A new report on emergency preparedness ranks Iowa in the middle tier.
The annual report by the non-profit Trust for America’s Health ranks states on how prepared they are for things like disease outbreaks, natural disasters and bioterrorism. Iowa ranked in the middle tier with 15 other states, the same as last year.
The Trust’s Matt McKillop says no hospitals in Iowa got an “A” grade, which indicates there’s room to improve patient safety practices.
McKillop says, “Strengthening patient safety measures can reduce preventable medical errors, infections and complications, particularly crucial during public health emergencies.”
He says Iowa did well when it comes to its health-based violations for community water systems, and for its increased funding of public health.
“That’s an important measure for making sure that health officials in the state have the resources they need to do their jobs well,” he says, “and help protect health of the residents in the state, and to promote health for everyone.”
McKillop says Iowa’s strengths also include its participation in the nurse licensure compact. Another area where he says Iowa has room to improve would be by gaining accreditation from the Emergency Management Accreditation Program.
(By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)