospital awards are given out by the Washington, D.C.-based Leapfrog Group -- a coalition of large healthcare purchasers.

Dr. Alan Goldbloom, president and CEO of Children's, said his hospitals earned high marks for keeping patients in the hospital for less time, while maintaining good health care results.

"Our goal is to have kids in hospital for as little time as possible without in any way compromising the quality of care," Goldbloom said. "So finding that right balance is very important to us. It means we are using resources well, but still getting great outcomes."

Leapfrog awards are based on survey answers that hospitals voluntarily submit. Twenty-two Minnesota hospitals completed the survey. The Mayo Clinic's St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester also received a top hospital award from the Leapfrog Group.