Top 5% in the Nation Based on Patient Surveys
Centralia, IL (June 9, 2010) – St. Mary’s Hospital is among the top 5% in the nation for patient experience based on an analysis of patient surveys from 3,775 hospitals across the country by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. By placing in the top 5%, St. Mary’s Hospital received the 2010/2011 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ for the 2nd consecutive year.
Under a program administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, surveys were sent to patients within 48 hours after their discharge. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, or HCAHPS, was collected between July 2008 and June 2009.
St. Mary’s Hospital was one of only 14 recipients of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award in IL and only one of 6 recipients in IL to be ranked in the top 5% in the nation.
“I am so proud of our employees, physicians, and volunteers.” said St. Mary’s Hospital President Bruce Merrell, upon being informed St. Mary’s Hospital received the Outstanding Patient Experience Award. Merrell continued, “St. Mary’s Hospital is the best kept secret in Southern Illinois. I always knew our staff and physicians provide quality care. It is gratifying to know our patients think we are extraordinary too.”
St. Mary’s Hospital’s Mission is to continue the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. Merrell states “Our Mission shapes what we do every day. Making sure patient experiences are exceptional is part of our culture.” Committed to continuous quality improvement, St. Mary’s Hospital adopts best practices of the health care industry in areas such as patient care, quality, safety, customer satisfaction, and employee and physician engagement.
The analysis of the HCAHPS surveys by HealthGrades found that 50% more patients gave St. Mary’s Hospital and the other recipients of the Outstanding Patient Experience Award an overall rating of a 9 or a 10 (10 being the highest possible) compared to the poorest-performing 10% of hospitals. Similarly, 50% more patients reported that they would definitely recommend the hospital to their family and friends.
In addition, 29% more patients at the top-performing hospitals said that they rested better because their room was always kept quiet at night, and 39% more patients said that they always received help from staff quickly. Twenty-seven percent more patients reported that staff always explained their medications to them prior to administering them and 26% more patients reported that their nurses always communicated well.
“There are a select group of hospitals that have made a top-to-bottom commitment to providing their patients with an outstanding patient experience as part of their overall commitment to quality,” said Rick May, MD, a HealthGrades vice president. “Members of their community should take pride in knowing that, should they need it, there’s a hospital in their area that puts patients first.”
The 27 survey questions fell into the following 10 categories:
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Overall rating: How do patients rate the hospital overall?
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Recommendation to family/friends: Would patients recommend the hospital to friends and family?
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Communication with doctors: How often did doctors communicate well with patients?
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Communication with nurses: How often did nurses communicate well with patients?
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Responsiveness of hospital staff: How often did patients receive help quickly from hospital staff?
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Pain management: How often was patients' pain well controlled?
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Communication about medicines: How often did staff explain medicines before giving them to patients?
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Discharge information: Were patients given information about what to do during their recovery at home? (This question was the only yes/no measure.)
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Cleanliness: How often were the patients' rooms and bathrooms kept clean?
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Quietness: How often was the area around patients' rooms kept quiet at night?