Bluffton Regional Medical Center Receives Outstanding Patient Experience Award

Bluffton Regional Medical Center is among the top 10 percent 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 10 percent, Bluffton Regional received the 2010/2011 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™. David Thompson, SQI Consultant for HealthGrades, presented the award during a 1 p.m. ceremony today.

“Our associates and medical staff members are dedicated to not only meeting the physical needs of our patients but also providing the compassion and hometown touch that lets patients and family members alike know that they truly care,” said Vicki Hanselman, Bluffton Regional Chief Executive Officer. “It is rewarding to me to see them recognized for that dedication.”

“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.”

For the past 3 years, significant effort has been devoted at Bluffton Regional to making the process of care more patient-driven and patient-focused. Nurses and patient care techs have implemented an hourly rounding process. Patients participate in shift-change communication regarding their care. All hospital associates who enter patient rooms conduct an environmental assessment prior to leaving the room to ensure that things the patients need are within reach, the room is clean, and that the patient has water.

Under a program administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, surveys are conducted with 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.

The 27 survey questions fall into the following 10 categories:
• Overall rating: How do patients rate the hospital overall?
• Recommendation to family/friends: Would patients recommend the hospital to friends and family?
• Communication with doctors: How often did doctors communicate well with patients?
• Communication with nurses: How often did nurses communicate well with patients?
• Responsiveness of hospital staff: How often did patients receive help quickly from hospital staff?
• Pain management: How often was patients' pain well controlled?
• Communication about medicines: How often did staff explain medicines before giving them to patients?
• Discharge information: Were patients given information about what to do during their recovery at home? (This question was the only yes/no measure.)
• Cleanliness: How often were the patients' rooms and bathrooms kept clean?
• Quietness: How often was the area around patients' rooms kept quiet at night?

The analysis of the HCAHPS surveys by HealthGrades found that 50% more patients gave Bluffton Regional 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 percent more patients reported that they would definitely recommend the hospital to their family and friends.

In addition, 29 percent more patients at the top-performing hospitals said that they rested better because their room was always kept quiet at night, and 39 percent 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 percent more patients reported that their nurses always communicated well.