CGH Medical Center Ratings & Violations

A hospital performance measurement is important to determine the level of patient care available. Hospital performance uses various rating factors, including safety and quality protocols, patient surveys, deficiency reports, and adherence standards.

Healthcare violations can indicate a lower quality of care, which could, in some cases, indicate negligence. Negligent healthcare providers can harm patients.

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we strongly believe that injured hospital victims deserve justice and compensation. Our legal team is committed to helping victims of medical negligence build strong cases to recover compensatory damages, easing the financial burden of their care.

About CGH Medical Center

CGH Medical Center is a community hospital that provides comprehensive healthcare services to the residents of Sterling, Illinois, and surrounding areas.

Overview

CGH Medical Center is a 98-bed hospital located at 100 East Lefevre Road, Sterling, IL, 61081. This progressive acute care facility first opened in 1909 and initially focused on quality health care for the Northern Illinois community. In 2008, it expanded and added a brand-new obstetrics department with a birthing center and a critical care unit.

The hospital expanded again in 2015 with a state-of-the-art emergency department and again in 2021 with a behavioral health unit.

The CGH Medical Center offers a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, including surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, pediatrics, podiatry, dermatology, diabetes, nuclear medicine, gastroenterology, pain management, occupational therapy, a neurology laboratory, and a wound care center.

The hospital also focuses on public health education, with services like a diabetic education department and a CAP-accredited laboratory. A state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical center provides more surgery options for the Sterling, IL, community.

Ownership and Affiliations

The CGH Medical Center is independently owned and led by CEO and President Paul Steinke. Steinke has been providing leadership to the CGH Medical Center since 2013.

The CGH Medical Center network also includes 16 satellite facilities. Within the network, CGH offers internal medicine, public health, respiratory therapy, nutritional support, sleep medicine, and pharmacy services.

Recent expansions have also led to the innovative development of additional services and procedures, including a GI laboratory, digital mammography, spect scanning, and high-field MRI services.

Reputation and Performance

Reputation and performance can provide information about the quality of care available at a specific hospital.

The U.S. News and World Report ranks CGH Medical Center as underperforming in many medical services, including heart attack, neurology, and hip replacement care [1]. However, it also received average and positive public awareness ratings in conditions related to failure and endocrinology care.

Based on patient experience, CGH Medical Center receives a three-star rating. The hospital’s patients report receiving average ratings for overall satisfaction, willingness to recommend, doctor and nurse communications, and medication information.

Notable Legal Actions Against CGH Medical Center

When hospital staff are negligent, it leads to less favorable outcomes. Additionally, the hospital or its staff may be sued for damages through a lawsuit. Here are a few notable legal actions taken against CGH Medical Center.

Failure to Maintain a Safe Environment

In DeGroot v. CGH Medical Center, the plaintiff claimed they slipped and fell in the hospital parking lot after workers failed to remove snow and ice accumulation promptly. Following legal action with the help of a slip and fall injury attorney, a court jury awarded the plaintiff over $496,000 but later reduced it by 25% based on comparative negligence laws [2].

Failure to Follow State Labor Laws

The CGH Medical Center Sterling location has also been reprimanded for failing to follow the state’s labor laws, which allow employees to join a labor union. An Illinois judge found that the hospital administrators made an illegal attempt to interfere with or discharge this right [3].

CGH Medical Center administrators claim it consistently receives high ratings. However, the hospital has been named in a few lawsuits. Many hospital negligence lawsuits are also settled outside of court, making it even more difficult to understand the full extent of lawsuits against a facility [4].

Inspection and Deficiency Reports at CGH Medical Center Sterling, IL

The Illinois Hospital Report Card also measures hospital ratings. They report that 60% of patients would recommend CGH Medical Center to others, which is lower than the state average for similar hospitals [5].

The report claims that, when compared to other state and national hospitals, CGH Medical Center ranked lower in the following categories: being provided information for recovery at home, clean rooms, quiet rooms, and staff properly explaining medications.

In fact, CGH Medical Center received lower ratings in all measured categories when compared to state and national averages.

Medicare rates the CGH Medical Center two stars overall, and Medicare patients give it a three-star rating [6].

Patients report that the hospital performs better in many categories, including emergency care access. Only 2% of patients left the hospital before receiving medical care, which is lower than the state average of 5% and the national average of 3%.

Patients wait slightly less for medical care than the state average of 188 minutes but more than the national average of 168 minutes for other medium-volume departments.

Understanding Medical Negligence and Your Rights

Medical malpractice occurs when healthcare providers fail to meet accepted standards of care, resulting in patient harm. When a hospital or healthcare facility fails to meet these minimum care standards, it may be held liable for damages.

Hospital negligence can lead to patient injury or death and may include the following:

• Surgical Negligence: Mistakes during surgery procedures or improper medication dosing can be classified as negligent.
• Failure to Diagnose: Physicians or nurses who fail to take the proper steps to diagnose in a timely manner may be liable for negligence.
• Improper Care: Any deviation from the expected standard of care may be considered hospital negligence. Whether mistakes occur during a surgery procedure, ENT appointment, or when offering outpatient or inpatient services, medical negligence can happen in any health field.

Patients injured by a hospital’s negligence have legal rights. State laws allow injured victims to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering through a personal injury lawsuit.

If you’re considering filing a lawsuit due to negligent physicians, consider working with an experienced medical negligence lawyer.

Our personal injury law firm works closely with injured victims to help them build a strong case. Through expert negotiations and trial representation, we’re confident we can help secure fair compensation.

Secure Expert Legal Representation!

CGH Medical Center may have a strong reputation in the Rock River Valley Region of Northern Illinois. However, it only takes one negligent medical provider to fail in their duties.

Whether a provider failed to provide timely treatment or medication mistakes led to a worsening of symptoms, victims of medical negligence deserve compensation and justice. States have strict time limits on when injured victims can file a lawsuit. Be sure to consider your legal options before this time limit runs out.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers offers a free consultation to discuss your case and works on a contingency fee basis; we receive payment for our services only if we win your case.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is a Chicago-based firm that proudly serves clients across Illinois and select cases nationwide. Our Chicago medical malpractice attorney team is here to help you navigate your case and fight for the compensation you deserve.

To explore your legal options, call (888) 424-5757 or fill out our online form.

References: [1] U.S. News and World Report, [2] Casetext, [3] Quad City (QC) News, [4] Justice.gov, [5] Illinois Hospital Report Card, [6] Medicare

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.