How safe are Boise hospitals for patients? Check new local medical center report cards

On many occasions, a trip to the hospital isn’t planned and there may not be much time to think about which hospital you or a loved one goes to.

In Boise, many people are accustomed to being whisked to one of the local options - St. Luke’s or Saint Alphonsus. While these big-name hospitals have a layer of trust that comes with nationwide recognition, the level of care, communication and protection from other illnesses can differ from hospital to hospital.

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit focused on patient safety, recently released its 2023 rankings of over 3,000 general hospitals throughout the United States. Each hospital was ranked on an A-to-F scale based on the following criteria:

• Infections

• Problems with surgeries

• Safety problems

• Practices to prevent errors

• Doctors, nurses and hospital staff

Six Boise-area hospitals were graded, ranging from A to D. Here are the six hospitals and how each one ranked on Leapfrog Group’s scale. Each category is ranked from above average to below average, with a more specific report card of key issues under each category.

Above average means the hospital does a better job with patient safety, while below average means the hospital isn’t as safe, according to the study.

St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center

Grade: A

Infections: Average

Problems with surgery: Slightly below average

Safety problems: Above average

Practices to prevent errors: Above average

Doctors, nurses and hospital staff: Above average

St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center

Grade: A

Infections: Above average

Problems with surgery: Slightly below average

Safety problems: Slightly above average

Practices to prevent errors: Slightly above average

Doctors, nurses and hospital staff: Above average

West Valley Medical Center

Grade: A

Infections: Slightly above average

Problems with surgery: Average

Safety problems: Average

Practices to prevent errors: Above average

Doctors, nurses and hospital staff: Average

St. Luke’s Nampa Medical Center

Grade: B

Infections: Average

Problems with surgery: Average

Safety problems: Slightly above average

Practices to prevent errors: Slightly above average

Doctors, nurses and hospital staff: Above average

Saint Alphonsus Medical Center - Nampa

Grade: C

Infections: Average

Problems with surgery: Average

Safety problems: Slightly above average

Practices to prevent errors: Slightly below average

Doctors, nurses and hospital staff: Average

Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center - Boise

Grade: D

Infections: Slightly below average

Problems with surgery: Average

Safety problems: Average

Practices to prevent errors: Slightly below average

Doctors, nurses and hospital staff: Slightly below average

The Idaho Statesman reached out to Saint Alphonsus for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.