An increased focus on patient safety has earned The University of Toledo Medical Center a place on a ranking by Consumer Reports of the country’s safest teaching hospitals.

UTMC was named one of America’s 32 best teaching hospitals at preventing central-line infections in intensive care units (ICUs). The study used federal data from 2011 to 2015.

Central-line infections involve IV tubes and are particularly dangerous because they allow germs to directly enter a patient’s bloodstream. Up to a quarter of all central-line infections are deadly.

“Patient safety is our top priority at UTMC and this report reflects the hard work that our doctors, nurses and entire staff have put in to reduce the number of these infections,” said Dan Barbee, UTMC interim CEO.

Experts believe central-line infections are highly preventable and Barbee says “as a teaching hospital, we feel it’s vital to focus on safety as we prepare the next generation of physicians to serve northwest Ohio.”

This honor comes on the heels of recent patient satisfaction surveys that give UTMC high marks in outpatient surgery. Barbee adds “it’s great to see our staff’s efforts to improve the patient experience being recognized and we continue to focus on ways to provide high-quality life-saving care to the patients we serve.”

The University of Toledo Medical Center

The mission of The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC) is to improve the human condition by providing patient-centered, university-quality care. The University of Toledo Medical Center — the only university medical center in the region — has continuously served as an excellent teaching and learning site for students, physicians, faculty and staff.